A question for childminders...

[Tanzie]

In preparation for coming back to UK next year, I am looking at childminders who would pick up the DDs from school and do after school care. But NONE of them will do it for children older than 8. What are 8 year olds supposed to do? Take themselves home and get their own tea?

Prices also vary from GBP 5 to GBP 10 per hour per child. Isn't 10 squid an hour a bit extortionate? That would be GBP 20 for two children for one hour's care!

i thought a fiver for childminding was about the going rate a tenner is loads. if they had 3 kids thats 30 pound an hour!!!!! You can't leave an 8 year old on their own so they need child care, why won't a childminder do that??? did you ask why??

I haven't asked, just looked at the childlink website. I suppose I could get a part time nanny, which I've done in the past. Might work out cheaper for 2. What time do schools (primary) finish in the UK? Here it's 4.00.

where will you be living tanzie.
i'm in the northw west and going rate is about 3.50 an hour

i don't know why they won't have over 8s, they don't count in your numbers, and i don't think you need to be registered to look after over 8s but i may be wrong with this. perhaps you have just been unlucky with thse you have contacted so far.

good luck

About 3.30 usually.

schools finish about 3.10 ish i think though it may vary school to school

schools finish at 3.30 ish
if you have just looked at websites they won't say they are registered for over 8s as you don't have to be iyswim

Further to what antyquated says, children over the age of 8 are not counted in our registered numbers so it will show on the childlink website that we are only registered for under 8s. Although we can and do look after older children, you need to contact individual minders to find out if they do offer this service.

What area are you looking at? Those prices seem very expensive, around here the going rate is £2.50 to £3.50

If you don't have any luck with childminders try afterschool clubs (if your school do one)

I'm a childminder and can't see why they won't take over 8's? You only have to be registered for under 8's so maybe it's just the wording?

p.s. £10 a LOT of money (I'm £3.50 an hr)

Thanks for all your replies. It's Central London, so I expected to pay a bit more than the average. I checked other areas on the childlink website and there are minders who say they will take them to the age of 13. I think if I'm going to be paying around 7 pounds per hour per child I might be better off employing a part time nanny or a live-in au pair. After school clubs seem like gold dust .

I suppose this is the horrid reality of coming from a country which provides after school care as a matter of course from 4-6. Local schools (DDs are in an international school) take children from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm at, I think, no extra cost.

I know that individual childminder details given by our children's information service are not always completely correct - it may say that minders have children up to 8, 10 or whatever, but it can be that the minder themselves have not given the information required, and someone just "types in" an age.

I found that my own details stated that I stopped having children when they were 8, which isn't true. I currently have three over-8s after school! And I charge the same hourly rate for all children, whether they come full-time or just for an hour after school.

I also have a bit of an issue when it gives out details of those "minders with current vacancies". I might not have a full-time space right this minute, but if you know one of your mindees is moving in 3 months, then you have a space in 3 months. Or you could have a space for another over-8, or on a Saturday, or for an hour late afternoon when another littlie has gone home. Oh no, getting on my soapbox again!

Please, parents, just give us a ring to check!

The Prisoner is right - please don't rely on the info on the website - do ring up. I've also found the site lists minders that are full in the list of those with "immediate vacancies".

I think as the registration with Ofsted only applies to over eights it can be misleading but most childminders are happy to take on older children too. Also if you have two children, some childminders give a sibling discount for the older child, particularly if over eight.

What postcode are you living in Tanzie and what school do you need pick up from? If you call your local CIS they should be able to tell you can pick up from your school.

I wouldn't have thought an 8yr old, would be any problem as they wouldn't be included in the childminder's numbers.