Childminders in England have historically been seen as marginal providers of childcare, fulfilling Bruner's description of the service as an 'accordion pleat' in provision. This article outlines the history and current position of childminders in English early childhood policy, and then reports on the views on this role of childminders who participated in focus groups to discuss the statutory requirements for their role. The participants describe their feelings about their role, revealing tensions between the maternal and professional aspects of their practice, the 'expert' and 'common-sense' contributions they make, and the ways in which they perceive adherence to regulatory frameworks as undermining the relationships with parents, which form a core theme in their self-perception. (author abstract)