Disabled Children and Childminders

You do not necessarily need specialist care for a disabled child. You can share your knowledge of your disabled child with potential minders. ‘Network childminders’ have had some training for looking after disabled children and they receive on-going support. Your local Family Information Service will have details of local childminders including network childminders. If your child needs to be given medication, the childminder’s insurance may require him/her to have ‘the same level of training as a parent would have’. You could offer to pay for their time while they get advice from your GP or Health Visitor.

Although childminders are not allowed to discriminate, they are self-employed, so are in a position to select their own clients.