Thinking of working b4 + after school only? Anyone prefer this?

[Leelee]

I was recently registered but was pregnant at the time so decided to postpone taking mindees on till after the baby. Was thinking the other day about whether to just do b4 and after school minding when baby here as I had a rough time after having my first ds! Does anyone prefer just doing schoolies or do u prefer being at home with little ones??? Plus do u get as much call for schoolies? And can u make enough money? Sorry so many questions x

[huggableshelly]

I have 6 before schoolers 2 are my own, £6.00 a child = £24.00
6 after schoolers 2 my own, £10.00 a child £40.00

£64.00 a day on top of my daily little ones so for me it is profitable.

Questions to ask yourself:
when your child is sleeping are you preparedto wake your child to do school runs in all weathers?
are you happy to have bigger children who may possibly not look where they are going around your little one?

I will be honest and tell you when my children are off school due to illnesses I resent having to go out and pick others up, luckily it doesnt happen too often.

[Bitsy Beans]

You need to bear in mind that afterschoolies you might be having ALL day during holidays. I find some (not all) older kids more difficult to entertain than the youngsters sometimes.
I have one of each (mostly because I am only registered for 4 with 2 of my own).

Huggableshelly - wow is that £6 an hour or for a morning session? I can't charge that much as the wrap around care at the school is at the bottom of my garden (the other side of the fence LOL!) and they only charge something like £3.15 :( If I put my prices up I'd lose what piddly bit of business I get.

[rickysmiths]

I think you have to guage it to what you feel comfortable doing, what is available in you area, and how much you expect/need to earn.

When I first started my daughter was 3yrs and my son 11mths. I was lucky and took on a mindee 1-5pm every day. it gave me the mornings with my two and enough money to pay for a holidays and any extras which suited us at the time.

I must confess it didn't occur to me to take school age children until my two were at school and I don't think I would have wanted to be tied to school runs then.

I then went through a spell of only have before and after school, suited me because I was going to school anyway and I did a different job during the day.

Then my children changed school and we had to drive 4.5 miles so it changed again and I took on 2 full time babies and non before and after school.

Then we moved house and I have 3 under fives all day and sometimes 4 and I do before and after school as well with 2. My two are 15 and 17yrs now so get to school independantly.

[Rasharoon]

When I first started childminding, I had 2 before schoolies and 3 after schoolies. In the 2.5 years I did childminding, they were the only ones I had for before and after school hours and that is simply because the local Children's Centre offer a breakfast and after school club. I'd see them all walking to and from school in their high vis vests and there were a lot of them. Charges were similar to mine but for the after schoolers at a club, they would get a free hot meal if they stayed till 6 where as I charged £2 a meal per day extra. These before and after schoolies would then go to the holiday club at the leisure centre where for a day - 8.00 to 6.00pm - the charge is £15! I couldn't top that and thinking back, not once did I ever receive a call for holiday care only!
Good luck.

[huggableshelly]

Huggableshelly - wow is that £6 an hour or for a morning session? I can't charge that much as the wrap around care at the school is at the bottom of my garden (the other side of the fence LOL!) and they only charge something like £3.15 :( If I put my prices up I'd lose what piddly bit of business I get.


I charge hourly but from 7:15-09:00 its £6.00, same with afterschool it averages at £10.00 a day per child ... would love it to be 10ph lol

[claire85]

At the moment thats what im doing b4 and after schhol care , i prefer doing this ac can catch up on housework , paperwork etc and still earn a nice tidy sum of money.
x

[venus89]

I have a friend who does this and it works for her. She can spend the daytimes alone with her LO and pack her house full in the afternoon. There are only 2 childminders who pick up from the school she goes to, though, and the other has only littles (it's her own child who goes there) or bigger ones who've been with her since they were littlies.....

[melaniecharlton]

I only have one child after school once a week and only during term times. Do you know if I have to be Ofsted Registered. I dont fancy paying them a yearly fee of £103 for doing nothing. As I only do the afterschool age group they dont have anything to do with me. Dont feel I want to pay them. Can I legally be a childminder without them though?

[mandy moo]

Would like to be able to do this but not much call for it at the mo round here.

Would also like to do just term time only.

[mama2three]

Not much call for it here - I dont think you can decide at this stage , just see what enquiries you get and go from there.
Our afterschool club charges £8 a day - £3.50 including breakfast in the morning , then £4.50 after school. They have recently started taking them from 3 , used to be 5.

[Minstrel]

I only have one child after school once a week and only during term times. Do you know if I have to be Ofsted Registered. I dont fancy paying them a yearly fee of £103 for doing nothing. As I only do the afterschool age group they dont have anything to do with me. Dont feel I want to pay them. Can I legally be a childminder without them though?

Yes you need to be OFSTED reg'd.

What do you mean 'as i only do the afterschool age group they don't have anything to do with me.'?

Believe me no-one WANTS to pay them but it is for the safety of the children and parents can also receive tax credit help if you are reg'd.