If I become a childminder, can I work only term time?

[SaveMeASeat1]

Im currently an LSA in a school but I’m considering having another child. I thought childminding would be a good option as a job from when the baby is 1 until them getting their 30 hours childcare.

Ideally, I’d continue working only term time. The reason being, my husband is a soldier and we live far from family. It’s important to me to be able to spend that time focussed on our own children, especially since their dad is often away.

im just wondering, is offering term time only a service that people would want? Or would I be wasting my time going down that route?

There's a market for term time only, it would be limited but it's possible. Your child would count in your numbers - you can have 3 under 5's at one time.

What's more limiting is your plan to stop once the baby reaches their funded hours. All of my customers are with me for around 5 years.

It's also a tough registration process, lots of hoops to jump and courses to complete - is this really worth it for two years? Personally, it took me almost this long to get used to the rules/regulations/curriculum etc.

Of course you can and from experience on the other side of wanting term time only childcare and knowing many others ( who work in education) that it's very difficult finding availability for this option and when found those offering it are very busy ( with teachers etc) and doing well.

I know a childminder who did it. Starting up is hard. Its once you are more established.
You can only take one under one so a very limited market

Thanks for all the replies. I already work in early years, so I have a thorough understanding of the curriculum. Very good point that customers will need more than 2 years and that getting set up is a lengthy process. I’m not against doing this on a longer term basis.

Also, I’ve worked in school classes with my own children and would never put my own kids needs ahead of another child in my care. It’s morally wrong.

I think I’ll definitely consider proceeding with this, but I’ll look into the demand in the area first.

Thanks again.

My childminder does this, but slightly different situation in that she's older and happy to just do wrap around. It probably also helps there is massive demand in our area as the after school club has a 2 year waiting list.

I do think there would be more of a market for school aged children than preschool - the norm is to use one childcare setting for preschool aged dcs so more families expect school holiday cover too, but at school aged, it’s much more normal to have wrap around contracts for term time and use other kids clubs or family care in the holidays.

Also, speak to your local hive, our base has been offering free courses to train childminders for years. Double win for them, enabling spouses to work and helping with childcare availability in the area. (Not sure if it matters if you live on base or not).

Contact some childminders in your local area and ask about term time availability and if so is there a waiting list.
This will give you an idea of whether the market is currently served or if there is a niche you can fill.

I've used a childminder on a term time only basis (my choice).
I know of others locally who offer term time only.

Typical client base here: School staff, parents who'd adjusted working hours for older siblings who are already in school, university staff, student parents, those with family willing to help in school holidays, those who get sufficient leave to juggle school holidays between the parents (maybe with some help), those wanting term time wrap around care for school age children but not holiday care (family/holiday clubs that are cheaper/etc), and more.

Generally an option appreciated by those who can then save some money in school holidays. But your local area might have different demographics in terms of the jobs people do, etc.

Good luck!

The childminder I used was teen time only. Most of her business came from parents who worked in schools too. She would work the inset days and charged a slightly higher rate but it meant we didn’t pay during the holidays. She was always full too.

I did this and had no problem filling spaces at all. One teacher, someone who worked for the council on a term time contract, someone who worked for the nhs who didn't have a term time contract but between her and her husband they managed holidays.

term time only would not have worked for me when the kids were younger, my DCs went to the childminder all day long in the school holidays. I even synced our holidays some years!

I'm a childminder and I know several who only work term time. They're always busy and always full.
However, if you're closed during school holidays you can't charge a retainer for their spaces to give you an income. The best way to do it is to charge pro rata over 12 months si they pay the same amount every month.

As a parent I would not like this as I already pay a large part of my salary to holiday clubs in the holidays!

Charging a retainer! I would steer well clear of anyone who thinks it's okay to charge a fee simply to hold a place. I'd like to think that if they're looking after my kids all day there was enough mutua communication,l trust and understanding there to make such an arrangement necessary. Id see this as an extortionate little earner and off putting.

Do you want to re read the message you quoted...

I also wouldn’t tolerate being asked to pay pro rata over the year - my childminder charges for what I use each month. I pay that. I presume as a business owner, she is able to balance her income / savings to cover her own holiday gaps. In July, she gives me a new contract for the following September.

I think you're suggesting charging pro rata , which is absolutely fine and a good solution, my point is a separate and more general one about the presence of fees such as retainer fees. I am naturally suspicious and feel negative when people I am customer with start hitting me with various fees for whatever they can think of to justify them. Apologies if this came across as being against your post.

I wouldn’t want to pay pro rata for 12 months of the year if a childminder is closed during holidays. I’d expect the childminder to be able to manage their money and spread it out over the year as they see fit.

My childminder does term time only, it's a pain but she is bloody amazing so I make it work. I wouldn't be able or willing to make it work for someone mediocre.

Also, with my 2 dc my relationship with her will be about 8 years, it's a long term commitment really, not a 2 year thing.

How is balancing her income to cover holiday gaps not charging pro rata?

I only have term time childcare, and it's great! My work is fairly flexible, and my DP is a bit more limited to school holidays to go away, so it means we're not wasting money on childcare when we don't need it.

I use a cm tt only to pick up from Preschool as it finishes at 2.45.

I'd be interested in a TT only childminder. I'm NHS so work throughout the year but have family who would watch the children in the school holidays, saving us money.

Yes it could work. Make it your selling point and try and advertise in schools to attract as many parents as possible. Good luck!