In a massive sulk

[KatyMac]

No-one wants to talk to me

I'm all bubbly and excited & I'm being a bit precious

lots of childminders already work in other childminders' homes as assistants so there are people who are happy not to be working from their own home.

Are childminder assistants qualified/registered to the same degree as childminders? Do they earn the same? I always thought they were like teaching assistants i.e. less qualified/less well paid.

To me 6 childminders in a house sounds a bit like a nursery?

Would agree with MrsTeddy - wouldn't go down the route of converting council houses/flats. What gave you that idea?

There's not enough to go round for people on the waiting list (blame Maggie Thatcher for that) but that's another thread probably.

Surely there's enough vacant shop/office premises space for what you want to do?

Childcare on Domestic Premises is more than 3 childminders working together

It's nice like a nursery but not; I pay more than the local nurseries & I think they like working for me

I employ childminders mainly with a few assistants (who do earn less)

Grants are few & far between; plus commercial property would have the wrong planning classification generally

It must (by law) have a garden - which limits us wrt commercial property

some assistants are registered CMers but working as an assistant. others aren't registered CMers.

Don't you mean No More than 3 childminders working together?

If commercial premises would be a nursery, would not need a garden, just access to outdoor space such as a local playground. Least that's my understanding.

I think up to 3 is childminding
Over 3 is CDP

Garden is deal breaker according to OFSTED

I get confused easily with the way they now do things. I recall from the past that you had a problem due to number of staff... but that may be due to trying to remain a childminder.

My friends facility, non domestic premises, was registered without a garden! Are Ofsted are not applying rules the same throughout England?

No - I was told it was a deal breaker; no garden=no facility

Sigh

Call it a Free School, run it for kids 0-8, and get central Gvt money to set it up.

Or run Forest Schools in Council Parks - 100% garden, practically no building required.

Lots of business places have rear gardens though. Worth at least checking that out.

we thought of this about 2 yr ago just 2 childminders renting a house together just for work but as none of us lived there it would be classed as a nursery and thats another ball game

let me know how it go's

'There isn't any need for additional childcare in the area'

So that's that really

katymac move to northern ireland. real shortage of childcare here and CMers in particular. i have just done my pre-reg fully funded by the department of agriculture and rural development. we also got loads of other courses totally free and a huge amount of equipment. oh yes and free nicma membership and insurance for a year. they really need CMers here.

Bit far away; but I'll consider it.....how much an hour?

ooh well i'm in south down and rates vary between £2.50 (and that one even offers sibling discount, no idea how she is making any money) and £4.50.

Katy

When I approached my local council they said there wasn't a need for any more childcare locally and I have found that not to be the case. Have you done some research to find out what the need might be in the area and then you could present your findings to the council?

Local councils have the oddest ideas about local childcare needs, probably based on surveying existing providers and/or little questionnaires in children's centre and libraries based on daytime users.

Nah I'll wait & see

I might contact a newspaper & see if they will run an article to see if anyone has property I could use

They actually said to me "Is that all you have?"

the house next to me is rented and a children minder works there but she does not live there she goes home in the evening and is not there weekend or holidays so as long as she not doing anything wrong living there doesn't seam to matter but unless she charges alot can't see how she is even covering the rent as she doesn't seam to have more than 1 or 2 children and doesn't seam to do a school run.

Maybe it's a cover for a cannabis factory on the first floor

I guess I am a bit sad that my great idea was rejected; which is a bit pathetic of me

But were you approaching the right people? I'm not sure the council would be the right people... to me it sounds as though you may be wanting an investor to help finance the operation in it's first year.