Childminding lack of children due to recession?

**larlinlisa** · 26-09-2011, 12:31 PM

Hello

I was wondering if people are finding that due to the new goverment cuts that childminding is slowly cutting down?

I was talking to nursery and their numbers have nearly halved due to mothers just having to give up work now?

How are you all finding it?

Regard

Lisa x

**miffy** · 26-09-2011, 01:10 PM

TBH I am OK - mostly full and turning down work. That can all change very quickly though.

Miffy xx

**Greengrass74** · 26-09-2011, 01:13 PM

Touch wood at the moment we are full, have been for the last 6 months, but like miffy says, that can all change, unfortunatly that is the nature of the beast for childminding.

**singingcactus** · 26-09-2011, 01:16 PM

I'm full at the moment. I was hoping to cut right down to just one full time child next month. But instead I have gone up to 5 again

. For me though it is my location, and serious lack of childcare options here. Hurry up you two who are getting posted here!

**Zoomie** · 26-09-2011, 01:22 PM

I've had a 4 day vacancy since May. A number of other childminders local to me also have vacancies.

Don't know if it is mum just staying home, the recession, market saturation or something else or a combo of everything ...

I do have some children and 9h days but generally only with 1-2 children, and then an extra 1 or 2 after school, so suppose I shouldn't complain too much.

**snufflepuff** · 26-09-2011, 01:31 PM

One of my current mindees has reduced her hours because Mum's hours have been cut at work. And I had a child leave me to be cared for my Grandma in March this year because parents couldn't afford childcare even with vouchers etc.
Things are very quiet- I've only had about 8-10 enquiries since I registered (in Feb 2010) and I know of a new minder who has been registered 3 months and still had no interest.

**natalie28** · 26-09-2011, 07:33 PM

I was approved in April, I am very surprised with the lack of calls, emails re childcare.
I have 2 mindees before and after school twice a week. I dont know what to do as this is not enough to carry on :-(

**fatima** · 26-09-2011, 07:51 PM

I have only been registered since august and the only childminder in my area I have 2 after school 5 days a weeek and are with me full time when school holidays 1 mindee for 3 full days and 2 mindees for 2 full days so i count myself really lucky as i was not sure there would be a demand for a childminder as there is a nursery and a nursery/creche who also do after schoolies but again agree with other this could all change very quickly.

**The Juggler** · 26-09-2011, 08:38 PM

i'm ok at the moment but I'm lucky that most of my parents are teachers or school staff so not too many redundancies due to private business cuts and teachers are not an area being cut by LA's at present.

However, I know lots of parents cutting hours due to work/tax credit changes and partner redundancies.

**JCrakers** · 27-09-2011, 01:12 PM

I had no phonecalls from Nov10 until a couple of weeks ago. Now things seem to be picking up at last with a family taking two days and another wanting 2 days after Xmas.

There are a lot of childminders in my town though....probably 30 and probably about 6-7 nurseries

We already had a lot of nurseries when nunu set up a few years ago

Becky

**larlinlisa** · 27-09-2011, 03:56 PM

thank you all for your replies x

**Tatjana** · 29-09-2011, 06:38 PM

I've been trying to start up again since June, after being on maternity leave. It's just not happening, only 2 enquiries, 1 of which was for after christmas and the other a time waster

**rosebud** · 29-09-2011, 07:31 PM

I was graded outstanding in May and I have always been full for years. Now they've all started school and since August I have had 3 - yes 3, full time vacancies!! I have no under 5's work and only one after schooler for 2 evenings. I currently work 4 hours a week. (hence why I'm on here so much) I live on my own with two children and it has been awful, I haven't paid my mortgage for 2 months.
I had an email today though to confirm a start date for two pre-school siblings, part time but anything is good at the moment and also had a phone call for a full-timer for January, parent is coming on monday. I'm really hoping that this means that things are getting better!

**justdaz** · 29-09-2011, 07:34 PM

At the moment I am full and turning work away/passing on to others.

As others have said it can change in an instant. £ of my LO's will all leave next summer which could be a worry.

**justdaz** · 29-09-2011, 07:37 PM

Oopps sorry!! that should have read '3 of my LO's' and not '£'

**Carrie1983** · 30-09-2011, 09:14 AM

I am in the SW and things are fine here. Nurseries are full and have wait lists; rural area and quite a few childminders but I am newly registered and already full. Well, I have one under 5 space left for a Monday and one 5-8 space left. So I am as full as I want to be!

I think it's a 2-edged sword. While some mums have lost their jobs or leave because they can't afford childcare (which was always the case, even pre-recessions), many mums who previously wouldn't have worked, are being driven out to work by rising household bills and costs - you've got increases in fuel and food costs for starters!

So I think it's swings and roundabouts and for those who are just making ends meet, a childminder is often a more affordable option!!

**Carrie1983** · 30-09-2011, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by The Juggler

i'm ok at the moment but I'm lucky that most of my parents are teachers or school staff so not too many redundancies due to private business cuts and teachers are not an area being cut by LA's at present.

However, I know lots of parents cutting hours due to work/tax credit changes and partner redundancies.

I am a teacher and teaching vacancies are being cut; it isn't always obvious because the teacher that is made redundant is later replaced by an NQT who costs lots less. The govt keep paying out these bursaries to get people into teaching, but there are hardly any jobs, which is why they just extended the supply limit after qualifying, from 16 months to 5 years!! My mum lost her house last year after working in the same school for 11 years, earning nearly 40k, and being made redundant with 3 others at the school, because the LEA (rhondda-cynon-taff) made cuts. A few months later an NQT was brought into a slightly different titled post but basically doing her job! Still, she was lucky to only lose her house - one of the others had a heart attack.

But I do like the idea of teacher contracts because of the term time only aspect.

**ruby** · 30-09-2011, 09:32 PM

at the end of june it was looking like we would be quite with mindees moving and going to school but we are now full.
i would say it 50/50 here with some C/m full and others struggling.

**Bluebell** · 02-10-2011, 05:21 PM

I live in an area where there has always been a desperate shortage of childminders and they have always been full and had to have variations so they can increase their numbers to accommodate demand. Since registering in April I've barely had any enquiries and some of the childminders that said they would pass on my details and have very good reputations are struggling to fill their own spaces.

Lack of Work is a factor as is income versus childcare costs. Mums can now have a full 12 months maternity leave and local pre-schools can take from 2 years old now whereas previously it tended to be 3. Many people I know rely on friends and family or try and work shifts that can be worked around their partners. Its hard times for everyone and I don't really see it getting any better.

**Bluebell** · 02-10-2011, 05:26 PM

Carrie - I am also in a fairly rural area in the southwest and i would say that demand for childminders has definitely gone down in this area. whereabouts are you?