New Childminder

[GigglyGal]

I have recently been registered with Ofsted and begun childminding! I left a Nursery Managers position to do this and am hoping that I will get some enquiries soon! Is anyone else new to this line of work and finding it difficult to fill places!
I know it takes time but I just want to work.
Nicola

Have you registered with childcare.co.uk and the Family Information Service? I upgraded to gold membership on childcare.co.uk last night so that I could search for parents looking for childminders, contacted about 6 families and have already had one response.

Apparently netmums have some good local boards which you can advertise on, and there's also a free advertising section on childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum.

It's frustrating isn't it, being ready to go but having to wait for the enquiries to come in!

When me and my DH started back last September we were fortunate to have a family to start with. We spoke to the mum at one of the local stay and plays. She overheard us talking to the toy library lady. Turns out that she needed a CM and liked the idea of a couple looking after her children. Haven't had any other enquires from the stay and plays advertising board but we have had another person speak to my DH who is coming over tomorrow with her H.

We got someone phone us who saw our ad on netmums whick was suprising for us as that hasn't happened before. I guess it does work (their child is starting with us soon)

We have had 1 child start with us from the childcare.co.uk website who happens to just live around the corner from us. 1 other is coming around soon. I always check daily and I message all that could work with us. I think personally it is worth the subscription fee. We had to turn down a couple of enquires because of their location but I notice parents do use it often.

I think it took a while for us to get enquires because it was the wrong time of year for us to start. The most popular times that parents look is January, April and maybe Juneish time. So based on that you hopefully will get enquires soon (fingers crossed)

I found my CM on Netmums. Fortunately for me she didn't list which schools and nurseries she would pick up from in her ad, as if she had I wouldn't have rang her as my DS's nursery wouldn't have been on the list. But as it turned out the timing made it possible for her to drop him off and collect him.

Sadly though the timing for primary school won't be quite so good, and I may have to find a new CM in September .

Word of mouth is the most effective way for finding new mindees. Can you get to know other childminders in your area? Is there a childminder's network you can join? Get to know your local children's centres, play cafes, soft play areas etc.

I put the kids in flash jackets with my name and number on the back so when I'm out and about it's obvious that I am a childminder (I don't just have hoards of children )

I've put lots of posters up and given out business cards but I'm not sure it helps tbh.

I also went and introduced myself to the local primary schools incase people need school runs done. Some schools are really helpful, others are not!

I found my CM on childcare.co.uk, I'm really glad that I used that cause she is fab and just around the corner from me.