New childminder

[NewChildminder2024]

I'm considering becoming a childminder.

I have a lifetime experience from a diverse range working with children in schools, volunteering, as a Foster carer, as a parent to 3 now adults, 2 of whom have SEND.

However, never worked as a childminder. The reason I'm considering this is I hear there is a shortage of childcare. I've the space and commitment

Comments/suggestions/ all welcome advice or guidance.

We LOVE our childminder, she’s just so friendly, kind and outgoing, she’s got a dog which isn’t everyone’s ideal but my son loves it, he feels like he has his own pet! She makes a fuss over them on their birthday and when we bump into her locally she’s always friendly and chats! My one thing I would like more is if she took the kids to the playground after school occasionally! They seem to never go anywhere but they have been at school all day!

I would look into the funding rates of pay for your local authority, as most of your main income going forward will only come from that , bit like being employed by the LA with out the sickness, holiday pay and pensions contributions. There is a reason there is a shortage of childcare providers poor funding, low paid =providers unable to make ends meet due to the funding so leaving the profession. My LA paid £1 less per funded hour than I charged privately I charged £4.50 an hour the government would only pay me £3.50. Poor funding is the reason I left childminding along with the local authority constantly trying to dictated how i ran my business and then threaten not to pay you until you did what ever it was they wanted you to do.

Thank you for that advice. I will take into consideration

I was a childminder for 10 years and enjoyed it. It fitted well with my own young children who enjoyed having other children around to play with.

When my children got older though it was much harder to meet their needs and also the needs of the toddlers and babies I was looking after. It was difficult still having stair gates, buggies, car seats etc taking up space in the house when my own children no longer needed them.

It will take over your house a bit. It is hard work. It takes quite a while to jump through all the hoops to become registered. However, it is rewarding and mostly enjoyable. As your children are adults you won't have to juggle looking after them at the same time as working which will make things easier.

I was a childminder for a decade . I loved it meant I could do the school run for my own Dc .

I went to groups , met up with bother childminders., set up activities .

it does take time planning .

i gave up for many reasons - it felt my own family weren’t priority enough in own home . I missed adult company ( lockdown times ) and realised whilst trying to homeschool how loud my house was . I enjoyed my time child minding - still have happy memories of times with the children .

i now love the space I have back and not cleaning up every night .. although I have a teen creating his own level of mess .

Things to be aware of training needs to happen evening and weekends . There is always something to do be paperwork , cleaning , planning .

No sick pay, holidays and if a child leaves your income drops till they are replaced.

i never gave sibling discounts - siblings come with their own set of challenges and still take up a place .

I'm a childminder. As long as you are prepared to have the car seat and baby gates etc around your house when your own kids don't need them. And that you see your role as education and put the time into planning and doing a good job not just easy money. Then I say do it. Absolutely do it. There is not good money in childcare currently so lots of people have moved on that I know of. We need more good quality childminders! And as you say there is a desperate need for them

Been a childminder for 24 years!
PRO's

• you're your own boss, so nobody breathing down your neck all day. You decide what you want to do each day
• being at home for your own kids ( the reason why I became a childminder in the first place). I was able to attend every sports day, school play etc and the minded children loved it!
• you set your own fees, and can decide how many children you want to take on ( within the Ofsted guidelines of course)

-working from home means no commuting!

• my own children ( now 25 and 20!) made many different friends with the minded children

CONS

• self employment means no sick pay, or holiday pay ( some minders charge for holidays but I don't think that's fair personally). Likewise you're responsible for your expenses and tax return every year.
• parents! Mine are all fab, but many see you as the hired help and will try to treat you as just that. They don't employ you, you provide a service to them so get your business head on from the start. Non payers are quite common, so take money in advance or no childcare is provided.
• Ofsted are not as bad as everyone makes out- if you get graded good or above then inspections are every 6 years. However, inspectors don't always inspect the same way, so one may find fault in something that another may not. This is all childminders main bug bear!
• it can take over your house- there isn't stacks of paperwork anymore, but toys and resources take up room unless you have space you can use just for minding ( I have a conservatory ).
• your own children may feel pushed out and a little annoyed that other children are on their territory. They do get used to it, and as they get older they realise that they actually benefit from it. I didn't need to put my own kids in childcare, and they benefited from all the outings etc that we went on. My daughter struggled in secondary school, and was bullied badly in year 11 and I was just grateful that I was at home if she needed me.
• you need a supportive partner. Without my husband being on board,I wouldn't have lasted this long!

Getting registered can take up to a year and will cost a few hundred pounds- there are courses you need to do, a medical from the doctor, insurance etc. But all businesses have start up costs and I think childminding costs are quite low compared to others.

Don't go with an agency they take a lot of your hard earned money and your independence. There is lots of help out there for free on FB and via your insurance plus your LA

I'm a childminder so feel free to PM me with any questions you have.