Is this right decision???

[BB1982]

Hi all,

I am new to childminding, had my registration recently and was so excited but now I am really worried - 2 months and nothing but few calls and 3 visits!
I am mum of 1yr old little boy :), and he is main reason why I gave up my pervious office job and opt for this major change! I done research and all childminders around me are almost or fully booked, I gone trough literature and was well prepared for Ofsted visit (got 6 kids) and even tough I don't have experience in professional childcare I am mum so one can be sure that the child would be safe and well while with me. My house is in West London it is nice and clean and I have lots of toys and l&d resources, garden, parks are nearby and I visit play groups on regular basis.
However, nothing is happening!
I am wondering is it me or ChMs usually have trouble getting children in the beginning or always???Will I be able to cover my rent and bills???

I have profile on childcare.co.uk and hand out few flyers (more to go these days). i have to admit that I am a bit shy when I go to playgroups with my boy to give flyers to people and say that I do not have any children yet...

Was anyone in similar situation?
Is childminding right decision?

Many thanks in advance for any advice, experience or comfort!

[mum24]

Aw, just to say sometimes it can be slow to start.
Try to overcome your shyness at toddler groups, and just mention maybe to the organisers that you are newly registered and looking for children to start. Can you put a poster up on their board? Do you have a surestart centre or childminding group nearby that you could connect and advertise with? Even leaflet dropping in your local area can get results. My friend did this amongst her neighbours and it worked very well for her. Ask if the local schools and pre schools will let you advertise. One pre school near me are very good and let my friend put leaflets in each of the childrens drawers.
Think of it this way you are promoting a very good service to people, so don't be shy about coming forward,
I hope things work out soon for you.

[blue bear]

Try and make friends with some local childminders, is there a local group you can attend. I got my first break covering other childminders sickness and holiday.

[lynncjt]

I just register in the summer and so far my under 5's have either come from Childcare.co.uk or from my Facebook page.

I have a separate Childminding page on FB and have put up lots of pictures of my setting and photos of children playing (with parents permission). Parents seem to particularly like the ones of the children playing on the beach. I even had another childminder contact me about a space after finding me on FB. Make sure your name or what ever you are calling yourself and the word 'childminder' are in your page name.

HTH

[BB1982]

I just register in the summer and so far my under 5's have either come from Childcare.co.uk or from my Facebook page.

I have a separate Childminding page on FB and have put up lots of pictures of my setting and photos of children playing (with parents permission). Parents seem to particularly like the ones of the children playing on the beach. I even had another childminder contact me about a space after finding me on FB. Make sure your name or what ever you are calling yourself and the word 'childminder' are in your page name.

HTH

Great idea, I will open fb page asap (even tough for now I can only post my son's photo:)), what s ur fb name so we can be friends? Many thanks xx

[BB1982]

Thank you for all replies, this means a lot!
Great that this group exists, childminding group in my area does not exsit I tried calling CHms but hardly anyone was in a mood to talk :(
I will try with FB page, I will ask playgroup org to put my leaflet and will try with local schools, maby even nurseries! There is a sure start centre nearby will ask them as well!

I hope I will soon have good news to post here!

All the best!

xxx

[TraceyC]

Thank you for all replies, this means a lot!
Great that this group exists, childminding group in my area does not exsit I tried calling CHms but hardly anyone was in a mood to talk :(
I will try with FB page, I will ask playgroup org to put my leaflet and will try with local schools, maby even nurseries! There is a sure start centre nearby will ask them as well!

I hope I will soon have good news to post here!

All the best!

xxx

I am quite newly registered too. We live in a village quite near the primary school where two of my children attend. This has helped enormously as people do know me and know now that I am childminding. However not much business has come from it. Childcare.co.uk has yielded not one enquiry. However, I did find talking to all the pre schools (there are 3 in our area) has helped and my name has been recommended. I have now got a small baby to look after one day a week and a 15 month old two days a week. And 2 after schoolers two days a week. As I have 3 children of my own 5, 4 (at school) and a 20 month old this is plenty. I have however been quite surprised at the lack of interest.

Good luck and hang in there. I am now worrying about the impeding Ofsted inspection. You don't want to be so busy that you have no time to prepare for it.

[gegele]

you need to build friendship with your local childminder so if they have any queries they can pass on your number. It helps when it's someone else doing giving number.
go to baby group as the mums there will go back to work soon :D you don't have to come across like you're looking for work. just enjoy your son, build relation with the mother mention to anyone and their mothers that you're a childminder... sell yourself through conversation...so people remember you. If someone say "i need a childminder" one of the mum can say :"one of the mum at my group is a cm I'll ask her number...":D

word of mouth will always work better than anything else.

I work as a home carer in the evening when I first register, It took 6 months for me to earn a wage cming .

good luck:thumbsup:

[lynncjt]

Great idea, I will open fb page asap (even tough for now I can only post my son's photo:)), what s ur fb name so we can be friends? Many thanks xx

If you search Facebook for AskLynn 4 Childminding you'll find me. I don't think it matters that you can only post pictures of your son, just show him doing fun things.

[caz3007]

I got my first work via another childminder I got to know at Toddler group. She had an enquiry for 2 little boys and couldnt fit them in, so she recommended me and they stayed for over 2 years.

Others I have go via the Family Information Service, one via Childcare.co.uk and lots by word of mouth. I even found one when a lady asked me directions to the school as she was new to the area and I mentioned I was a CM and looked after her little boy for a year whilst she did a college course.

So just get out there, get talking to people, let them know what you do. Do a leaflet drop in your area, especially if there are lots of children. Leaflets on local notice boards

Good luck x

[MrsP2C]

I have been registered for 2 months and my first mindee started this week (2 days) and I have done some ad hoc days but most of my enquiries now are for new year starts. I didn't get anything in the first month but recently I've started getting referrals from other CM's (new family fingers crossed starting 3 days in jan) and I've had a couple of email enquiries from childcare.co.uk Definitely get to know the local CM's, visit baby groups & I also asked DS's nursery to add my details to their weekly email detailing my vacancies & got a call from there.

[loocyloo]

when i moved i didn't have any mindees, and my own children were at school. i knew no one where we had moved to, so i wore ( and still wear! ) a fleece with 'childminder' on the back, and told everyone i met that i was a childminder. it was hard, as i am naturally shy, but i knew i needed some mindees! i carried some business cards in my pockets and when i told anyone i was a childminder, i asked if they would take a card to pass on to someone! i also put flyers in local coffee shops and shops, and on notice boards. school put my details on their newsletter.

it took me 6 months to get mindees and a year late ri am just about full. most of my mindees are word of mouth.

good luck, you will get there

[lynnfi]

I have moved a lot in the past few years. Each time it has taken me around a year to really begin to be reasonnably full and have a decent income. Then after a year or so it goes up and up and I have to say no to new families as too full.

Give it some time :)

[Jenna]

I registered back in march and at first things were really slow i went on a major advertising campaign i put posters up everywhere local school, shops, doctors surgery, Chinese, swimming pool, you name it i was there. Even try your local antenatal clinic and health visitor they know plenty of new mums who one day will need childcare. I rung the local school who let me advertise in there weekly newsletter and put a poster on the school gate. I ordered some business cards from vista print and left them at all sorts of places. I advertised on facebook through my status but also on our local online car boot sale sites. We have a hotel just down the road who also let me put a poster in the staff room. My spaces soon filled and now i'm full with a waiting list. Things will get better like you i started to wonder if i had mad the right decisions but it has worked well in the long run. Hope this helps a little:thumbsup: