Been Registered for over a month now and still no work......PANICKING!!

[Jenners]

Hello Ladies!
I am freeeeaaaking out! I've been registered since 6/3/14 and gave up work on 4/4/14, I've been advertising in my local village and have tried Facebook (that seems useless!) and not a single sniff of interest!! although my flyers say my business will be opening on May 5th I thought if people were interested they'd get in touch early?? Am I wrong?? I know it's early days but I am really worried!! (my mum and most of my friends do call me Drama Queen) joking aside though can anyone else tell me it happened like this for them??
Jen x

[natlou82]

Have you tried childcare.co.uk I've signed up 2 new sets of parents this week, both from the site. Well worth the investment for gold membership :-)

[dolly1985]

Have you advertised on childcare.co.uk? I got my first two full time mindees from there

[Tulip]

Yes me too. I have got parents from childcare.co.uk and as a gold member get to do the free courses

[Jenners]

I'm on childcare.co.uk but not with the gold membership. I thought I'd wait until I got going before I splashed out but perhaps I should sort it out sooner rather than later!
Thanks guys x

[loocyloo]

I moved 260 miles to a place where we knew no one and it took me 4 months to get my first mindee ... and that was just 1 child for 6 hrs a week. I didn't get my next mindees for another 2 mths and then by the end of the 7th month in total I was full with EY children. Took another year to take schoolies.
I am very experienced and have been a childminder for a long time.
My own children are at school so I used to talk to everyone and tell them I am a childminder, I also told everyone in every shop and place I went! I put adverts up and had adverts in my car. I wear a fleece that says 'childminder' on the back and went to toddler groups etc on my own!
Good luck.

[Mouse]

Do you know other childminders who live near you? That's how I got started. I really struggled for work in the early days, so went along to the childminding group. My first children came from other childminders passing on my name.

Once I started getting work I have never really struggled, but getting started was very hard.

Good luck & keep trying

[Nickidela]

I've been registered a month and within a week of advertising on childcare.co.uk I'd signed two sets of siblings - worth the £20 for the month. I'd already told loads of people I was registering so through word of mouth I had 4 waiting to sign up. So within a month I've got 8 children - all part time hours so am really chuffed. If you can sign up to childcare.co.uk and contact all the parents who've signed in recently. Good luck.

[karen2010]

Same as above really. I have got all my mindees from childcare.co.uk
I have been childminding a year now and am full,but took me 5 months from being registered to my first mindees starting.
I messaged every Parent within 5 miles of me,and sent 15 messages a day for ages (think that's the most you can send in a day) until eventually a Parent called me !!
Like any new business it takes time to build up, I had a few false starts, one Parent took me on then changed her mind, I was gutted ! I remember ringing my brother and sobbing down the phone, he told me it would get better and in a year I would be full and having to turn work down, I am now in that position - although I do refer new enquiries to my CM friends !
Take heart and keep going, you will look back in a years time and remember this time and wonder why you were so worried !!!
Xxxxxxx

[LittleRabbits]

I have also been looking on childcare.co.uk for when I am registered as I have found people who are on maternity looking for care in months time. Ive not got gold membership yet, I will wait till I am ofsted registered, how come I can message some parents (starting convo myself?) but not others, is this because they are gold? Is there anyway to see who is gold without clicking on their profile and trying to send a message first