Childminding

[lyssie29]

Hi I'm hopefully about to do a childminding course and was thinking in September I could just do 2 days a week 8 hours a day so its over the 16 hours. Is this doable as a child minder or is better to do say 4 hours over 4 days? Is it best to go on a child to child basis? I will have my little one with me also with an older one at school and dont want to do it full time. Also could I charge what i want and how do i make it worth while to Do? As in if i only charge £5 an hour then i wouldn't really be earning minimum wage unless i took on 2 children. I'm sure ill find all of this out at the info session bit just curious.

You need to try to provide what local parents want. Finding your niche is important - what makes you different from others. You may start earlier, finish later, collect from a school no-one else does.

Some parents require 11 to 12 hours per day but may only want two or three days per week. Others may want every morning before school and every afternoon after school.

Think about what age of children you want to care for, you will be limited in number of children. You will certainly need to be caring for two or more children to make it financially viable I would have thought. You can start small and grow.

I started working 3x12 hour days. If you don't want to work every day then don't. You will resent it.

Round here, I think you would struggle to find work for such limited hours. Especially the four hours over the four days. For most parents, their work pattern would mean they need longer care than that. Also to find two children wanting the same two days in a week might prove tricky unless they are siblings.
But maybe the demand for Childminder's where you live is greater than round here.
You can set your rates at what you want, it's whether parents are willing to pay. I always advise new cam to check what the competition (other cms and local nurseries) are charging. If the new cm is charging far more than the established cms, I would think it will make it even harder for them to get the first (often most difficult) child on to their books. (Once you have one it's often easier to get another in my experience).

DO you mean a childminder? you say you would have your Lo with you, childminders with young children always have their children with them and they are working from home.....you would be lucky to fill the hours you want unless just doing after school.