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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Any childminders want to chat?

105 replies

Snap8TheCat · 20/09/2017 19:43

Thought it might be nice to start a thread for childminders to gather and chat. Who would like to join me? It can be a lovely job and I think there are quite a few of us on here.

I've been minding for 8.5 years now, recently taking on an assistant as business is doing well. We currently have 13 children on our books.

I love my job and love talking about it (mostly). There are plenty of down sides but mostly positives. It allows me to raise my lovely children alongside looking after fab mindees.

Come join me!

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nicolelewis · 23/10/2017 18:26

Hi,

I have recently registered as a childminder and am trying to advertise myself. Has anyone got any advice please?

I am in the East Barnet area.

Original poster
Snap8TheCat · 29/10/2017 14:34

How are we all?

I’m back to work tomorrow after a lovely holiday. Bit of post holiday blues but I like my job so not really dreading it in the way that I know some do!

What are all your plans for the week?

OP posts:
nicolelewis · 06/12/2017 22:21

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to advertise myself as a child minder?

jannier · 07/12/2017 08:02

Advertising is hard as lots of work comes from word of mouth and reputation. I would make use of any childminder groups if they run in your area so that other minders see you at least with your own children and may pass work on if they are full. Be at toddler groups and talk to other mums. Ask if local schools children's centres etc keep lists of registered minders and make sure your on it. Use the LA's vacancy list. Pacey and childcare.co.uk have lists. Print some business cards and have them on you...Vista print have good deals.

Maryann1975 · 08/12/2017 10:14

I agree about work coming via word of mouth. Do you have any children at the moment? Or your own young children? Or can you borrow a friends child for a couple of hours so you can go to groups? Go to all the groups you can and talk to people about your plans and that you are a cm, people often don’t realise I’m a cm at groups, they think all the children are mine (different children on different days, I haven’t been pg for 7 years and the babies magically appear as older babies but never mind...). That’s lovely as it means I’m treating the children as if they were my own, which is what I say I do and other people are noticing that, but not great as a way of advertising! So I have to talk to people to keep the business going and to get new children.

Go to any cm groups you can and network with other minders. Does your area have any kind of fb page for families/children’s services that you can advertise on and make sure if anyone is asking for childcare recommendations that your name is mentioned. None of my families are big fb users, so occasionally when I’ve seen threads on fb I have to prompt them to recommend me, which they do, just to make sure my name is passed on.

Fickleflock · 14/12/2017 10:54

Hi All Childminders
Would really appreciate some advice on 30 hour funding - apart from it being a complete nightmare to set up I have now been confronted with my councils Provider Agreement which has to be completed before registering funded children. Before i go on, has anyone had problems with it/found it confusing?
Many thanks

FrostyThirties0 · 14/12/2017 10:59

I haven’t had any issues in particular though we have a good borough by all accounts (RBWM). They advise us to get a deposit and as long as it’s refundable when they leave and kept to all the Ts and C.S., then we should be protected enough.

jannier · 14/12/2017 13:31

We wouldn't be allowed to ask for a deposit for a child only doing the 30 hours as it has to be free on the point of delivery by asking a deposit it isn't and makes it only available to those with spare money. we can ask deposits for extra hours if needed.

Fickleflock · 14/12/2017 13:58

Hi FrostyThirties0 and jannier - I have got stressed out by the whole system to be honest - I am on a low income and yet setting up funding for a family that earn x10 what I do. They would have been quite happy paying me as usual but now they know this funding is available I have had to do it. Do your councils fund you for your going rate? Mine doesn’t so will have to make up ‘extra costs’. My biggest concern is that I will do something inadvertently wrong and my registration could be compromised.

HSMMaCM · 14/12/2017 15:59

Your registration shouldn't be compromised by a 30 hour funding error. Your funding might be compromised, so check and double check with your LA what they expect you to do.

If you have other hours as well as funded hours, then you can use all your usual terms and conditions for those.

FrostyThirties0 · 14/12/2017 16:02

jannier it is because the money will be returned not kept. It was the borough’s idea.

Traymo2012 · 01/03/2018 11:57

Is any childminders charging fees if school closed because of weather, or refunding?

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 01/03/2018 13:30

Our school is open, but no I wouldn’t. Only if it was my decision to cancel.

jannier · 01/03/2018 13:41

I charge as I am open.

