childminder club - nervous

[Isyhan]

would some of the experienced childminders let me know what they enjoy about the job. Im due to start in april and Im getting more nervous about doing it because of the hassles I read about. Im a nurse so used to hard work but im worried about vacancies, poor payers, well lots of things really. Not like me to worry at all!

Do you have a 'Support Childminder' scheme in your are?
Ask your local sure start, support childminders support new childminders through their first year of registration.They are really good, but then I am biased because I am one.Let me know how you get on.

babydales - can I ask what you do to help support? I have a support minder but am not really sure what I can ask for help with etc?

i think there is one. i was just trying to find leaflet in amongst all the hundreds of pieces of paper relating to childminding i have aquired. one thing that is sending me in a spin is the variety of hourly rates people charge round here. when i call individual chilminders some are absolutely swamped with enquiries and some say there are a number of childminders with vacancies.

We have a mentoring system in our area. The mentor (me, amongst others!) contacts the new minders (or newly registering minders) to offer any assistance - this can be quick telephone advice, or visiting them, or have them visit you, or meeting at local toddler groups etc. The advice can be anything from helping fill in a tax return and writing policies, to general information on what other minders charge and how they operate (re. holiday pay etc), so that you can enable the new minder to decide how he/she wants to work. If they have problems with parents, such as non-payers or late pick-ups, we can advise on that too.

Isyhan - if you have this service available to you, I would take it. The mentors are only ordinary childminders, albeit that we have (hopefully) completed a few more training courses. Sometimes, it can be nice just to meet up with a friendly face to have a general face-to-face chat with someone local.

Apart from mentors then ... what do I enjoy about the job ...

Deciding what hours I want to work, what days I want to work, what weeks I want to work. If you only want to work two days/week, then that's all you have to do.

I like being my own boss and, within the obvious OFSTED constraints, can run my business how I want. I like working from home, but going out and about to various child-orientated groups (toddlers, soft play etc), and being active and busy.

I love working with children (of all ages), and it's a great sense of achievement when you've helped them do something. We have one hell of a lot of fun.

The children often feel like my extended family - I have a super relationship with all (I think!) my families, and have remained in contact with most of my "old" ones (if I can ever get them to leave!) Yes, they pay me to care for their children but - the fact is, they acknowledge that I am playing a pretty important role (it is not "just a job").

No office politics! (Just OFSTED!! Join your county childminding association and try to change the world).

I have a social life with other minders and mummies, which is part of my working day. It has provided me with a lovely network of friends.

I like being appreciated by parents and being loved by the children.

I have a great sense of satisfaction (and exhaustion) at the end of the day.

I wouldn't want to do anything else.

The problems that you hear about with childminders shouldn't dominate your day. If you read about problems we have on Mumsnet, remember that the "chat" here is the sort of stuff that all working people "chat" about in real life to other people. Everybody likes to have a moan, and sometimes might need a bit of advice.

Filling vacancies, poor payers and having other people trampling through your house ARE issues, but hopefully shouldn't be major issues. It will take time to build your business up. Take advantage of any training courses (usually free) to boost your professionalism, network like crazy (ie. tell everyone that you're a childminder and advertise wherever you can - see Helly's Very Useful Thread).

What a rant ... will carry on thinking ... !!

I support newly registered childminders in their first twelve months. I contact them by telephone at least once a month and ask them if everything is going all right, I give them the opportunity to ask me for information and advice on any topic relating to childminding. I have attended a training course to do this work and actually get paid for it.I can signpost childminders to other agencies if need be and I can seek advice on any subjects I dont know the answer to from my childminding support co ordinator who also visits me at home once a month. I attend training courses with new minders as it can be a little daunting going into a room full of people you dont know. I run two childminder drop ins so they can come along and have a chat face to face. I do home visits. I give talks at ICP evenings about the true job of childminding.I am available 7 days a week to answer questions and alleviate anxieties. I have been doing this job for 11 months now and enjoy it immensley.You can ask your supporter about anything from tax, to FWTC, to inspections, to variations, to contracts, to child development, to vacancy filling, really anything at all and if I cant answer a question I generally know someone who can.

Thank you all. You've restored my faith that im doing the right thing. i know there will be hassles its like that in any job. there's a childminder support group on Monday mornings that I will go and check out next Monday.