Over 8's registration

I think a lot of people are mis-understanding the voluntary register.

This is what I've been told at a childminding meeting recently:

The voluntary register relates to childcarers who are not required by law to be registered. i.e. At the moment you can care for over 8's without being registered, it's these people who will have to join the voluntary register if their parents want to claim benefits.

If you are a registered childminder you will automatically go onto the compulsory register from Sept. 2008 which is free.