How much????!!!!

[brazenhussy]

I am a single parent of 5 children and have worked as a childminder for the past 5 years.

I don't love my job by any stretch of the imagination but feel I am good at it, the Mindees love it here and it suits my youngest 3 children who really love my job

Over the past year the paperwork has got me down more (same as every other childminder feels at some point)and the fact that my house now looks like a nursery upsets me too.

I have suffered with mental health issues most of my adult life which are kept under control with therapy, self help and medication. Today during a visit to my GP it was mentioned again that both he and my therapist think that the root of my problems lie with my work.
I already knew this deep down but didn't feel there was an option to change jobs and keep us all off benefits.

Anyway I have come home and had a good think about things and decided that this may be the way forwards. So just out of curiosity I had a look on the 'Entiltled To' website and nearly fell off my chair when I looked at the figures

It looks like I would be better off finanically letting my GP declare me unfit to work.

According to the site I could get benefits of £480+ per week, surely this cannot be right?
That is more or less what I earn now for a 27 hour week.
I wouldn't do it but it's understandable why some people try and avoid working if they could.

What do you think?

Bump please

If you are struggling then there is no shame in claiming help you are entitled too.

I think you have to really love childminding to do it. I spend half of Saturday doing my paperwork and DH sometimes gets annoyed by the toys, stair gates etc but I love my job (and am not qualified for anything else).

I have recently reduced my hours because my CFS was starting to return and my family were getting ignored. Anyone who says childminding is easy have clearly never done it!

I think your GP is right though. If you are struggling and feeling ill, then go for the benefits for a while. You can always return to childminding or a different job when you've had some time to think and to recover.

I think there is evidence that working is good for your mental health. But, of course, it needs to be in a job you don't hate.

Also woth noting that 27 hours a week is part time. Lots of people work twice that. So, really, working full time would make you better off than benefits.

I think the problem here is all the rediculous paperwork which in my opinion should not be required.

You could possibly take up nannying and ditch the paperwork. Or hire an assistant to do the paperwork.

If I was depressed the last thing I would want to do is sit around with five kids, have no money, and live off of other people's hard work. I just don't think it would do my self esteem any good.

(however, I take myhat off to anyone who can raise 5 kids on her own. That has got to be tough.)

Strix - with respect I don't think you can say what you would do if you were depressed as depression is impossible to understand if you have no experience of suffering from it.

Which is why I referred to evidence rather than personal experience.

I don't think encouraging someone to go on benefits when she doesn't have to in the current gov't cost slashing exercises is really going to be in OP's best interest. What if she packs in childminding, goes on benefits, and then they are cut. Then she'll really be in a pickle. And those young children are going to grow up and the benefits will be reduced.

Perhaps childminding is not for her. But, perhaps, she also does not want to live on benefits.

And if she wants to return to childminding she will need to build a client base from scratch. How many people will want to send their baby to a childminder who has just taken time out because of mental health issues? Some will, but a lot won't.

Thank you for your replies

I actually LOVE bringing up my children alone, My Ex H was abusive and controlling and I feel proud that i have left him and can work and keep us all through hard work. I can honestly say I don't find it tough, only tiring

The paperwork is only one irritant and I agree that it is unnessecary (my degree is in early years education so I do know what I am talking about, not just moaning generally)

I wouldn't be able to return to childminding in the future as I had a hard enough job convincing Ofsted that I was mentally fit for work in the first place due to the nature of my mental health issues. So of course I have to bear that in mind if i do give up.

You are correct phipps when you say you can't really comment accurately on depression if you have never experienced it - No one except my family knows as I am able to hide it so well

FWIW I wouldn't be sitting around with no money as I would think that is a hefty amount of benefit but anyones standards plus imy Ex pays a very large amount of maintainence.

I have to think through the implications

Great post there Strix - you posted while I was writing so didn't see it but you are correct, I would be well and truely stuck if they cut benefits and no, I couldn't return if I left because of mental health but I wouldn't ever want to.

I suffer (suffered?) from depression and personally the more I work the less I suffer iyswim. For me personally if I literally have no time to be depressed, it keeps it at bay. Its not the answer for everyone I know. But it works for me. I find the appreciation and being "needed" and relied upon so greatly makes me focus on my worth a lot more than if I was not working. I need to be doing and going for much of my day as the business is what energizes me and stops the apathy and lethargy my depression can give me.

I think you have to take whatever path is the best for you and your children and don't accept criticism for your choices. Depression can be crippling. I have been through periods of not even getting out of bed except to pee. Now I know myself better I do whatever it takes to keep myself going and I am so much happier for it. Good luck xxx

Thank you for that wrinklyraisin

Without wanting to go into it too deeply, my depression is mild, I have other mental health issues that affect me more - anxiety and phobias to name just two.

as you have a degree in early years what about training as a teacher?? you seem frustrated to me and if not happy you need a change.. go for it.. good luck..

There are thousands of people with mild depression, anxiety and phobias out in the work force. I think even if your GP signs you off as unfit to work the government would have other ideas. How dare you even contemplate going on benefits because you don't like your job.

There may be some light at the end of the tunnel. The government are reviewing EYFS and may well reduce the record keeping requirements in the light of childminders packing in in droves. If I were you, I would have a word with my childcare development officer or local NCMA representative and see what they know about which way the review is headed. You might regret it later if you throw in the towel and then some of the bits you struggle with end up being discontinued.

minderjinx - think i missed this piece of info, when did they say that?

Just after the election - late July/Early August I think. There was some correspondence going round about a consultation exercise and seeking views, and I think there was also something publisahed about the preliminary results from the consultation. Here's the web address of one article about it but there's quite a lot of others if you google "EYFS review".
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/DG_189908 - Cached

Thank you for that, yes I was aware but the documentation is only part of the reason I dislike the job. It will be great news for other childminders though

NoelEdmundshair just for your information I am not contemplating going on benefits, there is plenty of other work I could do and there is a difference between giving up your job because you don't like it and giving it up because it makes you ill.
Plus if you read my posts properly you would see that yes, my depression is mild but I have other serious mental heath issues that are aggrevated/brought on by my work.

minderjinx - thanks, will take a look.

I've been childminding for a while and i love it, couldn't do it if i didn't and am very good at it. However i am awful at the paperwork side, i don't have alot of free time and so notes/obs/plans are rushed when the little ones are napping. I have high standards and am not happy with "it will do". I am finding it all too much now (i have 5 mindees, not all on the same day! so a lot of paperwork) and am thinking of giving up as it's getting me down. So i guess what i'm trying to say in a way is that it's hard even when you haven't got other issues, so good luck brazenhussy in whatever you decide. Don't let it make you ill, there is something better for you out there - go get!

Funnylady, I know exactly what you mean. I don't dislike the paperwork as such, but I have an incurable perfectionist streak so it takes me forever. My common sense tells me that a lot of it is completely unnecessary, but I can't bear to do a scrappy job.