Advertising before fully registered?

[Buzz Lightyear]

Good morning everyone.

I am currently on maternity leave after having a little girl back in May this year. I am taking a whole year off although secretly, I wont be going back as I am currently working towards becoming a registered Childminder.

As I am not due to go back to work until May 2009, I was thinking about starting my advertising, i.e. putting up a little notice in the shop window, post office maybe?

Can I ask, if you were a parent looking for a childminder, would you bypass my advert because I state I am not yet qualified but aim to be by January?

I would like to know I have something sorted, i.e. a child by the time my maternity leave ends but appreciate not being qualified yet mind hinder any potential customers?

So would you wait until being qualified to get yourself out there or would you start, knowing you're being honest and just seeing what happens?

I'm a bit ahead of myself as it is really :o and have listed on a few search engine sites which hubby went mad about last night saying if work find out, they will probably fire me!!!

[Polly2]

I think it sounds a really good idea - although your hubby may have a point!

As a parent I think as long as you are able to give a starting date and I could read all your policies and we got along etc I would be happy.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks for the reply Polly2, it's reassuring to know.

All policies are indeed done and have been for a few weeks, it was one of my first tasks to get complete.

As for the work front, they wont actually know it's me as there is no reference to my name whatsoever. Not even my full address so how they could possibly find out, I'm not sure. Plus, I'm sure they wont be doing a secret search on me as I'm pretty sure they're not that interested in me, lol! I do see his point but pretty sure he is just being ott :)

[Polly2]

Thats good then! :)

Are you on the ICP course?

[Buzz Lightyear]

Yeah, the equivilent in Yorkshire, not called that up here but is the same as ICP. Did week 1 of Child Paediatrics last week, second one this Saturday. Done my 3-year 1st Aid at work though so its not too dis-similar.

[Polly2]

It sounds like you are well on your way then and well organised too!!

In my area it was the crb check that took the time to come through so I would advise sending that off a.s.a.p. although it may be different where you are.

[Buzz Lightyear]

We cant send those off yet until we start the DHC L1, which after the first aid is done, is my next stage. Hopefully it wont take too long though, not that I'm in any rush what with being on ML at the moment.

[Polly2]

Oh right - you do everything differently than in my area! I had to do DHC 1 (ICP) first, then first aid then food hygiene.

We were allowed to start minding as long as we completed first aid within 6mths of registering.

Actually I think its much better your way!

[Buzz Lightyear]

Yeah not sure which way is best. You'd think they'd all be singing from the same hymn sheet though wouldn't you rather than doing it differently? I've noticed they're called differently too, i.e. ICP but DHC up here? No-one makes any reference to ICP as the Introduction was one of the first sessions you went to to make sure Childminding was for you. It can all get a bit confusing.

Like when people talk about doing their NVQ Levels? What're those? You dont need them to become a childminder up here. Just to have done the DHC 1. The option is there to do the remaining other four if you want to, which I will be doing considering I'm on ML until May anyway. Seems silly not to do them given the time I still have.

[Polly2]

Yes its a bit silly ICP is DHC level 1 - exactly the same so why don't they call it the same!!

I am doing the remaining units too I have completed them all except unit 5 which I am in the middle of.

You don't need nvq's to childmind just DHC1 like you say but I think they are bringing it in that you have to have some form of level 3 qualification.

Thats why I thought I would go ahead and do the remaining units plus I was offered a grant to do them which helps:)

[Buzz Lightyear]

That's good for you. I have a feeling the remaining units are funded for by our local council, as it the whole DHC 1 part. The only money I've paid out so far is for advertising and then I only paid postage on the items which is great. If you're not fully clued up on the whole names and processes, it can mangle your brain a little bit. I remember once thinking I had missed out on this vital ICP only to find out it's named differently up here. Soooo confusing!!! :huh:

I'm not worried about not finding a mindee. I'm not sure why I thought the calls would be rolling in as soon as I outed myself and started advertising. Just hope it doesn't take longer than May as I'll be forced back to work if nothing happens before then :(

[Polly2]

Thats why its good you are advertising already - It took about 6 mths for me to get any calls and I was sooooo impatient!!

Now its mostly word of mouth and recommendations.

Hope the phone starts ringing soon :thumbsup:

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks Polly2. You and me both!!! :laughing:

Suppose a good way would be to start going to baby and toddler groups with my little girl although I know there aren't a lot of childminders in my little village which must be a good thing for me. Well here's hoping anyway!! :)

[Polly2]

Yes definately! People can see you, have a chat and watch you with your little one.
You also might meet other minders who could pass on work to you.

My hubby laughs at me because I manage to bring the topic of childminding into every conversation I have :laughing:

Also mention to your health visitor that you are registering - I have had a lot of work through mine.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Oooh good thinking, see I hadn't thought of mentioning it to them. In fact, I am heading up there in a little while to get my baby girl weighed. I bet she's put on loads in the last three weeks! I shall definitely mention it, thanks for the tip!!

