Childminder's Club: My New Venture....What do you think??

[KatieMac]

OK so here is the plan?..

Currently I?m registered for 8 children of which 6 maybe under 5 and 3 under 1. I work with my DH and have 3 assistants. It is limited to 8 because my local planning office limited me to that number.

I have just had my planning permission increased to 12 and I?m applying for a grant to run a before & after school club for 6. I am intending to ask OFSTED to increase my numbers to 12 of which 9 could be under 5 and 3 under 1. But am limiting 3 of the places to between 9am and 3pm, so that I can maintain 6 places before & after school places (for the grant I have to keep them open for 2 years).

This would give me
2 F/T (current)
1 P/T (on a funny shift so I can?t fill the other hrs)
2 P/T (current)
2 midday hrs (current)

And I would have vacancies for
2 F/T
1 P/T
1 midday hrs

Do you think that would work?

How would parents feel about the setting being so big?
Can anyone think of any issues?
I would pay my assistants for the hrs they work (all are mums who don?t really want ?proper? jobs yet) and no school holiday work (which they like)

What else do I need to think about?

I know you have probably told me but where do they all sleep?

And highchairs

Buggies do you have triple ones?

Am trying to get my head round the numbers thing so bear with me while I try to work it out.

Currently I have 2 cots and 2 settees where the children sleep. I'm intending to have 3 (or 4) cots plus the 2 settees and also to use mattresses on the floor for older children. I have (or will have when it's finfihed a playroom 25 x 12 ft and a second room 16 x 11 for a quiet room/sllep room/homework room/TV Room)

I have a double buggy and a buggy that seats 4, so I will probably need another buggy and I have a chance of a triple buggy (so I might buy that).

Car seats are a problem (I only have 6 toddler seats, babies normally come in their own)

There will be an adult for every three children and one of my assistants also has a people carrier. Two of the assistants are planning to register as minders in order to offer holiday cover. They are currently on the ICP

OOPs Highchairs, I have 7 am getting 3 new and retiring 2 - which gives me 8

In answer to your question about what parents think of the setting being so big, what do your current parents think? I would imagine that some parents will be quite happy with the busy environment, whereas others (maybe parents of first babies?), may prefer a smaller setting. When does a childminding setting become a nursery setting? I think you are very brave!

Yes Blodwen, that's one of my worries when does a childminder become a nursery. Planning have told me I cannot expand larger than 12 (as they don't like commercial enterprise within a residential area). So this is likely to be my only "growth"

I agree about the new parents, i'm hoping that the continuity (ie not closing when I'm on holiday) will attract some people.

We can't become a Nursery as my DH couldn't do the NVQ3 and I'd have to pay too much to staff it- cos of the numbers

That all sounds great KMc. I have a catalogue that does sleep mats that Ofsted approve of.

Does your dh work with you full-time? I had mine assisting me a couple of summers ago when I had an overlap of children (ie. new one starting before older one went to school). It worked fine, and the extra pair of hands was welcome. Children also adored it! He's now back at work f/t thouigh. I now have ofsted variation to my reg up to 4 under 5's (actually 4 under 3's) + 2 5-8's (working on my own). I do belong to an active local cm group though, with several close cm friends. Don't think I would enjoy the job so much without them! I think your new venture sounds very exciting. You must have an enormous house, if only to store all that equipment!
How will your setting stay open when you're on holiday? What kind of buggy is it that seats 4? Does it get complicated paying 3 assistants?

Xena - culd you let me have a link?

Blodwen - My DH is a reg C/Mer, I run the business and he plays with the children, they (all of them) love him and tolerate me . The little girl was fascinated by him. He's 6'2" and Jamaican and he does 'rough play' with them and they love it.

The house is a typical 1950's semi (ex-council) but I've already added a conservatory 16 x 11ft, and am now building the larger room (and an office - I need one). The best bit is the garden - as it was postwar the council tenants were expected to grow their own food (as rationing was still in force) so I've got a 100ft x50ft garden...the conservatory only takes the first 16ft, so I still have 84ft

The Buggies (all 4) live in the shed with the car seats not in use. The highchair are the strap on boosters (4) a wooden folding and 2 x the 'high chair/lowchair - these 2 are useless and I'm selling them asap.

Their wages only take about 15 mins a month, I pay their tax on-line and if I file the PAYE return on-line the IR will give me £800 - I'm starting to get concerned about contracts/sick pay/holiday pay etc. I have explained to my ladies that I can't do all that - but I do have some responsibility towards them.

I meant the new little girl - sorry

Oh and buggy that sits 4, two lie back flat or sit upright with a double pram seat on top....it's a bugger to push with 4 but DH can manage

I keep missing things off......If the 2 assistants become C/Mers then we will have to trust them with the house keys, when we go on holiday....that's the bit I'm a bit scared about...but fingers crossed

So what make is the 4 seater buggy?

Did we cross post on the buggy?

Yes, sorry. I have never seen a double pram seat.

I never had either - a fellow C/Mer saw it in a charity shop - it's wheels were still white....I bought it on a whimm and got the children for it less than 2 weeks later. Its a 'Berlingo' or something like that - no rain cover or cosy toes - but I tend to use it in better weather ( and leave them at home when it's horrid)

I can't google a picture of it....sorry

KMC heres the Sleepmats The silver mats are the cheapest at £9.99 but you have to add VAT to everything. I belive is no P&P though

Blodwen I have often seen the Quad prams for sale on ebay.

There's a childminding couple near me, they employ one assistant. They are always busy, people tell me what they like is that the setting has the benefits of both a nursery & a childminder - they feel they are getting the best of both worlds.

Although they now have to pay their assistant maternity pay ...

Ayla99, that's what I'm hoping for - the facilities of a nursery with the affection/care of a childminders

SMP scares me - I probably can't employ people on actual contracts just as casual labour - I think that's treated differently

KMc not wishing to scare you.. but do you know that after 13 weeks of employment they are intitaled to everything like SMP Holiday Pay ( I think the min is 3 wks). You only have to pay 7% of the Statuatory pay for maternity.
Have been considering employing an assistant as there is the demand for CM's round here.

I ?think? that as I lay them off each half term and holiday, they won't ever work 13 weeks - is that cheating?

One works 3.5 hrs and says her DH will divorce her if she gets PG (7% of £17.50 is ???)

KMc I am not sure about hours weeks = maternity pay.

Do you pay them cash sort of thing or pay cheques?

Perhaps ask someone in employment section who may have business and have to do this on regualr basis.

good luck

Then she wouldn't be entitled to SMP because you have to earn more than £75pw. I am not sure about howyou stand legally if you keep re-employing the same person. If you were taken to court (hopefully would never happen) then they could rule that it was an ongoing contract. this is about employment law you should be able to find out what your obligations are

I pay cash - but they declare it and pay tax on it, but not NI as they don't earn enough

I've done a new thread