Stressed with filling places...

[lunavix]

All's quiet around here at the moment but I've had a couple of calls... I wish someone was interested who actually knew what they want though.

As you may remember, I had two people calling about schools in opposite directions, and school pickup, one being more ideally located and the other being more hours.

The first decided less than half a mile was too far for their daughter to walk (or ride on a buggyboard...) and left me a message on my phone to tell me this The second didn't have a job yet, and then decided she wanted holiday care only. Both said they would use me in preference to other minders, but I haven't heard from the second, presumably she hasn't got a job yet.

Now I've had another call, for a baby. When I said what days I could do, the mum jumped in and said sure. She too doesn't have the job yet, but wants him to start trialling in a week, just in case. So no long term contract, as she has no indicator of what she'll be doing. Plus I have a feeling she's actually just a new childminder sussing the job out (she said she was thinking of it for when she has number 2, a few things didn't add up, plus odd questions such as 'can you offset toys against tax?' )

So yes I feel a bit messed around and I'm a bit tired of people saying I'm a fab childminder but I'm getting nowhere

I know how you feel
I don't mind if parents just say 'sorry you are not really what i am looking for' (well i do not think i will, it hasn't happened yet), but when they go away saying 'you are definitely just what i am looking for, can I bring him/her back next week to see you and fill in the paperwork then' you think they are going to use you and then you never hear from them again or they phone you a month later when you have let the place go to someone else cos you didn't think you would ever hear from them again (this has happened to me twice).
Luckily I now have 6 fantastic mindees on my books and am not really looking for anymore at the moment.
Good luck and hope you get some fantastic mindees (& parents too) soon.

I know!

I've been rejected once (my first ever interview) because they wanted a minder with other kids (including ones of her own ) and they found one too!

The person who didn't want their daughter to walk has decided not to work for now, and if they change their mind I'll have her.... apparently.

sorry I meant withOUT other kids

Keep your chin up lunavix. It has been really slow for me since Feb which was when I started but had two calls today, just had a full timer start and have 2 other part timers and a school run from september.I think i will have to start turning it away. It will pick up but you might just have to give it time.

I personally do not like to take a child before the job is sorted as i have been messed around big time by a parent wanting to get care, then not sure of hours, not wanting to sign contract until hours sorted. The next parent might be lovely but once bitten twice shy so will think very carefully if i get asked about childcare before a job has been secured.

What marketing are you doing? i have found that i have not had many calls from cis i think only one actually.
Good luck with finding new parents.

Lunavix - re. the possible baby if mummy gets a job ... there's nothing to stop you taking the baby on for the odd day (and get paid accordingly) or so and hope that the mum gets a job. You don't have to do a contract, and you can tell the mum that the place isn't necessarily hers if you get a more lucrative offer.

If she is a new childminder, why can't she just be up front and say, "hey, I'm a new minder, fancy a coffee??" !!

We've had calls locally with parents saying that they desperately need a childminder, and then you find out that they haven't even got a job!

Sorry to hear those 2 let you down - don't you just hate that! I've only had 1 call through CIS too - not sure how many parents actually know about the service??? All but one of my calls have been as a result of online advertising - things like yell.com, thompson, Mumsnet etc etc. My website link helped me stand out but basically, most of mine have gone online to browse! I'm sure things will pick up soon.

Good luck

Hi again

Just replied to another thread on advertising and just wanted to make sure you've got yourself on these?? You don't have to have a website to be on them!

www.britinfo.net
www.yell.com
www.118118.com
www.childalert.co.uk
www.practicalparent.org.uk
www.familiesonline.co.uk
www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com
www.mumsnet.com

The rest I'm on are local sites for my area. You can also pay google a small fee to be on their search engine but if you put an ad on mumsnet and the like, you should appear on the google search anyway!

Just thought may be some use?

Also

www.scoot.co.uk
www.ukvillages.co.uk

also

www.gumtree.co.uk

www.nannyjob.co.uk

good luck!!

oh goodie, i have some new ones to try!

oh yeah....used ebay and freeads too. Not sort of place I'd expect people to look but you never know and it's free! (i did however get a new childminder contact me from the ebay advert re: childminding, asking me to build her a website - just finished it! )

Hi

I too am in the same position - registered in May and only 1 part-time mindee (attends nursery part-time) but may or may not be attending a different nursery (full-time) from September; mindee's mum has recommended me to her friend who has been trialling with me for couple of weeks but doesn't yet have a job. I think I will start doing some networking when I collect mindee from nursery! I have not had any enquiries through CIS but have had a couple of enquiries through 'movethat.com' but think the site covers London only. If I don't fill my vacancies by the end of September, I will have no choice but to go back to office employment Arrrgh!