Childminders should be permitted to claim funding for children who are related to them, provided all eligibility criteria and safeguarding requirements are met. It should be accessible to childminders caring for related children, ensuring equal treatment with care provided to non-related children.

I feel childminders are overlooked as educational professionals. Many childminders care for their young relatives to support family. Some children, such as those with SEN, can only be looked after by relatives such as grandparents. Some relatives receive payment for that care. As long as the care is being met and all children are being treated equally and that childminder is registered with Ofsted why shouldn’t they be allowed to claim funding?