Start up questions

[SophieRJ]

Hi all,

I have toyed with the idea of becoming a childminder for some time, and I have decided today that I am going to go for it!

My local council is refusing to answer any questions on the phone and are insisting I put everything in writing to them by email, which is frustrating me!
Can anyone here please answer my questions? Sorry, I have a few!

1. Their next childminder briefing session is on 16th May, and then 29th June. I am away in May, so I can only attend the next one which is just shy of 3 months away! Is this a requirement I have to do in order to become a childminder? This is not the pre-registration training - I think this is additional to that.

2. My 'space' - I have 3 rooms in my house which I currently have set up as 'classrooms' for my own children as I am going to be home educating them have one room which is 12' x 9'8", my living room which is 17'5" x 15' and a smaller room which is 10'10 x 9'8". There is a downstairs toilet. Outside I have a 100' garden with mud kitchen, and a 20' x 8' raised patio (fenced) outside the patio doors, which currently has a sand pit and will soon have planting beds and a keyhole garden for planting and composting.

I am a Montessori teacher, my children are 16 months and 3 years at the moment, and will nearly be 2 & 3.5 when I intend to start. I have all the Montessori equipment already in my home, it is all set up etc as my children already use the space.

I feel I have a good set up, but I was wondering a) if my floor space is big enough to have 2 assistants/9 under 5s (I would probably not have under 1s to be honest); b) if I have children after/before school (I live just down the road from 2 schools) will I need an even larger space? b) if I have forgotten anything! Is the raised patio going to be a problem? It is uneven but that can be sorted.

I also have stairs which are open. I have a stair gate, but the staircase itself is not enclosed, and the steps are similar to 'floating' steps - will I need to box these in?

3. How long does it realistically take to register as a childminder? I was looking at the 3 months they quote, but I might not even be able to start until this briefing session, so we are looking at October! Is that a long time to wait to get started?

4. Do you have problems finding enough children? I know it will probably take time to increase to the full amount, but I was wondering if things like your hours and when you operate hinder it? In my plans for our homeschool, I wanted to always have June-August off school, but if I was childminding, I would hope to still have July & August off and 2 weeks over Christmas, but I recognise that these are awkward times to have off - does anyone else do something similar? Do you think I will be at a disadvantage if I do that? And I was thinking of operating 4 days a week, having Fridays off... again, would that be a problem?

Thanks!

[moggy]

Hi all,

I have toyed with the idea of becoming a childminder for some time, and I have decided today that I am going to go for it!

My local council is refusing to answer any questions on the phone and are insisting I put everything in writing to them by email, which is frustrating me!
Can anyone here please answer my questions? Sorry, I have a few!

1. Their next childminder briefing session is on 16th May, and then 29th June. I am away in May, so I can only attend the next one which is just shy of 3 months away! Is this a requirement I have to do in order to become a childminder? This is not the pre-registration training - I think this is additional to that.

2. My 'space' - I have 3 rooms in my house which I currently have set up as 'classrooms' for my own children as I am going to be home educating them have one room which is 12' x 9'8", my living room which is 17'5" x 15' and a smaller room which is 10'10 x 9'8". There is a downstairs toilet. Outside I have a 100' garden with mud kitchen, and a 20' x 8' raised patio (fenced) outside the patio doors, which currently has a sand pit and will soon have planting beds and a keyhole garden for planting and composting.

I am a Montessori teacher, my children are 16 months and 3 years at the moment, and will nearly be 2 & 3.5 when I intend to start. I have all the Montessori equipment already in my home, it is all set up etc as my children already use the space.

I feel I have a good set up, but I was wondering a) if my floor space is big enough to have 2 assistants/9 under 5s (I would probably not have under 1s to be honest); b) if I have children after/before school (I live just down the road from 2 schools) will I need an even larger space? b) if I have forgotten anything! Is the raised patio going to be a problem? It is uneven but that can be sorted.

I also have stairs which are open. I have a stair gate, but the staircase itself is not enclosed, and the steps are similar to 'floating' steps - will I need to box these in?

