How to become registered as a Family Day Carer

Thinking of Becoming a Family Day Carer?
You have expressed an interest in becoming registered to care for other people’s children in your own home.

The aim of this leaflet is to give you information on what is involved in becoming a registered family day carer so you can offer this service to children and parents.

Prior to August 2005 when new legislation came into force, family day carers were known as childminders, but it is only the title that has changed, not the requirements for registration.

Why Register?
The Day Care of Children (Jersey) Law 2002, requires that the Minister for Education, Sport and Culture registers you as a Family Day Carer, when you receive a reward for caring for children in your own home unless any of the following apply:

• you are caring for children under the age of twelve years for less than two hours a day;
• the child you are caring for is a close relative;
• you are not charging a fee for this service

If none of the above apply and you are planning to care for children below the age of twelve years for reward, then you must become registered as a family day carer. It is an offence to care for children under twelve years of age if none of the above conditions apply.

Meeting the Requirements for Registration
A number of requirements must be met before registration as a family day carer is possible:

• the standard and safety of your home is assessed and this may result in certain changes to meet safety requirements;
• it will be necessary to make a number of personal checks on yourself and police checks on all members of your household over the age of sixteen years;
• you will be required to obtain public liability insurance;
• you will be limited to caring for a maximum of three children under the age of five years and a maximum of six children under the age of twelve years, at any one time and this calculation includes your own children;
• you will be limited in the number of babies and toddlers you can care for at any one time;
• you will be required to undertake a basic course of training during your first year of registration and hold an current first aid certificate at all times;
• you are required to attend two pre registration meetings before your application for registration as a family day carer can be accepted.

You and Your Family
Another child in your home will affect your own family life, so you should involve your family in the decision about whether you apply for registration as a family day carer. Your family will have to share your home with another child and your children will have to share your time.

Your application for registration should take into account their needs.

What Next?
If, after having discussed what is involved in registration with your family and you wish to proceed with an application to become a registered family day carer, complete the Pre-registration form for Family Day Carers and return it to:

The Administrator for Day Care Registration
Department of Education, Sport and Culture
P.O. Box 142
Jersey
JE4 8QJ
Tel: 449387 

Following receipt of the completed slip you will be sent a letter inviting you to the next pre-registration meetings for family day carers.

Meetings take place once a month throughout the year , except in July and August.

For information on the date of the next meeting contact the Administrator for Day Care Registration on tel 449387.