Are weekend childminders in demand?

[nike09]

Hi there,

I'm looking to be registered as a childminder, working weekends only as I have other occupations during the week. I'm wondering whether there are parents out there willing to use a childminder over the weekend? would it be worth if I only had a few kids over the weekend? and not working at full capacity. I'm considering this option because of the flexibility it offers working from home and perhaps doing fun activities with kids and my daughter who is 5 will also enjoy taking part in. Thank you

I was going to say there would be a demand for people who work shifts, but I would think less so for people wanting 'just weekends'.
I would have thought a lot of people who only work on a weekend, do so to share childcare with a partner that works during the week to save them paying for childcare.

I always wondered why this wasn't a thing, sounds like a great idea

Big time for nurses.

Join some apps ie childcare, bubble sitters etc, and youll see lots of parents are looking for weekends!

Most parents working shifts need childcare on weekdays as well. And most likely not every weekend.

Definitely! Not for me but I’ve ended up doing quite a few stints of looking after friends kids/godchildren/nieces and nephews over the years where parents were working or just had plans that weren’t appropriate for their dc to join in.
(I’ve never minded, always happy to have a house full tbh)
It did always make me think that weekend childcare wasn’t really a thing unless you had a nanny or something.

I would've when mine were younger

There definitely would be but I wonder if it might be more sporadic than every weekend.

There would be some demand for regular I would imagine, but more so for sporadic work eg when a couple just wants to go out for the day

As a lone parent and a nurse, a weekend childminder would be an absolute life saver. You'd have to advertise yourself well and particularly put yourself out there as flexible for shift workers but I'm sure you'd have business from it. Especially if you do longer then 'normal' hours to accommodate healthcare shifts.

Several hospitals nearby and only one childminder offers shift cover (i.e. not every eg fri night) eves, nights and weekends and is a god send.

Amazing response. I'll definitely do it and see where it takes us. Thanks everyone!

Yes I absolutely would have used this when I was lone parent

Hubby and I work weekends, we are not in a 9-5 either, we work in TV Sports, meaning Friday-Sunday 8-8 we are gone, struggling to find childminders, and we both can't just quit, one of us may have to find an alternative job for the time being worst case scenario temporarily, really really awful situation and I have so many colleagues in the same boat, older generations in this industry have had help family etc wasn't as a wider issue before. I am even thinking of starting my own nursery business exclusively for weekends with other fellow colleagues struggling with childcare..

Yes, I think so. It’s not unusual to have two childcare providers so I don’t think it’s a deal breaker for you to only offer weekends. Kids may go to nursery in the week and then you at the weekend.