Friendly Childminders' Hub
Launching on Sunday 1st February 2026 at 10am!
Hello
Hello! My name is Sam Heaven and ​I live in Greater Manchester, UK with my lovely husband, our amazing teenage son and our cheeky cockapoo.​​​​
I have been an Ofsted registered childminder since January 2018, but I made the emotional decision to close my business in April 2025, so that I can focus on the Friendly Childminders' Hub full time! I just can't articulate how important Blue Button Childcare has been to me, how much I've learnt, the memories made and most importantly my love for the children I've cared for during that time! ​​
Childminders care for children as long as they are needed and occasionally, the children become part of their own extended families. I am incredibly lucky to have gained some 'forever families' along the way and made life long friends in their parents.​​
It's been an absolute privilege to be a childminder and my sadness at closing my business is testament to years of joy and my dedication to jump into the Friendly Childminders' Hub with all I am, and everything I have. ​​
Teaching to Childminding
Before childminding, I was a primary school teacher, and going back even further, I was a retail manager for a supermarket. Just after that time, I returned to university as a mature student to gain a First Class (Hons) Business Management, got married and had our son. Retail management was a career I enjoyed, but did not love, as my 5 year old inner self longed to be a teacher and author, and continued to shout about it until I listened. ​​​​​​​
Each experience and achievement throughout my career has become a stepping stone to the next. Teaching was incredible and I learnt so much during those years, but the dream was very different to the reality. I eventually realised I was trying to spin too many plates as a mum, military wife and teacher and it was exhausting! If you know, you know! I love caring for children and early years has always had my heart. I knew I needed a career move that created a real LIFEwork balance and allowed full autonomy over my work days so they fit perfectly around my own family.​​​​​​​​​
​​The answer was simple - become a registered childminder!​​​​​​​​​​
​​​​I was lucky to have a friend who had recently registered and she was a great support throughout the entire process, which I found so confusing at times and I worried I had missed something! I also asked at least 101 daft questions on Facebook groups and sought more formal advice from Childminding UK, who were really helpful and I still recommend them to everyone. ​​​​​​​
Seeking Support
​Once I was up and running, I soon realised how vulnerable we are as childminders - no union or 'staffroom' full of colleagues to bounce ideas off and seek reassurance from when I needed it. ​​​
I had great advice from my childminding friends, but ultimately it was just me, on my own in my home, whilst I encountered many 'firsts' that I had to find solutions for, and at times it felt overwhelming! ​​​​
​​This led me to set up the Friendly Childminders' Facebook Group which is, and always has been, a safe space to ask the daft questions. Members and posts need approval and everyone is encouraged to provide helpful advice, not judgement! Over the last few years grown into a lovely community with over 10,000 members and this will remain active! ​​​
Providing Paperwork
​Soon after starting my childminding business, I struggled to find paperwork that did the job I needed it too, whilst also looking aesthetically pleasing. This started with the old school Development Matters tracker, and I decided to create my own colour coded version that was childminder and parent friendly.
It turned out that other people liked it too, and I set about selling my paperwork through groups and Facebook Marketplace, before creating my own digital shop and website. ​
Setting up Blue Button Childminding Paperwork, which has evolved into childmindingpaperwork.com, was a steep learning curve but a great one. This legitimate 'side hustle' is doing a great deal to satisfy my five year old's inner self desire to be a published author and I am very happy that my site is the number one hit on Google for 'childminding paperwork' (correct at time of writing). All the packs are written and created by me; I own the copyright to all my work and I do protect it fiercely. ​​​
My paperwork does feature in the 'Brilliant Businesses' Collection in the Hub and I do offer a 10% discount for all Hub members. My paperwork can also be found in other areas of the Hub, as it provides practical solutions for childminders. But as with the Facebook group, I am very careful not to 'hold the monopoly' on childminding paperwork in the Hub, as there are many other great organisations!
Supporting
Childminders
The Hub was inspired by the Friendly Childminders' Facebook group because I quickly spotted patterns where the same questions were being asked repeatedly, and I found myself saving my answers in my phone's notes as I knew they would be needed again and again. ​​
​As childminders, we are a unique breed and I wanted to create a dedicated online space to reflect that; a space just for us that goes beyond the confines of social media, to provide support for all the 'hats we wear' in both our professional and personal lives!
I've carried this dream of creating a dedicated online community to support childminders for years, but I just couldn't find a viable way to turn it a reality! Then in 2023, my husband had a brainwave of using the versatile Mighty Networks, so I took the plunge, made the investment, took a risk by reducing of my childminding days and got cracking!
​​I started by thinking of all the big (and little) things that keep us up at night and how important support and information would be, whilst also providing an opportunity to connect with fellow childminders. I poured them all onto a whiteboard and post it notes, so I could organise them into relevant collections that can be used in the Hub!
Supporting
Childminders
The Hub was inspired by the Friendly Childminders' Facebook group because I quickly spotted patterns where the same questions were being asked repeatedly, and I found myself saving my answers in my phone's notes as I knew they would be needed again and again.
​​
As childminders, we are a unique breed and I wanted to create a dedicated online space to reflect that; a space just for us that goes beyond the confines of social media, to provide support for all the 'hats we wear' in both our professional and personal lives!
I've carried this dream for creating a dedicated online community to support childminders for years, but I just couldn't find a viable way to turn it a reality! Then in 2023, my husband had a brainwave of using the versatile Mighty Networks, so I took the plunge, made the investment, took a risk by reducing of my childminding days and got cracking!
​
I started by thinking of all the big (and little) things that keep us up at night and how important support and information would be, whilst also providing an opportunity to connect with fellow childminders. I poured them all onto a whiteboard and post it notes, so I could organise them into relevant collections that can be used in the Hub!
Creating the Hub
It sounds weird to say this, but the process of transforming the Hub into a real business from an idea and a whiteboard plan has pulled together all the skills and experiences that I have acquired throughout my whole life, let alone my professional career! ​
I am so proud to be the founder and creator of the Friendly Childminders' Hub and whilst I'm incredibly excited to be launching it, I have to admit that I am nervous too!
I've been building this for well over two years so far and I've poured everything into it! I took the plunge and reduced my childminding business, so I cared for my amazing longstanding families part time, then in April 2025, it was time to leap into the Hub full time!​​
​If you are wondering about my full credentials and what 'qualifies' me to found the Hub and provide the information within it, have a nosey here. ​​​
​​​​I believe in the Friendly Childminders' Hub so much! I've made every single graphic with the help of Canva, researched, gathered information, typed every word, created every collection and filled them with the spaces that childminders need!
The Hub is nearly ready for its 'doors' to be flung open doors, to welcome in the childminding community so they can share their own knowledge, seek support and information and connect with others to put their stamp on it!​​​​
With love,
​
Sam x