Right, now need to hunt down other toddler groups, haa haa. I'll be a pro at word spreading by the time I'm fully up and running :clapping:

[Polly2]

Good for you :clapping:

Don't forget to have some business cards or leaflets at the ready!!

Nice chatting to you :thumbsup:

[Buzz Lightyear]

Yep, as soon as they arrive, I shall be dishing them out by the bucket load, lol! :)

Nice chatting to you too :D

[singlewiththree]

I am advertising and im not registered yet. I havent put a start date and I havent put the word ofsted either as apparently that could be classed as fraud as we arent ofsted registered yet. Thats hasnt stopped me advertising and doing a website, word of mouth etc and then I mention if they enquire about jan and not being fully registered yet. Afterall its only about 7wks to Jan anyway

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks for your reply Paula. All I am thinking of mentioning is that I am 'aiming' to be qualified by January although I wont start until May (unless of course there comes an offer too good to miss out on!) Probably going to go to the local post office, maybe mention it at the health centre one day when I am up there getting my little girl weighed.

It's hard getting established as a lot of minders on here have said word of mouth is their best form of advertising but the people I do know I either work with so it's all a bit hush hush from them or they are friends who have babies the same age as my little one but they've all sorted out childcare now. Just typical. There is just one mum from my friends who has said she might be interested but that was said so long ago now, I'm not pinning any hopes on her.

[manjay]

I did exactly the same as you. I started the registration process 6 months into my maternity leave. Unfortunatley it can take a long time in Wales and it took me 12 months to get registered. What I did was, like Holly, drop into every conversation that I was registering as a minder. I became very involved with our toddler group and for me this has been the best form of advertising. In fact I have never advertised anywhere else

Good luck xx

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks for your reply manjay. Isn't it funny how your priorities change once you become a Mummy yourself? I always thought I would go back to work and now I can think of nothing worse. Childminding is definitely the way forward for me but I need to out myself without work finding out. Unfortunately, I live in one village and work in the next one which is less than a mile from home and generally, people I work with come to my little village as there is a little supermarket, etc so I need to be careful where I advise.

Word of mouth definitely seems to be the way forward though. I just need to hunt down baby and toddler groups around here now and get myself to them all and give myself a shameless plug! :p

[balloon]

I waited until I was registered before I advertised and was working within 3 weeks. I did tell quite a few people in my town that I was training to become a childminder though. None of my first mindees have come from advertising, although I've had a couple of calls from adverts since I've been full.

You can only do what is right for you, you know your area better than anybody else so go with what works. Good luck. :)

[Pudding Girl]

I didn't advertise until it was signed sealed and delivered. It took almost 12 months for me to get Registered. I did though tell anyone and everyone I was in the process.

As a parent I wouldn't even bother ringing someone not already registered which is why I didn't advertise :)

HTH

[Buzz Lightyear]

Thanks George, it's interesting to read an alternative opinion on the matter. I would be in two minds I must admit!

[gemhei]

Hi when i advertised i just put i had vacancies from ----- then at least you getting calls/emails through. Lots of parents like to plan ahead i had a parent call me 6 mths before i was registered. If you are training with bradford early years it maybe a good 6 mths after your DHC before you are registered. It took 4 mth for my crb to come back then 2 mths after that before my social services check came through and my certificate. Id get advertising and just explain you wont be working for a while, but if you havnt done your DHC yet or applied to ofsted i doubt youll be working by january :rolleyes:

[Buzz Lightyear]

Well no, I dont want to be working in January as I am still on maternity leave and that's not due to end until May 2009. I was thinking of stating I will be qualified by the new year however, I plan to continue the levels of DHC to better myself as I'll have up until May to do more. I'm not planning on cutting ML short.

It's interesting to read of your timescale though and how long things took! Wowzers.... at the training, they were saying how desperate they were for minders in our area. If that's so, why daudle over getting the application process done?? :huh:

[gemhei]

Yer its not ofsted its the people who do the social services check. Its stupid and by the time i got my cerificate i just found out all had gone through for the new house so i had to call them for a new certificate haha. You may be quicker some are faster than others i was just explaining it can take longer. I should think youd be registered by may. I had same problem i was on maternity leave with DD so i was in panic mode. Id def try advertising though cos like i say theres always those parents that plan ahead.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Well thanks for the heads up on the social services check. I'll just have to keep chasing them if it takes forever to come through because I just want to know come May that I am sorted out. I don't want to leave it until the last minute and then have to start advertising. Me being me, I like to be planned and organised which is exactly why this is the perfect job for me. All the paper work pre minding and then all the paper work afterwards. Bliss!! Tee hee but dont quote me on that! ;)