Ratios !!! New and confused :-/

[littlebears]

Hello everyone :) I'm a bit confused I start minding from next week and on my book I have part time 6 year old 17 hrs x 2 year old for 2 mornings a week and a 3 year old for 20 hrs a week , so I know I got space for an under 1 year old , but can I try to fill the space of the other 3 days I don't have the 2 year old cus she is only 2 morning with another young child , sorry if it confused u :: i confuse myself most of the time lol ,

[Rick]

At any one time you can have 3 pre-schoolers, 3 schoolies up to 8 years old then any others over 8.

I used to take one child to pre-school, pick up another, take her home then pick up LO from pre-school. The two children were never here together and effectively took up one space.

Don't know if that helps or not

[littlebears]

Thank u , that's what I was thinking if they don't over Lap would it be ok to have more then 6 under 8s on my books as long as I can prove they don't over lap the times they are with me x

[sarah707]

Thank u , that's what I was thinking if they don't over Lap would it be ok to have more then 6 under 8s on my books as long as I can prove they don't over lap the times they are with me x

I have 9 on the books - but never more than 6 at a time - and I keep to my 3 under 5 ratios :D

[moggy]

Yes, you may actually have 4, 5, 6+ little ones on your books but you only have 3 at any one time.

1 child may do Mon + Tues, and other does Wed+Thurs+Fri, then another does all 5 days, another does Mon + Fri and another does Tues+Wed+Thurs... it is all a jigsaw!

I find it helps to draw a little grid- days of the week you are open at the top to make columns. Then make rows across for each place you have for 0-4 year olds. So, if you are open 5 days a week you have a 5 x 3 grid. Then you can write in the initials of each child to make a simple plan of your week. It is easy to see at a glance what space you have when someone phones to enquire. If you do morning/afternoon sessions then you can sub-divide your day rows into morning and afternoon.

[littlebears]

Thanks for all ur help guys so helpful being on here xxx