Childminder Ratios

The maximum number of children that childminders can look after is a legal requirement and can’t be exceeded. In total, including their own children and any other children they're responsible for, a childminder may look after no more than six children under the age of 8 years.

Of these six children, usually:

• Three may be under the age of 5

• One may be under a year old.

The EYFS does allow for some flexibility if a childminder can demonstrate that the individual needs of

all the children are being met. Some childminders use this flexibility to care for more than three children under the age of 5, but in all circumstances, the total number of children under the age of eight being cared for must not exceed six per adult.