I can't find a childminder - what am I doing wrong?

[Waspie]

Please tell me where I'm going wrong as I'm clearly doing something!

My son is 3 years and two months old. He has been at nursery since he was 5 months old. He attends 4 full days per week (8am - 6pm). He has received the 15 hours free childcare since January 2011.

His nursery is closing and so I've decided to send him to the local pre-school and get a childminder to collect him and have him until I get home from work rather than enroll in another day nursery.

Pre-school won't have a place for him until the September term so I would like him to be with the same childminder 4 full days until then and then have them look after my son in the time he's not at pre-school and during the holidays.

Is there some sort of rule that says that childminders only work school hours? I am having real difficulty finding anyone willing to work full days and during school holidays.

At this rate I'm going to have to give up his pre-school place and just find another nursery.

I have emailed and/or phoned every single childminder (who state that the pick up from this particular pre-school) on the list of registered minders I got from the council. Any that have vacancies seem to have something that means I can't use them - e.g. won't work Friday's, won't work past 4.30pm, won't work school holidays.

Is asking for 4 full days per week, including school holidays really too much? Is this an unreasonable request? I'm starting to think I'm weird having a job that doesn't end until 5.30pm and doesn't give me school holidays off! Is my situation really so odd? What am I doing wrong?

waspie where do you live x

Maybe it's because he's already 3.

Would he be starting school next year?

The childminders might not want to take on a child who will only be full-time for a short period, and then be tied down to the school run and school holidays for several years iyswim.

I live in Berkshire, near Reading.

It is odd because there doesn't seem to be a shortage of day nursery places and the council say that there is a surfeit of childcare places in the borough (not necessarily childminders in my area though of course).

I just can't change my hours at work drastically enough to fit in with what the childminders seem to offer

theres a website called www.childcare.co.uk go on there and have a look in ur area there are also childminders listed on there too x

It could be the 4 day a week part that is the problem. They are unlikely to find another mindee for the extra 1 day so would therefore miss out on actual full time work or 2 lots of part time.

My son won't start primary school until September 2012 as our borough only has one intake a year.

I think part of the problem is that we've only been given 8 weeks notice that the nursery is closing so I'm asking for childcare for him starting in April.

He's already going to have a huge change in his life when the nursery closes so I was hoping that by registering him for the local pre-school (attached to our catchment school) I would minimise the adjustment he has to make when he goes to school in Sept 2012.

Thanks for the replies!

Thanks Menee, I will check out that website

Interesting point got2bequackers. I have changed my work hours to full time over 4 days - originally because it alleviates a minimal amount of the guilt I had at putting my 5 month old child into childcare, and reduced nursery fees.

I could ask my employer if I can change back to a standard 5 day week. I might re-enquire to those I've contacted and ask if 5 shorter days would be a better option for them. Thanks.

Just doing a google found a childminders website (based near the Uni) on which they say they have vacancies and are open 8am-6pm. Nikki's Fun House. So there is one childminder who opens the hours 8-6.

Think you just need to keep looking around. Maybe it's just an issue with childminders who collect from that particular school.

I hadn't realised that there may be childminders in addition to those on the council list. Posting here had given me another avenue to explore. Thanks for your replies.

The council list is usually the most complete as it originates from the regulators database. However it can take several weeks for the database to update, so new minders get a delay in appearing.

When using any source, always check registration certificate.

Sorry nowhere near you,

However I work Mon - Fri (not BH's tho)
8am - 6pm, willing to be a little flexible ie I have child that can turn up a at 7.30am, with very little notice and very occasionaly 7.30-8pm due to nature of parents work, sometimes it cannot be helped.
I only charge for the hours the child is here, for food and snacks, (which I would rather not do, so charge accordingly)
So there are some CM around who do the hours youve mentioned, I think prehaps just not in your area :-(

I was going to write the same answer as 'anewyear'.

All I can recommend is to keep looking. There must be at least 1 childminder near Reading that covers the usual working hours!

Sorry, haven't time to read the whole thread but another CM has asked me to look as I'm in the Reading area. Where abouts in Reading are you looking? I'm in Shinfield and know some people in the area who may be able to help. Will read the thread properly later (in the middle of rearranging the playroom whilst all the mindees are at school/nursery) :)

A shame anewyear and new2cm you both sound like just what I need!

I'm now thinking that perhaps the childminders working standard "office" type hours are already at capacity and so those with vacancies are those working slightly odd hours or term time only.

I have managed today to find a childminder who can do 3 full days per week and picks up from the pre-school (hooray!). I'm going to go and visit with her tomorrow evening. If there is a chance she can take him 4 days within a couple of months I can always use annual leave to cover the difference.

I now need to come up with a list of questions and info that I need to discuss with her.

I'm feeling a little more upbeat now. Thanks for the tips.

Hi Looneytune, thanks for posting. I have sent you a private message

I think you should extend your search to all childminders ... not just the ones that state they pick up from that particular nursery. I for example state that I can pick up from two particular schools on the council list but of course I could do more depending on timing ...

Check here childcarefinder.direct.gov.uk/childcarefinder/

have you asked in the school directly? I am in Wokingham and that's how I found our first CM, when I was on a situation very similar to yours.

What I state on the website tends to be altered by the council without asking me, everytime I check my details I find I work odd hours!!
May be worth contacting childminders anyway to see if they are interested in short term full time and then a pick up, it may fit in with them, you have to ask.

Waspie - I'm between Reading and Newbury if that's any use to you. I'm returning to minding andwill have full vacancies from August and would happily have your child,if of any use, my hours in the meantime are just occasional unfortunately :)

Hello again.

Thanks for all of the suggestions, offers and tips. I really appreciate your help.

We went to see a CM last night and she was lovely. I was really impressed with her and her business and she was great with my son. Unfortunately she can't offer the 15 free hours per week.

I hadn't considered that but because there is a term left between leaving nursery and starting pre-school I had assumed I'd be able to use the summer terms free hours with the CM.

So now we're back to looking for a new nursery until at least September! Oh well.

Thanks again.