AFTER struggling with unemployment for two years, Sarah Brook has at last realised her dream – to own her own childminding business.

Now Sarah, 21, who operates her venture from her home in East Road, Norton, is pitching for the New Business Of The Year title in The Press Business Awards 2010.

After only a few months, Sarah B’s Childminding Service has attracted the custom of a loyal group of parents.

It is a huge relief for Sarah, who used to work as a stablehand in racing stables at Malton, but was made redundant as part of cutbacks.

At that time the jumping season had just ended and the flat racing had begun, and most of the yards had already taken on help.

“Malton is a small area and employment opportunities are limited. Once I lost my job I found it really hard to find anything else,” Sarah said.

The notion of looking after children came easily to Sarah, whose mother is also a child carer.

“I was brought up with other people’s children all around me. It’s in my blood,” she said.

So she completed childminding training, put together a business plan and made a confident pitch to a panel of business experts from The Prince’s Trust’s Enterprise Programme, which helps people to explore and test their business ideas, write business plans and start their own businesses or achieve alternative goals in education, training or work.

They were impressed enough to grant her funding and a business mentor.

Now she is doing well enough to make plans to expand over the summer.

She said: “It’s great being my own boss. I’m a lot happier being independent and working in an industry I love.”