3. How long does it realistically take to register as a childminder? I was looking at the 3 months they quote, but I might not even be able to start until this briefing session, so we are looking at October! Is that a long time to wait to get started?

4. Do you have problems finding enough children? I know it will probably take time to increase to the full amount, but I was wondering if things like your hours and when you operate hinder it? In my plans for our homeschool, I wanted to always have June-August off school, but if I was childminding, I would hope to still have July & August off and 2 weeks over Christmas, but I recognise that these are awkward times to have off - does anyone else do something similar? Do you think I will be at a disadvantage if I do that? And I was thinking of operating 4 days a week, having Fridays off... again, would that be a problem?

Thanks!

1. Interesting question- nothing in the EYFS says you have to attend the LA pre-reg briefing meetings, but it is a valuable source of local info as LAs can enforce local requirement for the childcare course they want you to do and local safeguarding courses and advise on local Environmental Health dept requirements and advise on any local/national grants/funding for starting up. There is no reason why you can not get on with all the other things while you wait for this pre-rg briefing, though- like the paediatric first aid course. But I think this is a question for the LA- in writing if needs be!

2. Space- you need to measure up and follow EYFS rules, it is in meters though so you might need to measure again! To look after children over 5 they must not have a negative impact on the EYFS children, so space will have to be one of your considerations- you will need the space requirement per EYFS child plus space for older children (although no space requirement is given for older children, you have to assess that yourself).
Outdoor space- there is not space requirement there, raised areas are fine- you just have to risk assess yourself, supervise etc. If they are safe enough for your family you may decide they are safe enough for well supervised mindees.

Staircase- can a child fall through the gap? Are you happy with your own children using your stairs? Risk assess, think how you will supervise the stairs, are you going to be a nervous wreak every time a mindee uses them? if so, you might want to make adjustments!


3. 3-6 mths is reasonable, the childcare course can take months, you have to find and maybe wait for a paediatric first aid course to be running in your area, doctor's health declaration can take time, DBSs and the social services and police checks Ofsted do can take a-g-e-s!

4. Opening hours- most childminders are either open all year (with approx 4, 5 or 6 weeks closed for annual leave). Or open term time only (so close in the local school holidays). To say you will close all July and August would be a problem for even term-time only families as they are often employed in the education world and are tied to school term times. To close 2 weeks at Christmas is not unheard of and if you give plenty of notice it could be fine for some families.

Opening 4 days a week is very normal for a CMer, I do. Many mums work part time and only want 2, 3 or 4 days and some use grandparents for 1-2 days a week so that is no problem.

What you are describing, though is edging on a nursery-at-home, though, so I think there are lots of other issues but you may well have them sorted-

There is the potential for 7 cars and sets of parents driving up, parking, dropping/collecting and driving off again twice a day all at roughly the same time- can your neighbourhood cope with that? traffic? parking? neighbours? Are your neighbours supportive? Some may have their own ideas about the idea of 9 children playing over the fence 4 days a week 8-6pm!

You plan to HE and I think that is fab, my sisiter HEs but that is the very reason she does not become a CMer! It ties you to the house so much, limits where you can go and when, needing to get back for naps, playgroup collections, school runs, home times etc. She HEs her 8 and 10yo (has done for 4 years) and is out and about all over the place, museums, visits to all kinds of things, workshops, activity sessions and clubs, local-HE-organised classes and groups, over-night visits to places, whole day outings that taking even 1 toddler to would be a drag, let alone 7 toddlers, and much would be impossible if you have to be back for the school run at 3pm every day.

Although you can have assistants they can not be left alone with their allocated children (following EYFS ratios) for more than 2 hours a day, so you yourself are very much tied to being there for all the children all day. Your own children will have to fit in. At the moment they are little and will all be joining in but how will 4/5.5yo, 6/7.5yo feel about being with toddlers all day when they want to go do exciting 'big-children' things?

