How do i get the balls rolling?

[Evesmama]

ok ironing idea went seriously down the pan

i have now made an informed descision to become a childminderthankyou to all who have give me info on this

i have a meeting with a job broker in two weeks and am still waiting for an info pack from C.I.S who will then be able to put me ona training course from the end of june
(getting excited now)
its even on an evening 6-8 so ideal for me(although dp will have to learn how to bath and put dd to bed!)

but im one of those people who hates to sit and wait
is there anything i can be doing NOW, to help things along???? house checks/police checks etc(dont have much knowledge yet of what checks needed)

i want to be trainned and registered before we move(if we move!) so am an eager beaver at the moment!!!

[Mud]

reading thread title alone really wnat to say

Push 'em

(don't know about actual post, though sorry)

[TrophyWife]

you can get your police check done, will cost you £10 and take about 2 weeks to come back, but worth having inadvance, you could also phone social servies as i belive that you need to be checked over by them aswell, even if SS dont need to cjheck you they should be able to tell you what esle you need to do. HTH

[Evesmama]

mud

thanks T.W..on phone now

[hunkermunker]

Where will you be childminding? Can you contact the local council and ask them what they need, if anything, in addition to the things you already know about? Or is that mad?

Mud

[Evesmama]

bloody council passed me from pillar to post

rang C.I.S and they told me they have a'bitesize' training day (prefer a mouth full myself) on wednesday morning
they'll give me all the info i would need plus what training and checks id need

thanks girls..would have missed that if you hadnt helped

if anyone 'does' know what i can do before i actually a C.M, id appreciate your input too

[Evesmama]

sorry hunkermumker, im in middlesbrough

[Puppy]

Hi evesmama

You could read through the national standards heres the address www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubs.summary&id=2435

Look ar your house safety wise and draw a emergency plan for fires etc.

I can't think of anything much at the moment, I will post if I think of anything else

[Evesmama]

thanks puppy
you're a godsend

[Puppy]

Your welcome, anytime
Start to think what equipment like toys you want to use, and what it would develop e.g building blocks for creativity, communication, co ordination etc.
This will help for your inspection.

[Evesmama]

youre such a mine field of info

so how do your days pan out??

do you have your days planned rigidly according to how many children and weather???

i must need some sort of structure otherwise il put em in the garden and stay on here(only kidding)

[Evesmama]

just got lots of great help and free down loads from ncma.org.uk on becoming a childminer

would advise anyone too look and am considering becoming a member if all gos well on wed

[KatieMac]

Evesmama - Think about how you are going to advertise, where you will put your posters/postcards up - what will they look like. Where will the parents you need to attract be?

Think about things like policys for Behaviour/Equal Opps/Safety etc - you need to develop these.

How much are you going to charge?

What sort of activities can you organise - what groups can you visit.

Start networking - maybe visit mum & toddler groups/coffee mornings etc. Make friends, may first mindee was booked before I was registered to start as sonn as I got my cert. I met him (& his mum) at church.

Read some of the threads in the Childminders topic (look at ones titled "Childminders Club" particularly)

And ask q's with that title if you need anything clarified - there are some great C/Mers on here (Alibubbles/SSD/RTKM/Blodwen/Lunavix/Xena/feelingold - apologese to anyone I have forgotten - It's my memory it's getting old)

Mumto Oliver is just starting out too - so there are lots of "baby questions" as my dd calls them.

Loads of luck with your chosen career and just ask if you need help
KMc

[Evesmama]

thankyou so much for that

am gunna print that out and start working through it
and will speak to the other mums at M&T on thursday.

got info pack from CIS yesterday and thats really helpful and am going to little info day on wed, so hopefully will come back full of excitement

dp seems to think it will be a lot of paperwork/tax probs etc???is this the case?or is it more straight forward then that??

thanks again

[KatieMac]

It is quite a lot of paperwork - but it's fairly straightforward.

Have you thought about childproofing your house?
Silly things like locking the fridge, removing plants that are poisenous?

Have you got enough storage? for extra car seats/buggies/toys/paperwork?

Tax is quite easy - keep all your recipts (I can never spell that)

[Evesmama]

well ATM we have a spare room so that can be used for overflow(toys and paperwork..not the kids!!

would also get a secure shed in garden to keep bigger toys in.

got all locks for kitchen cupboards/video locks door jammers etc..all sockets have white safety plugs in and safety gates...would need to find out about sleeping details(where?, do i provide bed/cot etc?)

[KatieMac]

Yep a cot and separate bedding for each child (I'm getting dolly bags with name tags to keep mine separate) - but you can use a travel cot or just a mattress for an older child who needs a nap.

How old are your children?

Have you worked out how many you can have?

[Evesmama]

my dd is two, so i can ahve another two children under 5(i think?) hmmmm... what to do about sleeping??, dont want to 'use' dd's bed...got a double in the spare room at min??

[KatieMac]

Yes 2 under 5 (1 could be a baby)

Will you need 2 cots - or will you wait to see which children book with you and buy equipment then.

You probably shouldn't use your DD's bed - you will be forever changing bedding (and they always throw up when you have no clean sheets)

You couldn't put babies on the double (I don't think)- but other C/Mers might disagree with me

[Evesmama]

oh i wouldnt put babies on double...would have to buy a travel cot. what about flop out chair beds??? for older ones...god i hope we can get moved, so i can have more space

[peckarollover]

What happens if you dont have a spare room.

I always planned on having the living room as the quiet are - could i use that for sleeps with a travel cot?

Then play could be concentrated in our play room and also have very big kitchen.

[peckarollover]

evesmama - fancy swapping emails so we can discuss both ventures?

[Evesmama]

yes
shall i cat you??

[peckarollover]

rebecca.roll at btinternet.com

[KatieMac]

Of course they can go in the lounge - some of mine sleep on the settee - the ones that won't rolloff

You don't need the children to be too "out of the way" you will have to check them regularily

[Evesmama]

oh well thats ok, got two big 3 seaters