Childminding Services – An Action Research Project

An ongoing partnership with the Childminders

In 2013, IECD conducted a Childminding Study to assess the current situation of childminders who looked after four or more children.  Results from the National Childminding Study indicated clearly that there was a need to attend to the health and safety aspects of childminding, to establish minimum level of provision and to train and support childminders.

Beginning of the year, two childminders were selected as part of an intervention plan to assist them with improving certain specific areas of their childminding services.  In this issue, we meet up with Ms Ruth Sopha and look at her area of intervention.

Name of Childminder:  Ms Ruth Sopha

Location of Childminding Establishment:  North Region

Area of intervention:             Early Learning

Number of children benefiting from childminding service:  8 children aged between 18 months to 3 years

Developing the Intervention Plan

A basic training programme based on storytelling was developed which included:

1. Six familiarization visits to the childminding establishment
2. Two days training session
3. Four monitoring/support visits

Implementing the Intervention Plan

The programme started on 12th February 2015.  During two visits made to Ms Sopha’s childminding establishment, Mrs Felicia Lafortune, the Officer from IECD, carried out simple yet interesting demonstrations on the art of storytelling.  During the remaining four visits, Ms Sopha had to put into practice what she had learnt.  She was monitored and offered support and guidance on ways to improve her storytelling in order to stimulate the brains of the young children under her care at an early age, and make their days fun and animated with wonderful stories and fairytales.

Conclusion

Ms Sopha showed great positivity and eagerness to learn new ways to improve her area of early learning.  Whilst there is still room for improvement in that area, with perseverance and the great love she has for her job, Ms Sopha feels confident that she will be able to surmount all challenges and offer the children at her establishment a good quality service.