Childminders - what to look for?

[Greatbunch]

We have a son who will be needing a childminder for 3 days a week when i return to work in March. He will be 8 months old.
We have arranged to visit a few this week, and have a list of basic questions. E.g, daily routines, mealtimes, adults the children might be around etc.
What else should i be looking for when we visit their homes? Any questions bar the obvious i should be asking?
He is our PFB so really want to make sure this person is right for us! Thanks.

What her hourly rate includes? Does she charge for her holidays? Your holidays? Bank holidays etc

@Apple40

Any particular reason to assume the childminder has to be female?

Ask if CM has a folder of photos and records of trips out with her mindees. (My CM always had an abundance of fun photos and was always disappointed if parents didn't look!)

What kind of toys/books does CM have? Is there a designated play space? Garden space?

What meals are typical? Is there an extra charge for food? (My CM includes food in the fees)

Which playgroups or clubs does the CM attend with mindees?

What are CM typical holidays? How much notice for holidays is given?

How is payment made? (Bank transfer?)

@itsaboojum it's a pretty fair assumption that the childminders will be female - the vast, vast majority are.

I think you will know when you click with someone OP.

I’ve been asked all kinds of questions.

Who else lives in the house,
any pets,
food that will be served - full hot dinner/lunch/take own packed lunch
types of snacks,
water/milk/squash-some parents have a preference, some don’t). Typical week/day/routine
Where do babies sleep
how does she balance baby’s needs with preschoolers needs.

How many dc she looks after at a time/how many after schoolers are there.

Does she meet up with other people/childminders often (this isn’t a good/bad question, more to gauge what she is doing all day - ime lots of childminder only groups would be more advantageous as they tend to be more structured and less like parent and toddler groups where there is a lot of tea drunk. It is really good for dc to meet others in a larger group though).

Does cm engage with extra trainings to extend her knowledge. Sickness policy, too strict, you might not be able to send ch8d with a cold, too lax and your child could be getting a sickness bug every other week.

Do you pay for holidays -yours/cms/bothor none of them
Is cm open on bank holidays and do you pay even if they are closed
How much notice do you give for holidays
Do the dc get outside much, even in not so good weather.
Do they accept the tax free childcare payment system/15-30 hour funding
Is there evidence of children having a varied day with her, or is it just boxes of plastic toys all day
I’ve recently set up a folder of photos with activities we have done and parents really like looking at it.

I’ve been asked all of the above by prospective parents by the way. Some parents come with no questions and I like to keep the conversation flowing with answers to some of these. I also have no problem answering questions about my own dc. I consider them to be my best reference and I like potential families to visit when they can meet them (without exception, every family who has visited in the evening has started with me).

And I agree @GleamInYourEyes I refer to cms as ‘she’ as I have only ever known one male cm and he doesn’t do it any more. It’s sad because I know many men who would be excellent at this job. I do know a few assistants who help their wives out though.

@GleamInYourEyes

So you’re saying sexism is fine as long as the numbers stack up? Or is it that misogyny isn’t acceptable but misandrist is ok?

Don't be daft @itsaboojum

"Misandrist" give over

@GleamInYourEyes

But surely you wouldn’t accept gender assumptions such as referring to professors, doctors, firefighters, astronauts, etc as "he" just because those are 'male' professions in the majority of cases? Does it really matter how ig that majority is?

@Maryann1975
I accept your point about how likely it is that people might never have encountered men I need childcare (men make up about 3% of the early years workforce.) But I don’t think that makes gender assumptions ok.

Male childcare workers can face discrimination, which is one reason why so many leave. Gender assumptions tend to normalise the status quo and so legitimise discrimination.

@Greatbunch

Apologies for taking your thread a bit off track, but childcare professionals have a duty to challenge stereotypes

Search old threads in this section, as your question comes up a lot.

It's hard to know what you regard as the 'obvious' questions. Families are different and have different ideas of what’s obvious. I find hardly any parents ask THE most obvious thing: to see my Ofsted’s registration, insurance and first aid certificates, for instance.

I think the most important thing which is frequently overlooked is the need to get your expectations in line with your childminder. People often make childcare decisions on the basis of some near-mystical 'chemistry' or 'gut feeling'. But childcare arrangements most commonly break down over money or contractual issues. Often that’s because parents agree to Ts&Cs which they later dispute (eg holidays, sickness policy, payment policy, etc.)and assume they’re in the right, even when they signed up to those terms.

Also, visit several different settings. It can be all too easy to 'go with your gut' just because your child looks content with the first childminder you meet. But you end up doubting your doubting your decision later if you didn’t ever give yourself a wider choice.

Thanks all. Visited someone yesterday and felt i was able to get a good feel for her due to your tips and questions. Seeing someone else today.

I definitely agree with visiting more than one setting so you can be sure of what you are looking for. The first one might appear great, but if you have little experience of childcare settings you might not appreciate something isn’t quite right.
I will respectfully ask that any cms you visit, you let them know either way on your decision. So often, I’m left hanging, wondering if the family have decided to go elsewhere or just taking a long time to decide.