If I need a childminder for September, when should I start looking?

[fleacircus]

And how much should I expect to pay for a retainer?

I know I sound hopelessly incompetent, we thought we had a nursery place lined up but it fell through and I've looked at the local authority list but surely vacancies listed now will be gone by the autumn? Basically I sound incompetent because I am.

I'd ring round now, some may know of children going to school in September and becoming an after 5 etc. therefore freeing up a space. I am currently advertising for September (for over 5's) so that when I return from maternity leave, hopefully I have something lined up.

IF you contact someone who has a space now then yes, they could charge a retainer to reserve a space for you.

Best thing to do is ring round and see what the situation is with local minders.

Good luck

Meant becoming an 'over' 5 (i.e. age 5 and over)

A retainer is usually charged at half the normal fee. the sooner you ask the sooner you can secure a place but also the earlier you will start paying. good luck!

I wouldn't take very much notice of the vacancies listed, my profile is hardly ever updated correctly, despite my phone calls. I've asked three times to be listed as term time only.

Hi,

I am a childminder and I only ask for £25 to secure a place for a child. So it is worth just ringing around and asking all childminders are different.

If your anywhere near west yorkshire and you require care for over 5 year old then give me a ring 01274 851441

fleacircus, I saw you're in North London, just wondered where? And how old is your child?

First, don't panic. I feel very lucky because I found a CM in the late autumn to start at the beginning of March, but I have heard of people finding a CM or a nursery place at much shorter notice - in one case about 3 weeks when she got a job offer. I emailed a few people and was planning to ring round when my mum was here to help look after baby, but got several responses (not immediately, over a few weeks), met two and decided to go with the first person I met. My baby started with her at 10 months, and 7 weeks on seems really really happy there.

The other I met would have charged a retainer (and I was impressed by her) but mine asked me for a deposit of the first week's fees some months in advance. More than £25 of course but less than a retainer and it actually made me feel more confident that we were both making that commitment.

And September seems like a great time to be looking to start as children will start school and some will start at a nursery eg as they turn 2 or 3.

Thank you (and sorry it's taken me so long to get back and say thank you!) - some useful advice. I'm in Islington but sort of where it meets Haringey and Hackney; only looked at the Islington list though so far as it's the easiest to get hold of. DD will be 8mths. It looks as though the nursery place we've applied for might come through after all though, so in the light of Elkiedee's post I'm going to hold off for a bit to see what happens there. I was panicking a bit as lots of the local CMs only seem to work Mon-Thu but after consultation with DP he would be able to work a compressed week if necessary and cover the Fridday himself, so I'm a bit less anxious now. Will probably be back in a panic in June!

Hi fleacircus

I would start looking right now - I know it might be a lot to pay out for a retainer if you have to - I'm a childminder and have never charged a retainer fee to keep a place open - it's just me - the parents hopefully trust me and to tell the truth i'm always inundated with calls and enquiries and know that I wouldn't have to wait long to find another mindee if the parent let me down.

Good luck.

Now.