# Websites for childminders

> Websites for registered childminders that show your Ofsted registration and report, explain funded hours and fees clearly, and give parents a real sense of a day in your setting.

- Source: https://nerdsharks.com/industries/childminders
- Publisher: Nerdsharks (Exeter, Devon, UK)
- Updated: 2026-09-27

There are 13,880 child day-care providers, including childminders and nurseries across 377 UK local authorities (ONS UK Business Counts, SIC 88910, 2025, OGL v3.0).

## How customers choose

Parents usually start looking for childcare months before they need it, often during parental leave, and they compare childminders against nurseries. The questions come in a particular order. First: do you have a space, for which days, and from when. Second: are you registered, and what did your last Ofsted inspection say. Third: do you offer government-funded hours, and what will it actually cost once those are taken into account. Only then do they look at the setting itself - the garden, the playroom, the routine, the outings, the food. Childminders appeal to parents who want a home setting, smaller groups and one consistent carer, so the personal side matters a great deal. Most families find childminders by word of mouth, local Facebook groups and the council's family information service, but they still look you up before they visit.

## What most websites in this trade get wrong

Most childminders have no website at all, and those who do tend to have a short page that says nothing about availability, fees or funding - the three things parents need first. Parents hate ringing round to find out whether anyone has a space. A good childminder site says clearly whether you have vacancies and for which days, links to your Ofsted report, explains how funded hours work in your setting including any additional charges, and shows the setting and a typical day with photos that do not include identifiable children without consent. It also needs care with privacy - many childminders work from home and should not publish a full address to the world.

## What the website has to do

- **Visit request** - Parents will not decide without visiting, so booking a visit is the key step.
- **Waiting-list registration** - Families plan months ahead and a waiting list secures future places.
- **Vacancy enquiries for specific days** - A clear vacancy statement produces enquiries you can actually fill.

## Pages

- **Home** - Vacancies, Ofsted registration, funded hours and a warm introduction.
- **About me** - Experience, qualifications, and why parents choose a childminder.
- **A day with us** - Routine, activities, outings, meals and rest.
- **Fees and funding** - Rates, funded hours, what is included and any extra charges.
- **Ofsted and policies** - Registration details, link to the latest report and key policies.
- **Contact and visits** - Visit request form and general area, not the full address.

## Features that matter

- **Vacancy status by day, kept current** - The first question every parent has; stale vacancies waste everyone's time.
- **Ofsted registration number and link to the latest report** - Parents check, and linking directly shows confidence.
- **Funded hours and fees explained together** - Parents need to understand their real cost, not just an hourly rate.
- **Photography without identifiable children unless parents consent** - Shows the setting while respecting safeguarding and privacy.
- **Area shown, full address withheld** - Protects a home-based setting while still ranking locally.

Trust signals: Ofsted registration (or registration with a childminder agency) and inspection report; Paediatric first aid certificate; Enhanced DBS checks for the childminder and household members as required; Childcare qualifications; Insurance.

Seasonality: September is the biggest start date, with a second wave in January. Enquiries peak in the spring and early summer before September starts.

## Local authorities with the most

| Local authority | Businesses |
|---|---|
| Birmingham | 230 |
| North Yorkshire | 145 |
| Leeds | 130 |
| Glasgow City | 130 |
| Buckinghamshire | 125 |
| Kirklees | 115 |
| Barnet | 115 |
| Croydon | 115 |
| Somerset | 115 |
| City of Edinburgh | 115 |

## The offer

- **Monthly**: £299 upfront, £99/month (the upfront is a setup fee), 12-month minimum term. We build it, host it and look after it - and after 24 monthly payments, it is yours.
- **Own It**: £1,795 upfront, £49/month, no minimum term. Buy the website outright. It is yours to keep, move or cancel.
- **Pro**: £6,950 upfront, £299/month, 12-month minimum term. No limits. For large, multi-site and fast-growing businesses.
- Payment: The setup fee is paid when you book, and it starts the design. Monthly fees are collected by Direct Debit, covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee, from the day your site goes live.
- Guarantee: You see your finished design on your phone and approve it before anything goes live, with two full rounds of changes included. Nothing launches until you are happy with it. The Monthly plan runs for 12 months from launch.
- Bolt-ons: Google Business Profile management £29/month; Local SEO pack £49/month; Business email £5/month. Coming soon, not yet on sale: Missed-call text back, Review booster.
- VAT: We are not VAT registered, so there is no VAT to add to these prices.

## Questions

### Should my childminding website show my current vacancies?

Yes - it is the first thing parents look for. A short statement of which days you have spaces and from when saves parents ringing round and brings you enquiries you can actually fill. When you are full, switch it to a waiting list rather than removing it.

### Can I use photographs of the children I look after on my website?

Only with clear written consent from their parents, and even then many childminders choose not to. Photographs of the setting, activities in progress with faces not shown, and your garden and playroom give parents a real sense of the place without raising safeguarding concerns.

### Should I put my prices on my website?

Almost always yes. Hiding prices loses more enquiries than it protects, because people assume the worst and go to a competitor who publishes theirs. If your pricing genuinely varies, publish a range and explain in one sentence what moves it - that converts far better than "contact us for a quote".