As a childminder would you find this acceptable?

[Broodymomma]

Hiya

I return to work in March and my lo will turn 1 on March 29th. I am going to be working annualised hours so I will pretty much be working different days every week and varying hours. I am doing a average of 28 hours per week but some weeks I will work 40 hours and other weeks perhaps only 8 hours. I will only need help weekdays. I am starting to look for a childminder now but am finding it that they all list either full or part time places.

Do any of you take children under this kind of basis? I was thinking of saying I would pay a set amount each week bearing in mind on the weeks i work weekends they may not have to have him but will still get paid - what do you think??? Im starting to worry now I wont get anyone.

Any help/advice as childminders or from shift workers on how you manage child care would be great!

Thanks

OK as a childminder

If you are doing possible 40 hr weeks would that mean 8-6 Mon-Fri?

If so I would not be able to book any children in during those hours - so you would need to find a childminder who is willing to lose money on the weeks you only work 8 hrs or you will have to pay a retainer

The weekend thing makes it more difficult

What is the maximum during the week hours you will do?

I use a childminder who offers ad hoc care. Initially I used to put ds3 in for various different hours each week, but then she got very popular and full (she is excellent- outstanding ofsted report) so I had to bagsy the spaces I wanted.

You might have more luck trying someone who is starting out, then as she fills you might be asked to be more set (so you may have to pay for time you're not there). The problem for a CM will be that she won't be able to fill your spaces, or numbers might prevent her having someone else there when your child is there iyswim.

Look at it this way

I could earn 40 x £3.50

If I were to only earn 28 x £3.50 why would I want to?

So either your hours need to be limited to certain days, or possibly you need to pay for all the hours you might need

Not trying to be negative - but c/mer often have difficulties being honest about this face-to-face, my particular bete-noir (sp) is termtime only contracts - why would I want to only earn 3 out of evey 4 weeks, I don't give discounts because my mortgage seems to need paying every moneth not just 3 out of 4 months

Remember on here I can be more blunt than I could or would be to someone on the phone or sitting in my house interviewing each other....sorry

Yeah thats what I was worried about.

I work at an airport so its shifts but my dh will be taking him to the childminder as he works Mon - Fri and can have him if I am working the weekend. I will need care for him either 0900 - 1500 or 1200 - 1800 mon - fri. I will work more when the airport is busy and less when its quiet. I will have the roster 6 weeks in advance - the most I would probably do in one week is 40 hours and some weeks i wont work as they will be owe me time back - i am hoping as much as poss to keep it to 28 hours per week.

Nobody is going to take him eh!! I am kind of resigning myself to having to pay a full week wether he is there or not just to get s space. I totally see it from the CM's point of view but I keep thinking it may be a good deal for them to get paid when they dont have to have him iykwim??

When my hours changed as a nanny I was paid a monthly retainer.

But they will probably still be working even when they don't have him - so they will be working for half or third pay

BTW - I am a very nasty childminder - I have a business head, but the rest of me is lovely Honest!!

Unfortunately I need to pay the bills - there are childminders out there with 2 children of their own under 5 for whom this arrangement might work (eg the time off) or one whose DH works and pays for everything and the C/Ming money is for extras (iyswim), I'm just not one of them

I really appreciate the honesty - i know you all make sense. Its just so hard to find child care when you work shifts. You all make sense and if I was a CM i wouldnt take him. Can I ask what part time is classed as - is it 5 days half days normally or say 3 days per week? Sorry if i sound stupid this is all new to me.

I wouldnt be either Katy!! And I want a lovely CM who will fall in love with him and cuddle him all day long - will climb down from my cloud now lol!!

P/T for me starts at about 4 hrs one day a week and ranges through to 9 hrs 4 days a week - I add them together & make F/T places

Eg I have 2 children from 2 families doing 2 days a week plus 2 from one family doing 3 day = 2 f/t

I was in a similar position when DD1 was younger we had to pay a full-time nursery place when only using it one day per week some weeks but then the nursery staff (or cihldminder) require wages every week.

Thanks everyone - this is pretty much what I thought. Seb I think a nursery is something we may consider now - ok the hunt is on!! Thanks for all the advice x

You might get away with paying half for the hours you don't use (but I wouldn't do that as I can fill spaces atm - careful I could lose them all now)

If you do I can send you a really cute wee boy but i work crap hours lol xx

I'm not in your area (no airport - well actually there is one in Norwich but it's too far away from me)

Good luck - ask on here for a local minder there are lots around

A friend of mine worked as a nanny for a family in a similar situation to yours. She was paid a weekly wage regardless of the number of hours that she worked (I don't know how it was worked out). She looked after him in his own home.

Broody I think you are far more likely to have chance of getting a childminder that is prepared to be flexible than a nursery. I would stick with sounding out childminders atm.

Does either you or DH's work have a nursery on site, or do you have a hospital close by, nurseries serving these may cater for shift workers.

This situation has always appealed to me, i love the idea of varying days and hours...
As a childminder with only two spaces (i decided i only wanted two to keep it more personal and so we can go on lovely trips out) i would agree that i was to be paid say a set 25 hours every week at my usual rate, then if you use more you pay more at the same rate, but if use less than that 20hours is the minumum i would charge to secure a full time place....(I know what i mean!)
I am in Hertfordshire by the way!! Where are you as there could be someone who can help! xx

I know there are cm's in my area that would do those hours. I would. I'm well under my numbers, so I can generally fit in with any shift pattern. If it were me, I would probably suggest a set figure every week regardless of the hours,like you say. I actually prefer every week being a bit different and those basic hours are reasonable (around here anyway!)

It might be worth still investigating cm's. I think Bozza is right, you'll stand a better chance than with a nursery.

Sadly I'm not near an airport either and I'm giving up next year, so I can't help, but I wish you luck anyway.

Thanks everyone. You have given me hope! I have a list of ten in my area to start calling round so hopefully I will find the childminder of my dreams! Unfortunately neither of our worls have a creche facility but thanks for the tip of the local hospital i will check that out too.

I am in Dunfermline Fife if there are any childminders in that area on here who want to take pity on me.

Its a pity you arent in the Greater Manchester area, I would have had your little one like a shot! Fife is a little bit far for you to travel really!

I try to be flexible as much as possible as many parents don't work 9-5 hours. My friend has just registered for overnight care as she wants to appeal to people like nurses who have to do nights.

Good luck with your search!

Helen x