Thinking of changing childminding into a nursery, maybe?

[KatyMac]

DD leaves home in September & "things" will be different

This is very speculative; but I'm wondering about separating out the 'setting' part of the house and the private part of the house. Which would mean building a small extension for a sleep room, converting the 'old' sleep room into a kitchen, blocking a doorway & converting an arch into a locking door

Oh & something very complicated with toilets & washing machines & utilities

Which would all cost a lot of money

So maybe I shouldn't bother

What advantages will there be to you by turning it into a nursery?

A relative of mine is lucky enough to run a childminding business from a lovely annexe that is attached to their home. It is set up very much like a nursery it even has it's own garden and entrance but it is still a childminding business as she said it is simpler to operate this way .

I think the new regulations are going to be a nightmare

& I do fancy closing it off at the end of the day (so I don't have to sit & watch) plus the stress of other people using DH's kitchen

What new regulations are these? You have me worried!!

Did you not get your letter from Elizabeth Truss last week about agencies & not being inspected? It scares me

Is taking on renting a building a possibility? My friend who changed from Childminder to Nursery was really glad she rented premises, rather than continue using her own home. Toilet wise, she manages with having two, which the premises already had and thus did not need to do any changes to layout. Think she currently has: Pre-School Room (which becomes after-school club), Creche room, baby room (which may be mostly for sleep as I think they merge it with the creche most of the time).

Would town planning let you use your home as a nursery? It would need a change of use wouldn't it, so going before planning committee I expect.
Have you explored options with town planning in the past? Are they likely to grant an extension? Would they grant change or use, or do they not like business premises mixed with housing?

Not really & what would we do with all that extra space at home

I know I do this every couple of years but with DD leaving home it might be time - I saw a fabulous job carding & spinning alpaca wool 2 mornings a week......but decided I'd probably be allergic to it

It's already changed it's use when we went over 6 children

I can understand the desire to close it off at the end of the day it was for that reason that my relative purchased the property with the annexe.

Could you not make the building changes but continue to operate as a CM? Is that financially feasible ?

We won't know until there are more details available from ET -but there are talks of increases in registration fees (& I have 5/6 minders working together) or joining agencies

From April childminders can work outside the setting in another setting (school/church/office) without the need for planning permission and without having to change registration. Could you look into this?
I am currently looking for premises to operate like this, plan is to run FEEE sessions from new premises and wrap around care from home. Ie home 7-8:30/4-6 and other premises 8:30-4!

Really?

Tell me more - is there a link?

Bonkerz I haven't heard about that. I am thinking of converting to nursery if I have to. DH and I already have business use on our home, like KatyMac.

KatyMac we're going to hold on as long as we can as CMs until we're forced to change. More complicated for you, as you have a bigger setting.

Well they were talking silly amounts to register; and I won't join an agency....might be tempted to set one up

Bonkerz, can you link to any information about that please? I've tried a couple of searches with no success

Didn't you have an eco-nursery a couple of years ago? Or am I mixing you up with someone else? I remember someone turning part of their house into an eco-nursery a few years ago on mumsnet and thought it was a great idea.

I tried to open an eco nursery right before the crash in 2008 - I never got further than tenders for the building

I do the best I can from home but it isn't ideal & I think when my daughter leaves home it will change the dynamic between DH & I and the shared space could be an issue