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Decline in number of childminders 

There has been a fall in the number of registered childminders in England as they have faced increasing regulation.

The latest figures - from Ofsted - show there were 11.5% or 8,400 fewer registered childminders in June this year than at a peak in June 2004.

Many childminders blame an increasing amount of regulation linked to Ofsted and statutory guidelines on caring for children coming into force next month.

The government said its guidelines did not place a burden on childminders.

Pat Adams, a childminder with 21 years experience, says all the childminders that she used to attend a playgroup with have given up in recent years.

I am now 99.9% certain that I will be joining the ranks of those giving up child minding - I've had that many sleepless nights and worries about it

The EYFS provides a statutory framework that all child care providers have to follow.

The government launched it in March 2007 to ensure that all children in childcare settings were looked after to a high standard.

It sets out a series of learning and development requirements, as well as legal requirements for safeguarding children.

And steps towards certain learning and development goals have to be recorded.

Childminders as well as nurseries have to have regard to the guidelines and would have to explain why they had departed from them, if that was the case, when inspected by Ofsted.

Children's Minister Beverley Hughes insisted the new guidelines were not a burden on childminders because most of them would be doing it already - helping children learn and develop through play.

"Childminders have a vital role to play, and we know they are valued by many parents for the unique type of childcare they provide.

"The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is based on the advice of qualified early years professionals and we consulted widely on it - and it's supported by the National Childminding Association who say the EYFS is a positive development.

"The number of registered childminders has always varied over time, for a number of reasons.

"For example, Ofsted has recently undertaken an exercise to prune the register by removing childminders who are no longer actively looking after children. This will have resulted in fewer people on the childminding register."

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