Another Assistant & numbers question

**Buzz Lightyear** · 20-08-2011, 06:33 AM

Hi,

A parent of two children I currently look after has asked whether I would be interested in taking her on as my assistant. She has gone through all the necessary training, etc and has just had her CRB through and a letter saying Ofsted will be in touch. She has also sent off an assistant form in regards to my setting and now we are just waiting.

She has asked if she can have a chat with me but I am putting this off until I have heard from Ofsted. Only problem is, I go away at the beginning of September and she is currently employed elsewhere and wants to know where she stands so she can hand in notice, etc.

Anyway my question is, I have a variation in place for three days a week whereby I am allowed to care for four children under five. Will this affect the child numbers when taking into consideration my assitant? i.e. expansion with an assistant on board?

I am basically trying to work out in my head whether it's financially viable or not. She said she realises she will have to pay for her own two children still which is a plus, it's just whether taking her on stacks up against the amount of children Ofsted will let me have or not.

Sorry if that's all a bit longwinded but hoping someone could give me an idea so I can work out costings roughly

**rickysmiths** · 20-08-2011, 10:23 AM

Firstly I had 4 under fives on my own for a couple of years. One parent then had a baby and I looked all ways round and didn't think it was worth the bother or expense of having an assistant along with what I would do if they were ill and i still had to pay them or if they were on hoilday, which parents do i let down or so i then need an emergency assistant?

There is no firm promise that if you have an assistant that Ofsted will increase your numbers. It depends on the space in your home. Remember if you go over 6 under 8s you will probably have to apply for Planning Permission from your Local Authority to change the use of your house from Domestic to Business. This process typically costs around £400 and can take 12-16 weeks depending on how efficient your authority is. One of the parts of the process is sending consulatation letters to all your neighbours.

You have to weigh up how many extra children you would need to take on to cover all these costs, to cover the assistants fees and to make you more money after all if you are not earning more why bother to go to all this trouble?

I considered all this a couple of years ago and came to the conclusion that as I had always been able to get a Variation for 4 under 5s and 2 under ones when I needed. I was comfortable caring for this number of children on my own. I didn't need to go to the expense of a 7 seater, I can fir 4 children in my normal family car. I enjoy working on my own and being neither answerable or responsible for anyone else.

My income from 4 under 5s and 2 before and after schoolers was simmilar to that of a primary school teacher so suited me fine. I worked out I would have earned less with an assistant and would have to increase numbers beyond what I feel constitutes a home based childminder to earn as much with an assistant as I did on my own. If all that makes sense?!!

**Cammie Doodle** · 20-08-2011, 11:10 AM

All of the above makes sense

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 20-08-2011, 12:26 PM

If you have an assistant the max of under 5's you will get is 6. If you assistant has 2 of her own you are now better off than you are now and if not and you take on 2 more under 5's won't that just pay her wages? What would you gain?

**Buzz Lightyear** · 21-08-2011, 07:35 AM

Thank you rickysmiths, your reply speaks volumes and it's really helped. Thank you for the reply.

DebbieS26, you are also right and to be honest, one of her children is over five and she is literally a before schooler only as she collects her from school and her youngest is only with me until 2.30 and basically takes a full time place in which I have a few on a waiting list so for her to pull them would actually increase my revenue anyway because I could replace him with a full-timer (if Ofsted allow as they are my variation - siblings and to loose them wouldn't automatically mean Ofsted would allow me another under 5 with no reason.....)

Great replies there, thank you