Childminding spaces for youngest are 'what people require most'

Theresa McCaughey, who has been working as a childminder for 18 years, says the rules need to change for the industry to be financially viable

Childminders should be allowed to increase the number of children they care for, the Department of Health (DoH) has been told after a consultation on adult-child ratios for childminding.

Currently a childminder is permitted to care for six children under the age of 12 but only three of those can be under compulsory school age and only one can be under a year old.

A registered childminder from Cabragh, County Tyrone, said she wants to be able to care for more younger children, specifically those under four years and three months old.

Theresa McCaughey categorised that age group as "under" and said spaces for them are "what people require most".

Theresa McCaughey cares for eight different children throughout the week

She said as soon as an "under" space is available, it gets taken up quickly.

Ms McCaughey said those spaces made the most money and could help keep a childminder's business running.

The DoH has been consulting on a possible change to adult-to-child ratios for childminding and earlier in 2025 it released eight different options for consideration.

The DoH said its preferred option would be to allow a maximum of two children under 18 months, but no more than three children under compulsory school age and a total of eight children under 12.

Theresa said it did not go far enough.

"That's still leaving me with three 'unders'," she said.

She chose an option that would allow four children under compulsory school age and up to 10 children under the age of 12.

Mixed views from parents

Joanne Marshall, pictured with her six-month old daughter Amelia, thinks childminders could cope with an extra pre-schooler

Joanne Marshall is a new mum and heading back to her job as a teacher in County Monaghan. She believes childminders could easily cope with an extra child under compulsory school age.

"I teach four-year-olds and have 20 children," she said.

Johanna Patterson, who is also getting ready to go back to work, sends her daughter Martha to a childminder three days a week.

Catherine Burns, pictured with two-year-old Leo and eight-month-old Maggie, said taking on more children will depend on the childminder

She would prefer the number was not increased.

"Three is a nice number I suppose because you know they are being looked after well," she said.

Catherine Burns, mum to two-year-old Leo and eight-month-old Maggie, said it depended on the childminder.

"I imagine that childminders who are in that position and are wanting to increase their numbers have the capacity themselves and know what they can undertake," she said.

Johanna Patterson thinks more than three under school age would be "hard work for anybody"

The DoH consultation closed on 20 June.

It said 495 responses were received from a wide range of organisations and individuals and that the department was now in the process of analysing them and preparing a report for the health minister.

The DoH said the minister will then consider the next steps.