Thinking of starting out

[carolbee]

Hi everyone

Love the site and have spent lots of time reading through the threads today :) Well the house work can wait a few more hours!

I have finally made a decision over the last few days to become a childminder. I am currently a teaching assistant with early years and I work in a pilot school in Wales for the Foundation programme so I am quite lucky in that respect that I already have some knowledge of what is expected.

I have e-mailed my local CIS to find out what I need to do next. Do I just need to wait for them or are there other things I could be doing in the mean time to get the ball rolling?

Also I am considering only doing breakfast care and after school care with full time in the holidays, so children between the ages of 4-12. Does anyone else only cover this age group?

I do some part time work for Sainsbury's so thought that I could possibly increase my hours there if business was a bit slow on the childminding side.
Trying to cover all my options here ;)

Well nice to meet you all, off to read some more threads now

[cuddlybunny38]

Hi Carol, welcome to the site, Sharon

[ajs]

hello and welcome to the site

you sound like you#re on the right track although i am sure you'll get more advice from others who work those hours.
best of luck though

[angeldelight]

Welcome to the forum Carol

Hope to chat more soon

Good luck

Angel xx

[tulip0803]

Hello and welcome:)

The CSSIW register childminders in Wales so you could ring your local office and ask if their is a briefing session coming up that you could go on. I rang CSSIW direct and was given the next date.

You have to attend a briefing session fist where you will be given the application forms and told how to book on an ICP course (Introduction to childminding - First part of DHC diploma in home childcare).

In Wales you have to do the course before you can submit your application forms. It can take a long time to register through CSSIW - I am up to 8 months now, from briefing session, and was a childminder in England before, I still haven't been inspected due to CRB delays. You will have to have a new one done for CSSIW. Both DH and I have recent enhanced ones for our jobs but still had to have new ones done.

It's sensible to have a back up in case things are slow - I worked in a pub for a while in a slow patch.

I haven't done just the before and after school always done it with pre-school. Good luck:)