- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- to be flexible and open to change
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- excellent verbal communication skills
- customer service skills
- thinking and reasoning skills
- the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Your day-to-day tasks may include:
- providing inspirational learning activities
- offering free play activities, both indoors and outside
- planning, preparing and serving meals
- changing nappies and making up bottles for babies
- taking children on outings
- taking older children to and from playgroup or school
- working with other local childcare professionals to support children's learning and development
You could work from home.
Your working environment may be outdoors some of the time and physically and emotionally demanding.
With experience you could expand your business and take on a childcare assistant. You could also become a network co-ordinator, supporting other local childminders.
With further training you could become a tutor on childminding courses. You could also move into a related job like nursery worker, playworker, community play leader or teaching assistant.
You'll find details about careers and courses in childcare from the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years and the Pre-school Learning Alliance.
You can find out more about childcare training routes on the early years career progression map.
