New to childminding any tips

[DieselGirl]

I started cm 3 wks ago, i was a diesel fitter for 25 years so any tips would be most welcome

Take children part time! Can't find a childminder in this area who will do afternoons only for a 3+ year old for love nor money. Give your details to local pre schools, primary schools and toddler groups. Smile at every mother you see!

I am in the same position as you diesel so will watch this thread with interest.

DO you have any mindees yet? I have one who I got through netmums. Only 9 hours a week though and desperate to fill my vacancies. I am in the process of getting a website as I am fed up of typing out the same info over and over again!

I found mine by chatting to her a the pre-school. She had a double buggy, I mentioned I was looking for a child minder, she had a card, checked out on ofsted. Very easy.

Good luck.

I think I need to start talking to as many parents as possible at the school. Most parents in my mindees class know I am a CM but there is only 13 children! It is a small school

Create a website and have some business cards handy always. Wear something (bag/top etc.) that has CHILDMINDER on it, and your number. Be proactive in advertising on free websites - there are tons.

Where do you get the bags done? Sound good for taking on the school run etc?

Can you see this link for this forum? She makes personalised bags - they are superb!!!

childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=10380

My tips are start as you mean to go on. When you get new families charge in advance, and a reasonable fee, I did the opposite and learnt the hard way, I've now put my fees up, and charge in advance (I have one family still pay in arrears as this is what they signed up for).

Also always make sure your contract is clear and watertight, put on it a late payment fine, whether you will be ing BHs for each family and what your fees are for BHs.

For filling spaces talk I am quite shy but force myself to tell everyone I cm, my families come to me from recommendations and CIS.

{off to check out those bags now}

Get some business cards & postcards printed and make sure you carry some all the time. You can usually get free business cards from vistaprint.co.uk (you only pay for the p&p), you design your own and once you've ordered from them they bombard you with lots of offers for 'freebies' - I've had pens, tshirts, magnetic calendars, post-it notes, all I've paid is p&p!

Put your details in your local post office and possibly your local baby clinic (ours has a noticeboard). Find out where your local cm drop-ins are and go along - you'll find that once you're known there, other cms will pass your details on if they get enquiries that they can't fill. Good luck!

Thanks for your tips and web sites, will be checking them out I have 4 mindees. My husband is in the army so all mine are army kids.