Any comments on my ideas for setting up as a childminder?

[MandyMinder]

I am thinking of registering as a childminder by the end of the year. I have been developing some thoughts around how I would set up and run my business, but am also interested in the viewpoints of experienced minders.

I am thinking of becoming a childminder on a part time basis, probably beginning with one or two days per week. This is because I also have a pt job. My own child will be starting Reception this year, so I want to be able to balance caring for him after school with focusing on mindees during the day.

I am fortuante enough to have a lot of space, so would be able to keep a good level of separation between my home life and childminding. I think that I would mostly childmind in our large kitchen/dining room. I would also designate one upstairs room for rest/nap space and set up a cot or bed. I have a downstairs loo. I also have a lot of outdoor space, so there is lots of potential for outdoor learning and development.
I drive, so could do school/pre-school pick up and get out to groups and local activities.

I have existing early years qualifications - let's say I have EYPS, so delivering the EYFS does not worry me too much.

I would consider offering two different types of contract, either an ad-hoc contract at a slightly higher hourly rate where the hours each week could be adjusted with 24 hours notice (payment on the day), or a regular weekly contract where I would ask for a monthly standing order payment in advance. I would offer the ad-hoc contract as I live in a small town with lots of SAHM, so I think that some parents might want childminding for personal time rather than while they work.

I have a family member who would probably be happy to be registered as an assistant. Am I correct in thinking that they can provide short-term cover if I needed to leave the house eg. to collect my son from school?

I am not too sure about food in the first instance - maybe see whether parents would prefer it to be provided or would prefer to provide packed food?

The only other thing I was possibly thinking of providing was off-road parking for 5/day, as we are a short walk from a main-line station and this would be quite a good offer for anyone wanting to commute. Has anyone had experience of providing any add-on services like this?

Thanks.

If you're near a train station, then I'd be focusing on commuters as your target market. Offer longer hours for parents who need to get in for 9am jobs (find out where most commute to and calculate what train those parents need to catch..so if it's a 45-50 min commute, then offer a 7.30am or 7.45am start instead of 8am.) Unless there is absolutely no on-street free parking, then I would dismiss the idea of charging for parking, but I would charge a slightly higher rate and include the parking as a perk (then offer a discount to those commuters who don't need it.)

I wouldn't be happy with another person watching my kids when I'm paying you to do it. My childminder takes my kids on her school runs.

Also, think about having breakfast club/after hours type of service for your son's classmates as a service for working parents. They drop off their kids at 7.30-8am and you do the school run with them, etc.

I'd expect meals to be home cooked and provided at an additional charge (like a pound per meal) unless child was very fussy, as I think children sitting at the table should all be offered the same food.

Hi Jinglets - thanks for the comments.

I am quite tuned in to the needs of commuters, as I do it myself the other days of the week! But, I am not sure that I want to do the long days as a childminder - maybe aim more for the local market? I am really doing this because I like working with young children and would like a job that fits around my other job and commitments, rather than to maximise the income. Maybe I can start by offering 8.00 - 5.30 but say that longer hours may be available by negotiation? I am only looking to have 1 or 2 mindees max.

The idea for station parking is because our road is single yellows with a restriction in the prime morning hours, to prevent station parking. So an off-road space is quite highly prized!

I think you have swayed me in favour of offering meals, as I would be cooking for my son in the evening anyway and could easily make up a packed lunch for a mindee if we were going out.

Regarding using an assistant, naturally, the minded children would normally come with me on the school run - it would just be in situations where it might prevent a problem. I was thinking of situations where if a toddler keeps falling asleep on the afternoon school run and this is throwing out their night time sleep, then having them stay at home during the school run might be appreciated by parents. Or, if my son needs to be collected from further away, then avoiding a long trip in a car seat for a younger child. I also thought if my assistant works with me and gets to know the children, then if i was ever sick or had to be absent for another reason then my assistant could be an ad-hoc nanny in the child's home for the day. Obviously I would put in place agreements around this.

This all helps to develop my thinking - thanks.

I would separate the childminding and the parking into two separate ventures. Advertise the parking space to the commuters and the childminding service to the mums who work shorter hours locally.

You also need to think carefully whether you will be able to make any money at all from childminding on such a part time basis. If you are only working 1 or 2 days a week and only have 1 or 2 mindees on those days then your income will be very small. There are quite a lot of overheads involved in childminding and you may find that by the time you have paid for insurance, training, equipment, baby proofing your house, advertising, etc ... that there is really not any money left.

It may also be difficult to find families who want childcare on the two particular days a week when you are open. A lot of parents work more than two days and those that only need two days care might need different days to the ones you are planning on working. So it may take you some time to fill your vacancies.

I'd second offering early start times. I've done this in the past as none of the school breakfast clubs start before 7.30/7.45 but there are a lot of HCP who work at the hospital (up to an hours commute in the mornings) starting at 8am, so demand was high. I mainly used to have school-aged mindees meaning although my day started early, once the school run was over by 9am, I could put my feet up with a cuppa

In my area I would struggle to fill vacancies if I was very restrictive about the days I work. I have had enquiries from people wanting part time care, but they want to pick their own days so I can't help them (I need them to fit around existing children). I doubt I would be lucky enough to find two unrelated mindees who wanted the same two days a week.

As I understand the assistant bit. The assistant has to be registered with ofsted as your assistant and has to be police checked and complete a first aid course. Someone also mentioned to me they have to do part of the childminder course, but I'm not sure about that. It's quite a lot of work if its just for the odd time now and again. It used to be much easier to use an assistant, but the eyfs changed the regulations.

Food is included in my fees, it's easier for me if everyone has the same food, it's a nightmare if everyone has different stuff, someone always has someone else's favourite and refuses to eat their own dinner!

Thanks, all.

I think it's very restrictive. Those who generally want part time, would want long hours as they say only need to go into city a few days. And everyone else would want full time, or full time and long hours.

Ie I work from home and dh does between us, so generally swap go goes into town and who stays at home and works around children. On the odd day we both need to be out we need 7am-7pm

I work two days per week as a childminder and am always full and having to turn away enquiries. Go for it, starting out small and seeing where you go with it makes good sense.

Hi. I child mind in Scotland so the regulations are a bit different. However, what I suspect will be similar is the amount of record keeping and paperwork involved. Regulators seem to assume that we have full time admin support and are very good a throwing a curve ball. Requirements can change at very short notice and failure to implement them can affect your grading and inspection reports. Having another staff member can be a great help (I support my daughter in this business) and how she would fit in running a home and her business and cope with all the paperwork on her own is hard to fathom. We also have a registered student with us part time and parents are quite relaxed about that. Breakfast club and after school sound good for you as live in a commuter area ? The paperwork involved is not less, however. After nearly four years I'd advise - don't do it unless you really want to, join your 'trade association' and take their advice, pay careful heed to everything your regulators say. Also, be prepared for unexpected reactions from your own child. He/she may be happy to have friends to play after school sometimes but friction can arise and coping with a very tired small child once other very tired small children have gone home can be stressful ! Good luck.

I assume the parking will be on your own drive? What about insurance issues, what if someone comes back and says their car has been scratched? Will you get them to sign a disclaimer. It effectively amounts, I would think, to renting out a part of your property and your mortgage company may not allow it. I wonder if £5 per day is worth it for the hassle factor.