Considering becoming a CM in Scotland

[Ilovebabies]

Hi
I am seriously considering becoming a CM and was just wondering if anybody could give me some information about becoming one.
I am a qualified Nursery Nurse so have qualifications to work with children and also have 3 children of my own they are 6, 4 and 20 months.
How many children would i be allowed to look after on top of my 3?
How long does it take to go through all the processes of becoming a childminder, inspections etc.
I would obviously have to get a disclosure check done and i would have to sit a first aid course again as my last one has expired, do you get help to pay for these and for to get safety equipment for the house eg fire extinguishers etc?
How much can you make approx in a week?
Is it hard to do all the tax returns etc?
Sorry for all the questions just trying to find out if its worthwhile!

Can't be of much help, as I'm in England.

Here are some sites which are worth a read though:

Scottish Childminding Association

Care Commission: Childminding Registration Guide

National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare - this is dated 2005, so there may be a later revision but this is all I can locate currently.

Legal Documents relevant to Childminding regulations in Scotland

How Many - you can normally have up to 6 children under 16, of whom 3 can be under school age and one of these 3 can be under 12 months (this is INCLUDING your own children) - so 2 under 3s and 1 schoolie by my reckoning? or combinations of.

How Long - took me 11 months

Financial Help - not in my area so I don't know if any others do. Click on the SCMA link above and find details for your local development officer who can tell you what's what in your own area.

How much make - depends on hourly rate you set, DO ^ can advise what is going rate in your area - if you filled all spaces as above then you cna make a decent wage after expenses - remember that there are a lot of expenses in first few years while you build up your equipment etc rough rule of thumb is at least third income as expenses, maybe 2/3 in first year or two.

Tax returns - not that hard really as long as you keep on top of it. Always plenty people on here to ask for help

Wow didn't realise it would take so long thought maybe a few months!

There is a thing on our council website for a course to go on to learn about everything like applying to the care commision etc so might give them a phone tomorrow and see what they say and ask about the financial help.

hi ilovebabies - i'm also interested in becoming a childminder and phoned the scma last week who sent out further info and dates of the introductory training in the local areas - the one I am on is in May. You get the actual registration form then and advice on what you need to do - so I a estimating that by the end of the year I will be a childminder...hopefully....

It's all the chasing up references and medical checks that can take the time, plus they are behind on annual inspections as it is for existing minders. I started on my pre reg course in the Jan and we weren't allowed to even send off our completed applications till 1st April due to back logs.

Make sure you have your chosen referees primed and ready to go, and check that they are still working at the address ( one of mine had retired but no=one bothered to tell the CC and the CC didn't bother to tell me for over 3 months that they hadn't got one of the refs!!)

My friend's application took 6 months.

I have been registered for 14 years. I sent off my Self Evaluation at the beginning of December and i am stilllll waiting for my CCO to come and do my Inspection. It's been over a year now since i was last Inspected so yes it may take some time.

I like my job but i hate the paperwork and workshops and training that i have to attend outside of my working hours.