Competiton between CMs

[surfandturf]

Hi All,

I would love to become a registered childminder. Been thinking about it for almost a year now, been to briefing session etc. I really want to sign up for the course which starts February 2011 but...I keep being told that there 'isn't a real need for more childminders in this area' so I'm really worried that I won't get any mindees! Realistically, I would need 1 full timer and a part timer or a couple of after schoolies.
I was thinking of doing a bit of reserach and ringing some local CMs in my area to find out if they struggle to fill their places but feel a bit cheeky!

Are they likely to be really helpful and honest with me or tell me that they struggle to put me off so less competition for them?

What do you think? How did you research the need for CMs in your local area?

My two pence - even if there isn't a shortage of childminders in your area, you can still increase the likelihood that you'll get mindees if you meet the needs of parents that might not be being met elsewhere. For example if there is demand for early starts or late finishes, maybe weekends, pickup at a particular school, etc. Or if you can stand out and offer something different such as a big garden with a lot of outside space that can be used in all weathers, or a veggie/vegan home where parents can be certain their dietary requirements will be followed, or a dual-language home where older children can pick up a bit of another language. Look at what your "difference" could be and see whether that might be a valuable selling point for you.

Thanks Squirrel - I have thought about my USP's and could certainly offer more unsociable hours (evenings and weekends) if I needed to. Although not veggie or vegan myself I could also accomodate various dietry requirements.

I wasn't necessarily suggesting you should turn vegan! Just it's things like that which might not immediately spring to mind, but some vegan parents might prefer to send their child to someone who already had a meat'n'dairy-free kitchen since they wouldn't have to worry about their child grabbing a ham and cheese sandwich off another child's plate!

If you live near a big hospital or area with a lot of industrial firms then you might find your local pool of parents have a higher proportion of shift workers, and they're the types that would kill for a childminder who is willing to be flexible on antisocial hours. There will always be more minders wanting to do Mon-Fri than those who will take children for evenings and weekends!

Is it your local Early Years Department at the council telling you there is not really a need for more CMs? If so, then they probably know of a number of CMs struggling to find children to care for. If this is the case, then you definitely need to know what you can offer that the others don't.

You might get to know a couple of minders at local toddler groups who will be honest with you. If you don't have toddlers of your own, you can always volunteer to go along and make coffee, or something.

Yes it is the local early years department which has informed there is not a great need for CM's in my area and unfortunately, I work full-time at the moment so don't have the opportunity to go to playgroups etc to try and gauge opinion from other CMs etc.

I would be giving up a full-time permanent position to do become a CM and I know I would struggle financially if I don't have at least one full timer (or the equivalent of) per week. So I need to be really sure I could earn enough to justify giving up my job.

Thanks for your suggestions though!

Do you hate your current job and want to leave it?

Childminding is a business, it has ups and downs. It isn't like being a full-time employee working for someone else, where you know how much you will get paid at the end of the month.

It's a risk... so do as much research as you can. Perhaps try e-mailing some local childminders.

Search for yourself to see how many childminders are in your local area. Use Childcarefinder.direct.gov.uk and also check the Ofsted database - example.

As a childminder you have to face the possibility of not having any mindees, i think it would be crazy to give up a job to become one if you need a certain amount of money to survive.
Have you thought about changing your job to be in childcare and perhaps also offer after school care as well.
Perhaps stay in work while getting some childcare qualifications.
Ther is no harm in registering as a childminder but staying in work until the right children come along.
You are often better off with several part timers though rather than one full time as don't forget they grow up and leave!!
Goodluck.

My childminder works 1 day a week doing office work while she builds up the number of mindees. I'm only using her 2 days a week, but for 2 children so the equivalent of 4 full time days. Could this be something you do?

Nick - My plan is to do a bit more research into the number of childminders in the area and then if it looks feasible go on the course.

Dan - Once registered I would start to market myself and wouldn't hand in my notice at work untill I had some mindees ready to start (Not sure how this would work in practice! )

I realise that working for yourself isn't regular money and a bit of a risk which is why I'm being a wimp so cautious and have been considering it for over a year!

I'm SO fed up ready for an new challenge in my job now and know that this is definately what I want to do but I guess I won't know if I can make it work untill I bite the bullet and go for it!

Trying part-time first is a good idea chit-chat - I will consider if this is something I could try first.

Thanks for all your advice - I'm sure I'll drive you mad have more questions if I decide to go for it!

And don't forget school-age children!

There are many children who do not enjoy the after-school clubs available at their school and would prefer spending the 3.20-6.30pm time at a childminders.

I certainly e-mailed all local childminders to introduce myself and to say that if they were full, could they pass on my details to prospective clients. Also asked them for details of local childminding groups etc

That way they at least knew who I was and I got some vaulable info from them.

HTH

Hi Bob,
Thanks for that - I have done quite a bit of research now and did e-mail several CM's in my town. Only a few got back to me but the ones that did were very helpful

There are quite a few CMs in the centre of town and I got a mixed response from them - some doing ok and one has recently given up as not enough work.

However, where I live just on the outskirts of town there are only 2 CM's (to cover quite a large area with 3 primary schools)

One CM is off on maternity leave but is always full and has lots of after school enquiries for the school my DS goes to (she does school run for a different school) and the other CM has had to take on an assistant. I'm taking that as a good sign and think I will go for it in the new year!

Why are the council offering the course if there is no need for any new child minders?

Hi Marco - the council is a county council so covers the whole county - not just my town. In some of the other areas there is a real need for CMs hence the course runs fairly regularly. However, they have identified that my town has ample CMs. I think they are just trying to be honest so as not to mislead people.

That makes sense. Thanks.