Midlands Enterprise Awards 2020

25 | Midlands Enterprise Awards 2020 Leading Trailblazers in Childcare 2020 Trustworthy and quality-assured childcare can be an invaluable service for busy parents. At a time when many parents are also working to strict job commitments or running a business, it is important to take the stress out of finding a childminder. Recognised as the “Leading Trailblazers in Childcare 2020” in the 2020 UK SME Midlands Enterprise Awards, @Home Childcare acts as a full-cycle solution connecting parents with reliable, effective childcare professionals and educators. Founded in 2005, @Home Childcare is a multi-faceted support community for childcare services. Since then, the organisation has worked primarily as a service to help parents find flexible childcare so they can cope with their hectic work lives. Utilising thorough training and meticulous inspections, @Home Childcare make sure that parents find a professional who is adept at what they do but who also gives the parents peace of mind. As well as assisting working parents, @Home Childcare operate as a regulatory body and support community for childminders. After registering as an Ofsted childminder agency in December 2015, they took on a new role supporting and developing childcare professionals. In symbiosis with their service for parents, @Home Childcare is able to develop early educator talent and confidently match them with people who need their services. The agency provides on-going training, funded childcare qualifications and support to educators, ensuring that they are equipped to provide the absolute best care. Ofsted childminder agencies like @Home Childcare offer their registered educators a distinct advantage over Ofsted registered childminders. Founder and CEO of @ Home Childcare, Yvette Oliver-Mighten told us that “Inspections are the game changer as childminders registered with Ofsted agencies are inspected annually,” rather than every 6 years as Ofsted registered childminders do. Yvette went on to explain that, “Lots of things can go wrong in between the years waiting for your next inspection, especially as most educators do not have external support they can call on.” Without an agency like @Home Childcare to maintain standards and provide training, many childminder professionals are deprived of the advice and assistance they need to adequately develop their skills. Families can put their mind at ease, as @Home Childcare is dedicated to regularly monitoring and improving quality. The agency’s entire community is built on trust, which is fostered through diligence and talent development. They cultivate talent from Oct20057 the ground up, aiding individuals who want to set up an early education business. By supporting their ongoing professional development from this early stage, the agency can be confident that they are providing the best talent and making sure it stays that way. @Home Childcare is passionate about empowering suitable people to fulfil their dream of running a successful childcare service. As a community interest company, one of their social missions is to assist in developing sustainable businesses which provide an environment that children will enjoy and thrive in. Agencies like @Home Childcare are becoming more important, as 2020 is turning out to be a prime time to set up an at-home childcare business. Parents are currently gravitating towards home settings rather than nurseries because of the limitations and fears stemming from the Covid pandemic. Home settings involve smaller numbers and ‘bubbles’ of children and infection control measures such as cleaning are more manageable. They also provide the added comfort of a more natural-feeling environment that children can feel comfortable in. Pandemic-related redundancies have caused people to rethink their career path. For those who are appropriately suited, setting up a childcare business can be an opportunity to start doing something they love. @Home Childcare is capitalising on this trend, by launching their new Full Support Service. The service involves intensive support for new educators, which will help emerging childcare professionals with the set-up of their own business. The majority of their Full Support Service is funded, thus making it more affordable for people to fulfil their dream of starting a childminder business. @Home Childcare have provided a foundation for aspiring childminders to learn their craft whilst also closely moderating them. Their rigorous inspections provide peace of mind for parents and encourage educator development. They are pioneers of childcare services in the UK and continue to set the standard for the rest of the industry. Contact Name: Yvette Oliver-Mighten Company Name: @Home Childcare Web Address: www.athomechildcare.co.uk