Considering childminding but can't drive, Help!

[hazdimple]

Hello!
So I'm seriously considering becoming a childminder, it's been on the cards for a while. But I've been under the impression you have to drive, also I have quite a small 2 bed house so that's put me off in the past. We're having a conservatory built, glass roof so it will be useable all year round (heated ofc). It will be a playroom for my 2 children, and the main room I use for childminding. So I thought that this was probably the perfect time to become a childminder! However, I don't drive. I'm planning on learning, once my OH has passed his test (we live in a small town and like walking everywhere). I'm wondering if it's really a deal breaker? I live very close to toddler groups and a soft play area, and there's a park on my estate. Also within 5 minute walk of the local school. But obviously I don't want to start the ball rolling, only to find out that being able to drive is a must.
Grateful for any thoughts!
Thanks :)

My (brilliant) childminder does not drive and it has never been a problem. She still is able to do school runs, take the baby to groups, provide fun activities during the holiday etc etc

I'm a cm and I don't drive. We walk to school and back, go to town and other places on bus and train. Go for it! The kids I mind think it's hilarious that I don't have or want a car. They get used to walking in all weathers and see all the changes in nature.

I use a childminder, she takes my daughter to school and she has to drive because it's not walkable. However, this is her and our decision, lots of the childminders round here love very close to schools and so never need to drive. I don't think it will be a problem for you if you live close to kids amenities.

You don't have to drive, being a non-driver may even appeal to some parents. However it may also be limiting. Consider where you would go - playground, toddler groups, woodland and which schools/pre-schools you could collect from, such as the places you have already identified. Also look at what transport there is that you could use - such as bus and train if you did want to go further away (such as during school holidays when you may have older children all day).

Your own 2 children may be more of a limiting factor, max of 6 children under age 8.

Well recently a mum didn't want me to have her child because I drove. She didn't want her child in the car, which is fair enough. So I really would t worry. I wished I lived closer to the schools & groups here so I could walk, but it would take an age to get to them with 3 in the buggy & all the hills etc.

It will be fine. Walking is underrated!

As long as you could get a child straight to A&E if necessary, no car should be fine day to day.

I do drive but when I was a childminder I chose not to get business insurance. I do live in London and the school is about 5 mins walk from my house. I was much fitter pushing a massive double buggy around!

Thankyou all for your responses! My two LO's are 17 months and 4. Eldest goes to nursery every day in the afternoon, but I do understand that I'll be limited with numbers. I'm a stay at home mum atm, no pressing need for me to go back to work financially but childminding is something I've wanted to do for a while. I'll deffo be learning to drive asap. Luckily everything is pretty much within walking distance, or on a bus route. I've got 3 schools within 10 minutes walking distance from my house, eldest goes to one of them, and there's a train station -nearest cities are 10-15 mins away on the train. I'm thinking I could definitely make this work! :)

I would much rather my dc were with a cm who walked everywhere than put them in the car for all journeys. I have a real thing about this at the moment, there are lots of families round me who drive their dc everywhere, school is a 15 min walk away and the majority drive even on lovely weather days. The benefits of walking go far beyond the exercise aspects.
Only you know if you can make it work looking after other children with no car in your location, but if you can manage your own dc I would imagine it would be no problem.
The pp who mentioned a and e, honestly if I had to get a child to a and e I would be phoning an ambulance to do the job and if it wasn't as life threatening as that I would call the parents to take them. I couldn't put a seriously ill child in their car seat along with all the others and drive there, it probably wouldn't be safe.
Most days I have too many children to fit in the car for school runs I can't use it anyway So might as well be car-less anyway.

I'm a childminder and I do drive but very very rarely when childminding. I have a small car and often have no space for all the children. I don't wish to get a large car.
I manage just fine. I live where I can walk to school, playgroups, playgrounds, the library, shops, canal etc all within about 10 -15 minutes. If you have enough within walking distance then it will be fine.

I do sometimes use the car for special outings when I have less children which is nice but not essential. A bus trip can be a special outing anyway.

My daughter's cm doesn't drive and I prefer it that way. She walks the kids to school and they go on the bus to parks and libraries and get the train further afield as well. (We live in London so we do benefit from great public transport). Dd at 2 has fantastic road sense and is a pro a buses and trains, I swear she could catch a bus or walk home alone (not planning on trying this!). She certainly wouldn't have that if she were taken in a car everywhere.

The area I live in is all terraced housing too and everything is walkable. There is a shortage of childminders here, it would not put me off at all if you didnt drive.

The childminders in my village don't drive. They never have an issue with not having children to mind (except one who thought it was reasonable to take 10 weeks of holiday during TERM TIME). There is always 'children available' and lots of families prefer it over nurseries 5+ miles away because it means their children can continue to be cared for when they go to school because they do the school run.

But I do drive and really value the freedom and the scope to take children on outings to different places. I have playgroups and parks near where I live, some lovely country walks too. But with a car I can take children tot he local woods, common, forest, coast, museums, soft play centres etc, etc. You can do this if you have a good bus network too but a car gives you flexibility.

I don't want to down trod on any childminder who doesn't drive because they still provide valuable care and freedom.

I believe a car simply enhances your childcare prospects.

freedom was supposed to say 'education'!