does your childminder have an assistant - how many children ?

[needtomovesomewherewarmer]

Just weighing up childcare options when I go back to work. Used nurseries previously but looking at cm this time also. Found a good cm locally that has been recommended and who we like. However to increase her capacity she is taking on an assistant. One of the main things that attracted me to a cm was that it would be more personal and less hectic than nursery. Obviously numbers are still significantly lower than a nursery but so is space etc. Just seeing who has had experience of cm with assistants and the numbers that were cared for??

I used to use a childminder.I think they can only have 1 child under 1,then the ratios change so can also have a couple of pre-schoolers and then older after school children.
My CM worked with her partner who was also registered so between them they had care of about 5 or 6 pre-schoolers. It was a lovely start to childcare and I preferred it to nursery where they went when I had my second child.

My CM works with another Cm and they often have a third carer, and even sometimes a fourth carer in the holidays (when there are also school age children). They tend to have 2 small children or up to 3 preschoolers each - usually 6 or 7 during the day with a couple of extra school age children after school.

I really like the arrangement. My DS (4 yrs) has been going since he was 2 and it's a lovely, homely environment, like a big family. I feel it's the best of both worlds.

It also allows for practical things like, my DS doesn't get dragged on other people's school runs - he stays playing at the CM's house while one or two of the other staff do the school run. It's also more robust - if one of the CM's are ill, they call another carer in to cover. I've never had to take time off work due to them not being able to provide care.

I should probably say, she has quite a big house and garden. There are three rooms downstairs that the children have the run of. So they are not cramped for space. They also go out on a lot of trips (in 2 or 3 cars).

Thank you forty it sounds like a similar set up although I think they will sometimes do the school run. House is not so big though. Thing I like a lot about her if she's out and about though.

Everyone thinks a school run is a negative thing but it doesn't have to be depending on how the adult manages it. My mindees have all learned their letters numbers and colours being in the playground playing games like find the K, number 3 something blue. Along with safety games like stop and go stand on your left leg meaning if they decide to run off from mum or dad the word stop works like magic (as long as you then say touch your tummy or similar). The walk to school is always full of photographs of amazing things like snails, man hole covers, and diggers which we use to make puzzles, sticking put in messy play.....the school run doesn't have to be a mad dash with no learning.

Settings with assistants can definitely be a good thing but make sure the children get the benefits of being in a home setting and going out, being in a house and garden all day is not always the best thing ...great on a freezing cold wet day at nap time though.....ive been a 2 registered cm setting for 20 years.