The UK's army of fantastic childminders are a lifeline to many parents. Finding the right childminder can really take the pressure off. When looking for a childminder check their Ofsted registration - they must have this - and see if they are a member of the excellent National Childminding Association (NCMA). You can get a list of local and registered childminders from your local authority.

Asking for personal recommendations is always a good way of finding the best person, and of course always visit the childminder's house to check out fully the facilities and environment your child will be going into.

The NCMA has recently been lobbying the government over plans to increase the cost to childminders of joining the Ofsted register from ¬£15 to more than ¬£100. The NCMA are rightly worried. They fear that potential childminders will be put off by the larger upfront cost. There must also be a worry that a ‛black market' of unregistered childminders will spring up.

The NCMA rightly point out that the government is looking to increase the amount of affordable childcare places but increasing registration fees will make this harder. Many childminders are working part-time hours and not earning significant amounts of money. An increase in registration fees could well be the difference between providing this valuable service or looking to do something else.