Starting childminding

[fjalladis]

Hi all. I'm looking at starting child minding in the next few months. I'm currently working for minimum wage as a cleaner in a care home and am looking for a change that enables me to be at home more and earning a slightly better wage/ do a more interesting role than cleaning 35 toilets a day!

I do have a few issues however and hoped you could give me some advice as to whether it would be possible to even consider becoming a childminder.

1. I am currently housesharing to keep costs low. Whilst I don think this is a bar to childminding? I do wonder how much it really takes over your home or can you manage to keep the house relatively kid clutter free (neither me or my housemate currently have kids ourselves). I don't want to make life difficult or take over our home as the house is not mine alone if you see what I mean.

2. what are the true set up costs? How much stuff do I need to go out and buy or can it just evolve as time goes on? Would not having a massive mound of toys put off parents?

3. both myself and my housemate have dogs and other pets would this cause any problems?

4. how quickly can you be come ofstead registered? Do they come out to inspect before I take on any children? Do they need to see permission from my landlord that I'm allowed to be a childminder?

5. how long did it take you to get your first children? And where are the best places to advertise for children?

Thanks in advance for any replies

Not a childminder but I don't know how you would keep th house from being clutter or at a minimum. Also your bills will go up so you would need to bear that in mind.

1. any adult who lives with you would have to have a criminal records check as well, but house share itself shouldn't be any more of an issues than having a spouse. There will be mess (if you don't have children this may be quite a shock for you, snack time will leave your floor covered with food, the toilet will need a good clean every day as there will be splashes and spill ages , tissue on the floor (why can't it make it into the loo?!) cut up paper off cuts all over the floor, pens and pencils strewn around, mainly with the lids left off etc. Short of not providing any activities, there's no way to avoid the mess, you'll just have to have a big clear up when they go home.

2. you don't need lots of toys, better to have a few good quality resources (must be sturdy, durable and preferably educational, especially for young children who need to follow the early years foundation curriculum). You will also need to think of various free or cheap places to take them out (parks, farms etc) so will need car seats or to have pushchairs etc.

There are also set up costs such as the courses you have to do, ousted registration, first aid course and DBS check etc. this will all cost several hundred pounds.

3. dogs and other pets may be an issue for some parents. While not restricted, there will be risk assessments to do regarding pets and some parents may choose not to use you if they don't want their children around unknown dogs.

4. you need to check with landlord, council, planning permission, environmental health, home insurance, car insurance. It took me around a year from starting the course to being finally able to start. It could have been quicker but I could only work on the course part time and the DBS check took months to come back.

5. I was lucky that a friend of my dd was in need of a new cm, so I trained specifically to look after her. Other children came along within a few months, but some of them are only part time, so a year on I'm not making my full potential income by a long way.

It's not an easy solution, it's a huge responsibility being in charge of other peoples children, not something to be taken lightly as a quick fix financial solution.

Not looking it as quick fix financially but a career change and lifestyle change. What are the courses you have to do? I know about the first aid and safeguarding training both of which I can do fairly soon. My council offer several free e training courses but haven't seen or heard of anything else? DBS I already have (currently work in care and signed up to new system) I have business insurance on car already but will probs change car anyhow. Environmental health? What do they need to know?

If you're providing food, which I'm guessing for little ones there all day you'd have to do, you may have to do a food hygiene course and have a your kitchen inspected. I only look after school age DCs and they bring their own lunch in the holidays so I don't have to provide food.

And yes, you have to be inspected by OFSTED before you can officially start, but again, not for older children, just for under 5s. (Didn't stop them delaying my application while they waited to make an appointment for inspection, I had to point out that it wasn't needed, they were so disorganised!)

Have a look at PACEY's website. The course is called CYPOP5 I think. I did mine with them online. It was a complete bore, really badly set up, so if you can do it in real life at your local college I'd try and do that instead as the pacey one was really confusing.

It was one of the most frustrating things I've ever had to do, worth it in the end, but honestly such a lot of hoop jumping and paperwork.

Even with business insurance, you will need to specifically tell them you are a cm, many insurance companies don't like that. I had home insurance refuse to renew me, had to shop around and some of them were extortionate. I found one in the end that would cover me at a reasonable premium, but not for any damage caused by mindees!

Speak to someone at the children and families dept at your local council, they can tell you what you need to do, as I think it varies a bit anyway.

Sorry to sound so negative about it, but it seemed like it should be so simple when I first started and yet it's been a bit of a pain in the arse. I do it because it fits well with my DCs, but I'm not sure I'd see the benefit if I didn't have DCs of my own.

It can take a long time from decision to registration. Agree your house share partner needs a DBS check. The children cannot be left unattended with dogs at any time. There are toys, paperwork, equipment like steps in the toilet. If you are planing to use your car, you need to change your insurance. It takes over your life and house even when you already have children ... Good luck if you decide to go ahead. I love it.

Talk to council early years, they may run courses and thus those may be lower cost to you, though may not be at convenient times.

Ofsted will probably want their own DBS check and you will need to be on the DBS update service. If your DBS check was within the last year and you are on the update service, worth sending Ofsted an email to ask if they would accept it, never know they might if they can access enough info.

What does your housemate think about the idea? Are they prepared to have a DBS check?

