what kind of house is best

[susi]

im going to be looking to rent a house to set up the business. I will obviously be looking for the right house for work and family life.

My kids are home educated so i have no school issues of my own.

What are the do's and dont with regards to getting registered by ofsted for the house please?

Also I will be looking to get a small dog (a cockapoo) before we set up (we lost our collie last weekend). Im sure some parents will have issues with a dog in the house but is it a problem generally? Do other people have pets and have any issues with parents?

Susi :)

[FussyElmo]

I have dogs and I know that Im not the right childminder for people who have issues with animals ie allergies dislike etc.

People childmind from all types of property there is no right house. i started in a 2 bed terraced with just a small yard, now im in a 3 bed semi detatched with a garden.

Other people cm from an appartment it makes no difference to ofsted what property it is just it suitable.

Also make note not all landlords will allow you childmind from their property so you will need to sort this out before starting.

Good luck

[AliceK]

I rent and started childminding in a 3 bed semi with a small kitchen and a through lounge/diner, and no downstairs toilet, it worked but I hated having to keep all the toys in my lounge area. Now I live in a house with a large kitchen / diner, great for eating and messy play, I also now have a completely separate play room, great I can shut the door at the end of the day and not have to look at it plus a big bonus is that all rooms lead off the hallway, there are no "through" rooms. BUT, now after being here 2 years I don't feel this house is big enough, I now want another reception room that I can set up as a chill out / games room for DS and the older kids plus I want a utility room and an extra bedroom and a larger garden with a big paved area for all the ride-on toys, oh and all the rooms must lead of a central hallway as I don't want children and parents traipsing through my lounge or anywhere else to get to the playroom / kitchen etc. So, basically, you will work with whatever you've got but you'll always want that little bit more :blush:

As for pets, I've always had dogs and they have always been very much part of my family. We also have cats, rabbits, hamster, GALS. I make sure everywhere I advertise makes it clear that we have pets especially a dog then people who may not want that don't have to waste their time calling me. I've never had problems getting work.

Good Luck :thumbsup:

xxx

[PixiePetal]

I agree that whatever you have you always end up wanting a bit more!

main thing with renting is to have the permission from Landlord/Insurance for doing it.

A downstairs loo is great but I managed for 15 years without one before moving

It will depend on the ages of mindees you get and your own. It is good for your own to have their own space too, good to play with others but nice to be able to get away for some time without mindees. Even if this means you keep some toys in bedrooms which are out of bounds for mindees.

I like having a separate playroom - which would otherwise be another sitting room but it does not look like a nursery. My children are teens so they don't need the toys but use the room for sleepovers.

good luck with finding the perfect house :thumbsup:

[jumpinjen]

From a home ed point of view, you may want to look at somewhere with more than one living/play room as your children will want space and room to do projects/have toys and resources out that aren't suitable for mindees or they don't want mindees messing up! I definitely recommend a patio/garden at the top of a wish list..... I have a small three bed with one living room and a tiny kitchen and no downstairs loo apart from in the garden and it is hard work sometimes having to do cooking with mindees at the living room table rather than the kitchen etc etc but I've made it work - I'm about to move to have a separate playroom and a 'learning space' for my own children and all our kit we want to keep out and accessible all the time. Jen x