Why do people become childminders?

btw that was not sarly but sarky

Totally off the subject but I love daddy daycare!!! so do all my mindees!!!! we dont watch it all the time btw

oh, so in britain there are different standards to cm and day care providers...which is nursery, isn't it...?

sorry, didn't mean it sarly, it was just the idea that sprung to mind then...not that I think you would be as disorganised as daddy daycare was in the movie....

but we are all childminders & work to childminding standards not daycare ones

so it's more a mini nursery setting in a home environment?...Like Daddy day care

katymac, 9 under 5, i salute you!

Don't worry - if you read down the thread you'll see I work in group childminding not by myself

9 under 5's...even in those not so organised days of registered cm's that was not allowed...I think it was something like 5 or 6 children maximum, and it depended on agegroups...think there was under 2 you were only allowed 2-3 and then you were only allowed 1 more child over that agegroup, etc...

well, when I cm'ed many years ago (about 10 to b precise) the going rate was £1.70...and dispte inlflation it really wasn't great money...even then,so possibly about £4 an hour now...
I htought cm's had now to charge minimum wage..or do they have to earn minimum wage per hour...divided through children....just interested...

I have 9 under 5's - but try to avoid after schoolies (apart from DD)

I think what parents can earn is the biggest factor in any childcare, and CMing is the lowest paid usually hate to think what a f/t nursery place is near you.

hi katymac, the hourly rate in my area is around £4 per hour. however, some charge £7/8 ph but they would be more qualified than i am. one c/m i know used to be a midwife, one was a nurse etc etc, so maybe parents feel the high rate is justified. also in this area the mums are on v.good salary so money not always an issue. i only charge £3.50 to £4.00 an hour, as i have no formal qualifications. s88ahg. 3 under 5 and 3 after school max 6 which is ofsted maximum.

Basically I became a childminder because I love little people! I'd always wanted to work with children, but not as a school teacher, so when the opportunity arose (I had a baby and got made redundant) it seemed like the perfect thing to do. I earn enough, I could earn a lot more if I took my full quota of children, but I like just having a couple of pre-schoolers to look after. Its much easier to get around without having to worry about triple buggies or people carriers!
When I 'trained' to become a cm, it was very easy, but these days there is so much more to do. Unless someone really wants to look after other peoples children in their home, this isn't the job for them. Its not easy money.
I'm going to be giving up and getting a real job (joke, cm girls!) within the next year. DD doesn't need me around so much anymore, she's 12 and the fun is starting to go out of it for me. I love my littlies and all my families are fab, but since OFSTED took control, they have started to put so much more emphasis on rules & regs and paper work, that it seems the children come second in this business.

Its good that CMs can command that rate of pay as it is well deserved, I am not saying they dont deserve it, and I bet there are CMs that get paid less than me too!!!

I became a childminder cos I love kids, think they are really funny and fascinating, and yes I wanted to stay at home with my own and earn money - I've been doing it 2 yrs and think I'll do it forever. course its hard work, but never ever dull, boring, predicatable or uninspiring. I don't think that many do it just for the money cos you have to put in a hell of a lot of hours to make good money! I'm great friends with my last two mums (i'm on mat leave at mo but want to start up again in jan), we still meet up regularly, text tc, and I'm proud to say they couldn't have been happier with how I cared for their kids, and have told me so many times. As a cm you are watched by others as you are part of the community, thru cm groups, toddler groups, school pick ups etc - I know so many people in my area now, have made so many friends etc all thru minding as it makes you part of the community. I could spout on forever I really do love it !

lololola - so just like every other childminder really

The hourly rate must be good..........

I take it thats under 3s and over? wish I could make that sort of money, but then I probably still spend it just the same, I only make about half that looking after 6 children some under 3 some over!

s88ahg, the c/m earning that sort of money do look after up to 6 children, and have to deduct food and other expenses of that fiqure, so its not "easy money" id say the majority earn half that, £500 a week is around the norm. yeah, come and move to wimbledon i could c/m your kids!

time to move then

wimbledon area

Where do you live lololola?

hi sheepgirl, the answer to your question is you cant tell. im a c/m and i consider myself a very good one, but i wouldnt do it unless it was worth my while financially. good c/m in my area earn £ 200 a day, and are very happy about that, so in turn do a good job.

Essex - sorry