Problems finding staff

[Pat 41]

Hi
This is my first post on the Childminding forum so please be gentle.
I work with my friend who is a registered childminder and we have 6 to 7 children aged between 1 to 4 everyday.
But we have one small problem sick day, does anybody out there know of a agency or website where registered childminders are willing to take on from a day to a weeks work.
Sometimes days off cannot be avoided and we are finding it really hard to find someone who is not only qualified and good with the children but is willing to work just for one day.
I know the schools have supply staff and wondered if childminders do to.
Thanks for your help.

[sarah707]

Hi Pat welcome to the forum.

I have never heard of a childminders agency... certainly not in Cheshire.

I wonder if your LA has a list of currently working childminders or those with vacancies which you could use to put together some people who have free days and might want work.

good luck

[funemnx]

I've wondered this too and would be interested if there is an a solution. At the moment, if one of us is ill, we have to cancel a few of the children or contact another childminder who has spaces to help out. I suppose having more than 1 assistant registered would mean the other might be able to help out if someone was ill?

[Noomie]

I have always thought about this as I work with an assistant - what would I do if she was sick?

In the future, I am going to employ 2 part time assistants where they have the knowledge and ability to cover for each others sickness.

I know this doesn't account for my own illness. However, if I was childminding on my own, this would still be an issue. I've tried to see if a colleague or two could help out in the past however, this has just not been possible - they were full or parents would prefer to just have the day off too.

I also find that when one of us (I mean the whole gang - my family and mindees) get sick, the rest of us get it too.

[tulip0803]

I am not sure that a childminder would be covered to come in and cover another childminder's sickness. My certificate only covers me to work from my home address. A childminder could possibly come in as an emergency assistant to the childminder but I don't think it could work the other way round.

If I have the space I can take children from a childminder that is ill as a temp measure but it has to be in my home and I am not registered to work with an assistant so I would not be able to work with any that they have. We work as a local group so will cover if possible.

[Pat 41]

Thank you everyone for your replies, it has certainly given us some ideas.