Childminding Week 2026: WOW!

May 19, 2026

Ka Lai Brightley-Hodges, Head of Coram PACEY

Reflections on Childminding Week 2026

Looking back on Childminding Week 2026, I feel an immense sense of pride in what we achieved as a community, and I am overwhelmed by the support that we have received from childminders, sector peers, and partners. Something felt different this year: there was an increased sense of appreciation for childminders and the role they play in the early years, a greater understanding of their unique offer and how childminders benefit children, and a much larger audience wanting to show up and offer support.

Meeting with the Minister for Early Education, Olivia Bailey

To mark Childminding Week, I sat down with Minister for Early Education, Olivia Bailey, to talk all things childminders — how to celebrate and support them, and what we need to do to turn the tide on childminder numbers.

We talked about her experience meeting Samantha Goldsworthy, Coram PACEY’s Childminder of the Year 2025, as well as the Minister’s sister-in-law, who was also a childminder. I asked about childminders and the role they could and should play in the SEND reforms and the Government’s Best Start in Life strategy, especially through working at a local level with Family Hubs and school partnerships.

We also spoke about a comprehensive childminder strategy and the need to set a clear target, as we did with the workforce needed for the expansion of the entitlement scheme, in order to reverse the decline in childminder numbers.

I will be meeting with the Minister again soon to talk at length about the initiatives, key policy changes, and strategy that Coram PACEY is urging the Government to consider in order to see childminder numbers grow again.

You can watch the full interview on our YouTube channel.

Stay and play with Plymouth City Council

In Plymouth, we worked with the team at Plymouth City Council to host a stay-and-play event for childminders and children in their area. With 67 children and 23 childminders in attendance, this was a fantastic event that showcased just why celebrating Childminding Week at a local level is so important.

This event kicked off our partnership work with Sarah Cotter and the team at Plymouth City Council to build and implement a childminder recruitment strategy that considers the challenges and opportunities specific to childminders in the area.

Plymouth is set to undergo one of the largest regeneration programmes in its history, with plans to deliver up to 10,000 new homes in and around the city centre over the next decade. As more families move into the area, existing nurseries and early years settings are expected to face increased pressure and potential oversubscription. Childminders will play a crucial role in helping to meet this growing demand and ensure families can continue to access childcare that meets their individual needs.

We hope that, through this partnership, we can deliver a positive and sustainable change in the number of childminders, helping to support the increased demand for childcare in the area. This work will also feed into our National Childminding Blueprint, which will explore a national strategy to recruit and retain childminders that can be implemented at a local level, and which we hope will be the catalyst needed to reverse the decline in childminder numbers.

“It was a real success, and it was wonderful to see so many children enjoying themselves — whether hiding in play dens, taking part in the teddy bears’ tea party, or engaging in soft play, physical, and creative activities. The opportunity for so many childminders to come together, share best practice, and exchange ideas is rare, so the day was particularly valuable.” — Sarah Cotter, Plymouth City Council

Magic of Childminding report launch

I am incredibly proud of the Magic of Childminding report that we launched. This is the first time a report has brought together so many voices — including childminders, parents, children, and sector experts — to celebrate and champion the positive impact of childminding on children, families, and communities. It’s a tricky thing trying to balance the need to appeal to parents and key policymakers, while also ensuring childminders feel connected to and represented by the same report. I think we have achieved this, and we hope that, when reading the report, childminders feel proud of the work they do and know that we, as a sector, truly value and appreciate them. It is our love letter to the childminding profession.

The report launch was topped off by a wonderful drinks reception at the Coram campus, where we were joined by a host of childminders, partners, and supporters. To have some of the most senior figures from the Department for Education and Ofsted in the room just goes to show the momentum we are gaining in bringing childminders to the fore. Whilst I do not doubt that all have previously regarded and supported childminders, I believe our focus on establishing childminding as a unique part of the early years sector — offering something so different from other providers — has supported renewed attention on the profession.

Thank you to Samantha, Priya, and Annette, our three amazing childminders who stood up and spoke about why they are so passionate about childminding. Thank you also to Sue Robb, Laura Henry-Allain, and Carol Homden for speaking about the importance of childminders.

We’ve had such brilliant feedback on the report since it launched. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, you can do so here. Please send me your thoughts kalai.brightley-hodges@corampacey.org.uk.

“The report beautifully captures the importance of relationships, continuity of care, outdoor experiences, community connections and play-based learning. The sections around babies, SEND and child-led play especially reflect what so many practitioners know about how children learn best.

What stood out to me throughout was how strongly the report aligns with so many of the conversations happening across the wider Early Years sector around relational pedagogy, authentic play and child-centred practice.” — Dr Aaron Bradbury

Coram PACEY Cymru celebration event

We held a very special event in Cardiff during Childminding Week. Coram PACEY Cymru’s annual event was a great day of learning and celebration, with insightful talks and workshops delivered by Ceri Herbert, Head of Childcare and Play Inspection at Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), Hedwig Verhagen, Duke AL, and Paula Timms on topics ranging from inspection changes and the impact of psychological trauma on child development to the power of the pen.

It was also a pleasure to highlight and celebrate Welsh Promise and Welsh language learners, as well as recognise excellence in wellbeing, longevity, and innovation in childminding.

Regional Childminder Awards 2026

Speaking of celebration, I am thrilled that we were also able to announce the winners of our Regional Childminder Awards during this special week. We had a record number of entries this year, and the calibre was phenomenal.

Congratulations to:

Julie Dixon — Winner, East of England
Kim Forteath — Winner, North East England
Jessica Richardson — Winner, East Midlands
Adele Harrison — Winner, Yorkshire and Humber
Helping Hands Childminding — Winner, Southwest
Imogen Eyre — Winner, West Midlands
Claire Nicholls-De Freitas — Winner, South Wales
Jacqui Gill — Winner, North Wales
Noreen Ismail — Winner, Northwest England
Monira Begum — Winner, London
Daisy Tucker — Winner, Southeast England

Thank you for sharing your passion with us, for inspiring the next generation of childminders, and for helping us all to raise the profile of childminders.

“My nan was an amazing childminder, who made my childhood and those of the other children she cared for magical. Her mantra was growing old is compulsory but growing up is optional and her ability to provide experiences that truly spoke to children showed that. She inspired me to choose early years as a career. Her passion lay with working with the harder to reach families and so does mine. I come from a background of deprivation and various other disadvantaging factors myself and it has given me such a strong drive to support children and families where the odds may not automatically be stacked in their favour.” – Imogen Eyre, Winner (East Midlands)

Looking forward to 2026/2027

Childminding Week is a high-profile way to celebrate childminders and the incredible work that they do. It is also a really helpful way for organisations such as Coram PACEY to involve more stakeholders and the wider early years sector in recognising and appreciating childminders.

We do not, however, want the effort that is put into the week and the support from everyone to feel tokenistic. We want to continue our Magic of Childminding campaign and use the key findings from the report to push the profession forward, changing the dialogue from declining numbers and barriers to a truly unique offer that benefits so many, and that every child and family should absolutely have access to.

I am excited about the work we will be doing between now and Childminding Week 2027, and the change that we are determined to see for childminders, children, and families.

Read the Magic of Childminding report