Childminders- do any of you have another CMer working with you at your home?

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

I am thinking about asking a friend (who used to work in a nursery but has since finshed there whilst she's been on maternity) to do the childminding course and come and work with me, not for me IYSWIM, as I couldn't afford to pay her a wage and everything that comes with it so she would be a qualified CMer in her own right.

It's very hard to find out information about how this would all work out and if anyone else is in a similar situation or knows more about it then I would be very grateful for some information, thankyou.

I wouldn't do it

What if you want a day off?

What if all your children are off?

What if your children leave?

Who makes decisions about what happens?

Well I suppose the final decisions would have to be down to me and I'd have to make that clear to her from the beginning, if she's hapy with that then fine. As for time off do you think it could work if we conicided our holidays as much as possible?

I work with another childminder in my home.

To answer KatyMac's questions... "If I want a day off" The only time I take off I'll be in another country!! If for some reason I want a day off but still be at home I'm lucky in that I have child free zones of my house and my friend would be considerate and try and arrange a day where everyone was out.

"What if all your children are off?" This actually happens as one day a week at the mo I have a day off as we aren't full on that day. I just stick to the child free areas and don't find it a problem.

"What if your children leave?" we don't really have her children and my children. Of course for Ofsted purposes we have to say she has x and I have x but we are a team. All income is split 50/50. So if we only has 3 children between us we would split the income and work 50/50.

"Who makes decisions about what happens?" both of us, together.

With our holidays the setting is closed for 2 weeks (continuous weeks) in the summer hols. This is for us to go away, usually together.

I take a further 2 weeks and get an assistant in to cover me and she takes a further 2 weeks and we get an assistant to cover her. So we are only ever closed for 2 weeks.

The trickiest thing we have had to manage has been expenses. It has been hard to calculate it accurately in terms of utilities, food is split 50/50, we each seem to buy little toys and put it on our own expenses, but I paid for most of the house related items. Like cots, storage boxes, bedding, high chairs etc. This was my choice because if she leaves it's all still here for me.

Last thing - you need to check you have enough space to make it financially viable.

so you split it down the middle - is that before expenses or after?

I employ my childminders - I think it is easier

Thanks that's very helpful navy, but another question- how culd it not be financially viable, I mean I have my three and she would have hers so our individual income depends on how many children we have. I would never have more than 3, nor would she but we wouldn't do the 50/50 thing. If she only had 2 then she would only be paid for 2 IYSWIM.

katymac I wouldn't have enough children to be able to employ her and as we each have one of our own then we would only be getting income from a maximum of 4 kids.

So you would have to have separate contracts

It could happen that you lose all you children and she wants to look after hers in your house

What do you do then?

KatyMac - we spilt all expenses 50/50 (sometimes we buy odd toys each though and consider that our own expense ie a cheapo book. But big toys are 50/50 and discussed before bought). All income is also 50/50.

I think if I was an established CMer I would have just hired an assistant on a wage. But we both set up together and liked the idea of being a team.

Thebreastmilksonme - Ofsted might not let you have 6 children under 5 if you don't have the space. They may only let you have, for example, 4 under 5. In which case your friend would be making no money!

I don't think it would really work if you didn't split everything 50/50 as, like KatyMac says, you could have 0 children she could have 3 but she would be in your house!

You could hire her as an assistant? When you have an assistant if you have enough room in your home for more children Ofsted increase your numbers. Then all the children would be "yours" but you'd pay her a wage and also her tax etc.

So how do you do utilities? (sorry - you don't have to answer - I am just nosy interested)

Hi thebreastmilksonme, my friend who I have known for about 20 years will be joining me as a co-childminder.

KM raises some important points as you need to be clear who is going to do what and if the decision making is down to you. I personally prefer to make all the decisions but then I am a bit of a control freak

I have Fridays off so co-childminder will be unable to work here Fridays.

We intend to take the same hols, first two weeks my choice.

If her mindees off sick, she has agreed she will still come in to give me a hand, this is my perk if you like as she is using my premises free of charge.

She will add to the arts and crafts when needed, if she needs a highchair/buggy/ travel cot, childrens bedding, flannels/ towels and I do not have any spare, she will need to buy her own. The drawback to this could be storage.

She has also agreed to either stay a while after work or come over on Friday mornings so that we can update folders / planning for all the children.

She has agreed to discuss with me who she would like to take on before offering a place to the parent.

I must be such a control freak

Katymac the utilities have been the only PITA - food etc is easy just split it 50/50 (even if she may have 2 babies only on milk that parents supply) operating on a swing and roundabouts policy; ie. it'll all balance out eventually.

The gas and electricity has been the main issue - the best solution we have is to make a note of the dials at 8am and 6pm Mon-Fri and the split it 50/50 at end of month. Easier said than done as British Gas make it very confusing!!

KAtyMac I have no control freaky issues - I'm more of a wing it woman!

I am a childminder and work with another fully registered childminder in my home.
We both registered at the same time as were both nannies whose jobs were coming to an end at the same time.
We have known each other since we were 12!
We are both equally responsible for everything!
We are set up as a partnership with the tax office as this is what they recommended we do.
We split the profit (after saving money for tax etc) 50/50. We have a joint work account that all childrens fees are paid into and we use to buy toys, equipment etc with.
We share everything work wise and although we are equally responsible for all the children, we do find it easier to allocate each of us certain children, especially with having 2 babies and 4 toddlers at the moment.
I mainly deal with 1 particular baby, and 2 of the toddlers, and she with the others. This is because it can get a bit confusing if we are both dealing with all children and babies as to who needs what and when! Also i do the daily diaries and observations for 'my' 3 and she does for 'her' 3.
Its kind of a keyworker setup i suppose.
We have 2 weeks off in July and 2 weeks off over christmas and new year. we also do not work bank holidays. that is the only times we close.
With regard to expenses we use the guide in the ncma accounts book as to what proportion we can claim for things like heating etc, i know these are more directly out of my pocket but she has added expenses that i dont like travelling to and from work etc. We find it evens itself out.
We are quite laid back and it is definately a fun and enjoyable workplace! We would highly recommend it...but only if you are sure that you get on well enough with the other person!

Just to add...we have been childminding together since October 2003 and its going brilliantly!
We were both glad to have each other when the EYFS came in!
2 sets of ideas as to how we could cope with it!
Seems to be working just fine...but i suppose we will find out in 1st Feb as that is when we are having our next OFSTED inspection!