We all start small, just 1 mindee to start with (sometimes 2!) and then we take on more as we get confident and find more business. Your plans sound grand in every sense of the word and very impressive. It may take time, though, to build up to that so I would make sure your business model allows for that, and of course our work fluctuates greatly as families come and go with just 4 weeks notice usually!

Good luck with it and I hope you get some good support here.

[tulip0803]

Hi all,

I have toyed with the idea of becoming a childminder for some time, and I have decided today that I am going to go for it!

My local council is refusing to answer any questions on the phone and are insisting I put everything in writing to them by email, which is frustrating me!
Can anyone here please answer my questions? Sorry, I have a few!

1. Their next childminder briefing session is on 16th May, and then 29th June. I am away in May, so I can only attend the next one which is just shy of 3 months away! Is this a requirement I have to do in order to become a childminder? This is not the pre-registration training - I think this is additional to that. It does depend which country you are in. Most childminders are in England but the rules are different for Wales/Scotland & NI. I was a childminder in England and moved to Wales I had to attend the briefing session to tell me about becoming a childminder :rolleyes:

2. My 'space' - I have 3 rooms in my house which I currently have set up as 'classrooms' for my own children as I am going to be home educating them have one room which is 12' x 9'8", my living room which is 17'5" x 15' and a smaller room which is 10'10 x 9'8". There is a downstairs toilet. Outside I have a 100' garden with mud kitchen, and a 20' x 8' raised patio (fenced) outside the patio doors, which currently has a sand pit and will soon have planting beds and a keyhole garden for planting and composting. The EYFS in England, NMS in Wales and the regulations for Scotland/NI set out the free floor space that needs to be available for each age of child.

I am a Montessori teacher, my children are 16 months and 3 years at the moment, and will nearly be 2 & 3.5 when I intend to start. I have all the Montessori equipment already in my home, it is all set up etc as my children already use the space. Your own children will each take an under 5 space until they turn 5 (the Sept after they turn 5 in England) as they will be home educated and will not be attending full-time school.

I feel I have a good set up, but I was wondering a) if my floor space is big enough to have 2 assistants/9 under 5s (I would probably not have under 1s to be honest); b) if I have children after/before school (I live just down the road from 2 schools) will I need an even larger space? b) if I have forgotten anything! Is the raised patio going to be a problem? It is uneven but that can be sorted. You local authority may limit you to the number of children/assistants yu can work with without going for full planning permission for change of use on you premises. If you did this you may find that you become liable for business rates/ business refuse collections including hazardous waste and may find it difficult to sell your house as it is no longer just residential.

I also have stairs which are open. I have a stair gate, but the staircase itself is not enclosed, and the steps are similar to 'floating' steps - will I need to box these in? You will need to risk assess and prove to inspector that they are not a danger to children in your care. They may ask for you to block them in before registration or they may not. Depends on inspector

3. How long does it realistically take to register as a childminder? I was looking at the 3 months they quote, but I might not even be able to start until this briefing session, so we are looking at October! Is that a long time to wait to get started? People have been quoting anything from 3-12 months to register after completion of courses. You need to do the courses, first aid safeguarding, dbs for anyone over 16 in your home, social services checks before they will come out to meet you and check your house.

4. Do you have problems finding enough children? I know it will probably take time to increase to the full amount, but I was wondering if things like your hours and when you operate hinder it? In my plans for our homeschool, I wanted to always have June-August off school, but if I was childminding, I would hope to still have July & August off and 2 weeks over Christmas, but I recognise that these are awkward times to have off - does anyone else do something similar? Do you think I will be at a disadvantage if I do that? And I was thinking of operating 4 days a week, having Fridays off... again, would that be a problem? As Moggy said childminders tend to work term-time only or All-year. I work all year as my parents work all year. term time only parents tend to work in education and if state schools they will need care in July. I have only had one parent ask for term time only recently and she ended up sending Lo as she wanted me-time. Lots of minders have the 2 weeks off at Christmas. It depends on supply and demand in your area about how quickly you fill your spaces.
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Thanks!

Good luck xx