Setting up as a childminder - would these things put you off using me?

[Ladybird909]

My daughter started school last September and I'm thinking of setting up as a childminder before and after school only with drop off and pick up from her school.

Currently my partner and I split the school runs pretty much 50/50 and we would want to carry on doing that. How would you feel about your child going to a childminder where this happened? Would it matter? (For reference I am female and he is male.)

When the children are in our home, I would always be here apart from perhaps the odd occasion and we would both go through the training and get dbs checks.

The other thing is that we have a dog. It's a smallish and very friendly dog and I would always make sure it wasn't left unsupervised with the children. But it does unfortunately bark very loudly when someone comes to the door. Again, would this put you off using a childminder?

No, they wouldn’t.

Well your partner would need to be a helper and in that case why would it put people off? We used a cm with that arrangement,. Quite often her dh was around and every now and again she'd ask if it was OK to leave dd with him while she did whatever. Then he became her official assistant.

The dog would put me off but not the husband. As long as all carers have been dbs checked (which I think he would have to be anyway?), then there’s not much else I can ask for.

the partner doin school runs wouldnt put me off as long as he had a dbs check done too.
The dog being very loud and the possible 'doggy smell' could put me off

With older (school age) children it wouldn't bother me, no. Babies/toddlers it would a bit.

Dog... Not sure. In general it would be OK bit if it was particularly jumpy or yappy I'm not sure they'd like it

Husband being an assistant wouldn't bother me at all. I could be wrong but I think that if you have someone working for/with you then you're no longer using your house as a single private dwelling, so you might need to check your deeds. I could be wrong though but I'm setting up as a CM and I'm sure I read this somewhere.

The dog might put me off. I'd want to think about it. I'm not a dog person and my 6yo really doesn't like dogs (despite my enthusiasm). With small children I have always wanted to be there when a dog was present but if you're not looking after little ones then it won't be an issue.

Our cm husband does this and they have pets so sounds fine to me. They are lovely and the house is very clean.

(Am a childminder)
Dog would put me off if it didn’t have a “safe space” to do to get away from the children.
Your husband would have to be either registered as a childminder in his own right or be a registered assistant to be able to do school runs (forgive me if you realise this )

Your partner being involved wouldn’t bother me, providing all the correct checks etc have been done.

The dog would be an issue, unless you kept the dog away from the children ina separate space I probably wouldn’t use your service.

In regards to the dog you will find it does put some people off but it will also attract others. I was chatting recently with a group of people and some would prefer to take their children to someone with a dog as the children experience one without having to have their own. Personally it would put me off, unfortunately my daughter was bitten very badly and is still a little nervous around them I would be concerned she would never feel safe and happy enough for it to be a home from home. Obviously, mine is a pretty good reason. Some people just don't like dogs.

Same with your hubby, there will be some (if not most) that think it will be a great situation, others not so much.

There will always be some people who find something they don't like, even if it's just that the childminder is younger than them, older than them or has an accent. You can't please or cater for everyone but you don't need to.

Fantastic, thank you very much for all your comments, it's really helpful to get different opinions

Husband no.
Dog yes.

I'm a dog lover, we have a dog, I also have quite an interest in how dogs interact with children after a family incident many years ago. I find that a lot of people, when they say their dog is 'good with children' they simply mean it hasn't bitten one yet. Lots of owners miss or aren't even aware of the very subtle signals a distressed dog gives off. I know that my dog is scared of my child, my dog also knows that my child is unpredictable so he moves out of his way, the dog has safe areas and his bed is set up so that a child could never accidentally fall in it, on it or sneak up on the dog. If other people's children are around the dog is removed to a different room.

I went to view a childminder that had a dog, she thought it funny that one of the children had started brushing the dog and it had growled at them and then taken itself off upstairs. Massive red flag.

The sharing the school run wouldn't.

The dog will put some people off. For others it's a plus. For me as long as it seemed well-controlled and didn't stink I wouldn't care (and the kids would love it).

As previous people have said, so long as your DH is registered as your assistant and all the appropriate checks are done on him then there is no issue there.

Re your dog, some people like dogs, some don't so it may put some people off but then other people will love a childminder with a dog. As part of the childminder training you are told about what things need to be put in place when you have a pet and you may well be quizzed by the Ofsted inspector in your registration visit - I was and I don't even have any pets!

Dog is fine unless it is any of large, smelly or poorly trained / disobedient. Sadly most suburban dogs are at least one of these things.

Husband at home is a definite NO regardless of checks.

I would want to meet you both so as long as your DH made a good impression I don’t think that would put me off really. But a barking dog would and I like dogs.

Neither would put me off. I suspect the dog may put some off though. Would you have arrangements to keep the dog and children separate if requested?

Doc would put me off. Husband I would have to meet to say whether he was off putting it not.

Why does the dog bark?

That would put me off because either there’s a training issue or an anxiety issue or the dog isn’t good with strangers or the dog is overprotective. None of which are acceptable if you’re creating a stressful situation for your dog, who will need to deal with an influx of “strangers” invading the dog’s space/home.

In regards to the dog you will find it does put some people off but it will also attract others. I was chatting recently with a group of people and some would prefer to take their children to someone with a dog as the children experience one without having to have their own.

This. I like my childminder has a dog. Both DH and I grew up with one, but with us both working full time, it's cruel for us to keep one ourselves. We love it that DC has a chance to build up a relationship with a dog. I had a very yappy dog when I grow up so that won't put me off either. I'll feel differently if my child is a baby or toddler because they are unpredictable. But with school age children, it's different.

And yes to making it very clear your husband is an assistant and will be doing regular school runs. He just have to meet the parents as well and let them see if they like him too.

I think the dog would put some people off, whether for allergies or the children not liking dogs. However husband wouldn’t bother me x

I don’t get why you would be setting up as a childminder if you’re only doing half the school runs and won’t be at home some of the time? I wouldn’t be happy with that kind of set up to be honest.

The dog wouldn't put me off but the husband would. When you say you split the school run 50/50, does that mean your husband would be at home looking after the children? If so, I wouldn't be happy about that. Although to be fair I am not sure why.