childcare.co.uk

[Lockdownmummy]

Has anyone had any success in finding a childminder through the website?

It seems overly complicated unless you pay to join... has anyone found that worthwhile?

Trying to sort out before and afterschool care starting in September. We live opposite the primary school so I thought it would be better to try and secure before places are announced.... is it better to wait until closer to September when there might be more movement???

Hey
I’ve used it as a childminder- it’s not complicated but it is expensive, for me to receive and send messages I have to pay £14.99 per month, it may be worth it if I didn’t use another insurer, as that’s a part of the cost, but I do so I don’t want to pay that as well.
Care.com charges providers £9per/month but I do not like the website, I don’t find it user friendly or comfortable to navigate.

@Lockdownmummy

it used to be brilliant, but it's crap now.

The parents don't write anything anymore. They just tick ALL the 'looking for' boxes and sometimes the boxes with the times in.

it keeps bringing up 'a new parent/job you might be interested in'. I'm in SE, it told me 'Wandsworth was 5.2 miles from me. (It's over 40 miles away)

I've been a member for about 20 years. No idea when it went to crap, but it has.

can you get a list of childminders from your council?

Thanks both glad it's not just me!

Council does have a list, but it doesn't seem to require info on what schools they serve so also frustrating!

At our primary school the school know the childminders quite well, as theyev been dropping/collecting kids for years. Maybe contact the school office and ask if they know.

Alternatively, is there a Childminder local area Facebook page? We have a few across our Borough and people post "looking for a childminder for X days, collecting from Y school" and there's usually someone who knows the CMs for that school.

I found my childminder through this website pretty easily in 2021. I didn't realise it was a payable website. I've directed others to this website who have also found suitable childcare through it.

No joy from the local FB page either 😬

Maybe I just need to wait until after the offers and spaces may free up!

Or just ring the childminders most local to the primary school and see if they serve it?

Look now absolutely!

Also agree that parents don't seem to full out their profiles very well, it's like getting blood from a stone!

I've had a message today, literally saying 'do you have any spaces?' No info on age, start date, day needed etc...

I use childcare.co to advertise as a nanny. I have only ever had a free account but on occasion have signed up just for 2 weeks (£14.99) to be able to message prospective jobs. I have always had success doing it this way until recently. I am struggling to find something at the moment and as others have said people just don't put what they actually want in their profile which is really frustrating. You do need to start looking now. Keep trying your FB local page, someone will answer I'm sure.

Thanks all.

Have managed to make some contacts now but no one seems to have availability

Really frustrating and didn't think it would be this hard. The school does have breakfast/after school club but only 45 spaces and booking per term. Really would prefer the certainty of a childminder.

Pay for a month. Just make sure cancel

And then message cm and put up own post saying you want s cm. What hours and days

On local Fb group ask for cm that pick up at xxx school and if have any spaces

Ask the school if they have a list for cm
Who pick up there

If you speak to the school they can often tell you which childminders collect from their

Hi, I you tried a Google search for local childminders? Lots of local ones are on that site but also advertise through their own websites, Facebook sites. I used to childmind and found you were inundated with enquiries the week school allocations came out from families all wanting before and after school care and place snapped up very quickly. I must say I did advertise on the site but did not pay the fee so parents had to pay if they wanted to contact me.