Calling all childminders

[KatieMac]

I'm quite a new childminder and there seem to be quite a few childminders on MN, and Mumof2 (I think?) is a very new childminder-to-be.

Would any of you be interested in exchanging ideas, help, advise etc - maybe this thread could be used.....What does anyone think?

But if it's not appropriate.....never mind

But I thought it could be useful to me if no one else

Hi
I am also a childminder but no children to mind at the moment I have been regestered for two years.
There is a very supportive group on Yahoo for childminders groups.yahoo.com/group/ukchildminders/

Hi Guys

I have been asked by one of my Mums to get 'accredited' so that I can take Nursery Vouchers.
Does anyone have any info/experiences that they can share?
I've been registered for 15 months I'm in a network and I'm studying for my NVQ3
Ta Kate

By the way Cuppy, I schedule a week between Christmas & NY, a week at Easter (wed to Wed) and a week in the Summer for my Hols and explain at the start of the contract.
That leaves me a floating week to play with

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I think accredited just means that you have to fill in a form for the voucher providers so that they have the prrof you are registered and the details of where to send the payments. That's all. If it's the Accor ones you are using they will have sent a carer's registration form to the parent which she should then give you to fill it in.

KatieMac, the ability to use nursery vouchers with childminders doesn't exist in all councils. It depends on whether they have set up a network and done all the paperwork. (My council has not yet done this...it's been pending for over a year). There should be a Childminder Network Coordinator at your council and/or someone who is in charge of administering the Nursery Education Vouchers. They should be able to set you up with the right paperwork.

I think we're talking at cross purposes here. The vouchers Sofia is talking about are the council funding for pre-school education ones I think, the ones Galaxy and I were refering to are the ones you get from your employers which save you the National Insurance payments (and from next year tax too on £50/week worth).

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Thanks Alibubbles that's just what I needed
My area has got a Network Sofia - however the co-ordination hasn't been on her training yet - so I can't have my training (from her)
How do you think it would work with younger children arround?
I work with my DH - so if it's a problem I can go off into another room with the older ones.
I'm working towards my NVQ3 (and struggling - not the work -the TIME)

My children are with a lovely childminder who tends to do mostly younger children. She doesn't drive, so once the kids are at nursery, it's not terribly practical to use her anymore if you are a working mum. Anyway, she seems to find plenty of time to teach bits and pieces to our two even though there are other children (mostly younger) around. My ds is 3.5 and I'm always surprised by how much he seems to have learned. I think the idea is that the learning is mixed with play, so it isn't actually necessarily taking playtime away from the babies.

Hi Guys - me again I need advise......again
During Termtime I'm full I turn children away, however School Holidays I hardley have a single child. What am I doing wrong?

If I was a c**p CM I wouldn't be full Termtime so it must be something else Any Ideas??

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Can I ask some advice from the mumsnet childminders please?
I'm looking into becoming a childminder and have gone to a pre-reg meeting and got all the standards etc. but I've got questions that weren't answered there.
How difficult is it being self-employed with tax returns etc...how much do you end up earning after deductions (childminders in this area are paid £4 to £5 per hour per child but I'm only thinking of taking 2 children max.) Can you claim a lot of things (toys, entrance fees, food) back against the tax?
Do you charge anything for the hours that older children are in nursery because if they are unable to attend nursery you would be looking after them ( I thought not..but my friend's childminder charges her a full day fees for her school-age children).
Any other advice you can think of would be welcome TIA

Oh, and is it just in this area that you can't start your ICP until after registration?

Well MY answers are as below....

How difficult is it being self-employed with tax returns etc...how much do you end up earning after deductions (childminders in this area are paid £4 to £5 per hour per child but I'm only thinking of taking 2 children max.)
A:Last year I had trun over of about £10,000 but I work with my DH (& only charge £2.80).....our profit was -£800....but I was able to take about 500/600 per month as expenses (eg towards counicl tax, water rates, phone, TV Lic, Sky/cable subscript etc-they are standard %age set out by NCMA)

Can you claim a lot of things (toys, entrance fees, food) back against the tax?

A: Yes loads toys books (costs as above - in the NCMA handbook) 40p a mile . Depreciation on anything £150+ or expected to last for 1 Yr+.

Do you charge anything for the hours that older children are in nursery because if they are unable to attend nursery you would be looking after them ( I thought not..but my friend's childminder charges her a full day fees for her school-age children).

A: If child is ill and you would be expected to collect then yes....but if Mum/Dad would collect then no (As you could not have another child in that childs place as you could end up "overminding"

Lots of luck - I really enjoy it and if you want to chat contact me...

BTW I did my ICP before I was allowed to register

Thank you KatieMac...That's great.
I can't start childminding until I get some building work finished at my house which may well take months...so I thought at least I could get the ICP out of the way whilst I waited..only to find that the local authority expect you to do it after registration.
I have a 3 year old and a baby who I want to see more of..at the moment I work for the NHS 4 days a week so my plan is to cut down to 2 days working outside the home, and to have 3 days with the children..and childmind 1 or maybe 2 others..just because I love children, and I would earn a little for myself.

With a 3yo and a baby you will only be allowed one more under 5 - in school holidays you could have up to 3 older ones.
I wouldn't count on making too much money tho' @ £5 phr for 10 hrs day (x3 days) means maybe £150 a week term time and you can claim a lot of expenses so probably no profit as such....

Thanks KatieMac - at the moment I have a friend who would like me to have her 2 year old and school-going 4 year old.
In my other job I earn £3 a month after paying out for childcare and train fare so I'm not expecting to earn much at all.
Did the NCMA help with letting you know what you could claim as expenses..sorry to go on a bit but the course I went on was mainly about how to get through the process of registratin but not much about how to 'be' a childminder.

Does the 4 yo attend 10 sessions (ie 5 full days) if so you could have her - otherwise not.

The NCMA provide a folder with a lot of info in it - if you want to email me I'll give you my tel no or I could give you a call - It would be easier for me to explain verbally iykwim

Hiya to all childminders out there im MN land

I need advise (for a change)

I have an 11 yo and a nearly 7 yo coming to my house and they have very bad attitudes.

Two of my other parents have complained about their attitudes and my helper has also commented.

They aren't naughty just rude and insolent. They ignore me and my DH (not easy) and refuse to participate in group activities.

Any suggestions? I think I'm about to come down heavy on them but not sure if that will help.....