Costs of childminder and what do they do?

[dan246]

I desperately want to do an access course in September and need some advice on childcare options. Quite frankly, I do not think we would be able to afford a nanny so we are thinking about a childminder.
What do they charge and would a childminder do school pick ups (I have 3 children aged 2, 4 and 6)? Any info or advice would be greatfully appreciated!

what area do you live in as I guess it varies across the country.
I pay our childminder £150 for a full time week and £80 for a part time week. Then dd after scholl club costs £6 per day.
So on a bad month for two children £720 a month

That's about what I was expecting to pay. I live in Wimbledon, London.

The cost of childcare varies from around £2.50 to £4 an hour. They are limited to the number of children they can care for, so you may not be fortunate enough to find one childminder who has spaces for 3 children. Remember, she has to be YOUR choice - do not pick one just bcause she has spaces.

Good childcare is priceless.

For Wimbledon - I think you would be looking at £40/£50 per day (per child)

Most childminders will do school pick ups.

If you are looking for places for three children, you will need to contact them soon, as 3 places are hard to come by.

that would be £40-£50 for the children she has all day. Normally childminders charge if a child is doing a half day session as they are still taking up an all day place.
For your 6 year old, you will probably be paying between £5-£6 per hour.

I pay 37.50 a day, good ones are like gold dust. Sometimes local nurseries have contacts for the ones they rate - might be worth asking at a nursery you like.
Our council runs a list and then you contact them individually. There's not alot I wouldn't do for mine. Good luck

2 of them will be full time in september, so it would only be one child daytime and from school pick up till 5pm for all 3. Would that still be so expensive?

would be £40-£50 for youngest (I'm going by Islington rates) and an hourly rate for the two at school, around £5-£6 per hour, so say £15 each for 2 hours.

Have a look at Childlink.gov.uk, you can get a list of local childminders. Some have their prices listed and which schools they collect from.

Will you also be needing morning drop off & school holiday care?

No mornings as the course I want starts at 10 and holidays will be the same as college term.

at least you don't have the added cost of that then

Would it be all day, every day? Wasn't on Access course I did last year.

No, it's Tues-Fri 10-3pm

not all cm's offer term time only contracts - so you may find you are having to pay a retainer for all the hols.

ask at your local school regards what cms pick up there - or locate a cm in the playground - this will be a good way of finding a cm that goes to your school. you may well be struggling to find one with the hrs you need - does the school have an after school club?

all the established cms in my area tend to only have one full time vacancy (i needed two). then i wasn't willing to change preschool (need cm to take/pick up) so was limited even more to those available - the whole process took 3.5mths!

in that case the rates would obviously be less. I would say average cost in your area would be £5-£6 per hour. Some cms will charge by the hour but some may charge for a whole day if they can't fill the remaining hours with someone else, although most would probably charge hourly (I would) But if you are looking for these kind of hours I would suggest start looking now.

retainer for school hols normally half/full rate btw

There is so much to sort out, tis is going to take some serious hard work!

Although it was a few years ago, I minded a child whose mum did an Access course, and the college covered her childcare costs (we had to give them a copy of the contract to prove it was all legit).

Some childminders will do term-time only contracts (I do!) and don't charge retainers.

As someone has already said, check the website \link{http://www.childcarelink.gov.uk/index.asp\childcarelink} or give them a call - they may know of newly registered minders who have the spaces you need.

And ask the college... lots of them have childcare advisors.