We have been funded by the Nuffield Foundation to conduct the research project ‘Achieving high-quality provision for babies among childminders in England’ through March 2027. This project will bring together evidence on what quality provision looks like for children aged 0-2 years old with childminders.
This project is an extension of ‘Achieving high-quality provision in the baby room of English nurseries.’ You can find out more about this project at https://thebabyroom.blog/.
Why this project is important
In March 2023, the UK government announced the expansion of subsidised early childhood education and care provision to children as young as nine months. The full expansion was completed in September 2025, which means all children under the age of five with working parents meeting the criteria are eligible for 30 hours of funded provision. This is likely to correspond with an increase in public scrutiny of the care and education of 0–2-year-olds, which has traditionally been viewed as a private matter in England.
Childminders are key to delivering the expansion of the entitlement. However, research has shown that childminders are often overlooked across the early years. Throughout the baby room project, it became clear that the sector must engage childminders in key discussions around quality provision for babies to advance knowledge and practice across the early years sector in England.
How the research will be carried out
The research team aims to kickstart the conversation around childminding provision for children under two years old by:
- Drawing on existing global research to establish what is known about the key elements of high-quality home-based provision for children aged 0-2 years old.
- Exploring status, sense of professionalism, and professional learning among childminders in England, and in turn pinpointing the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the current preparation of and support for childminders working with babies.
- Developing a plan for advancing quality of provision as part of a workable vision for childminders in England.
100 childminders will be surveyed and participate in focus groups. The 100 participants will be drawn from three continuing professional development conferences arranged by the research team.
How it will make a difference
Findings will be disseminated through a series of blog posts and interactive online resources. Key decision makers will be engaged through one-to-one meetings to foster commitment to the recommendations.
www.childmindingbabies.blog 