Is it worth all this worry?

**hannahsstar** · 24-04-2009, 07:55 PM

I'm stressed and really do not know what to do or what to do about it.

I have been childminding for 10 years now and now have a really good full time business. Enquiries at the moment are coming in thick and fast and two sisters who i had part time hav asked to go full time, pushing my numbers over the 3 under 5yrs allowed by ofsted.

My sister is a reg. chmndr and so it seemed obvious to ask her to work with me to allow my to care for these two sisters. (My sister only has two part timers) So with ofsted's approval this is what we started to do in the beg of april.

I would pay my sister an hourly rate to help me with the children on my books.

Now, i have had another enquiry and i can only offer this child a place IF my sister helps me out some more.

However, my sister has said that yeah she will help me out, but wants more then just an hourly rate and should we become partners with all NEW children that we take on.

In theory this sounds fine, easy but when you start to think of the implications i just don't know whether it'll work. For instance who's paperwork would we use, how would it effect tax etc etc.

Does anyone have any advice on how we can make this work and what we would need to do cos my head is completely chuffin comfused to the point where i could tell everyone to chuff off and go work on a check out somewhere!!!

**Trouble** · 24-04-2009, 08:00 PM

doesnt sound like its going to work out

i think friends and family working together dont mix but thats my opinion

maybe you ask for a variation?

good luck

**michellethegooner** · 24-04-2009, 08:03 PM

hmmm not sure how this would work out, How about any new mindees are contracted to her, therefore she would do tax, accounts etc so on herself,

not sure that would benefit you though, could you try for a variation?

not much help sorry

**hannahsstar** · 24-04-2009, 08:14 PM

Hi Guys,

Ofsted won't do variation because too many children, sometimes I could have 5 under 5yrs.

The arrangement at the mo works fine, it's just what we do with future enquiries/children ???

**fionamal** · 24-04-2009, 08:21 PM

I would say if working from your home then its your paperwork to use and any new mindees split the fees 50/50 after you have deducted your share of expenses for household bills etc.

**madasahatter** · 24-04-2009, 08:29 PM

The things you need to consider is how much is your total income and how much are your expenses. Are all your places full all of the time and have you sufficient business for your sister to have the income she wants with the hours she wants to work? If you are employing her full time she might actually be earning more than if you were partners (what with fluctuating hours of children and therefore fluctuating income over the course of a day). If you were partners how would you work out the deductions for expenses? She would have to pay her contribution towards utility bills, food costs, resources etc (use of your existing resources? if you want to get down to the nitty gritty detail). She woudn't just expect to have children contracted to her without any costs.....or would she?
You need to sit down together to talk about how you both wish your business to go forwards and discuss how you would sort things out. As she's your sister then it is important to maintain a good relationship....so rather than saying...'er no I don't think this is a good idea' say 'lets sit down and talk about how we can do this so that we are both happy'. It could well be that when she sees how complicated working out the expenses etc is going to be, she may prefer to remain an employee.
I am sure there are some childminders out there who work together successfully but aren't husband and wife teams who will give some good advice.

**hannahsstar** · 24-04-2009, 09:27 PM

Thank guys, i think i've decided it's not worth it.

A different assistant it is, now just got to find one!!!

Janet

**The Juggler** · 25-04-2009, 08:57 AM

I would say you would need to be partners or otherwise you might be subject to legislation under the minimum wager act! That aside, I would steer clear personally. Friends/family and work don't usually mix. I don't even childmind for close neighbours. However, that said it's got to be down to you and your sister.

Can you not just split the children now. Go back to your full rota and your sister takes on the new child plus her previous ones. This would help her business out too and she could access the full hourly rate for those chidren. I appreciate this might mean you lose the original sisters she came to help you with, but if enquiries are thick and fast this might be the easiest route for maintaining family relations for you. No job is worth losing your sister over and once parents/husbands get involved and take sides before you know it you've a feuding family on your hands. Never worth it hon.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Nx

Originally Posted by hannahsstar

I'm stressed and really do not know what to do or what to do about it.

I have been childminding for 10 years now and now have a really good full time business. Enquiries at the moment are coming in thick and fast and two sisters who i had part time hav asked to go full time, pushing my numbers over the 3 under 5yrs allowed by ofsted.

My sister is a reg. chmndr and so it seemed obvious to ask her to work with me to allow my to care for these two sisters. (My sister only has two part timers) So with ofsted's approval this is what we started to do in the beg of april.

I would pay my sister an hourly rate to help me with the children on my books.

Now, i have had another enquiry and i can only offer this child a place IF my sister helps me out some more.

However, my sister has said that yeah she will help me out, but wants more then just an hourly rate and should we become partners with all NEW children that we take on.

In theory this sounds fine, easy but when you start to think of the implications i just don't know whether it'll work. For instance who's paperwork would we use, how would it effect tax etc etc.

Does anyone have any advice on how we can make this work and what we would need to do cos my head is completely chuffin comfused to the point where i could tell everyone to chuff off and go work on a check out somewhere!!!

**The Juggler** · 25-04-2009, 08:58 AM

That's minimum wage not wager! No reference to betting intended. sorry.

Originally Posted by nikkireid

I would say you would need to be partners or otherwise you might be subject to legislation under the minimum wager act! That aside, I would steer clear personally. Friends/family and work don't usually mix. I don't even childmind for close neighbours. However, that said it's got to be down to you and your sister.

Can you not just split the children now. Go back to your full rota and your sister takes on the new child plus her previous ones. This would help her business out too and she could access the full hourly rate for those chidren. I appreciate this might mean you lose the original sisters she came to help you with, but if enquiries are thick and fast this might be the easiest route for maintaining family relations for you. No job is worth losing your sister over and once parents/husbands get involved and take sides before you know it you've a feuding family on your hands. Never worth it hon.

Good luck whatever you decide.

Nx