if my husband was to childmind with me.....

[JennyPenny22]

Would we be able to double our under 5 vacancies?

Basically, we currently live in an area where there are too many childminders, most, including me are out of work.

However, in spring, we are moving (providing DH can sort out some work) to Horsham. I have been in contact with some childminders in Horsham and have found that they are all full, with waiting lists, turning away more than one family per week!

Which led me to my thought - if DH was to give up work, and childmind with me, would it mean we would be able to have 6 under 5s? Providing the house was big enough? We currently have 2 under 5s of our own, which means only 1 vacancy, which limits us a lot. But if we were to have 6 under 5s, we could take on 4 mindies, and the rate is around £4.50 an hour. Meaning effectivly we would be earning £18 per hour between us. The work he does now, he only earns £7.50 an hour, and his wages will go down when we move.

DH doesn't have any childcare qualifications. But has always lived in a house with a childminder (his mum and then me) so he knows it very well, and obvioulsy has 2 of our own that he has a big part in. He is very good with children, so I think it would work well if Ofsted would allow the numbers.

If anybody has any information on this, I would be really grateful. This idea has litterally just arisen today, so its very early days and will research more tonight.

My Ds used to go to a childminding couple. Afaik he had to do the coouncil's training but that was it. The fact there were two of them was a massive selling point me : more bloke time for ds; less last minute sickness and if a couple of couple of the kids are sleeping and the other want to go to playgroup they can. I'm prtty sure they had double the amount of under fives but can't be sure. they seemed to have hundred of kids in the house all the time. I deff think you are on to winner, good luck.

My DS goes to a couple who are both childminders,
They have been childminding as a couple for nearly ten years,

where she has been childminding since here children were young (so nearly twenty years)

whereas he used to have a job completely unrelated to working with children before deciding to give that up in favour of childminding.

They have an outstanding Ofsted report which mentions the balanced care the children get because of the input from a husband and wife team

I love that my son gets a male influence in his childcare, and that there are more children that at a single childminder, but not so many as a nursery.

Infact I will be sad when DS is too old to be going to them.

Thank you both for the replies, thats very encouraging

You're very brave to even think about it. If dh started childminding with me it'd only end in divorce!

It really depends on your dh. If you think you can work well together then it could be a wonderful wonderful thing.

Yes I think we could work well together. We both love being at home with the children and I think it would work really well for us.

Although don't know how we would get started, as we would need to move there first, and he can't just leave his job without us being ready to start childminding. Yet he wouldn't really want to spend weeks getting a new job in the area just to leave again

I work with my DH, it won't take you too long to register him as an assistant infact the inspector did ours on her first inspection he will already have CRB, he doesn't have to do the ICP if he's just an assistant, he can register in his own right afterwards if he wishes to. I would suggest that your DH does the first aid and safeguarding training though as a bare minimum. The inspector upped our numbers as well while she was their (loverly lady, verry helpful) we asked for what we thought we could cope with and she was happy to register us for that, although she did say if we wanted to up it we could. We are registered for 9 (2 under 1yr, 5 under 5yr, 4 5-8yrs) they will look at how you plan to care for a larger number of mindees as well as space available in the home.

To be honest our days are so busy we barely have time for a wee / cup of coffee never mind talk to each other so very few arguments here, anyway I'm a bossy bugga and always mostly get my own way

Just remembered if DH is assistant remember to allow for the stat rules on the EY and CC registers which are a pita to work around with assistants.

atworknotworking - sorry, not sure what you mean with your last comment? I am not yet familar with the EYFS if thats what you mean? Thats how long I have been out of CM work for

Sorry JennyPenny, they have the following registers now Voluntary Childcare Register, Compulsary part of Childcare Register, Early Years Register, the rules are slightly different for each part of the register wrt who may care for the mindees and be left alone with mindees. But you still have to comply with each register that you are registered on.

So for eg I am reg on all three, rules state that the registered CM (thats me) must be present at all times when minded children are present, however on the CC reg I am able to leave an assistant (thats DH) in sole charge for short periods of time if written parental consent is given. So for us it means that DH on the Early Years Reg can stay with the children in the childminding setting, with consent for short periods of time (but this period of time is not defined by ofsted) but not be alone with mindees on this reg outside the setting.

On the Childcare reg DH can be off the premises in sole charge but not in the premises. Don't ask me why I havn't got a clue and it's a right royal pita for school runs etc and takes a bit of juggling about. It would be a lot simpler for your DH to reg as well, but as a short term mesure he could be an assistant to get your numbers up and make it viable business wise, he can then do ICP etc whilst your both minding.

Just to clarify the EY reg is basically the under 5's. CC Reg is over 5, voluntary CC Reg is over 8's as this reg is optional as ofsted don't as yet regulate over 8's care.

HI Reality! Was hoping somebody from Horsham came along! Do you go onto the West sussex NM site? If so, you will have seen me (Jennifer) asking questions on there! We are looking at various parts of Horsham really, hoping to be within walking Distance of the town centre and park. FIL live near the bowling Ally and they seem in such a perfect location for everything Step MIL doesn't drive and doesn't need to as she has just about everything in walking distance. Which I would love as ATM I have to drive everywhere and will be doing the 1.5hour drive back here once every week or 2 so will be using lots of fuel. Although we are coming for the day on Thursday, mostly to show my Mum the area as she can't really understand why we want to move, and I think if she sees how much nicer it is then she will be a bit more understanding, when we come on Thursday, I am hoping to also have time to go to Southwater for a quick look round, as I keep hearing good things about it but never been, so want to check it out. We are moving from West London, so it is a BIG change. But can easily get back in 1.5hours so not too bad.

Reality, as you know the area, would you think this would be a good plan? Do you think there is enough work for DH to give up work? Itsvery scary taking such a big risk. Although we are renting so I guess we could get some Housing Benefit if the work dried up, but we prefer to work for our money if I am honest, and don't want to rely on HB (we get a bit at the mo as DH on a low wage, but our rent is a lot higher).

Sorry, I have sort of jumped on you as soon as you mentioned you live in Horsham I have bored everybody in RL about it already so need somebody else to bore....

Hi Jenny Penny I am also a Horsham Childminder & yes there is work around in the town, not so much in Southwatercare board so unless you have asked there I won't see your post. You are welcome to try & CAT me if you want.

I don't go on the NM forums, just to the local info, which MN doesn't seem to have.

Thanks for info, quick post atm as kids being miserable, but will be back later