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Paid childcare

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

CM Club: These are, I think, my options

30 replies

KatyMac · 02/08/2008 21:38

Things are bad - I have some options

  1. Sit here quietly waiting for things to pick up
  2. Sit here quietly waiting for things to crash & burn
  3. Actively make the decision to close, laying off/making redundant staff
  4. Lay off/make redundant some staff & see how long we can continue

What do you think?

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vInTaGeVioLeT · 05/08/2008 23:47

i thimk that playday is a really good idea - it'd get people through thr doors even if they're not looking for a c/m right now they may know someone who is or will keep you in mind.

KatyMac · 05/08/2008 22:36

They are already working at 60%

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Arfa · 05/08/2008 22:35

Instead of making staff redundant could you agree amongst yourselves to do less hours until things pick up. There could well be a lot of parents looking for childcare come September if lots of CMs give up due to EYFS.

As for advertising, you need to advertise where the parents with young kids are so have you thought of asking GPs or children´s clinics in your area if they would allow you to put an advert on their noticeboard? They may well say no, but some may say yes. It´s got to be worth a try.

Another thing to do is to try to save money wherever possible. Go to www.moneysavingexpert.com for lots of tips. I would make sure you look at the tips on telephone calls because he has tips there that can pontentially save you quite a lot.

KatyMac · 05/08/2008 15:51

Laminated A4 at village noticeboards & post Offices
Smaller postcard size at some PO
Parish & village magazines
Website
Articles (about me) in the local press
CIS

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navyeyelasH · 05/08/2008 13:41

Where/how do you advertise KatyMac?

Kewcumber · 05/08/2008 13:16

Could you run some kind of one off summer play-group in August - free entry to children 0-5 and get it advertised. Mums with no older chidlren are often stuick for things to do with pre-schoolers when all teh playgroups finish and it would get people through the door.

I don;t know if its practical.

KatyMac · 05/08/2008 13:10

This is in the brochure about food
"Food & Eating - We are very careful about
the food that the children eat whilst in our care; artificial additives and convenience foods are minimised. We offer an excellent and varied range of wholesome foods during all mealtimes. We bake our own bread daily and often bake cakes or biscuits.

Fresh water is available all day, with diluted fruit juices, milk or water being offered at mealtimes. We serve a snack mid morning, usually fruit, cake or a biscuit. We always serve a minimum of 5 servings of fruit or vegetables each day.

It is very important to us that children are happy and enjoy their food. We encourage children to eat the main meal before serving dessert. While we consider table manners a priority, mealtimes are a hugely enjoyable time for the children.

We provide a menu each month and if your child is unhappy with the food offered, please let us know so that we can arrange suitable alternatives. Often it is as easy as changing a dish, excluding an ingredient or offering a different drinking cup, which will better reflect your home and make your child happier.

If your child has any allergies, religious or social food preferences we will adapt to meet their individual needs. It must be pointed out that with a large Walnut tree in our back garden; we are not a suitable setting for any children with nut allergies."

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Kewcumber · 05/08/2008 13:09

you have to make people redundant, difficult or not - better to keep and one or two otehrs in a job than no-one.

Tell them that you have to do this unless anyone can come up with a way of filling enough of the vacancies. TEll them you all have a month to do this and you will reassess the position then.

I have had to do this and it sucks but there is no way around it.

navyeyelasH · 05/08/2008 13:08

Also what about some sort of new angle like, "fresh home-made food" to match all this Organic/Jamie Oliver hype? Depends on your area though. Where about are you KatyMac maybe some local people might have an idea about what would make 1 childminder stand out from the rest!

Sorry to hear of your struggles x

KatyMac · 05/08/2008 13:08

Jules - it's complicated

I am a childminder working with other childminder in my home - so we have advantages of both childminding & nurseries

I'm top on Google maps for childminding & my areas but not google

Netmums isn't really in my area (I'm in very rural Norfolk)

We are open 7:30 til 6pm & I can't open any more due to planning constraints

We are working on expanding our ad-hc/occasional minding see here Flyers are difficult but I am considering producing some, our current brochure is printed on card

We are in the paper fairly often but we are struggling to get in atm (but we keep trying)

Thank you for your ideas I do appreciate it

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Julesnobrain · 05/08/2008 13:01

Katy - mac where are you based?. I am not a cm but in sales. Sorry missed thread but are you a nursery or cm?. Either way I would try to get more business before giving up, it is so hard to get started so you have done the hardest bit. My advice would be :- First make sure you have a webpage as lots of people search on the internet for childcare. Also try netmums (local)(www.netmums.co.uk) and get one of your parents to write you a nice review. I assume you are reg with your local council. I know you might not want to hear this but what about extended opening hours ahead of your competition. EG Nurserys 8 - 6pm how would you feel about offering 7.30am - 6.30pm?. I would then carefully analyse your competition and identify your differences and what makes you different and better and then highlight those areas. For instance you could identify these good points, cheaply make up some flyers and hand them out in local toddlers groups, post natal classes even pre natal classes anywhere where Mums to be or new Mums who might want childcare are. If you want to get in the local paper how about getting your current children to do for example a sponsered hopping race for deprived children in Guatamala or someplace and tell the paper and provide some pictures it may get you a paragraph or two. Hope these ideas help. best of luck

KatyMac · 05/08/2008 12:23

I just found out they are still recruiting childminders

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Booh · 05/08/2008 11:15

Oh no that is awful I am so sorry to hear that.

I am really busy but that is only because four CM's in my village have given up due to all the normal reasons (fed up with parents not paying, more paperwork, EYFS = more work etc etc) so all the children have come my way.

However, I can see my not continuing for much longer as I am not making any profit at all at the moment it is all being swallowed in costs

KatyMac · 04/08/2008 22:58

I spoke to a business advisor & they agreed with my appraisal of the situation

Basically I'm stuffed

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vInTaGeVioLeT · 03/08/2008 22:22

i do feel for you Katy

no i totally agree that it is hard mixing business and friendship.

but you can't keep struggling on like this.

KatyMac · 03/08/2008 20:56

I wonder

Business & friendship are not happy bedfellows

I feel very pressured by it all

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vInTaGeVioLeT · 03/08/2008 00:14

if they are friends - they will understand and realize the situation you are in is impossible to continue.

i'd keep the one you'd have to pay redundency or the one you get on with and work with best.

KatyMac · 03/08/2008 00:08

I don't know what to do

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NormaStanleyFletcher · 02/08/2008 23:57

that is why the nurseries are closing aparently - the profit making bit when the ratios are easier are all being taken by preschool clubs

KatyMac · 02/08/2008 23:55

4 or 5 have closed in the area

Mind you in the last 3 yrs 4 or 5 Surestart Children's Centres ave opened and they seem nice & full

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NormaStanleyFletcher · 02/08/2008 23:54

feck - how sad - you should be here where 2 nurseries have closed this week (including mine)

i went for initial settling in session for DD at other nursery and everyone was unsettled due to number of new children and new staff

BoysAreLikeDogs · 02/08/2008 23:48
Sad
KatyMac · 02/08/2008 23:47

Only 1 is entitled to redundancy - but they are all friends

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KatyMac · 02/08/2008 23:46

No - I could do it by myself - I'd be knackered but I could do it

If I could keep 1 or 2 on it would be better - but how do I pick?

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vInTaGeVioLeT · 02/08/2008 23:45

well to be practical i'd say lay off staff - do you have to pay them redundency or are they self employed sharing your premises?
are there too many mindees for you?