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Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

STILL NO CALLS .. HAVE BEEN REGISTERED 5 MONTHS NOW... HAVE NO MONEY.. NO WORK... WHAT SHUD I DO NOW

35 replies

lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 16:10

Have advertised everywhere I can think of, but as I'm running out of money I can't keep paying the newsagents up to £1 a week for ads, really don't know what to do next :(

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Original poster
lottiesmummy · 22/05/2006 17:26

I don't call them no jellyjelly, I just wait for them to text me, will try that though thanks

and I just posted my application for to safehands today thanks ssd :)

OP posts:
ssd · 22/05/2006 13:03

oops!

ssd · 22/05/2006 13:03

lottie, try safehands.I've had lots of babysitting from them. Their no. is 0870 8446688. www.safehandsnetwork.com

good luck!

ssd · 22/05/2006 13:03

lottie, try safehands.I've had lots of babysitting from them. Their no. is 0870 8446688. www.safehandsnetwork.com

good luck!

jellyjelly · 22/05/2006 08:22

reading, do you call them aswell when you want some work. I do and i then get texts through. i do travel for some as alot of the people that use the service live out in the middle of nowhere

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 22:00

where abouts are you? ive had a few sits off sitters but i missed out on the first 17 because someone copied my mobile number down wrong Shock

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jellyjelly · 21/05/2006 21:02

I work for sitters and i get so much work or requests that they have to take on more sitters in our area

HappyMumof2 · 21/05/2006 20:26

I think Simply Childcare might cover your area lm.
I've always had quite a lot of interest through it.

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 19:31

I'm a member of sitters, but that also seems a little quiet at mo

OP posts:
ssd · 21/05/2006 19:24

lottie, what about babysitting? I do that to supplement my meagre childminding pay!

good luck!

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 17:17

thanks everyone :) fingers X'd :)

OP posts:
FeelingOld · 21/05/2006 17:09

I have got the majority of my work via

  1. Poster in my front porch window advertising vacancies (I do live on a main road).
  1. Through other childminders in my local group, if one of us gets a phone call and we can't do the work we pass work on to each other.

I also do ad hoc/emergency care usually by telling everyone I meet that I am a childminder and that I am willing (when spaces allow) to do short term/last minute care (do quite a bit for mums at my regular parent and toddler group when they have hospital apps or want to go to hairdressers etc), I know this kind of care is not ideal but once you get your foot in the door it can lead to more work via word of mouth.

Also at my kids school they do not have breakfast/after school club so are willing to have a list of childminders for wrap around care, might be worth checking if your local school with do the same.

Sorry you are in this situation but hope you get some calls soon.

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 17:05

I can't afford a website, I do come up on local searches though

OP posts:
looneytune · 21/05/2006 16:56

You've probably seen it already but in case you haven't, i'll bump up my advertising tips thread for you! :)

nzshar · 21/05/2006 16:55

lottiesmummy as you know im in the same area as you took me 4 months before i got my first child well actually havent started yet (in 2 weeks) But since taking on my full timer i have been asked by 3 other mums that i have known for quite some time through local P&T groups for Ad Hoc care which is all I wanted as well as my full timer so has worked out very well. The parents of my full timer are London based professionals and went looking online for a childminder, they found my website and found it to be very "professional" using their words (helps to have a partner in IT :)

Dunno if I am helping at all but just letting you know from which direction they came from for me. Hoping you find some mindees soon :)

FrayedKnot · 21/05/2006 16:47

Just a tip - if you really have had no calls, get a friend to ring up and request the list from your county council (they should have an information service for childcare) just in case for some reason they have not updated it lately or something.

I only say because I called a childminder from our local list when I was making enquiries about DS and she said her sister was also a c/m locally, and yet she wasn;t on the list.

SecondhandRose · 21/05/2006 16:44

Don't just email them, ask to go along to a Bumps and Babies group so you can introduce yourself. Offer to help out or something to get your foot in the door.

HappyMumof2 · 21/05/2006 16:41

have you tried gumtree and thenannysharers?

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 16:40

thanks have emailed my local NCT group :)

OP posts:
SecondhandRose · 21/05/2006 16:37

What about contacting your local NCT, take a look at www.nct.org.uk to find your local branches.

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 16:37

I'm on that list then happymumof2 thanks

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Original poster
lottiesmummy · 21/05/2006 16:36

thanks everyone, sorry to moan but im ill at mo, coming back down with tonsilitis and I'm still trying to advertise etc but really dont feel like it, but need to get started earning again, do you have a number for the LEA if thats where you got your list from pupuce ?

OP posts:
HappyMumof2 · 21/05/2006 16:33

LEA is the same as childcarelink. It's now all on childcarelink rather than LEA lists......

Have you tried contacting social services. In my area they have a children in need scheme and pay childminders directly to care for children on their child protection register. You can also do emergency care this way.

pupuce · 21/05/2006 16:29

LEA - Local Education Authority... basically does your council know you exist??? That's how we found our childminders.
The other way was to ask one who was busy and recommended the one we got... basically as someone else mentioned, they all know each other and recommend each other.

childminderjanet · 21/05/2006 16:26

sorry heres my email address [email protected]