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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

CM Club: WHere have all the children gone?

40 replies

KatyMac · 12/09/2008 22:30

I lost another one today

I am down to less than 2 a day (on average)

I have 9 spaces

I am not to only local childminder in this situation

But they are still actively recruiting new childminders

What is going on?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Ripeberry · 12/09/2008 23:40

It's very quiet in our area as well. Even the schools are half empty!
Bet someone will be along soon to say children are spilling out of their ears![shock}

HappyChildminderBerkshire · 13/09/2008 08:31

Children are spillin out my ears! They all belong to me though

I am at 0 a day on average

Original poster

KatyMac · 13/09/2008 08:32

I wonder why?

Is it the credit crunch, is it the new children's centre that opened, is it low numbers of children?

It seems so odd

OP posts:

BoysAreLikeDogs · 13/09/2008 08:36

Started back on my DHC Diploma course last week, the CMs there are either full to bursting or have loads of spaces.

I suspect that unregistered care is taking off again.

I am am v cynical btw, this is just my opinion and I have no evidence to back this notion.

AbbaFan · 13/09/2008 08:39

I have not had any real enquiry's for ages now. I have two children during the day, 1 is a friends child, and the other is a child I have had one day a week for 2 years, and he has luckily just changed to full time.

MrsFluffleHasAWuffle · 13/09/2008 08:43

My thoughts -

a phase - it goes in swings and roundabouts, one week you can be full, next week empty, fortnight later full again - hate the randomness of this job!

birthrate - maybe it's falling

other provisions - more and more schools opening their own facilities, all these new childrens centres being built taking away our business

unregistered care/grandparents

credit crunch

Original poster

KatyMac · 13/09/2008 08:45

I do wonder about unregistered care - it is scary isn't it. The parents just don't realise it's implications imo

I would never use unregistered care - people always bring in play dates & family & that is so not what we are talking about

OP posts:

AbbaFan · 13/09/2008 08:51

I know ALOT of people around my area use grand-parents, because it's free and I think some parents are worried about using a CM.

People would be mad to use someone un-reg and pay them. That makes no sense to me whats so ever.

nannynick · 13/09/2008 08:57

If it is unregistered care, then you would be seeing that advertised somewhere, wouldn't you? I've not seen the ads. Have you see any ads, where you suspect the provider is un-registered?

When a child leaves, do the parents say where they are going next? A family I used to nanny for, now use a combination of registered childminder and after-school club.

cali · 13/09/2008 09:07

Hope you don't mind me replying, I'm not a childminder but have used them in the past but now I have to use a mixture of nursery and relatives to help me out.

I've had fab CM's but whilst on ML my CM told me she was moving and I couldn't find a replacement to look after my 2 dd's when i returned to work.

I work 12.5 hours shifts and needed care for 1 1/2 days per week. I contacted lots but only had 1 response, which was a "no".

I also had to take time off work when my last CM couldn't look after dd1 and now that they are in a nursery, I am no longer reliant on just one person for childcare.

Also, it could be due to the credit crunch, I am paying the same in nursery fees for both dd's as I paid my CM for just dd.

Speaking to a friend, she has decided when she goes back to work, not to use her CM but both her DC's will be going to nursery for much the same reasons.

BoysAreLikeDogs · 13/09/2008 09:08

Thank you cali, it's very useful to get different perspectives on issues like this one.

mumlove · 13/09/2008 09:10

Quiet here also but I do have 2 PP comming to visit next week. 1 wants 1 day for 2 children and the other wants 2 mornings.
It would help money wise but I will still have spaces left. Just not sure about mornings only though!

cali · 13/09/2008 09:13

It's a pity as I was actually happier with dd1 going to a childminder and my last CM treated her like one of the family.

But now I have to rely on my sister picking them up from nursery at 6pm, looking after them until I finish work at 8pm and then my parents look after them for a full day as well.

I had thought about becoming a CM myself but on checking the childcare website, all the local CM's have lots of vacancies, which is a real pity.

TheConfusedOne · 13/09/2008 09:14

tis quiet here as well. I actually have a space coming up (was booked but Mum now not going back to work) will be the first space I have had in 10 years, although have had a couple of tentative enquiries fro it.

ThePrisoner · 13/09/2008 12:15

It worries me about the new childminders who are being recruited. I am mentor to new or currently-getting-registered childminders, and have 10 (all in the last 3 months). I am not the only mentor in the area either.

The ones who have already registered have had no phone calls at all, although they are on the "immediate vacancies" list with the CIS.

MrsFluffleHasAWuffle · 13/09/2008 13:34

TP - our area is also actively recruiting CMs which is madness, I think I am the only person I know in my group of local CM who is full( granted I don't know all of them though) mind you that's only been in the last month I have been full.

ThePrisoner · 13/09/2008 13:50

I feel really bad for these new childminders - they have all their written stuff in place, and are raring to go. They do not understand why they are not getting phone calls.

They are under the impression that there is lots of work around, I think I am going to find out what they are being told when they do their ICP course, because they are being very mis-informed.

MrsFluffleHasAWuffle · 13/09/2008 14:03

aye it's not on is it TP - I was told the same when I regged a while ago and it's only in last month I am full up

SadPat · 14/09/2008 00:28

I recently lost a mindee because of EYFS. His parents didn't want him to be monitored etc so he is now being minded by both sets of grandparents who have gone part time in their jobs to be able to look after him.

SillyMillysMummy · 14/09/2008 01:04

TP, I am a new cm, well that new i havent had my registration cert through yet, I have gone into this with my eyes open, but it seems that most dont, I was the only one on my icp course that asked the support co ordinators whether there was actually the demand in our area, they replied that we had to do our own investigations into whether the business was viable in our area, which tbh as a self employed business person you should do anyway. Our area has alot of childminders who have vacancies but in all honesty if there had not been a grant for training etc i doubt most would have gone as far as they have.

ThePrisoner · 14/09/2008 03:27

I think that trying to find out if there is a demand for childminders in the area is actually quite difficult.

Our CIS constantly confirm that they are receiving phone calls from interested parents wanting CMs, but local CMs with spaces are not getting the calls.

Unfortunately, some new minders think that just being registered is all that is needed to get work.

In addition, during their registration course, they have been told the "going hourly rate", which is often incorrect, and has given false expectations.

I am actually finding it quite hard to mentor new CMs .

Original poster

KatyMac · 14/09/2008 15:48

Our sufficiency thingie said we have enough childcare locally - so they still recruit more

OP posts:

Berryred · 14/09/2008 21:29

I have just moved area and am full and turning away!

same in my last place, BUT I am on RAF base and thinking that may be why, there is a fulltime day care very close, but still getting calls

Ripeberry · 15/09/2008 14:10

The Prisoner, yes i think it will be difficult to start as a CM, as most seem to be recomended.
I'm just trying to set up as a CM and in the meantime, putting my name down to help out at the local pre-school as a parent helper just to get an idea of the EYFS way of doing things.
I know that i will have to start at a low-rate to get custom but at the same time i don't want to annoy all the other CMs.
It's a tightrope situation!

Pipsical · 15/09/2008 14:19

Hello All...

I don't know where your all based but I'm up on the east coast..and there doesnt appear to be any children?!

Nurseries and childrens ctr's are full to busting..a couple of childminders are full but the rest of us are empty!

I became a CM so I could be here for my DD..but with things as they are at the mo financially I think I am going to have to go back to work.
Unless I get that all important phone call!!

I feel like I am constantly waiting for the phone to ring!

. X

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