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Paid childcare

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

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Original poster

childminding in someone elses home

29 replies

ellliebelle · 16/11/2009 21:21

Hi Ladies, im hoping someone will be able to help me out.

I have a friend who has recently become a registered childminder and she is loving it and has lots of interest, for places. In fact too much interest.

I have recently given birth to my 2nd DD and my friend has approached me to see if i would be interested in childminding along side her.

I have had a bit of a look but cant find any info on whether this is possible, and also would i still go about registering as a childminder in the same way as i would if i were planning on working from home?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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xoxcherylxox · 16/11/2009 21:26

depends if you are registering as a childminder in your own right or if she is employing you as an assisstant. if you were going to be a childminder then you would have to go through all the normal process but inform then it would be from another childminder house you wished to childmind from. (dont no if this is possible in england but is in scotland).
also has your friend got plenty of space because even if there are to of use it doesnt mean you will be allowed 6 and her if there is not the space to accomodate 12 children. i would get your friend to phone ofsted to enquire about the possibility and how likely they think it would but and how many children they would allow.

QuintessentialShadows · 16/11/2009 21:28

I think you need to put a call out for katymac, or Anniemac (sorry I cant quite remember) but I think she is doing just that.

Katymac · 16/11/2009 21:34

It isn't straight forward:

You can be an assistant or a childminder
You can be an employee or a co-minder
You need enough floorspace for the children
You need to know what happens if one of you is ill/can't work/the house can't be used

What do you need to know exactly?

Original poster

ellliebelle · 16/11/2009 21:34

cheryl thanks for the info i think she is allowed 12 children as they have erected a large summer house in the garden specifically for the purpose of childminding. Also her husband registered alongside her and was going to childmind but has been offered a job he cant really refuse, hence her wanting some assistance.

i will start looking into registering and also get my friend to call ofstead

OP posts:

Original poster

ellliebelle · 16/11/2009 21:44

Katymac

I was mainly wanting to know whether it was "allowed" to childmind along side someone else rather than in your own home.

We have not sat down and disscused the ins and outs of how we would work it as i said i wanted to have a think and get some info before i made a decission.

My friend is expecting in the middle of next year so the idea would be to take the maximum number of children one person is allowed to take care of until after my friend has recovered and ready to return to work.

also could you advise if childminding this way would enable me to complete a childcare nvq

OP posts:

Katymac · 16/11/2009 21:52

Currently NVQ's aren't required but realistically I think childminders having level 3 is what the government is after long-term

You can do your level 3 as a childminder - is there funding available in your area?

It is tricky to manage it successfully but just shout if you need advise

Original poster

ellliebelle · 16/11/2009 21:54

katymac yes there is funding and it is definately something i would like to do, what is the main difference between being a co-minder or an employee? would i still go through the registration process?

OP posts:

Katymac · 16/11/2009 22:02

If you are an employee your Tax & NI is paid for you - as a co-minder you are Self employed so you pay your own tax & NI

I prefer to be in charge so my fellow minders are my employees - you might become a partnership or 2 separate minders (tricky wrt rent/income etc)

xoxcherylxox · 16/11/2009 22:04

if your a co minder does that mean that profits need to be split equally or can you get a set wage so to speak

Katymac · 16/11/2009 22:14

I depend upon how you set it all up

My co-minders are employees, but in other arrangements each minder has the money from their children or it's a percentage split

There are so many ways of doing it

xoxcherylxox · 16/11/2009 22:16

orite its just i have an assistant and she is self employed i did check this was ok but some ppl think it wouldnt be but thought maybe with them being called a co minder rather than assistant that they would be able to be self employed without any questions

Original poster

ellliebelle · 16/11/2009 22:18

ok so if i decide to be an employee what do i need to do? do i still become a registered childminder?

also do you know if i could mind on a volountry basis while i am still on mat leave?

OP posts:

nannynick · 16/11/2009 22:27

You could be a registered childminder in your own right, or you could be an assistant. Becoming an assistant is quicker but does not always result in more children being able to be cared for... and when the registered childminder goes on maternity leave... are you then able to still provide childcare (hmm, not sure, KatyMac?).

Are you currently being paid by your employer whilst on Maternity Leave? Are you getting better terms than SMP? If so, I think you need to abide by any terms of that agreement. Your agreement may allow you to do voluntary work... it may not.

Given the young age of your DD2, is that going to cause ratio issues? If you are an assistant and your DD2 will be one of the minded children, then they would be in the Under 1's ratio. That childcare place I view as being quite valuable, as childminders are restricted in how many under 1's they can care for... so to make it a bit better if you registered in your own right, then your friend could still use that place (assuming they don't also have an under 1 themselves) for a mindee. I hope I'm making sense... KatyMac may be able to explain it better.

Katymac · 16/11/2009 22:28

There are rules about earning while on ML - but as long as you aren't earning I am sure it will be OK - do check with an employment expert before committing yourself

A minder carries her own insurance & can do things (wrt medication/solecharge/first aid etc) that an assistant can't - so you would be more use as a minder (IMO)

Katymac · 16/11/2009 22:31

2 minders normally = 2 under 1 spaces

nannynick · 16/11/2009 22:33

My friend is expecting in the middle of next year so the idea would be to take the maximum number of children one person is allowed to take care of until after my friend has recovered and ready to return to work.

How many children does your friend have under age 8? How many will you have under 8 at that point... 1 (DD2) or 2 (DD1 & DD2)?

I'm concerned about how many babies you may be caring for at that point, how many children under 8 and if it's financially viable at that point given how many childcare places there may actually be used by paying mindees.
When your friend is on their maternity leave... where would childcare be taking place? It would still need to be at their home... which depending on how their pregnancy and birth go, may or may not be something they would want to happen.
Or are you thinking that the childcare setting would close for several weeks pre-post birth of your friends child?

Katymac · 16/11/2009 22:33

An assistant cannot work long-term by them selves - I would use that to mean more than a couple of hours or so - so not for your F's maternity leave

Original poster

ellliebelle · 16/11/2009 22:33

thanks katy i feel much more better informed now.

I am still undecided as to whether i want to do this or go back to work part time, perhaps once i have checked with an employment expert i could assist my friend without earning for a while in order to decide if i want to register.

OP posts:

nannynick · 16/11/2009 22:36

I agree with Katymac that being a minder in your own right will be the better option... more chance then of having more children you can jointly care for, plus you can take your quota of them on outings on your own if necessary, or stay at the home whilst the other childminder takes older children to school.

navyeyelasH · 16/11/2009 22:36

I work with anoter childminder in my home (so she minds in a home that isn't hers). We split and pay for everything 50/50. It worked really well (so far!).

nannynick · 16/11/2009 22:38

Try posting a message specifically about working whilst on maternity leave on the Issues board. Never know, may get one of the more legal knowledgeable people responding.

nannynick · 16/11/2009 22:39

navyeyelash - does that mean that you lose out though, as you have the costs of providing the home itself. Or is that covered by splitting all the bills as well as all the income?

Katymac · 16/11/2009 22:40

Get in touch through my website on my profile & we can chat if you have further questions

nannynick · 16/11/2009 22:41

Opps, that link at 22:38 didn't work... try again: Employment Issues board.

navyeyelasH · 17/11/2009 18:50

Hey Nick to clarify we spit all the bills too and split profit 50/50!

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