CM Club: WHere have all the children gone?

[KatyMac]

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?

Everyone keeps talking about these children centers (don't think they've opened one around here-yet!), but is it because they are cheaper or do they take childcare vouchers?
It's such a pity CMs can't take those vouchers .

Ripeberry - don't charge a lower rate just because you are a new childminder. You are entitled to charge whatever the going rate is.

i'm the opposite at the mo i have kids coming out my ears esp a wednesday, i have 4 kids spread out through the week during term time and 6 kids during the holidays plus my own 2 thats enough for me lol

re ripeberry's comment on childcare vouchers, is that true, that CM's don't take them? I thought any registered carer could take them? I may well be very wrong. Would like to know though as we're set up having them deducted from dh's wages and currently use a nursery but in Jan i'm hoping to swap to a cm and was hoping to still be able to use them, if the cm was able and willing to take them.

I take Childcare vouchers from all my children, CM's can use them as well.

Salary Sacrifice Vouchers can be accepted by childminders - but NEG/Nursery Grant/Nursery Vouchers (from the term after a child turns 3) can only be accepted by accredited childminders (I start my accreditation this afternoon)

That's interesting, so we can take employers childcare vouchers even if we are not accredited?
It's just the nursery vouchers that cause the problem.
Thanks for that info!

That's why i'm amazed as no point on our ICP training (childminder) were we told that we could accept vouchers!
Do you know what, i learn more on this forum than anywhere else!

oh good! I've approached a new CM about minding ds and wanted to ask if she'd take them and go armed with the facts about how to do it and being paid using them etc.

not a childminder but if you would like anothe perspective,

dd is 2.4 and i was planning on putting her into some form of care this month for two afternoons but EYFS has put me off, she will go to the preschool when she gets those vouchers now until then she will go to gym creche so i can exercise a bit and perhaps into the childrens centre creche if i feel i need a bit more of a break

my local childrens centre all over a free creche if you do a course (typical adult leisure and learning prog) and reduced rate creche/day care if you go off site

Before i would have preferred a cm as there was less monitoring etc but as eyfs has changed that, with regard to unregistered care, i dont atm but would consider paying a close friend to have dd if she spent all her time caring and plsayong with dd, not charting fridhe temp or counting no of words in sentence, sorry

(can you guess im anti eyfs?)

Problem is that you're going to get EYFS in nurseries and play-schools as well!
People are getting so worked up about EYFS, it's just a way to make sure that whoever is caring for your child is ACTUALLY doing it and not just plonking them in front of the TV having coffee all day.
EYFS should not be a reason for not going to CMs as even "Montesori play-schools" have to follow the curriculum.
They may even bring it into creches soon, especially if they are over a few hours a day.

I realise that, and so have posponed the date that dd will be attending any form of childcare for a year.

As for prices at children centres i attended a mother and toddler group and the price advertised there is £5 for a session 9.30-12 or 12.30-3, i dont really know how that compares to a cm.

I dont think this is anything new. It took me 8 months after registering to be bursting full.

Yes, to take Childcare Vouchers as in salary sacrifice schemes from employers, childminders need to be registered CM, and complete a form including their OFSTED (or other relevant registration depending on where they are) number - my CM hadn't heard of them but she agreed to fill out the form.

Children's Centres in my area of London are £35 a day under 3 (and often very limited nos of baby places) and £30 over 3. Some CMs charge more, lots very similar, ours slightly less. She was newly registered about a year ago, and I don't know if that prompted her to set a lower price. But she's a great carer, a mum of 5 who takes doing it as a job very seriously.