tie up a day a week?

[jadavi]

Hi, I have the option of having a one on one child with special needs for a day a week (at an enhanced rate obviously) He can't have anyone else with him.

My dilemma is I won't be able to offer fulltime to anyone which I'd really like to be able to do. I might end up really regretting it. It's not so much a question of the money as my availability.

On the other hand , judging from this forum there is precious little fultime around. Is this the case do you think? Does it tend to be nearly all part time?

What would you do?

jac

[Beetlejuice]

Is the day flexible - does it matter which day a week or do they want a specific day? I find that I personally prefer several children on a part-time basis than full time children. I would be tempted, if the child's day was flexible to offer e.g. a Friday then you've still got a four day week to offer to other families. I work four days a week, keeping Fridays free but I've just agreed to work at our local children's centre on Fridays which is great as keeps things interesting for me and I still do four days a week minding.

I think it would be a great opportunity for you to get that sort of experience (if you haven't worked with SEN children already) and great for the child. I would go for it.

[jadavi]

Thanks, yes I could prob choose the day. SEN has been my special area in education so it makes sense to take him and we get on really well.

I think I just have a dream of a full time baby and if i can't provide 5 days then someone else will.....

[marleymoo]

Thanks, yes I could prob choose the day. SEN has been my special area in education so it makes sense to take him and we get on really well.

I think I just have a dream of a full time baby and if i can't provide 5 days then someone else will.....

i would give up this dream, it hardly ever happens. take the work while it's there love. as and when the elusive full time baby shows up, cross this bridge then. if you work well with this child with additional needs then, with a SEN background, you may corner the market in childcare of this speciality in your area and become very sought after and highly recommended. this way, you can earn your enhanced rate but with just one child a day. don't rip yourself off though, remember, you will be turning away another 5 under 8's for this child so i hope your enhanced rate really is suitably enhanced. you don't want taken for a mug

[Beetlejuice]

I agree with Marley. The norm round here seems to be part time atm and like I said, I prefer that. It means if you lose a full time child then you lose a full time income and that's not funny (happened to me last year and have gone from 60 hour week to just two days a week :eek: ) Do you have a parent's group round your way that does the PAT (Parent Action Team) mark assessment? We have it starting round here and it's a kitemark scheme whereby the parent's forum assess minders and give out kitemarks to people who specialise in looking after with children with SEN and can be another avenue for you to explore to provide childcare. The PAT mark can help distinguish you from other minders and give you the niche market and it's an easy identifier for parents of children with SEN when they are looking for childcare. I think it's piloted in some areas and is slowly being adopted in others.

[jadavi]

Thanks Marley and beetlej - really helpful. This forum blows me away! I did ask for advice re the enhanced rate Marley and people here thought around 7.50 an hour for one to one. Would you do it for that? It'dbe 7 hours a day. Maybe 6. I was only gonna take older sibs of little ones as don't want loads of older kids.

Cheers
Jac

[jaja]

are you allowed to charge a higher fee for just one child? is there no way of having another child with this child?

jen

[marleymoo]

Thanks Marley and beetlej - really helpful. This forum blows me away! I did ask for advice re the enhanced rate Marley and people here thought around 7.50 an hour for one to one. Would you do it for that? It'dbe 7 hours a day. Maybe 6. I was only gonna take older sibs of little ones as don't want loads of older kids.

Cheers
Jac

if i assume this child is under 5 (and i am) and parents need you to do one to one, and you're having to turn away another 2 under 5's, they will have to understand that you will lose earnings. they will probs get DLA or something like this for the child and this is to be used for services around the child. If it were me personally, I would charge for the 3 under 5 places he is taking up. sounds harsh i know but don't forget they may get tax creds and/or childcare vouchers too. however, you might want to start at a lower fee until an enquiry comes up for an under 5 place but tell parents that this is what you will be doing so that they might expect a price hike in the future. if you are always 100% occupied, as I am lucky to be, then this is the only way it could be viable for me. If, however, you tend to have a vacancy or 2 at any one time then reduce your fee accordingly. Does this come over okay or too complicated?

[marleymoo]

if i assume this child is under 5 (and i am) and parents need you to do one to one, and you're having to turn away another 2 under 5's, they will have to understand that you will lose earnings. they will probs get DLA or something like this for the child and this is to be used for services around the child. If it were me personally, I would charge for the 3 under 5 places he is taking up. sounds harsh i know but don't forget they may get tax creds and/or childcare vouchers too. however, you might want to start at a lower fee until an enquiry comes up for an under 5 place but tell parents that this is what you will be doing so that they might expect a price hike in the future. if you are always 100% occupied, as I am lucky to be, then this is the only way it could be viable for me. If, however, you tend to have a vacancy or 2 at any one time then reduce your fee accordingly. Does this come over okay or too complicated?

sorry jackie i just realised you are pre-reg so if you are always 100% occupied, as I am lucky to be, then this is the only way it could be viable for me. If, however, you tend to have a vacancy or 2 at any one time then reduce your fee accordingly. doesn't apply right now but you could bear it in mind in the future when you are beating parents back with a stick lol

[jadavi]

Thanks, yeh I'm just getting ready for when I start. I have got to know this family and their autistic child over the summer and they're waiting for me.

I charge 3.75 and was thinking 7.50 was prob the top limit for an hourly rate for one to one. But mum says she doesn't get anything for him so doesn't think she can pay a lot. I'd like to be able to put him with other little ones -for his sake and everyone's really but he attacks them when he doesn't get his own way so i think one to one is the only option and so do the parents.

I'm pretty sure she'd get some funding as he is / en route to being statemented - he gets one on one at sure start nursery but acc to the mum the girl does nothing except watch him and they want more active input.

[stardust]

Thanks, yeh I'm just getting ready for when I start. I have got to know this family and their autistic child over the summer and they're waiting for me.

I charge 3.75 and was thinking 7.50 was prob the top limit for an hourly rate for one to one. But mum says she doesn't get anything for him so doesn't think she can pay a lot. I'd like to be able to put him with other little ones -for his sake and everyone's really but he attacks them when he doesn't get his own way so i think one to one is the only option and so do the parents.

I'm pretty sure she'd get some funding as he is / en route to being statemented - he gets one on one at sure start nursery but acc to the mum the girl does nothing except watch him and they want more active input.

Hi Hun, if he has been diagnosed as autistic she will definatley be getting DLA. As he is under 5 it will be at a higher amount aswell so dint be fooled. My brother is 16 or maybe 17 (cant remember and cant be bothered to work it out) but he has ADHD and gets £200 a month, when he was younger around 4ish (have double checked with mum) she used to get £470 for him up (as he needed constant supervision - evil little s*d he was lol i hated babysitting him!) until he attended secondary school (and needed less supervision however mum had to be available for 16 hours a week to 'care' for him) and then it dropped to £330 until he turned 16 and is able to claim for himself now that's why it is £200 (mum still 'cares' for him - absolutely lazy!) she also said that my auntie who's son has cerebral malpulsy (cant spell) gets double what she received as well as social services finding and paying for childcare (respite care they call it) until he went to school where he has a teaching assistant but my aunt still gets quite a bit for him. It will depend on the severity but if they are diagnosed as not being able to be with other children. This would mean hes at least in the middle of the spectrum and she will most definatley be claiming something.
HTH xx

[jadavi]

Thanks Tara that's really helpful. Her ex says she gets money. She had told me she gets a bit but she's a single mum with 2 los and needs it to live . . So I guess it is just her choice then.
Thanks for the help.