Child minding

[Kafri]

Hi

I'm currently a TA in a school for pupils with SEN, LD and challenging behaviour. My boss is reluctant to let me go back to work part time following mat leave which is due to end soon.

I'm in the process of registering as a childminder.

Would any of you parents consider a childminder for your kids with SEN. I 'm not touting for business here, just a general query - I know respite for parents of children can be difficult to find (in my area at least) so would a childminder with years of experience of working with kids with SEN appeal to you at all?

I absolutely love my current role in school and am devastated that I can't go back part time. I have a real passion where SEN is concerned and have numerous years experience.

Any thoughts on any of this mums and dads???

[TOWIELA]

One thing that would REALLY appeal to me is a childminder who would be prepared to do one-to-one tutoring for my child who is home educated. I currently have a similar arrangement with someone who has my child 2 full days a week and does home tutoring to the correct KS along with traditional 'minding' during those days. People who tutor and 'mind' are like gold dust to the home ed community. But it would have to be one-to-one tutoring so you couldn't have several minded children.

[salondon]

Ditto Towiela.

Also, in general 1-1 work (like ABA/RDI) etc will make you gold dust. Where do you live?

[sickofsocalledexperts]

I would love a whole network of UK childminders with SN experience. LSAs or former LSAs would be superb.

[2boysnamedR]

My middle boy has sen and it looks like my baby is delayed too. He is with a childminder now and I am in process of finding another. My middle child had asd / dyspraxia symptoms ( no Dx yet) I'm happy with a childminder but the key to me is getting them into a proactive nursery to as well to run alongside

[Kafri]

Im in the North West.

I have HLTA status, which I completed after my L3 Teaching and Supporting Learning in schools along with training in Makaton, Autism, Epilepsy, Intensive Interaction, medicines management etc.
I have experience of ABA and am competent with Boardmaker for making Communication Aids and Schedules/symbols and resources etc

To me, a TA in a mainstream school has a completely different job to the role I had in school - I find with SEN, it's far more about the child(ren) you're supporting and more personal as regardless of the SEN you can only support a child by spending the time to get to know them.

Im waffling.....

[sansissu]

SEN childminder is a fantastic idea, We have huge problems with finding childcare willing or able to take on ASD and childminders generally say no because they are not willing to take on a child who might have a violent meltdown when they are also caring for younger children. you don't fancy moving further south do you?!

[BeeMom]

If you ever move to Canada, I can tell you where to settle

[chatee]

Hi Kafri,

Check out a post on this board by Johnpaolo - like I said on that post the North West is a large place but may be worth you both getting in touch.
Good luck, as a parent of a child with a disability I know how much harder it is to find the right child care placement.

[chocnomore]

my child would also require a lot of 1:1. as long as you would have a handful of other children to look after, your experience would not be that useful as the 1:1 support just would not be there.

second the idea to look into ABA tutoring. there was a post a couple of days ago by somebody from the north west having difficulties in finding tutors. maybe there is a gap in the market....

[chocnomore]

x post :)

[Firsttimer7259]

We had a childminder for a short time - pre really realising DDs SN. She was jus over a year old at the time. She fired us - not nastily I might add altho it felt like the world was ending at the time. Looking back I would say that for our DD a 1:3 ratio just wasnt enough adults about when she kicked off. At nursery there are spare staff floating about who help her while keyworkers manage the remaining children.
My DD is 3.5 now and I would still think that 1:3 with no one else on hand would be too much all round. She needs 1:1 at times, which would mean either the other children are left unsupervised or DD is left to be a risk to herself.
There may be other situations in which a childminder might work fine, but I guess you always need to think what would you do on the worst possible day.

[Kafri]

I wouldn't necessarily think about taking full ratios. Possibly just my DS and 1 mindee - I'm not fussed about making mega bucks - more about bringing in a bit of something doing something I love iyswim

[blueeyedmonster]

When ds went to a child minder for 3 months she minded one of our SLD puipils.

[float62]

I think it's a fab idea!

[MumuDeLulu]

Great idea. Your boss sounds daft to let you go, though. Would suggest you think about doing respite as another option (or additionally).

[MumuDeLulu]

Training in portage would fill the 'gap' between childminding little ones with SN and your previous experience. www.portage.org.uk/training/portage-training