to wonder is it possible to earn a 'good' living from being a childminder

[slipperandpjsmum]

I am sure it must be possible?

Would you mind me asking how much you earn as a childminder?

Does anyone offer add on services like some the nurseries to for parents?

I really want to spend more time with my children and I trying to find sometimes that lets me do that.............could childminding be our answer

Oh absolutely, it's about being happy and fulfilled as well as about money.

In your situation, I would think carefully about all the possible alternatives - be careful that just because your're unhappy in your present job, you jump straight into something which you perceive as a lot easier. I am sure childminding has its own stresses. You will need to be prepared to deal with children who might have very different needs/personalities etc, and also with their parents. Also, I imagine it could feel quite isolating if you're used to having colleagues. And think about pension too, because I assume you currently have a public sector one, so you'd probably want to continue putting quite a bit of money into a private scheme.

That said, I think life is too short to stay in a job you're really unhappy with, so its definitely worth considering all the options, and trying something new.

Oh I would never suggest cm is stress free (which job is) and its certainly not a stress levels competition but I am a child protection social worker for a local authority in an inner city area with a very high case load who misses her own children very badly.

I have worked in social care for over 10 years, residential, health, and now child protection.

I don't have a pension.

Exactly Violethill that was the idea of this post to throw an idea out there and get some advice from people in the know.

In some areas there are too many childminders. So doing research into what local childcare is available, what childcare is wanted, how much parents will pay for that care, plus what parents want in terms of the service are all things that need to be looked at.

Childminding is a business like any other. If you go into it with that attitude then things will be fine. If you don't see it as being a business then it may not work as it can be a bit cut throat out there where there is a lot of competition between childminders.

Learn the regulations, learn the law, do the research, consider what the children and parents want. As a social worker you will already be used to some of the paperwork and legislation, know how regulators can be picky over things which you may not feel are so important (and each inspector may have their own view on things, so what one says will differ from another).

To start you off:
Childcare Act 2006 (plus all the SIs over the years)
EYFS

What about a child minger who doesn't charge a premium for term time only, would that be of interest to teachers etc?

Child minger indeed...child minder obviously.

NinkyNonker I don't charge a premium for term time only, find it far too confusing with all the working out how much I'd earn at X weeks then dividing that over Y weeks and then remembering that's what one pays but then someone else who has term time and school holidays in their contract pays something else...I have a flat rate for all customers.

I wondered about offering hours suitable for shift workers like nurses etc. I live near to a hosspital, and my friend who wants me to have her dd is a midwife, so i'd be up early to have her anyway.

You may want to look at registering for overnight care, then you can help parents on daytime and night shifts.

Problem is, you need to be profitable. You need to make money - I presume that is why you work. So whilst offering childcare that fits with the hospital shifts is a good idea, if it is not financially viable for you, then it's not something to do. You need to look at the figures. Your friend can help you by letting you know what the shift patterns are, what they expect to pay for the childcare, what terms they would want that on - so paying only for time uses, paying for a session, paying fixed amount each month.

Our CM in London charged £10 an hour/ £75 a day. She had up to 8 children and 3 assistants.

I reckon she was doing pretty well out of it!

She absolutely deserves it though as she practically lives and breathes CMing, and works her socks off.

She totally treats CMing as a serious profession, and managed to get an outstanding from OFSTED. Her place was like a lovely mini-nursery, but with the personal aspects of a CMers.