Search for childminder policies and you'll find lists of thirty or forty documents, with no sign of which ones are required and which ones someone wants to sell you. The real list is shorter, although it depends on which register you're on.
Do you have to have written policies?
If you're only on the Early Years Register, the EYFS says your policies don't have to be written down, but you must have them, follow them and be able to explain them to parents and Ofsted. If you're on the Childcare Register too, as most childminders are, you must have written policies and give parents copies.
I'd write them down either way. A policy you've already thought through is much easier to explain, and a parent who has read your illness policy before their child is ill is far less likely to argue about it later.
The policies most childminders need
I'd treat these as the core set:
- Safeguarding and child protection, including what you do if you're worried about a child, how you'd handle an allegation against you or someone in your home, and the use of phones and cameras.
- Complaints: how parents raise one, how long you take to reply, and that they can contact Ofsted.
- Behaviour: how you support children's behaviour positively, and that you never use physical punishment.
- Illness and infection: when children must stay at home, and for how long.
- Medicines: written permission, records and storage.
- Accidents and first aid, including how you record accidents and tell parents about them.
- Late collection and a child going missing, each with clear steps.
- Equality and inclusion, and how you support children with special educational needs or disabilities.
- Health and safety, including risk assessment and outings.
- Privacy: what information you hold, why, who you share it with and how long you keep it.
Depending on how you work, you might also want policies on attendance, sleep, food and allergies, transport and outings, or working with assistants.
What makes a policy useful
A good policy describes what you do. A copied policy that says "the setting manager will inform the room leader" tells Ofsted you haven't read it. Keep each one short, write it in your own voice and date it so you know when to review it. Once a year is enough for most, or straight away if the EYFS or your circumstances change.
Check your policies agree with your contract as well. If your contract says a child with a temperature stays home for 24 hours and your illness policy says 48, a parent will spot the difference at exactly the wrong moment.
Writing them without starting from scratch
GoChildmind writes most of these from the answers you give for your contract, so your policies and contract say the same thing. They come as an appendix to the contract, ready to give to families or show at inspection. You can see them in the sample.