THIS week Cumbria Sure Start has been running their Making Choices courses in Eden, to give people interested in a career in childcare information on a wide range of opportunities.

This summer's courses in Penrith are the latest to be held and, for one mum, the help, support and information provided by a similar course held last year has led to her setting up her own business that fits around her busy home life, reports KAREN MORLEY.

Working full time as a quality manager at a factory in Kirkby Stephen, Belinda Alderson, 39, knew the difficulties facing parents looking for childcare and the demand for child-minders in the Eden Valley.

When Belinda was expecting her second child, she decided to look at her career options and what would suit her growing family. To help her make an informed choice, Belinda attended a Cumbria Sure Start Making Choices course in Penrith and has since trained and registered as a child-minder.

Belinda explained: "I used a child-minder myself for my son Christopher. I was working full time until I was expecting Alice. I had always worked in administration, but I thought it would be an ideal time to have a career change. We also moved house around the same time, relocating from Brough to Long Marton. We came to Long Marton in the January and moved into our new home in Newton Reigny in April, 2003. Alice was born in the June.

"I thought it would be more difficult to find complete childcare for my two children so that I could continue working and I wasn't sure if childcare for two children might be too expensive. Christopher is is now almost four-years old, and is going to nursery five mornings a week, and childcare for two children would also be expensive. I thought I would like to become a child-minder myself, but I wanted to know more before I took any action. I went on the Sure Start course in January this year and found it very informative. I started the ten-week Introduction Childminding Practice course and registered with Ofsted and the National Child-minding Association. I've turned the dining room into a playroom and I'm awaiting the arrival of my NCMA Child-minding starter pack.

"I am also very luck to have the support of people who are child-minders around me three of my neighbours are registered child-minders. I am looking forward to my new career and I can see a career structure in childcare. I can develop my career along with the changing needs of my family. Maybe, when they are older, I could move into out-of-school care. The options are there for me now and in the future."

Belinda is registered to care for children six aged nought-to-eight, of which three can be under-fives, but only one can be under one-year old including her own children.

Belinda is now on the Cumbria Information Service child-minding list and is taking inquiries for child-minding. For information on childminders where you live, call the Children's Information Service on 08457 125 737.

If you are interested in a career in childcare, why not go along to one of the Cumbria Sure Start Making Choices courses? The next courses in your area are Morton Community Centre, Carlisle, on September 16,17,20,21. For more details, contact Cumbria Sure Start on 01228 601161.