Am i allowed to advertise yet??

[Fabby]

I am really unsure weather i am allowed to advertise yet, legally. I am just waiting for my registration to complete which hopefully wont be long and i have just put an advert on netmums stating 'soon to be ofsted registered childminder' in the post, but then just gone for put an advert on childcare.co.uk and it pops up with a message saying basically it is illegal to advertise as a childminder if not yet regsitered. Does this mean i am not allowed to advertise even when i state 'soon to be registered'????
All advise gratefully appreciated
Cheers :D

[doodles]

Yes you can as long as you put
"I cannot work until my registration is complete"
I advertised 4 weeks before my cert came and had 2 mindees lined up ready.
Go for it :thumbsup:

[mamasheshe]

i think you can but don't give people a date when you will be ready as it can take a lot longer than you think and you don't want to let people down. I told people i was waiting for my CRB but it could take a long time but they where more than welcome to come round for a cuppa tea and meet me and i'd contact them when i got my paperwork through that worked well.

[Fabby]

Im sure i asked my development officer and i am sure she said it would be fine as long as i stated that. I would never dream not doing any different!! Its just with that message popping up on childcare.co.uk i just wanted to double check! Did u advertise on childcare.co.uk?

[Fabby]

CRB are being turned around within 4 weeks at the mo so hopefully wont be that long of a wait. :clapping:

[Mollymop]

yes it is fine to advertise as above.

I did and had my first mindee ready to start the day my certificate arrived!!:D

I did leaflet drops as well - made my own and printed them off, might be worth a try, but netmums was where I got my first enquiry. Ask if you can advertise in shop windows and your favourite chip shop!:thumbsup:

good luck and hope your crb comes through really fast for you x

[Fabby]

I thought u could, that pop up message just scared me though lol :laughing:

[Minstrel]

To be fair to childcare.co.uk it was us on here that all moaned about the amount of unregistered people on there claiming to be CM's so they changed the process.

[doodles]

I got both my mindees through the childcare.co.uk site. I advertised on there as a childminder and put i cant work til my reg is complete and they accepted it ok :thumbsup:

[doodles]

CRB are being turned around within 4 weeks at the mo so hopefully wont be that long of a wait. :clapping:

CRB are aiming to have 90% of applications back within 4 weeks but the police still have 56 days to complete their part so make sure you chase them up.
I rang Northumbria police and they said oh we are really busy your applications wont even be looked at for 4 or 5 weeks :panic:
I then asked very, very nicelyin my sweetest voice for it to be bumped up the list as i had mindees lined up and they did it the same day :clapping:

[Fabby]

arrrr that was very good of them to do that!!!

I sent in a question to childcare.co.uk and they have already emailed me back and confirmed it was ok as long as i stated i wasn't yet registered, whcih i was going to do anyway.
So thanks alot everyone..... problem now solved!!! I better get advertising so i can get some more mindees join the 3 i have got already :jump for joy: :D