Childminder wants to quit

[TwittyMcTwitterson]

My childminder announced today that she is seriously contemplating giving up childminding due to lack of mindees. My daughter has progressed astonishingly since I pulled her out if a baby farm nursery and I can't imagine the detrimental affect it will have taking her away from someone she is so attached to. Does anyone know of any funding for people recently setting up a business as a childminder? Any way to get round this? She advertises on all the usual sites. I'm hoping she is telling the truth rather than saying this, knowing she just doesn't like it anymore. I've advertised around tonight. I'm going to post adverts in shops locally. I know it's her decision and I understand she's not getting enough money etc but I feel helpless and need to make this better for my baby xx

It generally takes about 6 months for the business to get up and running.

Going to local toddler groups helps.

I got the postman to deliver flyers around the houses for me.

Remember to tell her how great she is, in case she is feeling unwanted.

Yes I am quite worried about her happiness as I think she's only contemplating it because her partner has said 'look we need more money and you aren't earning it'. She only started in July. She was doing brilliantly over summer hols and had another girl but her parents took the piss. She didn't want to be taken advantage of. It was a good decision at the time. Postman is an excellent idea xx

I know you're doing this with the best of intentions, but some people just aren't cut out for childminding, it's hard going, isolated and can completely take over your house & your life. If you do find her more mindees and she doesn't last, then there are potentially other families who'll be in the position you're in now.
Surely if the only concern she had was lack of mindees, she'd have sought support from the local authority/childminding support groups etc leaflet dropped, advertised at nurseries/schools/toddler groups etc already.
Was she just having a bad day, in which case, just telling her how great she is at her job, might be enough to change her mind.
Good Luck

Her mum is a childminder as is someone else in the family. I think she will have seen what was involved and known, hopefully. Her own daughter is the exact same age as mine. She now gets to spend a lot of time with her so I think that's a positive.

She had had a difficult day as my DD had been a pain in the bum crying all day and all week I've sensed she's not happy. She had a hard time with her partner over Xmas. That can't have helped.

Potentially you have a point. She says she advertises on a fb page every Monday and is on all the sites. I advertised on a few pages and one asked for her to send her Ofsted papers. She said they are online for them to pull up. I felt no motivation her side so I went online and pulled up the documents. I have a feeling she will give her notice on Monday

You could ask if any of the sites she advertises on have user reviews, and if so, give her a really good write up. Childcare.co.uk certainly has user reviews. It might help her get more enquiries.

Already did that once I was sure I was happy. Think that's the site I found her on xx

When you say baby farm nursery excuse my ignorance but is that a brand of nursery or simply a detrimental comment about net series per se?
If latter would you consider looking at other nurseries? Not all the same at all!

Just bring mean about the nursery. When she was teeny they were excellent. She moved rooms at one and started coming home with injuries, some horrific. When I asked the staff what happened 9/10 they said they didn't know. They heard a bang and she started crying. Whenever I went to pick her up she was playing alone after her 'friend' was moved into another room when they both turned one. Paperwork was incomplete. They kept losing her clothes and they were taking too much money off me. I searched approx 10/15 nurseries at the start and they were by far the best

It is your childminders decision whether she wants to quit. Tell her how much she is appreciated, offer to help if she wants help, but don't just step in and so it for her.

Re her mum and grandmother being cms too, mine were, motivated me to be a childcarer actually, but seeing them do it could not have prepared me for how lonely it is. It suits me most of the time though, whereas bit wouldnt suit all.

Yes it is her decision if she wants to quit but from our decision she loves the job but can't afford to carry on. Had she said I don't like it or a similar reason, fair enough, I'd move on but she says she loves it.

I agree it would prepare you fully, obviously only doing it yourself will make you realise the pros and cons of the job but I expect she'd know the pros and cons in advance and look out for them/not be so shocked when they occur

From our discussion **

Wouldn't ** prepare you fully! Jesus! I have an iPhone, say no more!

It's bad luck for you but other than letting her know how much you appreciate her wouldn't actively help her seek more work, has to come from her. Her DP sounds like part of the problem, have met men of the "you should earn much more and do all the childcare too" ilk and they tend to be cocks!

Guess

Guess it depends on her other work options, and childcare options for her own Dc. If she has good earning potential in another field and family help it might make financial sense for her to give up.
It's pretty unprofessional of her to discuss her potential closure with you really.

Advertise in schools. Teachers need childminders. Staffroom notice boards, etc.

Can you afford to offer her more money or more hours to help keep her going for a while younger whilst she may pick up more mindees?

No we pay her pretty much everything we can though obv I said I would. She said she needs one more full time kid. If she quits her mum will care for her daughter but I think she had a good job before this so may be quite shocked by being much poorer.

I will talk to some teacher friends and ask them to place an advert. That's a good idea. I'm going to put some in my local shop.

She already has her almost 50 hours a week so no more hours available really.

I know those men... I think I live with one! He earns 7k more than me, possibly more, yet we half all the bills

Erm sounds like you ought to get your own finances in order - I hope he is paying half the childcare bill in that!

Yes of course

My finances are ok. Just in case. That's the advice your gran always tells you so I've always been cautious.

We've eased up since our daughter came along. We pay half generally but some direct debits come from my account, some from his and they total a similar amount.

I have ppl tell me all the time we should put it all in one pot etc etc but each to their own...