This is probably very rude!

[peckarollover]

But.... would anyone give me an idea how much you can expect to earn as a childminder with say.....

2 afterschool 5 year olds and 1 fulltime preschooler

What you earn is very dependent on what the going rate is for childminders in your area. Where I am in West Sussex you are looking at between £3 & £4 per hour for each child, but in other areas it can be as high as £5 to £6 per hour or as low as £2.50 per hour. A lot of minders charge either a fixed fee or a minimum of 2 hours for afterschoolers, as they generally tend to eat more & perhaps need more spent on them in way of craft materials, especially in the school holidays. When you say a full time, preschooler what sort of hours are you thinking of? It could be 9 to 5 or 8 to 6 or even longer or shorter hours. I am registered for 6 under 8's, three of whom are under 5. I work 50 hours per week in total but with different children doing different hours, but can have up to 10 children for a short time after school including my own 8 & 11.5 year old dd's. I get in from school at 3.40ish & the first 4 go virtually straight away, so I am really only walking them to & from school(one of these is a baby though). Out of my school age children three are term time only due to being children of teachers.I earn a good living from childminding but it has taken me 10 years to build up to this level & you aren't always full, so need to be prepared to weather drops in income as well.

Badger, sorry to be nosey but I'm a childminder as well and I can't understand how you can have up to 10 at one time - or am I reading that wrong? I thought 6 was the limit, can you ask for more under special circumstances?

maybe she has a few over 8?

If you were a CM around here, and you had one 2 5 - 8 year olds, and 1 under 5 you would probably earn:

say you had the school age ones from 8 (so an hour before school?) and till 5/5.30 (so 2 after?) that would be 3 hours a day, times by 3.40 an hour, times by 5 days a week, times by 2 kids = 102

one full timer (say 8 - 5?) would be 9 hours a day, 5 days a week, say 3.20 (part time discount?) = 144

so thats 246 a week, or 1066 a month.

I live in an area which only pays £2.50 per hour so unfortunatly when i start cmd-ing (probably november) i won't earn much but to me it's more about enjoying your day, planning your own day being able to be creative and being with your children, knowing you're making happy memories for your own children as well as others.

I don't make much money doing the job i do now anyway (only £800 a mth after tax) and for that i have to travel for an hour a day, my daughter has to go to before and after school club so she's out the house for as long a day as i am which i think is unfair on her as she's only 5 and i only see her for an hour a day
After i've paid out for childcare and petrol a mth i only come away with £550 a month - so really not worth it, i cant wait to start childminding so i can start enjoying life !

Good for you Kelli - thats a great reason to childmind. I'm in it for the money

Peckarollover - would you have the school age children in the holidays that would up your average a bit (it's £3 phr in rural norfolk)

Yeah, I think I would have them in the holidays. Suppose I dont have a choice unless i stick with children of teachers etc

btw - am going for my 2nd stage briefing session on Thursday

Lots of luck for Thursday

Thanks :D

What can I expect at 2nd briefing

Didn't have one when I started just did the "do you want to be a childminder" then the ICP
Sorry I can't help