Childminders missing out on earnings support

One in ten of the UK’s 39,000 childminders could miss out on the Government’s 80 per cent earnings grant because they have not been in business for more than a year.

Childminders spend up to £2,000 on equipment, DBS checks, registration, training, authorisation by Ofsted and building a client list, according to a survey by Yoopies, a childcare platform.

Any shortfall created will increase the risk of the childcare crisis predicted last autumn after figures by Ofsted showed 500 childminders, nurseries and preschools were already going out of business every month.