I’ve been a SAHP for DS for 6 months, he starts Reception in September, and I’m 23 weeks pregnant with DS2 so I’m looking at being at home until next summer. I want to look at going back to work/finding something to earn money from home so DS 2 can go to Nursery a couple of days a week. My background is in working with children (preschool age) and promoting literacy/Bookstart etc and running children’s events. I’ve worked with Sure Start before (and would love to but they are so chronically underfunded and many centres have closed).
There are lots of baby/toddler groups in my large town, and I’ll be going to a lot in the next year! I’ve looked and there are numerous franchises for baby groups. I’ve seen one that is based around sensory stories and is suitable for babies and toddlers but can also be suitable for children with SEN. I have in my previous job done sensory story times and they are great.
My worry is that these franchises aren’t very profitable, or how do you work out if they are very well conceived/supported. Also if I was only doing it 3 days a week could I make enough money to make it worthwhile... I’d be looking at paid childcare for DS2 to do the groups and that could easily cost more than I earn! Also there is a huge appetite for these groups where I live (very high birth rate, loads of families, fairly affluent, lots of schools etc) but there are a lot out there which are movement, music or phonics based etc and I wonder if a story based one would be a draw. I currently volunteer and do free events at the library and having spent years and years providing these things for free I feel a bit weird for charging and would worry it was worth people’s hard earned money!
Has anyone set up and run and of these groups and have any advice/tips?