CM question!

[CwmbranChildminder]

2 things I'd like advice on pls

Whats the process with the childcare vouchers?Do we except them if so how do they work?

Also my husband and I were thinking (long term)of joining me childminding once Im established and in demand! We know we can work together as we have in the past but how do numbers work? Would he have to be registered and go through the same process as me...obviously hes had his CRB done!

Advice would be great!

I uased to have a mum that paid with Busy Bee vouchers (she left a while ago as they moved). All I had to do was register with the company (send in a copy of my cert and bank details), and then they just cashed the voucher into your account. Think they were for £217 a month, and she paid me the rest.

Not too bad, but could be late payment wise if her company didn't pay for the vouchers to be issued by the end of the month, so usually got the money mid month.

I get busy bees and accor? (I think)

a bit late but OK

Working as a team with your DH - I like it - he would have to be a childminder (CM1 & everything)

You can have more children if you have enough space it's about 2.5m (ish) floor space per child

don't quote me on it but i'm sure you are still only allowed the same number of children as you are reg. for

Well I mind with 3 other minders and our numbers have been increased

If my dh or dds are here (they are all registered as assistants, mainly for back-up in emergencies), then I can still only have 6 children under 8 years, but all of them can be under the age of 5 years.

I assume that if someone else registers as a childminder in their own right, then they would be entitled to have their own same quota of children (if the house is big enough and there's enough equipment etc??)

I also take vouchers, Sodexho and Accor, but only signed up for them at the request of parents. I don't know if you can "sign up" for them without having a parent already who wants to use them.

Can you confirm your location. From your name, I am assuming for this post that you are in Cwmbran, Wales and therefore regulated by CSIW.

For childcare vouchers, Childcarers Guide may help explain a bit. I have yet to accept vouchers, though it is due to happen at some point soon. From what I hear from other providers, some vouchers are good, others not so good - this is in terms of their quickness in paying out to the provider.

With regard to having your DH working with you:
Look at Standard 13
Adult Child Ratios
The easier thing to do regarding DH is to make him your assistant - it's less paperwork and will let you try it out for a while to see how it goes.

With an assistant you may or may not be able to take additional children. Max number you can care for is 6, which includes your own children. Having an assistant does not increase this number, but if you are not already allocated your maximum of 6, you may find having an assistant puts you up to the maximum - subject to there being sufficient house space.

If you have a lot of space and once DH has settled into working with children on a day-to-day basis, then you can see if he will register as a childminder in his own right. In theory this could then permit you to care for up to 12 children (including your own), subject to space and I suspect other factors.

Standard 19.5 gives the space requirements for children in each age range. 2.5sq metres for children aged 2-7 years. To measure space, create a 1m x 1m square using newspaper, and see how many times that will fit into the rooms you intend to use for childminding.

Hope thats of some help.

wow thanks for all that info!

NannyNick your right Im from Wales and with the CSIW! Thanks for all your updated information! Your great! Im a bit dated as work in Feet and inches so will get husband to work that bit out! All I know is I have a 25ft long living room.

To have my DH as an assistant does he have to do anything? or do they just had him to my details??

Under Standard 12, you need to notify CSIW that you intend to have an assistant. I am not sure how you do that - in England, Ofsted use a form called a CM2. CSIW may have a similar form, or may just accept a letter. Best to get in touch with your local CSIW office.