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Paid childcare

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

Becoming a Childminder

14 replies

Specky12 · 30/07/2018 09:43

Hi all,
Looking for some advice. I want to return to work after a ten year career break and am considering child minding. I want to work with children and have looked into retraining but after consideration have decided that childminding would be the best option for me and my family.

From what I understand I have to complete a course first, register with Ofsted, have an Ofsted inspection, first aid course... Is there anything else and does anyone have any further info on the course, best place to start with all this?

My biggest concern is that despite having four children (15, 10, 5, and 3) I don't AVE any official experience of working with children. Is this likely to be an obstacle in getting registered and started?

I plan to do term time, 8am - 6pm... Is this usual?

Basically, childminders: tell me everything I need to know and do please??!!!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
superram · 30/07/2018 09:46

The course is run by your local authority and includes food safety and first aid. It was about £200.

You need public liability insurance. Ofsted come out and check your house/you.

I did it but it wasn’t for me-too much time in my own house tidying up.

heatisover · 30/07/2018 09:47

I think you might struggle working term time only tbh. Are you trying to just cater for teachrs’ children?

Specky12 · 30/07/2018 11:56

Well nothing is set in stone... Are term time only childminders even a thing? I guess it depends on what children I have and their needs. I can be flexible.

OP posts:
fruitpastille · 30/07/2018 12:06

I've had a term time child minder who catered for teachers. It's fine if you can get enough business. You need to start earlier than 8am though as teachers need to be at work before then.

There used to be a day course called introduction to child minding which you would find v useful.

fuzzyfozzy · 30/07/2018 15:42

Yep term time Chm are a thing.
You also needs safeguarding course.

Maryann1975 · 30/07/2018 21:23

Term time only childminders are a thing, but I don’t know any round by me. Lots of us work 4 day weeks though. I guess it depends on how much demand there is round by you for cms and how much money you need to make. For me, it’s the after school ones and holiday cover that bring my income up to minimum wage (averaged over the year). I would struggle to get three full time term time only children I think, especially when I was just starting out. But if you don’t need to be earning a full childminder wage (ie 3 eyfs children and at least 3 before and after school children) you might be ok.

Maryann1975 · 30/07/2018 21:25

In our area the first thing to do would be to contact your local council. They should be able to point you in the right direction. Some courses are quite expensive and you don’t want to find out after paying for it that you’ve done the wrong thing.

HSMMaCM · 30/07/2018 22:35

Contact your local authority about courses etc. I regularly get asked to do term time. Your younger children will limit your numbers. Make sure the whole family is on board, because it does take over your home.

Good luck.

itsaboojum · 31/07/2018 07:59

Gosh, it would take an entire website to tell you everything you need to know and do. I suggest you start by calling Ofsted or searching their website to download the regulations and guidance documents relating to starting up as a CM. Contact your local authority (county or city council) too: they should either have an information pack or run briefing sessions for enquirers.

You can get excellent advice and answers to specific questions on message boards like this one; the Childminders' Forum is excellent also.

itsaboojum · 31/07/2018 08:33

If my area is in any way typical, then there’s plenty of demand for term time only care. But this may vary from place to place, and it is very difficult for prospective CMs to do proper market research with any degree of accuracy. It is a little odd that teachers will invariably claim they do more working hours than the rest of humanity, yet need far less childcare, but this does mean there's a opportunity for your sort of plan.

You’ll need to consider what sort of income you expect/need to make it worthwhile, since your plan includes some factors which will seriously limit your earning potential.

The average CM earns around £10k pa. Taking into account all the necessary unpaid hours (admin, planning, prep, etc. conducted at evenings/weekends) very few CMs ever achieve anything like minimum wage for the total hours worked.

The most obvious limitation is that you need to eat, pay bills, etc. for twelve months of the year, but your clientele will be wanting to pay you for just nine of those months. You could feasibly charge a slightly higher rate for TTO care, or a holiday retainer fee, but these options are not without their downsides.

Your own children will count against your 'ratio' when present. That is, they’ll reduce the number of paying children you can have at any one time. A CM can care for six under-8yo's including up to three preschool children. You own children will reduce this number of paying attendees to five and three respectively.

Quite a few teachers these days work part time, and/or have some help with childcare from family. You need to decide if you can afford to take on part timers.

As previously mentioned, you’ll almost certainly need an earlier start. IME, teachers want to drop off by 0745 at the latest, and some as early as 0650. They usually pick up around 1600-1700. You may be asked to do some later evenings, due to school trips, parents' evenings or extra-curricula activities: occasionally, anything up to 2100 IME.

I doubt whether Ofsted would have a problem with your lack of "official" experience. Raising four children is more than enough real experience.

itsaboojum · 31/07/2018 08:38

Sorry, my error. The number of paying children you’d be allowed whilst also caring for your own children should be five under-8yo's and two preschoolers (not three, as I originally stated.)

Apologies for the confusion.

MaverickSnoopy · 31/07/2018 08:45

I'm in the process of setting up as a childminder. As well as the things you have mentioned you also need to do safeguarding training and have a dbs check. There's also some medical paperwork that the doctors need to sign. I have a spreadsheet of everything that you need to do/read. If you pm me I'd be more than happy to send.

HSMMaCM · 31/07/2018 09:02

The comment about teachers needing an early start may or may not be an issue. I am caring for a teachers child. Her husband does the morning drop off before his office job and she picks up at 6.

darlenharlen · 01/08/2018 10:30

I work 8 - 5 mom to fri. I don’t think I would have any business at all if I only offered term time as 13 weeks holiday a year is a lot for parents to cover elsewhere.
I earn about £24k a year before expenses when I’m full.
I’m planning on taking a break from childminding soon as I’ve had enough of parents taking the mick with money etc..
if you do set up make sure you don’t let anyone pay in arrears and make them sign a contract and leave a deposit before they start!

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