During the same year 170 childminders cancelled their registration, representing 20 per cent or one in five of the 850 childminders we had on the register. This continues a pattern we have observed for several years, despite a number of local initiatives to promote childminding.
We are concerned about this trend, so we decided to ask people why they dropped out. The main reasons why new people did not pursue their enquiries were finding other employment, changing family circumstances and lack of funds to get started. The main reasons for childminders cancelling were finding other employment, their own children getting older and other changes in family circumstances.
Bruce Clifford, manager, children's daycare registration team, Gloucester County Council Social Services
