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Local services booked online · Budget: £0 to £500 · Minimum age: 18+

Childminding

Childminding is caring for other people’s children, usually in your own home, and agreeing hours and pay directly with parents. Registration rules differ across the UK and Ireland, so check the rules where you live before taking bookings.

In plain words

• You care for children in your own home.
• Agree hours, activities, and pay with parents.
• Check your local rules before accepting bookings.
• Make your home safe and welcoming.
• Keep clear records of care and money.

Who it suits

Suits a responsible, patient person who enjoys caring for children and can provide a safe, welcoming home. Treat it as an adult-start business: no general minimum age for becoming a childminder is stated.

Parents need reliable care that fits their family’s hours and routines. They may value a welcoming home, clear communication, and consistent care for their children.

Step by step

1. Check the rules where you live. Before advertising or taking bookings, check which rules apply in your country. In Northern Ireland, paid care for children you are not closely related to for more than two hours in the day requires registration with your local Health and Social Care Trust nidirect. About 1-2 hours.
2. Get current guidance for Ireland. If you live in Ireland, contact Tusla and Childminding Ireland before setting up. The Tusla guide explains registration and transitional arrangements; check it for the rules that apply to your situation Tusla. About 1-2 days.
3. Choose a safe number and age range. Plan around your home, skills, and the needs of the children. In Northern Ireland, the stated limit is six children under 12 including your own, usually no more than three under five and one under one nidirect. In Ireland during the transition, the Tusla guide describes up to six children overall and no more than three preschool children; check its registration guidance for your circumstances Tusla. About 1-3 hours.
4. Prepare your home for care. Plan safe play, meals, rest, outdoor time, and what you would do in an emergency. In Northern Ireland, the Trust checks the home as part of its registration process GOV.UK. About 1-3 days.
5. Apply where registration is required. In Northern Ireland, contact your local Health and Social Care Trust and follow its application process. Be ready for an information session, references, checks, and a home inspection; the stated process usually takes two to three months GOV.UK. About Allow 2-3 months in Northern Ireland.
6. Check insurance before care begins. Ask the relevant body or insurer what cover applies to your service. In Northern Ireland, nidirect says registered childminders have public liability insurance nidirect. Childminding Ireland lists an insurance scheme, but check current terms before relying on it Childminding Ireland. About 1-2 days.
7. Write down what your care includes. Set out the ages you can care for, your available hours, meals, outings, illness arrangements, and holidays. Agree the terms and pay with parents before care starts. About 2-4 hours.
8. Tell local families what you plan to offer. Let local families know you are preparing to offer childcare and ask what care they need. In Northern Ireland, parents can check registration with the local Trust and ask about insurance nidirect. About 1-3 days.
9. Track income and spending. Keep a simple record of payments and business costs. In the UK, the first £1,000 of trading income per year is covered by the trading allowance; above that, check what you must report to HMRC GOV.UK. About 15-30 minutes each week.

Your first 15 minutes

Contact the relevant local authority or childminding association and ask for the current registration and insurance checklist for your area.

The money

Work out your costs, the hours you can offer, and the amount of preparation and record-keeping involved. Check local rates where possible, then agree the fee and what it includes directly with parents; there are no reliable general earnings figures.

Example only: UK — 10 hours at £12 per hour = £120 income; subtract £20 example costs = £100 before tax. Ireland — 10 hours at €15 per hour = €150 income; subtract €25 example costs = €125 before tax. These are made-up example prices, not typical rates or an earnings promise.

The rules

You can childmind lawfully in the UK and Ireland, but the rules depend on where you live and the care you provide. Check with your local childcare regulator or Trust before taking bookings. The detailed rules below cover Northern Ireland and Ireland, not every part of Great Britain.

UK and Northern Ireland

• Northern Ireland registration. In Northern Ireland, you must register with your local Health and Social Care Trust if you are paid to care for children you are not closely related to for more than two hours in the day nidirect. The detailed rules here cover Northern Ireland. If you live elsewhere in the UK, check with your local childcare regulator.
• Home checks and limits. The Trust inspects you and your home every year. The police check everyone aged over 10 who lives in your home nidirect. All adults living or working at your home must also register. The Trust checks everyone else living or working there GOV.UK. You can usually care for up to six children under 12, including your own. This usually includes no more than three children under five and one child under one. Exceptions may apply nidirect.
• Insurance. No general insurance requirement is stated for childminders in Northern Ireland. Check with your local Trust and insurer about the cover you need or that may be suitable for you.
• Tax. The UK trading allowance covers the first £1,000 of trading income per tax year, before expenses. If your income is above that, tell HMRC GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles. If you need to register for Self Assessment, do so by 5 October after the tax year ends GOV.UK.
• Records and privacy. You will handle information about children and parents. Use the ICO self-assessment tool to check whether you need to pay a data protection fee. The ICO page does not give a general rule for every sole trader ICO.
• Age and local rules. There is no general minimum age stated for childminders in Northern Ireland. Check with your local Trust or childcare regulator before relying on an age rule in your area.

Ireland

• Registration and transition. The regulations came into force and applications opened on 30 September 2024. During the transition, you do not need to register until it ends on 29 September 2027 if you care for up to six children overall and no more than three preschool children. If you mind at least one non-relative, you must register by then Department of Children, Disability and Equality Tusla. You do not need to register if you care only for relatives Tusla.
• Who the rules cover. A childminder is someone aged at least 18 who cares in their own home for children under 15 for at least two hours a day Department of Children, Disability and Equality. If you register your service, you can care for six or fewer children, with no more than two children under 15 months Tusla. You can provide the service only from your home, not the child’s home Tusla.
• Fees and processing. The application fee is €40. Complete applications take three months to process Tusla. You must also pay an annual fee to Tusla Early Years Inspectorate. You do not owe an annual fee in a year when you have paid a registration fee. No annual fee amount is stated Tusla Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
• Renew your registration. Renew your registration every three years if you want to stay on the register. You can apply up to six months before your registration expires. You must apply at least two months before it expires. Tusla lists these renewal documents: a signed Declaration form, current insurance certification, Garda vetting, first-aid qualification evidence, Children First e-learning evidence and a Declaration of Suitability. Apply through the Tusla Portal Tusla.
• Garda vetting. You cannot apply for Garda vetting as an individual. If you are self-employed, you can apply only through a relevant organisation Citizens Information. Household members did not need vetting during the initial registration process. This requirement began on 1 February 2025 Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
• Tax. If you are a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income exceeds €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income exceeds €30,000 Revenue. If your income is below those thresholds, declare it on Form 12 through myAccount Revenue. If you are self-employed, pay income tax, PRSI and USC through self-assessment. Preliminary tax is due by 31 October Citizens Information. Check current Revenue guidance or ask an adviser about your circumstances.
• Insurance and agreements. Tusla lists current insurance certification as a renewal document Tusla. Agree care, fees and cancellation arrangements clearly with parents.

Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.

Common mistakes

• Taking bookings before checking the rules for your location.
• Offering more hours, children, or age ranges than you can safely manage.
• Starting care without clear written terms agreed with parents.
• Forgetting to check insurance and keep accurate income records.
• Assuming registration rules in one country apply everywhere.

AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.

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