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Paid childcare

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

Where do i start

5 replies

Wendyjayb · 21/09/2008 21:05

I'm leaving full time work in 2 weeks time as it's costing us a fortune to send out 2 year old ds to nursery
I'm now toying with the idea of becoming a child minder, but don't have the first clue where to start
So i'm looking to you guys for advice

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
navyeyelasH · 21/09/2008 21:40

The first place to start is by asking yourself this question:

Can you cope with 12 hour days, plenty of paper work and government red tape, your home constantly being messy and never quite as spick and span as you'd like, things getting broken/damaged pretty regularly like walls/doors/carpets etc. Would your current children mind their toys and home not really being their own for the next few years....

Do you mind that your income would never be stable and that parents will mess you around a lot, they might not pay on time, they might not pay at all, they might ask you to do all sorts of things that you might find absurd.

Do you mind the sticky fingers, constant noise, runny noses, tears, tantrums & wet bums?

If you reckon you can cope with that (and more!) then you probably need to look at ofsed site but my warning to you would be childminding is not a profession where you will make big bucks. It might seem that a nursery is making big bucks but I don't know any childminders that are well off considering the hours they put in. Also you need to think about the ages of your own children and the number of children you would be allowed to care for.

I think childminders do a really great job on the whole given what they have to put up with so if you do love children and think you would be a brilliant influence in a child life then go for it; but don't do it if you are thinking it's easy money.

Good luck!

SimpleAsABC · 21/09/2008 22:33

If those are the cons.. what pros are there??

BoysAreLikeDogs · 21/09/2008 22:37

Pros:

You get to chose your hours and your clients

You get real job satisfaction

You get opportunities for professional development

You are the management, line manager and boss

navyeyelasH · 21/09/2008 22:46

If you really love working with children then you'll be doing a job you love surely that's the biggest pro there is?

SimpleAsABC · 21/09/2008 22:50

sorry should have said career specific pro's.. maybe im being pedantic! its tooooooooo late, i should be sleeping.. can't even be bothered with capitals!

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