Finding a childminder is one of the more personal hires you'll make, and it's normal to want more reassurance than you would for a one-off job around the house. Ireland's childminding rules are also mid-change at the moment, with registration moving from mostly voluntary to compulsory over a few years, so it's worth understanding where things stand before you start asking questions.
Tusla registration: where things stand right now
Historically, most childminders minding a small number of children in their own home fell outside compulsory registration. That's changing. A three-year transition period began in September 2024 and runs to autumn 2027, after which registration with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, becomes compulsory for childminders minding children outside the child's own home, with limited exemptions such as minding only your own relatives. During the transition, childminders can register voluntarily, and the rules cap childminding at a maximum of six children at any one time, with no more than two of those under 15 months.
What this means for you right now: a childminder may be perfectly legitimate without yet being Tusla-registered, since the deadline hasn't passed. It's still worth asking directly where they stand, whether they're already registered, planning to register, or exempt, and checking that answer against Tusla's own published guidance rather than taking it as settled. Tusla's registration and inspection information is the authoritative source, and it's updated as the transition progresses.
Garda vetting: how it actually works for childminders
Garda vetting for people working with children in Ireland runs through the National Vetting Bureau, under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts. Self-employed people can't apply for their own vetting directly, they need to go through a relevant organisation, and for childminders, that organisation is Tusla. Tusla manages the Garda vetting application service for childminders, including those who aren't registered yet but are in the process of becoming so, and vetting is compulsory for Tusla-notified and registered childminders, along with any other adults aged 18 or over living in the childminder's home. Processing typically takes a number of weeks, so a childminder who's actively going through vetting, rather than already holding it, isn't necessarily doing anything wrong.
Ask directly whether they've completed Garda vetting through Tusla, and don't be shy about it. It's a standard, expected question, not an accusation, and a genuine childminder will expect to be asked.
The National Childcare Scheme (NCS)
The National Childcare Scheme provides a universal hourly childcare subsidy, not means-tested, for children aged roughly six months to 15 years, plus a further income-assessed subsidy on top for eligible families. Childminders can be an NCS-approved provider, but for a parent to claim the subsidy through a childminder, that childminder needs to be registered with Tusla and hold an NCS contract with the Department of Children. If claiming NCS support matters to you, ask upfront whether the childminder is registered and NCS-approved, since not every childminder currently is, particularly during the transition period.
Questions worth asking before you book
- Are you registered with Tusla, in the process of registering, or currently exempt, and why?
- Have you completed Garda vetting through Tusla?
- Are you NCS-approved, if that subsidy matters to your childcare costs?
- How many children, and what ages, are you minding at the same time?
- What's a typical day like: meals, naps, outdoor time, other children in the house?
- What happens if my child is sick, or the childminder is unwell and can't mind that day?
- What's the arrangement for holidays, both yours and theirs?
- Is there a written agreement covering hours, pick-up and drop-off, and notice periods?
A settling-in visit, ideally more than one, before committing to a regular arrangement is worth the time. It gives you a feel for how your child responds to the childminder and the space, not just answers to a list of questions.
What Service Connect does, and doesn't, check
Childminders on Service Connect can add qualifications and registration details to their profile, and declare things like insurance, but Service Connect doesn't inspect those documents or run background checks itself. For childcare specifically, check a childminder's Tusla registration and Garda vetting status yourself, directly with them and against Tusla's own information, rather than assuming a profile has been independently verified. This matters more for childcare than for most other jobs on the platform, given what's at stake, so take the time to check rather than rely on a badge or a claim alone.
Reviews on a childminder's profile only come from people who completed a booking with them, so they reflect real arrangements rather than a favour from a friend, but they're not a substitute for asking the questions above yourself.
Posting a childminding job on Service Connect
Posting a job is free. Describe the days and hours you need covered, the age of your child or children, and any particular requirements, then choose a timeframe: flexible, this week, or a specific date. Childminders covering your area can send you an offer in chat, where you can ask all the questions above before agreeing to anything. You'll see the full price, including the buyer protection fee, before you confirm, your card is only charged once the childminder accepts, and the payment is held until the arrangement is marked done.
Looking for a childminder in your area? Browse childminders in your county, read frequently asked questions, or get the Service Connect app to post your job.