CM just starting out and need advice please

[Nicadooby]

Hi i am just starting to go down the route of becoming a childminder, i've been a nanny for 14 years but now i've had a second child i've decided to become a childminder.

I know there is going to be loads of paper work and this is the one thing that is really worrying me. I haven't had to put things into writing in such along time apart from doing a daily diary for my charges.

I was just wondering if it is worth joining the NCMA and if it is a good idea to use there products or would i be better off just writting my own stuff out?

I've had a chat with someone who i know who is a childminder and she has kind of blown me away with all the planning and stuff you need to do.

Is there anyway to make my life a bit easier? any tips would be gratefully received.

My friend said she used to write everything up by hand but know does all her risk assecements on the computer so she can re print the every year but just change the dates.

To be honest I'm a bit scared about all the hoops i'll need to jump through to become registered but i have no other choice as i need to work.

Oh and also my friend has said she'd like me to look after her baby but my DD will only be 10 months old hers will be 7 and a half months old do you think i would get a variation if she was my only mindee?

Thankyou in advance

Nicadooby Im quite new to it all too. My inspection is coming up and I'm annoyed with myself for being so disorganised.
So my advice to you would be to do your diaries and planning, etc, as you go along.

Im not part of NCMA, but know that some people rave about it, so maybe someone can give you some advice.
Give ofsted a call regarding variation before you even register. They might be able to give you some advice.

Good luck

With the paperwork ... the more you do it the better you get. There is no set way of recording things so some things you will have to work out for yourself and see what suits you and what doesn't.
NCMA only provides contracts, attendance register etc They don't give you forms for risk assesments or planning.
There is a good childminding forum (not sure I can mention the name) where you can get a lot of help.
With the variation ... you will need to show you can care for two babies at the same time. You will need to think about how you'll be feeding them at the same time (two highchairs) and managing other things. Since it is your friend's baby is familiar with you there should be no problem. However think twice about mixing friendship and business because many childminders took that route and lost friends ...

I am with the SCMA and they are great. I have got contracts, attendance register, cash book, about minded child info, fire tests, fire drills etc and it has all been great.

I am not sure about the variation. I was told by someone that you are unlikely to get a variation in your first year, but then a girl at my group got one and she had only been minding for about 6 months, so i don't think it's impossible.

I second that i would not mix business and friends/family. I have seen that it rarely works, i also feel it is hard then to create boundries etc when u are already friends.

Hi, I too am new to childminding and my husband and I have just become registered.

I have been a nanny for 18 years and asked if I could have 2 babies under 12 months as I have newborn twin and triplet experience.

Even though I am new to childminding, they gave me the variant. I do already have 2 car seats, 2 high chairs, 3 travel cots and a double buggy though.

I use Morton Michel for my insurance, contracts and other work paperwork and have not joined NCMA. I have several policies and procedures in places that are on my laptop so that they can be changed quickly and all of my families can be given a new copy. The childrens diaries will be hand written as I can then write notes in quickly even if I am sitting on the floor playing.

I am really lucky as my husband and I only got our registration certs last week but have 3 children starting with us next week!

As you go through the registration process you should be given lots of advice, there are several really helpful websites where you can get lots of help, childminding forum and bromley are 2 that come to mind. I joined ncma to begin with as the pack and all the forms are really easy to follow so good to start with and I had the start up grant but I bet you don't get that any more.
You will also have a pre reg inspection I would speak to the inspector about getting a variation in place at the start, it may well be the same inspector that deals with you all the way through, it was with me I got a variation in place for 2 under 1's within 2 months of my reg going through.
I've minded friends children with no problems, but you have to be prepared to give and take a bit and let things go that perhaps you wouldn't with someone you don't know but then I'm fine with that as they are my friends and they don't take the mick.
I'm now moving away from childminding into nannying as it now suits me better and yes there is less paperwork but thats not my reason. good luck

wow, paula didnt know you and dh were becoming cm - what made you change from nannying/doula/mn etc good luck :)

nicadooby - havnt a clue about cm , sure others will give you advice and but good luck

Ofsted: The numbers and ages of children that childminders may care for.A childcare factsheet "We will not allow you to care for two babies when first registered unless you already have extensive experience of caring for more than one baby at a time." So you'll need to provide them with plenty of evidence that you can cope and have enough equipment.
Have you contacted your early years dept yet, they run sessions for people thinking about childminding, then you'll need to do pead first aid and enroll on the ICP (name has changed but i can not remember what its now called). By the time all that has happened you'll start to feel more confident about CM. Paperwork tips: there are a number of on line groups that will help you with planning- the forum and yahoogroups spring to mind. Do not be tempted to buy on ebay as you've no idea about the quality of the stuff until it arrives, and things like risk assessments are very personnal to your setting anyway. Read the EYFS L&D and the welfare requirements, let that be your bedtime reading for a few weeks until you feel you know it well- no one knows it inside out at first so do not stress. And finally, if you are going to look after a friends child still do a contract- it is worth having everything thought through and down on paper.

Thankyou for the advice

I do have experience of looking after two babies of the same ages as i took my son to work with me and looked after another baby of exactly the same age, plus a toddler. Hopefully that will be enough if not then maybe the temporary nanny thing will be ok for a couple of months.

When i call her a friend she is actually more of an aquantence, our boyfriends are fiends but not very close ones so it shouldn't be a problem hopefully.