She received a start-up grant of 300, some of which went towards paying for minor changes to her home to meet safety requirements, such as putting up a banister.
Her Ofsted inspection to achieve registration, she says, 'wasn't nearly as bad as I'd thought it was going to be', with the inspector not 'telling me what to do - more advising and offering guidance.'
She completed Introducing Childminding Practice (ICP) as her induction course and is now working on NVQ level 3 in Early Years Care and Education.
She has also joined the Surrey Childminding Network.
'You get so much affection from the children and so much satisfaction from watching them learn and develop,' says Shelly of her new career.
'I love the flexibility too, not being tied to a curriculum or timetable, so the children and I can make the most of an unexpected sunny afternoon.'
Working from home also saves time, money and the hassle of commuting, and there's no boss to answer to or set targets to meet, she adds.
She acknowledges that 'childminding can be a little bit isolating', and recommends getting involved with mother and toddler groups or other childminders to swap ideas, discuss any problems and enjoy some adult company.
'My advice to anyone considering becoming a childminder would be to take it very seriously,' she says. 'It's an extremely valuable profession, and a great responsibility being involved in the foundation stage of a child's life.
'Too many people still think of childminding as someone staying at home earning a bit a pocket money. Always think of yourself and promote yourselfas a professional, and makesure parents think of you inthat way too.'
