Information for childminders
Working in child day care is interesting, but also challenging. As a childminder, you are an educator, administrator and housekeeper all in one.
On this page
In addition to the actual work with the children, childminders work closely with the parents in an educational partnership - they are therefore their most important contacts. Childminders also enter into a cooperation with the specialist service of the city of Offenbach. Here they will find a contact person for all questions relating to child day care, but also have a duty to inform the specialist service.
Contact persons in the specialist service
The administrative staff in the specialist service provide information on "factual" questions relating to:
- Registration, deregistration, notice periods;
- Closing times and sick notes;
- Certificates for tax returns;
- Calculation and payment of current cash benefits and
- subsidies for health insurance, pension fund, BGW accident insurance.
The specialist advice in the specialist service provides information on "pedagogical" issues relating to:
- Familiarization, child development, change of childcare relationship etc.,
- recognition of the content of external training courses,
- Conflicts in existing childcare relationships and complaints,
- suspicion of child endangerment etc. and
- is the contact person for all individual concerns of a professional nature.
Sometimes there are overlaps in the processing - just ask if you are unsure.
Financial support for childcare
The childminder receives a cash benefit from public funds in accordance with § 23 SGB VIII. This is called financial support in child day care. This is made up of
- the material expenses for the child, e.g. for meals, toy materials, consumption costs such as rent, water, electricity
- a performance-related amount to recognize the childminder's support services
- social benefits for proven, appropriate accident insurance for the childminder
- half of the contribution for appropriate and documented old-age, health and long-term care insurance.
All essential information on childcare funding is set out in the statutes of the City of Offenbach.
In order to receive funding, childminders must send the relevant information to the specialist service.
In order to receive half of the reimbursement of insurance benefits, we require the notification from the insurance company and proof of payment. All essential information on how to receive the current cash benefits for the children in care can be found on the General Conditions page under the heading "Registration and deregistration":
An overview of the payments childminders receive (depending on the care rate and the number of hours cared for) can be found here:
Further professional qualification
In cooperation with the Offenbach Adult Education Center (vhs Offenbach), the specialist childcare service offers an annual training program in which Offenbach's childminders can participate free of charge. Further training courses on educational topics are offered here.
It is also possible to attend external courses with other providers on site and online. A brief clarification is required in advance as to whether the course is recognized by the specialist service. At least 50 percent of the courses should be held in person.
Childminders also have the opportunity to take part in 8 supervision sessions per year in a fixed group free of charge.
In addition to the regular training courses, training courses on child protection as well as hygiene and infection prevention training take place every two years.
Independence and obtaining a care license
Childminders work as freelance, self-employed childminders.
This means that they determine their own working and closing times, the design of the rooms and the daily routine, their concept and the pedagogical focus of their work .
They decide for themselves which children they would like to take in, taking into account, for example, which children fit into the group or whether there is a good common basis for the educational partnership with the parents.
As a self-employed childminder, you are also responsible for the administrative tasks involved in childminding, such as
- completing and submitting the necessary forms for the care of the children
- the bookkeeping and calculation of the care facility
- Taxes and insurance (registration, accounting, tax returns)
- compliance with the applicable data protection regulations for forms and when dealing with photos and media
Taxes
The income according to §23 SGB VIII is taxable income from self-employment according to §18 EStG. They must be reported to the tax office in an income tax return.
It is advisable to agree an advance payment with the tax office at the beginning of the activity. In subsequent years, this is based on the previous year's income.
There are various tools to help you keep an overview of the inclusions and exclusions and to be able to prove them to the tax office.
Here you will find an example of a calculation table. Please note: No liability can be accepted for the completeness and accuracy of the results shown here.
Due to their self-employed activity, childminders are obliged to register with the statutory social insurance schemes (health, long-term care and pension insurance). Depending on their income, there are various options for insurance cover, which must be clarified with the respective insurance provider in each individual case. The youth welfare organization reimburses half of the regular insurance contributions. There is also the option of private cover.
Accident insurance
Childminders who work in publicly funded childcare are also protected by statutory accident insurance. You can register via the BGW (Berufsgenossenschaft für Gesundheits- und Wohlfahrtspflege), the regular contributions are reimbursed by the youth welfare office.
Liability insurance
It is advisable to take out liability insurance for your work as a childminder. Check whether your private liability insurance can also cover your work as a childminder.
Unemployment insurance
In the first three months after starting work, it is possible to take out voluntary unemployment insurance to cover losses in child day care.
The Federal Association for Child Day Care provides information on this here:
In-depth information on taxes and insurance:
Rooms and security
Child-friendly rooms are a prerequisite for a care permit. The rooms must be bright, ventilated, heated and smoke-free in accordance with § 29 HKJGB and ensure the safety of the children. They should also be designed to be stimulating and conducive to development.
When the care permit is issued and renewed every 5 years, the rooms are checked for safety by the specialist advisor. The childminders also undertake to regularly check their care facility for relevant safety deficiencies and to take measures to rectify them.
The mandatory safety standards and supplementary safety instructions of the City of Offenbach as well as further helpful information on creating a child-safe environment can be found here:
Emergency, accident and first aid
Even if the safety standards in the childcare facilities help to prevent accidents, they cannot be completely avoided in everyday life.
In order to be well prepared for emergencies and accidents in childcare, childminders must complete a mandatory first aid course every two years, especially for young children.
The course must be completed with recognized providers and the certificate of attendance must be submitted to the JA. The costs for this can be reimbursed by the UKH. You can find more information here:
If injuries occur, these must be documented in the first aid book.
Injuries for which a doctor has been consulted must be reported to the Unfallkasse Hessen and the specialist service.
Every childminder should have an emergency plan in place so that they can react quickly and safely in an emergency. Important information can be found on the website of the Unfallkasse NRW.
Hygiene
Wherever many people are together in a confined space on a daily basis, hygiene measures should be taken to prevent the spread of pathogens as far as possible. Therefore, hygiene and infection protection is of considerable importance in child day care. Important areas here include good room hygiene, care situations, meal preparation and dealing with illnesses, especially protection against infection.
Childminders undergo mandatory training on hygiene and infection prevention every two years.
You can read more about this topic here:
Organization of support
The care of a child in child day care is legally equivalent to the care of a child in a child day care facility.
This means that child day care, like other educational facilities, has an educational mandate.
In addition to further training and supervision services, the specialist advice service offers childminders support in their day-to-day pedagogical work and in implementing the support mandate. It offers a small collection of specialist literature, DVDs and similar items to borrow and provides advice on specific issues by telephone or at the care facility.
Protected area for childminders:
The specialist child day care service has created a protected area for child day carers in the city of Offenbach where further information on all aspects of child day care can be downloaded.
Child day care service
Haus der Wirtschaft
Platz der Deutschen Einheit 4
63065 Offenbach
Notes on accessibility
Barrierefreier Zugang
Wheelchair access: Yes
Elevator available: Yes
Disabled parking spaces are available on Berliner Straße next to the entrance to the Rathaus/Haus der Wirtschaft underground parking garage
Notes on accessibility
Further information
Underground parking garage Haus der Wirtschaft, underground parking garage Rathaus, Berliner Straße 112 - 116;
Underground parking garage Sheraton Hotel, Berliner Straße 111
Opening hours
Personal appointment on the 6th floor: Thursday 2 to 4 p.m.
Telephone availability for specialist advice: Monday 9 a.m. to 12 noon
Telephone availability of the administration: Tuesday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Specialist advice: Astrid Flöritz, Christine Külzer, Katarzyna Marx, Kerstin Weishaar
Administration: Claudia Werum, Christina Botha
Social insurances