idiots guide to childminders

[elliott]

ds1 and ds2 (nearly 3 and nearly 1) currently go to nursery 3 days/wk, but I am having a rethink and have decided to try and find a childminder. I've thought about this before but gave up as it all seemed too complicated! Can anyone give me any tips/info about in particular:
how holiday arrangements work
how payment works - is it just for hours used or a monthly rate including holidays/sickness etc
what sort of things I should ask a CM or look for other than the obvious
any problems or issues I might not have thought of, being very used to the nursery set up.

My plan woudl be to move ds2 asap, but I woudl prefer ds1 to continue at least some of his time at the day nursery until he can start state day nursery next Sept - I am assuming I'd have to pay the full day's CM if she was doing pick up and drop off for him at nursery?

Thanks for any info. Feeling a bit nervous about this!

I am a childminder and the first thing to say is that we are all different

I charge hourly rate split into 15min chunks.

As I only work for families from DH school and as we have another house we go to in holidays.

I only work term time that is my choice

My best advice would be to read the posts in the above section. Then you will get more ideas.

You could also read the posts from the members of the Childminders club

HTH good luck

Check they are registered and read their OFSTED inspection report

thanks kangamummy. I thought it was going to be complicated! I am assuming though that anyone on the register held by the council will be Ofsteded?

Has anyone else moved from nursery care to a childminder? Any thoughts on the transition?

I chose not to be on the public list because I only want families from DH school

but I think that I am on the OFSTED list, I think that is a legal requirement.

Not really sure of the details, sorry.

If you bump this up later this evening when the other childminders have finished work.Try about 8pm

I am not working today as I only work part time.

I've never used a nursery, but I used a childminder for DD's first year, now I have a live-in nanny.

Questions to ask:
1- Hours of operation?
2- Hourly rate?
3- How sick is too sick for kids to come? (I think a fair division is if child has fever and/or is throwing up, then he/she should stay home)
4- What are late penalties? (though you will be very used to these with a nursery)
5- Do you have cover if you are unable to look after kids (i.e. another childminder friend who could take my kids for the same pay/hours if you are sick or otherwise unavailable) AS A WORKING PARENT THIS ONE WAS RELLY IMPORTANT TO ME

AS for pay, I found it to be the norm that you pay her as per the agreed anount (hourly is fair) on a weekly basis, possibly in cash at the beginning of the week. If you take holiday, you pay her for that day. If she takes holiday, you don't pay her (but as mentioned above you may want to discuss her arranging alternate care from another REGISTERED childminder). She will probably also ask you to pay her for bank holidays.

Hourly rates vary from about 3.50 to 6.00 per hour in southeast london/surrey. not sure where you are. so these rates may or may not apply. Also, not all childminders do school runs. So you will need to ask about the pick up / drop off from nursery. If she is picking up / dropping off you should see her car seat and ask where in the car the children will sit. For example, I'm not particularly fond of my child riding in the front seat, even if there is no air bag.

There.... I bet you got more than you wanted. But, if not, feel free to CAT me and I'll discuss more.

try this thread
Look at Alibubbles list...
other thread

THanks, I've had a peruse through the other threads too.
BUT it looks like I'm not even going to get past first base - I can't find anyone with vacancies....let alone be in a position to choose who I think would suit us best
There just seem to be very few CMs doing pick up/drop off at our local school (plenty for the local RC school though - although this won't be an issue until next Sept at the earliest, I don't want to be in the position of having to change AGAIN then.
Can I ask those of you who are CMs, how often does your situation change? I am not in a great hurry to make the change as ds's are set up with nursery, but what is the best way of finding out about new placse as they come up? Should I leave my number with some of the more promising ones? Should I try phoning round again in a few months?
I feel like giving up and just settling for nursery

btw Uliwa, no idea what a late penalty is....

My situation changes rarely but it can snowball - 1 can leave followed by 2 others.....
Is there a Childminding Network by you - the co-ordinator maybe able to help.

Have you checked CIS website?

By late penalty, I meant what are the charges and flexibility for you being late. When I used a childminder, I would just continue the hourly rate when I was late. She would add it up (to the nearest 30 minutes) and at the end of the week she would say I was x hours over. And I pay her for that then. Not all CMs are this flexible. I know that nurseries have huge penalties for parents who show up late.

Ah, well Uliwa at the nursery I use, its not paid for by the hour, but on a regular monthly rate for the number of sessions. Its up to me what time to pick up and drop off, but then I don't get money back for time not used either.

KatieMac, well I think I've spoken to just about every CM in my locality and they are all talking to each other about me too(!) so I'm sure if there is anything available, I'll find out about it....
It seems I can probably find space for one, but not two. It could be quite a while before anyone can accommodate the older one because of their numbers. So I have to work out whether it is worth moving one and not the other. hmmm, and here's me thinking this would be a simpler option!

I would like to make the point that when parents are late for delivery or collection of their children at the childminders, they are being

very inconsiderate and unfair on the childminder and her family.

It is one of the worse things they can do IMHO

They are making their own time be more important than the Childminders or her family.

I had to dismiss one family because they kept collecting late it meant us being late for Dr/dentist appointments, swimming lessons for DS.Travel was not an issue.

You should agree when contract is drawn up the time you will drop off and collect the children and stick to it. {If travel is an issue time ought to be allowed for that in contract.}

Being late in delivery is not fair either as it means our own children could be late for school and so therefore get into trouble.

In a nursery it is different because there are other people who can stay late with the child but who will look after childminded child????

elliott I posted my post before reading yours as it takes me so long to type yours appeared while I was typing so sorry if it sounded like I meant you were late.

I was just saying for other people who are late and think it is OK. IYSWIM.

Sorry to hijack, but I need some childminder help and I didn't really make it clear in the title of my thread - here - thanks!

Kanga that's ok. I am actually a very punctual person and it would annoy me too.

Kangamummy, I agree with you re lateness.

I find when parents are late it's not the money/overtime issue that rankles,it's the fact that it eats into OUR time with OUR children and as a childminder this time is just as precious as for parents who work outside the home.

now, hold on, before you all kill me on the lateness issue. There are a few more details. I specifically didn't use a nursery because I knew that my job often hold me up passed closing time. So, I discussed this up front with the childminder and we agreed that it was okay so long as she didn't have something else scheduled in the evening. For example she babysits. So, on those mornings, she would remind me that I had to pick up on time that day. Otherwise, it was okay so long as I paid for the estra time. It's not like I just didn't show up without warning. That is rude, of course.

I only mentioned it because it is something that should be discussed and negotiated with the childminder before you commit to a contract, not after. Some childminders are happy to work longer for more pay, and some feel that is their time for their family. And that's their choice of course.

Uwila - that's pre arranged and is fine by your C/Mer.

It's the regular without a by-your-leave lateness that's an issue