nipper
07-09-2011, 11:32 AM
This is partly in response to the news reports today about families struggling to afford childcare and actually hearing childminders cited alongside nurseries as well.
I've been registered now for just over a month and have just picked up my first mindee a nearly 8yr old who is doing before and after school sessions from 6.30am until 8pm at night. You may think I am mad but mum is a nurse so as my first client I can't afford not to have him. He is actually in my son's class at school. My son and daughter have just started at the local school having gone to my old school ( I have given up primary teaching after 17 years to become a childminder).
ANYWAY to cut along story short, in April I did a flyer drop through people's letterboxes to notify them I was setting up and giving them a chance to register their interest with a view to notifying them when I was setting up once I had been registered by Ofsted. I said mid August and to be honest, this date was more or less spot on.
Now comes the worrying part all of a sudden no-one seems interested. I have been at home since the children started back at school (ok I know it was only yesterday...) but I've started contacting the people who made enquiries just to see if they were fixed up for childcare... without trying to sound desperate...
I have applied to join my local childminding network but was advised to wait a couple of months even though my local Family Information Service have all my details for their website. I've joined childcare.co.uk and have a website. My husband went and ordered some small advertising boards like the ones you see tied to lamp posts and...yes we've done that in the surrounding areas if only to remind people of my website address. And then there was the maildrop...(if i never see another letterbox again I'll be happy!)
I know a lot of business is drummed up by word of mouth so I'll have to get myself known to the parents down by the school gate. And yes I've given the school a poster to put up on the board outside the gates. Funnily enough I took my two down to feed the ducks last week and got talking to this lady who had had a flyer put through her door so that was a topic of conversation... from my point of view it probably helped to put a name to the flyer so to speak.
I'm going to enquire at the local playgroups maybe take some flyers down there.
I honestly don't think there is anything else I can do until I have built up a reputation but I would be interested to hear your own stories or advice. It's abit like waiting for a bus (only at least all my policies and planning are in place ready).
Thanks ladies
Emma
I've been registered now for just over a month and have just picked up my first mindee a nearly 8yr old who is doing before and after school sessions from 6.30am until 8pm at night. You may think I am mad but mum is a nurse so as my first client I can't afford not to have him. He is actually in my son's class at school. My son and daughter have just started at the local school having gone to my old school ( I have given up primary teaching after 17 years to become a childminder).
ANYWAY to cut along story short, in April I did a flyer drop through people's letterboxes to notify them I was setting up and giving them a chance to register their interest with a view to notifying them when I was setting up once I had been registered by Ofsted. I said mid August and to be honest, this date was more or less spot on.
Now comes the worrying part all of a sudden no-one seems interested. I have been at home since the children started back at school (ok I know it was only yesterday...) but I've started contacting the people who made enquiries just to see if they were fixed up for childcare... without trying to sound desperate...
I have applied to join my local childminding network but was advised to wait a couple of months even though my local Family Information Service have all my details for their website. I've joined childcare.co.uk and have a website. My husband went and ordered some small advertising boards like the ones you see tied to lamp posts and...yes we've done that in the surrounding areas if only to remind people of my website address. And then there was the maildrop...(if i never see another letterbox again I'll be happy!)
I know a lot of business is drummed up by word of mouth so I'll have to get myself known to the parents down by the school gate. And yes I've given the school a poster to put up on the board outside the gates. Funnily enough I took my two down to feed the ducks last week and got talking to this lady who had had a flyer put through her door so that was a topic of conversation... from my point of view it probably helped to put a name to the flyer so to speak.
I'm going to enquire at the local playgroups maybe take some flyers down there.
I honestly don't think there is anything else I can do until I have built up a reputation but I would be interested to hear your own stories or advice. It's abit like waiting for a bus (only at least all my policies and planning are in place ready).
Thanks ladies
Emma