HSMMaCM · 01/03/2018 14:15

I'm open and have 3 school children here today.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 01/03/2018 17:55

To clarify- I wouldn’t be refunding!

Fickleflock · 11/06/2018 12:38

Right - should have got a proper system in place by now for this but... do you work on a ‘on the 1/2 hour’ pricing system? So instead of charging a parent 7 hours for 9.45am - 4.45pm, would you charge from 9.30am - 5pm??

jannier · 11/06/2018 13:15

If they came 9.45 to 3.45 I would charge 6 hours at my slightly higher part time rate if it was 8.45 to 5.45 my full time rate of 9 hours. if they wanted part of an hour I would charge and additional half hour.

sallychildminder01 · 27/06/2018 11:58

Hi there, i am new to childminding.
I am starting up my business slowly. there is a lot to do !! and it is stressful.
so this chat is very helpful !!

I am struggling to find parents, I only have 1 signed up for September so far, so starting to really stress. any advice would be great !!

badgerhead · 28/06/2018 08:12

Word of mouth is good for getting new business, notices on your Facebook local community pages, where I live there is a childminder & nanny specific page open to parents where we can advertise. Your own website and getting out into local toddler groups and introducing yourself to parents, showing good practice so they will recommend you to their friends etc. A comprehensive entry on the well known Childcare website can also be useful, worth paying for membership, try & get a good deal on that though as can be expensive. I have been a member since the early days and pay a much reduced amount compared to new members as I have never cancelled my membership. By paying it enables parents to message you. Are you a member of PACEY, as there is a vacancy website you can put your details on via them free of charge, plus an entry on the Netmums childcare listings for your LA is worth doing, I have had a few enquiries that way.

sallychildminder01 · 28/06/2018 18:39

thanks so much.
I am a gold member on childcare.co.uk and on PACEY. I have been to local schools and handed out my cards. so will see if I get anything from there.

PrincessScarlett · 29/06/2018 14:21

Hi Sally. I had one child in the first couple of months then gained another. It took 6 months for business to be booming. Unless there is a shortage of childminders in your area it can take a few months to get going properly. Word of mouth and social media (local Facebook group) have been the most productive marketing tools for me.

MissTeaca · 13/07/2018 22:22

Hi,
I am new quite new here.
As a brief introduction about myself, I have worked in a primary school as a TA and a pre-school teacher, I love my job but the salary was too small as I was doing my Early Years Educator course, that I finally finished :) So I decided to get my qualification to become a childminder- I have done the course with Pacey.
I love working with children and I really want to offer high quality care. I am starting to built up a small childminding business this summer. I have submitted my Ofsted application , but it takes quite some time.
I am planing during the summer to offer summer holiday club for 8 years old and over, as mentioned on gov. website you don't need to register if you care for 8 and over 8. This is just a temporary thing for me until I get my registration.

I am trying to advertise my summer holiday club, but is quite hard.
The struggle is real! I feel a bit lonely as I don't know any childminders I can chat with.

jannier · 15/07/2018 11:10

MissTeaca..........You will get to know other cm's. Its important not to come over that your unregistered and taking business but not paying insurance and costs they do or you will upset them for the future. With many schools and nurseries opening holiday clubs that don't have to follow ratios and have cheap rent its a bit cut throat in many areas with cm's unable to compete. Packing in 13 kids to one adult on free premises throwing a ball or two into the playground and putting out paint paper and consoles is cheap childcare often for £13 -£20 a day and for many parents that's all they want.

Most cms want and do offer quality childcare with good qualifications most with level 3 and many with degrees so quality childcare isn't a USP look at anything missing in the market. Many parents don't understand what we do and how we do things equally as well as nurseries and school early years and imagine us as babysitters and stop gaps....until Pacey step up and really push that things wont change and everyone who hasn't done child-minding tends to think we are low quality etc.

Fickleflock · 24/07/2018 21:01

Hi - would appreciate any thoughts on this...I have a 7 month old starting in September who is breast-fed on demand and Mum has no intention of changing this. Obviously when baby is here, she will use a bottle - only she doesn’t and isn’t showing any signs of being able to use one at home or in my settling-in sessions. She becomes extremely frustrated and will cry and cry. I have suggested a dummy for comfort but Mum is adamant she will not take one. Basically, she will not be getting the substanance or comfort that she needs when she is here (although weaned by then all being well). I am feeling increasingly anxious about September as I will have her for 9 hour days. If anyone can give advice on this it would greatly appreciated! X