Mum frustrated over planning problem with childminding business

A CHILDMINDER claims she's being made to "feel like a criminal" despite running her home-based childcare business for almost a decade with no issues.

- BY EVELINA BLACK

Deborah Nolan, 49, has been a childminder for 18 years and will reach 10 years of operating from her family home in December 2026.

During this time, she said her childcare provision has always remained Ofsted-compliant and she has never experienced any safeguarding concerns or neighbour complaints.

The mum-of-three, from Widnes, said: "In September 2025 childcare providers across the country were encouraged to expand as the amount of government funded childcare doubled from 15 to 30 hours for children under two.

"For me personally I didn’t expand my small business, I just accommodated the additional hours for the children I already had enrolled."

Later that September, Halton Borough Council carried out what Deborah described as a routine financial audit. Following the visit, she said she was informed there was a planning issue relating to the number of children she was caring for.

Deborah said: "I work with two assistants, my daughters-in-law Sio-nan, 28, and Ellis, 22, and I'm well within the required ratios.

"We are governed by Ofsted and that has always been who we answer to. Adult-to-child ratios are six children to one adult and we have three adults. The maximum number of children we've ever had at one time was 13 for only an hour once a week.

"Planning officers from Halton Borough Council got involved and tried to say there had been a material change of use of the property despite nothing about my family home or the way I operate changing.