Is being a childminder profitable?

Look at local rates and demand. If there are lots of afterschool and holiday clubs there is unlikely to be much of a demand or rates will be low. It also takes time to get work and initial set up can be high. Most childminders with 2 young children barely earn minimum wage.

I do well from childminding and work 4 days a week. It helps that I don’t have to pay childcare for my 2 kids. My business was doing really well and I was getting quite established (3 years in) but the lockdown and how to come out of it safely is making me very nervous. I’m going to have to significantly reduce numbers which is fine but I’m still taking people into my house. It’s definitely a great job choice but it’s just very strange times!

I have my own under 5. I have a turnover of about £30k and profit of about £22k.

It depends also on locality. In my area the hourly rate for childcare is very low. Which is nice for parents, not so great to try and earn a living on. I don't even make minimum wage, or earn enough to pay tax.

With 2 under 5s of your own your earning potential is limited as 2 or your 3 under 5 spaces are already taken.

I’m a childminder and after expenses earn about minimum wage. I work 4 days a week, 8-5, with 2 or 3 little ones and a couple of a before and after school children each day. I could have more before and after school children and take in more school holiday work, but I’m happy with my income as it is. I’m always really surprised when I hear of childminders making much less than minimum wage, when they are full. I suspect they need to look at their outgoings and reign them in a bit. I’m running a business and won’t work for nothing!

I childmind and have a deal with the council. The little boy I have is in care after losing his mum (dad unknown) and his carer (fortunately his maternal grandmother) is his carer but she works in a care home 12 hour shifts three days a week. Therefore the council pay me a one to one rate of £14:50 per hour. I'm not allowed any other mindees while I have him but three days a week at 13 hours a day especially during this lockdown and no school has seen me being paid approximately £2400 a month. Many councils do this so it's worth looking into.

I don't know if childminders can only work Mon-Fri, a lot of my friends struggle to find childcare for working weekends and most new jobs seem to require at least one weekend shift at the moment

As others have said you can only have one under 5

But could have 3 over 5 and do after school And breakfast

Depends what cm are in the area and do schools offer before /after school cafe

But you would be at home. With your children and no childcare to pay for

I work 50 hours a week and don't have any small children of my own. About 1/3 of my income goes in expenses. I am happy with my income. I earn slightly over minimum wage.

You would only have one other child under 5. Find out what rates are in your area and if there is a demand for childcare. Remember the income isn't guaranteed.

I'm a childminder in an affluent area with quite a high hourly rate (£6-6.50ph). I work 4 days a week at nearly full capacity 7:30-6pm and my take home pay after expenses is roughly £2,500. It is a long day, totally dominates your home life and can be very lonely but I can't earn that sort of money (taking into account travel and childcare costs) doing anything else and I am at least my own boss so I guess from that POV it is a good living.

It depends if you want to work 5 days a week, 7-7 and max out on numbers of kids allowed in, Employee and assistant etc then people can earn a decent wage. But mostly childminders do not earn loads.

You would only be able to take on one under school age child as you have two under school age children yourself. (Ths is the ratio in Scotland, think it's the same in England).

Though you will save on childcare costs. So you'd need to work out what you'd get for one pre schooler 5 days a week and then however many school age children you would like. You would also need to look into the demand for childminders in your area to know if it would be profitable in your area. It can be tricky to fill all your spaces everyday of the week.

It can be if you are in an area where you can charge highly and are constantly working to capacity.

I don't think it would be for you because with three small children of your own you wouldn't be able to take many full-day children.

Can't see how it can be that profitable. We paid our DD's childminder £6.50 per hour at Childminder's home, breakfast & lunch included.