'Check up on who's minding your child'

With 'Who's minding the children?' as the theme for the week, the SCMA aims to highlight the risks posed by unregistered childminders and explain the benefits of using those who are registered. The organisation says it has become concerned about problems with unregistered childminders following several calls to its advice line.

SCMA director Anne McNellan said, 'The Government's push to get more people out to work has meant that there is a much greater demand for childcare.

'Unfortunately this has also led to an increase in unregistered childminding. This is a very risky business for everyone involved, particularly the children. I cannot emphasise how important it is that people use registered childminders. If parents are unsure they should ask to see their childminder's registration and insurance certificates.' Anyone caring for a child in their own home for more than two hours per day for reward must by law register with their local authority as a childminder and meet certain key requirements in relation to safety standards. The process involves an annual inspection of the childminder's home as well as police and health checks to ensure that the person is considered fit to care for children. A registered childminder must also have public liability insurance. The SCMAsays an unregistered childminder is unlikely to have undergone any of these checks and could be jeopardising children's safety.