New here :-) Childminding as a single parent?

[RachelL]

Hi everyone :) I'm new here so this is my first post - eek!
Hope you can help.

I am a single parent of a 1 year old and looking into becoming a childminder but can't afford to be worse off than I am already - is it financially viable? My jobcentre advisor wasn't very helpful and I'm finding the 'entitledto' website confusing with working out costs/tax/ni etc.

I have booked onto my local authority's childminding information session this month so hoping that will help?

I know there is demand in the area and have contact with local childminders. I am also a qualified teacher so aware of EYFS, Ofsted etc.

Any advice or experience you can give would be really appreciated

Many thanks x

[mumofone]

Hi everyone :) I'm new here so this is my first post - eek! Hope you can help. I am a single parent of a 1 year old and looking into becoming a childminder but can't afford to be worse off than I am already - is it financially viable? My jobcentre advisor wasn't very helpful and I'm finding the 'entitledto' website confusing with working out costs/tax/ni etc. I have booked onto my local authority's childminding information session this month so hoping that will help? I know there is demand in the area and have contact with local childminders. I am also a qualified teacher so aware of EYFS, Ofsted etc. Any advice or experience you can give would be really appreciated Many thanks x

Hiya :-) Welcome :-) I'm just going through the process now. It's cost me in the region of £500 to do all the necessary things you need - DBS check, pardiatric first aid training, childminding course etc but you can get a £250 grant to help but only once you're registered and have the certificate so make sure before you embark on it that you can cover the costs in the short term, good luck :-) x

[Gill Brownsword]

Hi everyone :) I'm new here so this is my first post - eek!
Hope you can help.

I am a single parent of a 1 year old and looking into becoming a childminder but can't afford to be worse off than I am already - is it financially viable? My jobcentre advisor wasn't very helpful and I'm finding the 'entitledto' website confusing with working out costs/tax/ni etc.

I have booked onto my local authority's childminding information session this month so hoping that will help?

I know there is demand in the area and have contact with local childminders. I am also a qualified teacher so aware of EYFS, Ofsted etc.

Any advice or experience you can give would be really appreciated

Many thanks x

Welcome! I'm a single parent and just starting too. I was signing on so for me the choice was easier as I have very little coming in. Are you working? I've gone onto the NEA which is for jobseekers and it gives me a little extra financial help. They pay £65 a week for the 1st 3months while you start out then it halves for 3 months before it stops and they give you a mentor to help you get things in place.

If there's demand then I'm sure you can make it work. You have the advantage of being able to start of slowly and build up your business. It took me a little longer than other people to get started as I had to save each month to pay for something new. But Im getting there now and all my stuff is with OFSTED at the moment.

You can earn up to a threshold for housing benefit and if you demonstrate that you are working over 20 hours then you can claim working tax credit.

Good luck at your info session x