childcare.co.uk emails from parents

**SYLVIA** · 14-04-2014, 09:33 PM

I've had an email today saying a parent on childcare.co.uk has tried to email me but can't as I'm not a gold member. Is this something new. I thought parents had contacted me before through email.

**leahsfx** · 14-04-2014, 10:54 PM

It must be new.. I had the same thing today but a few weeks back it was ok. I think you need to be a gold member to receive messages now as well as send them x

**amyp** · 15-04-2014, 05:26 AM

If a parent is a member they can see your details- previous parents who have contacted you may have been members?

**karen2010** · 15-04-2014, 05:39 AM

Yep you have to be a Gold member - worth it though all my Parents are from the site - even though I'm full staying on as hoping to get bookings for September xxxx

**Mouse** · 15-04-2014, 07:12 AM

Only one of you needs to be a gold member to be able to make contact.

At one time you had to be a gold member to be able to message someone, even if they were already. So if a cm was a gold member but a parent wasn't, the parent couldn't contact you, but you could contact them when you'd had notification that they'd looked at your profile.

Now, if the cm is a gold member, a parent can contact them without having to be a gold member themselves. That's why you sometimes get an email through saying a parent has tried to contact you but can't because you're not a gold member. It's to give you the heads up that someone is interested, but because neither of you are gold members you can't contact each other.

I've seen lots of angry people on FB who seem to think these emails mean a parent is a gold member, so has tried to contact you, but can't because you're not a gold member as well. The issue isn't with childcare.co.uk, but with the cm not understanding how it works!

I rarely have vacancies, but when I do I just sign up for a month. That's usually long enough to fill any spaces I have.

**Mouse** · 15-04-2014, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by SYLVIA

I've had an email today saying a parent on childcare.co.uk has tried to email me but can't as I'm not a gold member. Is this something new. I thought parents had contacted me before through email.

Perhaps the parents who contacted you before were gold members, so could contact you. The ones trying to contact you now won't be gold members and neither are you. Only one of you needs to be a member.

**Mouse** · 15-04-2014, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by leahsfx

It must be new.. I had the same thing today but a few weeks back it was ok. I think you need to be a gold member to receive messages now as well as send them x

One of you needs to be a gold member, but onlyone of you.

If the parent was a gold member you would be able to read their message, whether you were or not.

Simona · 15-04-2014, 07:18 AM

Sorry for being a bit thick on this...but how does a parent contact a cm who uses a 'username' in a forum and ask her for childcare not knowing in which area the cm lives?

I went to update my password on Mumsnet.... which I rarely use now as a social media..... and saw this being discussed there which made me aware cms in this forum also use Mumsnet and possibly under a different name

**Mouse** · 15-04-2014, 07:22 AM

We're talking about childcare.co.uk Simona, where parents can search for a childminder near them.

I don't use mumsnet, so don't know how that works.

Simona · 15-04-2014, 07:27 AM

Originally Posted by Mouse

We're talking about childcare.co.uk Simona, where parents can search for a childminder near them.

I don't use mumsnet, so don't know how that works.

Thanks Mouse....yes I understand you are talking about childcare.co.uk that is why I asked how do parents contact a cm for childcare if that member uses a username? how do parents contact someone in their area?
Sorry not really important to me ...I was just puzzled?

I only mentioned Mumsnet because this is being discussed there too...I don't know either how it works there but I think it can be done as well

**Mouse** · 15-04-2014, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

Thanks Mouse....yes I understand you are talking about childcare.co.uk that is why I asked how do parents contact a cm for childcare if that member uses a username? how do parents contact someone in their area?
Sorry not really important to me ...I was just puzzled?

I only mentioned Mumsnet because this is being discussed there too...I don't know either how it works there but I think it can be done as well

There's a facility where a parent can search for a childminder within their postcode, or where a childminder can search for a parent in their area who is looking for a cm.
Contact is then made through the website, so it doesn't really matter what name is used. Each member can complete information about themselves (a childminder saying what they offer, or a parent saying what they're looking for), then there is a messaging facility. Real names are exchanged once you're messaging privately.

If I'm looking for work I do a search of parents local to me. I read what they're looking for and if it's something I can do, I message them through the site. Parents rarely use their real name in their profile either, but it's not a problem once you've messaged them.

Simona · 15-04-2014, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Mouse

There's a facility where a parent can search for a childminder within their postcode, or where a childminder can search for a parent in their area who is looking for a cm.
Contact is then made through the website, so it doesn't really matter what name is used. Each member can complete information about themselves (a childminder saying what they offer, or a parent saying what they're looking for), then there is a messaging facility. Real names are exchanged once you're messaging privately.

If I'm looking for work I do a search of parents local to me. I read what they're looking for and if it's something I can do, I message them through the site. Parents rarely use their real name in their profile either, but it's not a problem once you've messaged them.

Thank you...all clear now.

**rickysmiths** · 15-04-2014, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by Simona

Sorry for being a bit thick on this...but how does a parent contact a cm who uses a 'username' in a forum and ask her for childcare not knowing in which area the cm lives?

I went to update my password on Mumsnet.... which I rarely use now as a social media..... and saw this being discussed there which made me aware cms in this forum also use Mumsnet and possibly under a different name

Parents will enter their postcode to locate childminders nearest to them. I have a 'user name' on childcare.co but I have my phone numbers and email. My phone number also gives and idea of the area I am in because of the area code. I have never had a problem and recently have been inundated with inquiring parents all who live or work within 2 miles of me.

**Richard** · 15-04-2014, 12:30 PM

Mouse explained the improved benefits really well above thank you.

Just to confirm that free members can still read and reply to messages from gold members as usual but now we also allow free members to send messages to gold members and view their direct contact details.

This means that gold members are receiving a lot more messages and calls because any free member can now contact them.

The emails described above are sent to you if you are a free member and another free member has tried to contact you. We have never provided a totally free service between 2 free members but previously you would never have known if another free member had tried to contact you.

**alwaysright** · 15-04-2014, 08:29 PM

do they offer a discount to forum members? i know they used to but i am going back quite a while

**Rick** · 15-04-2014, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by alwaysright

do they offer a discount to forum members? i know they used to but i am going back quite a while

There is a 50% discount for green members. You need over 300 posts which you have so PM Richard and he will be able to assist you

**alwaysright** · 15-04-2014, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

There is a 50% discount for green members. You need over 300 posts which you have so PM Richard and he will be able to assist you

oh thankyou! so i pm richard on this site and just ask him?? is richard the owner of childcare.co.uk?

**SYLVIA** · 15-04-2014, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

Mouse explained the improved benefits really well above thank you.

Just to confirm that free members can still read and reply to messages from gold members as usual but now we also allow free members to send messages to gold members and view their direct contact details.

This means that gold members are receiving a lot more messages and calls because any free member can now contact them.

The emails described above are sent to you if you are a free member and another free member has tried to contact you. We have never provided a totally free service between 2 free members but previously you would never have known if another free member had tried to contact you.

OK thanks for that. All clear now thank you. How much is gold membership?

**wee_elf** · 16-04-2014, 08:59 PM

A lot of the minders in this area that I have spoken to have said they have found a lot of families through childcare.co.uk, but they tend to sign up on a month by month basis when needed, does anyone else do this? x

**Mouse** · 16-04-2014, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by wee_elf

A lot of the minders in this area that I have spoken to have said they have found a lot of families through childcare.co.uk, but they tend to sign up on a month by month basis when needed, does anyone else do this? x

That's what I do. The last time I had a vacancy was about a year ago. I looked for parents near me who needed the hours I could offer, I signed up for a month, contacted those parents and filled my space within the first couple of days