I agree with what cindy has said, is your housemate in full agreement with your changing jobs. I have three children, but it is so different for DH when we have minded children here. He can't leave his coffee cup on the floor, i can't have his mess cluttering anywhere up, there are children and toys everywhere, he can't watch what he wants on the tv. The children wanting him to entertain them. It's not a relaxing day off work for him if I'm working. I'm not trying to put you off, but do you and your house mate appreciate how much of a change it will be having small children in the house.

The toys do kind of take over. I have two large toy boxes, and an expedit ikea unit and a toy kitchen always out. Then in a large, built in cupboard I have more stuff, then another couple of boxes in the loft. In the garage, buggies (double and single), car seats, outdoor toys, spare high chair. The list go on. So yes, children's stuff does take over.

As a parent, I would be concerned about the dogs. I don't think many parents would be happy about their children having free access to a dog and it's also not fair to have a dog locked in a cage all day. So you need a really good plan of what you are going to do with the dogs all day. If they are locked in the garden that may create issues about where the children can play (if the dogs poo in the garden, the children shouldn't be playing there).
The set up costs vary. You can buy a lot of stuff second hand and you may find you don't need a lot of stuff immediately. For example, I've been minding for eight years and only recently have needed a second travel cot. I've managed with only one until now. No point buying a buggy if your children will all walk. Don't need lots of preschool toys if you are childminding for a baby etc.

personally, I think it is harder to get your first child. Once you have a child to look after and start going to toddler groups and meeting other parents, you can spread the word that you are a cm and looking for children. Until that happens you are waiting for phone calls, which may or may not come to anything.

We are lucky enough to have a second reception room which we don't really use very much and is the other side of the house to our sitting room (with nice views and fire and mobile phone signal!) so was planning on having the second living room as a play room and having other sitting room off limits to kids which would be very easy to do cos of the layout of the house. I can't see a need for the children to go through to that side of the house as bathroom, front door, dinning space are Dogs would be restricted to that side of the house as well.

Both housemates are out working for vast majority of the time I would be minding. Haven't spoken with them about it yet

Sorry, I'm confused, which she of the house is the bathroom in? The children would need access to the bathroom/toilet/hand washing.

Mobile phone signal? Are you planning on mumsnetting whilst the children play?

No the sitting room we use to live in has phone signal! Not the room which would become playroom. The downstairs toilet is next to the playroom and kitchen and the sitting room is through kitchen and up some steps. Kitchen would be off limits

So everything kids would need is one side of kitchen and our main living space is on the other side and only way to get to it is through kitchen. The sitting room is the only point downstairs on the house we can get any form of mobile signal and also has views over the moor and a wood burner. It is also up some steep steps so would not be ideal for kids.

I was joking

Sounds like it could work, but your housemates need to be on board, as they will need crb checks and will come hone sometes to a trashed kitchen, fingerprints everywhere, boxes of toys, etc. The furniture in the playroom might get wee, sick and snot on. You run the risk of having to pay more rent because you have extra use of that room. It can work, but is more complicated.

And what if they have a day off, or a daytime visitor? And Where will the children sleep?

If they had a day off and were around the house they would likely be using the main sitting room and kitchen not the playroom. I would offer to pay more rent as that would seem fair to me. The children would sleep in the playroom in cots or if I several children and some slept others didn't I could put the children sleeping in the dinning area or possibly in the sitting room (would only be in there whilst sleeping). If one of my housemates needed the house for something then I'm sure given enough notice I could arrange an activity somewhere so wouldn't be in the house so much

Another thought I've just had.... Parents like to see experience of working with children. Have you ever worked with children before? If not, are you able to volunteer somewhere while you are doing your childminding training? Maybe in a nursery, pre school or similar setting. Even in a school would be beneficial if you could be in the reception class. Would be useful for getting ideas for the future and getting tips on how to deal with different situations.

Lucy I have worked in care for many years with all ages. Have also lived with a friend whilst her two children were small.

lucy That was my thought as well. OP living with a friend and working in care are very different to running a childcare setting. The fact that you've dismissed Lucy's suggestion is enough to me to feel that you really haven't thought this through enough just yet. Theoretically it could work, but you'll have to go about it very carefully. Your housemates are going to have to be entirely on board and even then, they may choose to move when the reality kicks in. That's if your landlord allows it to start with.

I'm sorry pixi but I find that rather insulting. I do have a significant amount of very relivent experience from my time working in care settings the vast majority of which was working with children and young people. Care settings come in a huge variety of forms so don't automatically assume that I don't have sufficient experience!!!!

Again, working in care settings is very different to running a childcare setting. You realise that parents are going to want to know about your history working with children, right?

We're asking about your experience because that's the best way to advise you on what you can do to get clients if and when you manage to set up as a childminder. You have no childcare qualifications, to get them you need to be working with children or have worked with children.

Having been in a care setting you could have worked any role in the past, you could have been admin, a playworker, a cook, a cleaner, pastoral care, night staff, etc etc etc. We don't know so we can only suggest things based on the extremely limited information you have provided. The fact that you are a cleaner now means nothing in terms of actual childcare related roles. Not only that but what you are suggesting is going to be very difficult to make work so you are going to have to iron out absolutely every single detail before you even apply for Ofsted registration.

I can't see many parents seeing this as the ideal situation sorry.