Is this too good to be true

[northernlights84]

Hi I currently work four full days a week and hate it. I hate being away from my son and hate that other people get to have fun with him while I work at a job that I don't care about. My neighbour used to be a childminder and she has been chatting to me about training. She used to do the school run- so ten children over 8 before and after school for a couple of hours

She used to charge 2.50 an hour but I know the breakfast/after school club at the school near us charges 7.50 each child - so 15 a day if they attend both.

I feel this sounds too good to be true- I could earn good money for such small hours and have full days with my son? Have I got it wrong and actually it's nowhere near this straightforwards?

I have worked in training (adult) for the last ten years- so I am used to organising, planning and entertaining. Although I have no experience with children's teaching. Can you offer any advice please?

Where in the UK are you? In Wales you now have to be registered for kids between the age of 8-12. You also have to apply for planning if you want more than 6 kids. Is there definitely a market for this in your local area? Obviously it would have to be a school within walking distance.

Also, do you have much experience of this age group? I childmind and I have found school age kids very difficult, way harder than babies and toddlers. In fact, I've given notice to my last lot recently.

She used to do the school run- so ten children over 8 before and after school for a couple of hours

Ten children?!

I do kniw a childminder who runs a very good and profitable business doing before and after school care. You do need to consider a few things though.

You need to find out if there is sufficient demand to have that number of children before and after school. Was the school breakfast club and after school club up and running whilst your neighbour was a childminder? If the clubs have been set up recently you might find more children go there than to a childminder. You'll need you offer something the school club doesn't if yoyr area doesn'thave a shortage of places i.e. more flexibility, after school dinners etc.

You might need planning permission to have more than 6 children. You would also need to have it confirmed that you have enough floor space to have that many. There is a minimum amount of space required per child.

You would still need to go through training and be registered as a childminder.

That many school age children would be very hard work. Don't underestimate how much work could be involved and how much they will take over your house. You are unlikely to have 10 children who are all well behaved.

What would you do in school holidays?

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I'm a childminder. In my area there isn't that much call for before and after school Childminder's. The after school clubs get the majority of the work, with Childminder's generally only having the children they cared for as preschoolers. It might be different in other places though?

I find the after school children harder work. Their personalities shine through much more and it's hard to find something they all want to do at the same time. Are you walking distance to school? We are, but it's a long walk and in torrential rain, not much fun, so you need to think about how many you can take on based onthat.
It could work really well, but I imagine your son might feel quite pushed out with the lack of your attention for the few hours you are working. If you had little ones, your attention would be spread amongst fewer children, but for longer time, but your child would be joining in activities with another little one closer in age. Do you think being a childminder for little ones would suit you?

Hi thanks for replying that's really useful. We are within five minutes walk of three local schools so walking there would be no problem. I suppose I need to look into registering and what I would need to put in place/costs.
I don't know how I will find out demand? Facebook? Internet forums?
Yes apparently next door had 10! It sounds a lot! She says they were. I real work- maybe she is just superwoman haha

In my area the demand is for early hours wrap around, so 7:30am drop off, breakfast then walk to school. Very very few offer it, but lots need it due to local commuting times.

You could offer holiday cover too, doesn't have to be just wraparound

Is the £7.50 per child for the breakfast club plus food?
How long is the breakfast club open for?

You would need to find out what the local child minders average rate is per hour or per before school session as we dont all charge the same rate. Would you be available in holiday time? If not how would this affect the number of parents who would use you if they were working school hols with no other childcare?

If you are in London or similar you might get away with £7.50 per hour but up here its £3.50 per hour. You would have to decide what was more cost effective after you had paid out for your registration course (if you have to register, maybe not in England for over 8yr olds) your professional body membership, first aid course, your yearly registration, your PLI, house insurance, wear and tear on your house, food, any other training your local authority requires from you etc etc.

I cannot imagin anything worse than having 10 school kids at once, I have had some flipping chancers in my time Plus they are sometimes very resistant to doing anything after school as they have been busy all day and just want to chill out, it can really be a nightmare. (Not all just some over the years)

Good luck with whatever you decide.

How old is your son as he will be counted in your numbers.

Hi my son is two, I think the way my neighbour described doing this made it seem really straightforwards and I am really looking for a way to have more time with him but still earn so I got a bit excited. I'll start with a bit of research and see where I get to. Thanks for replies

Give your local council a call and ask for a childminding information pack, that will explain everything. The Pacey website is also a good resource.

When I used to mind I had several before school children that would be dropped off at 7, I'd give everyone breakfast together and they'd have half an hour to play (Lego, board games, doing a bit of extra reading if Mum and Dad hadn't had time) and then we'd all walk to school and then the next school up the road. I charged £7.50 per child.

It does give you flexibility to be at home when your own children are small but when my dd went to secondary I stopped taking on any new children and slowly phased out, so when the youngest mindee began full-time school, I stopped. It's not an easy option, your home isn't treated in the same way as you'd probably like, there is constant training and CPD to do, you have to be inspected by Ofsted, Environmental Health etc but it can work really well.

My friend is a CM and she now does mostly before and after school care. Kids get dropped off there from 7 and can stay with her until 6.30
I know her own 2 sons hate it and avoid being there if that can, they leave for school asap and hang around at a friends and then come home as late as possible and go to their rooms. Her DH often complains too.
I suppose it would allow you to be free during the day but those mornings and evenings with a house full of children would drive me nuts

In your shoes (as I was 5 years ago) I'd look to take on 2 pre-school children all day rather than a hoard of school kids. It will be a massive change for your own child doing school runs, having a full & noisy house etc and I doubt you'd earn more with school wraparound.

Remember the cost of insurance, craft materials, food, etc. Children are always ravenous after school.

I stopped doing after school work, because of the sheer amount of energy the children need to vent after being in an enclosed classroom.