Can anyone help me to increase my chances of finding childminding work?

[lottiesmummy]

I'm having trouble finding work at the minute, have advertised everywhere, the only calls ive ever had are from the CIS list here or netmums, is it really quiet everywhere?
any hints?

i met our lovely cm at sure start
do you have one near you?
and do you go to local baby/toddler playgroups?

netmums???? wash your mouth out

im not sure if there is a sure start near me, will look into it tho thanks x

Have you a local group, often if you belong to one, you can get work, through word of mouth, If i get calls and can't take a child I can send them on to others who have got spaces.

local childminders in our 'patch' are in a network, where they all meet up and keep on top of stuff like h&s, first aid training etc - again it is where they all keep in touch with each other and they go to playgroups and meet local mums there.

That is what we do gigglewitch, we meet up a couple of times a week at Soft play, swimming, babygym etc as well, The Network is on eof the best ways to get work.

I will look into joining some groups, it seems most childminders are having the same problem this time of year, I think there is a new network starting up near me this month

thanks xxx

why dontcha get a free plug here ?

where are you?

I'm in Oxhey, Watford, Hertfordshire..

I used to be a nanny so im very experienced, I've been a childminder for 16mths so far and love it.. my site

good luck

(few hundred miles from me, so )

thanks x

You rank well on Google for searches like:
childminder in Watford
watford childminder

So your webpage should with luck be visited by parents who use Google to search for a childminder. Therefore consider adding more information to your website. Add at least all the information you list at ChildcareLink, but better still add additional information, photos of rooms etc.

Took me a while to find you on ChildcareLink. First tried Watford and it asked me to select East, South or North. I tried South (as looking on a map, Oxhey looked to me to be South of Watford). You were not listed. Doing a postcode search for WD19, I then got a list of places, which included Oxhey - under which you are listed. Not sure if there is anything you can do - may be worth asking CIS if they know why you don't appear in a Watford search, but do if a specific postcode area is searched.

How did your existing families find out about you? Where do they live... are they very local to you, or travelling through on the way to work? Analyse your existing customers, to see if you can gather any useful information. Also do any of them work for large companies, would they put an advert on a work notice board, let HR department know your contact details etc.

Map location search suggests that you are not that far from Watford General Hospital. How far away are you from there? Does the NHS Trust childcare co-ordinator have your details? Call them on 01923 217356 Contact name I located is Barbara Leon-Hunt (may or may not still be them, people change jobs).
The Trust appears to provide Childcare Vouchers to their employees, plus has on-site nurseries... so there may not be great demand, but everything is worth a try.

its odd as some who live near me come under watford but i dont, no idea why and they didnt have an answer either at childcare link...

i can't work out how to change my webpage there is nothing to click on to change it, there must be a way though... any ideas?

Your webhost is Geocities, so log in at: geocities.yahoo.com/
Then use the PageBuilder tool to modify your current page and create new pages. You have 15MB of storage space, so that is plenty to play with.

my local surestart doesn't let childminders access it's groups unless it's their dedicated childminders drop-in so we rarely meet parents through surestart

i think this is SOOOO wrong - and have said so on numerous occasions and to the manager to no avail - it means i can't socialise with my non-childminder friends

my first cm came through a toddler group i went too - so getting out and about with you little one and making yourself known to the leaders might help.

when i first was looking for a cm I wasn't aware of the cis list to start with so went looking in the local shop window and visited two cms that way. But settled for the person at toddler group as i'd seen her in action so to speak, at a distance.

second time around i met a cm on here and we met up at a group and I was then introduced to alot more cms which in turn led to meeting cms local to me. also found out about the local network.

I think most mums would start by looking at the CIS site- that's what I did. I looked at everyone in my area but was quite swayed by those who'd put extra information eg what groups/activities they do. Have you put down your nannying experience? That is something extra that would make people look twice.

this is what I have written in my general info... what do you think?

Looking after children is all I ever wanted to do, it is rewarding and lots of fun. In my care I ensure all children are safe, healthy and happy.

I studied the NNEB course and have worked as a nanny and childminder all my working life.

I offer a welcoming family home with toys and activities for all ages and abilities (games, messy play, craft, water and sand play, outdoors and indoors). We try to get out most days, weather permitting, for fresh air and exercise. We visit local parks, nature walks and groups.

We are a pet and smoking free household.

Please feel free to call or email anytime for an informal chat and more information.
References are available on request.

oh and thanks nannynick, I called the CIS and they've attatched my postcode to watford now (even though im in watford i wasnt coming up on searches for watford,... wierd)

so thanks for that xxx

Yep, I see you under Watford South. You even have a Snowman icon.

Did you get in touch with the NHS Childcare Co-Ordinator? Not sure how they do things these days, but can't help getting in touch just to let them know who you are, where you are based, etc.

shall do, thanks x