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?

Somebody may have commented but I know our welfare will fund military spouses to become qualified childminders because it’s a job that can move and there is usually a lot of demand in garrison towns/bases. Definitely worth asking your partner to find out if there are any funded courses in your area.

I'm not sure what the issue is? Charging over 12 months is not an extortionate little earner, it's literally working out what fees would be over that year for the child's care then dividing it by 12 so that the parents pay the same amount every month. It's not to hold a space, it's paying for their hours! I have families who do this mainly because it suits them as they can budget their money, or set a monthly amount on their childcare voucher schemes to be paid on a certain date every month. It certainly isn't extortion because I don't charge or make anymore money from then than what they should be paying.

Target your advertising eg flyers for school notice boards. I'm sure school staff would appreciate not having to pay during school holidays.

You can work whatever hours you want, but you’re severely limiting your pool of customers.