can you become a childminder if you live in a flat??

[Lozza83]

title says it all really, can you please tell me about your house. I'm thinking about becoming a childminder but am moving soon and will more than likely be given a flat by the council (eventually! but thats another subject)

Thanks in advance xx

I wouldn't put my child with a childminder who lives in a flat. Sorry, but it's important that children have access to outside space like a garden. Also I wonder if Ofstead would approve a flat anyway. The neigbours may also complain so I would think that if you want to become a childminder then you would need a house with an enclosed garden. Remember that the house is also your workplace. My childminder has her kitchen and a room for the children which opens onto the garden, then a lounge aswell for her husband to escape to.

My CM lived in a flat (well a maisonette) with a balcony and no garden. Didn't bother me as we have a garden plus she took them to the park/playgroup with outside space every day.

i wouldn't keep them in the flat all day, i would take them out most of the time. i just wondered if it was actually allowed. Christine was your childminder registered with ofsted?? x

Yes she was Lozza - she'd been a CM for 20 odd years :)

I suppose it depends on the child and the area you live in. I certainly got out and about more when I did live in a flat and had a garden square with playground opposite. I think the problem is that you don't know where or when the council flats will come up or what they will be like. I work in Social Services so have spent the last 20 years visiting a variety of council flats in a variety of different areas. Some are gorgeous, with nice spaces locally others are very grim. You have to think about what parents you will have, what you will do with your children when it rains, thunders etc.., what service you will offer them and how many children you will have to make your service viable. You will have competition from other childminders and nurseries in the area. What do they offer?? Also about yourself. I don't think my childminder would get any respite at all if it wasn't for the trampoline in the garden!!!

Mine childminder lives in the flat, I met few and all of them lived in flats. I live in the flat, not everyone is so lucky to have own private garden.

They do not sit all day at home, they do go out.

Ohanotherone yes Ofstead - do not care if you live in the flat or house, they only care how much space you have for the children to play, sleep.

On the point of complaining neighbours, why anyone would do that. You are in your own space/home and you can do whatever you want.

I had a neighbour who was a CM in a flat, well again tachnically a maisonette but part of a big estate block with no private outside space. It worked well for her, all her children that she cared for lived somewhere in the block (100 maisonettes) and she had a constant stream of customers for school and nursery run too.

So it could work.

She made no more noise or fuss than other families with children

I've had neighbours complain about slight noise from a stairlift I got for someone. They then started a hate campaign against them. I'm not trying to pooh pooh Lozza83's ideas but trying to be realistic about some of the issues to think about. She doesn't yet know her neighbours, they might be nice and understanding but might not be that tolerant and there is a difference between your own children making a noise and running a business where children make a noise. It would be a shame if she trained, started a business, did really well but had to stop as the neighbours all complained to the council about the noise.

would the council really stop someone CM-ing because of the noise?
Children arnt always noisey, and in my experiance most children who i have nannied for have NOT been that noisey at all..... we went out to groups / activities etc most mornings, then lunch and nap (relatively quiet) and may need to do a school run to break up te afternoon as well

I cant see being in a flat per se as a problem, so long as you can show ofsted how you can safely get the children in and out etc (not leaving a baby at the bottom of a few flights of communal starirs while you go back for toddler etc)

Many flats DO have their own private enclosed garden anyway, sometimes only accesible from the flat.

Well i am a registered childminder, i lived in a first floor flat (housing association) when i became registered with no garden. Infact the fact we had no garden actually meant we were out more doing constructive things then just letting them run free in the garden (i know LOTS of childminders do that for too long) its nice to have a garden(i do now) but it wasn't essential,i mean you say about thunder and rain but who plays in the garden when its raining or thundering?

As for the noise,my neighbours were nice for about a year and then they just got fed up with the early arrival of my (NOT VERY QUIET) parents and children and complained so much to the housing association that they threatened to take me to court for breach of tenancy as my business was causing a nuisence!

Anyway,we needed my income and so decided to give the flat up and rent a house privately (had waited 5 years for the flat!!) but we had no quality of live with the complaints and walking on egg shells.
It wasn't fair really and part of me wanted to let them take me to court and fight it but it was so un pleasent i just needed out.

The thing is,we had children and the neighbour would of had to just put up if we couldn't afford to move but i wasnt happy knowing we were making his life unhappy. So it is doable,but you need to be certain the flat you move into is well soundproofed and you have shown ofsted what facilities there are nearby to ensure you go out such as parks,library,playgroups etc.

All the parents who took me on just wanted their child safe and stimulated and thats what they got. and i know i was chosen over some with gardens because of what i offered and my personality..i kept all the original mindee's when moving.

good luck!

thank you for your replies, to be honest i'm not overly bothered about neighbours but i will check it all out before i completely sign myself to becoming a childminder.

Thanks again xx

and you need to check that your landlord will give permission for a business to be run from the property