Do you work with your partner/DH?

[Chatterbox Childcare]

My DH has given notice and in 2 weeks is working with me full time on a self employed basis (yet to confirm with the tax office) and share the profits. Does anyone else do this?

I am wondering what advantages there would be if he registered in his own right. Can anyone else share their experiences?

Lastly, did anyone get their numbers raised? I currently have 9 under 8 with 6 under 5 if working with an assistant but I want more - greedy me! What is your experience?

Thanks

[scamp]

Sorry, can't help with the first two points, but theoretically you could both get a variation to allow you each four under fives if you could prove experience/quals/equipment and ability to manage routines etc. Oh - and sufficient floor space of course.

As a new minder I doubt your dh would qualify for that but you probably would so one extra under five might be granted for now.

Personally, if you have the space, I would employ a further assistant and apply for more children that way:D

Watch out for planning permission and potentially difficult neighbours though.

[kindredspirits]

I was under the impression that you could only have a max. of 6 under 5's with an assistant OR working alongside another CM??? You may be able to have your number of after school children raised to 3 each I think - I don't think you'd get any more under 5's though as a variation would have to be granted on the basis of continuation of care - and if he is just starting to work with you then i don't think that would stand up.

[scamp]

Before I started working with an assistant I applied for a variation to care for four under fives and was granted it. It wasn't for continuation of care or for named children only. I did however state in my application that I ONLY cared for under fives and didn't do school runs so wouldn't be caring for any children apart from those four.

[sarah707]

My partner registered and there aren't many benefits tbh. He has to go on courses and will be inspected which he dreads.

He can collect children from school without special permissions.. I think that's about it!

We decided not to go for extra children because of the cost and hassle of planning permission - and my neighbours knowing my business and being able to object to what I do.

We have a written agreement which states who does what and how the money is distributed... but then he's not my husband so I don't know if you would feel the need to do that.

Hth :D

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Thanks for your replies ladies - I don't want anymore under 5's as we will have 6 between us and this is already granted but I do want 12 under 8's if I can getting 6 under 5 and 6 from 5 to 8

Anyone else got any experiences they could share?

[wellybelly]

My husband works full time but has holidays and then works with me. It's great because he can do school runs, or have the little ones at home whilst I do the school runs and I can offer more flexibility to parents on extra days and offer more places in the school hols. He's great with the children and enjoys it but does get frustrated with the amount of paperwork involved. He leaves it ti me anyway.

Take the deep snow earlier this year - he stayed with the little ones at home in the warm and got the tea (and hot chocolate!) readywhilst I walked to do the school run. Normally it's done in the car but the snow was too deep and the poor little ones could'nt have coped with the walk.

In December I am due to give birth to my 3rd child. He is taking time off work to help run the childminding business whilst I have a break.

He did'nt want to be my assistant and is registered in his own right becuase he did'nt want me to have the satisfaction of being his boss!

It does work really well.

We can have 11 under the age of 8 together but have never reached that level.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

My husband works full time but has holidays and then works with me. It's great because he can do school runs, or have the little ones at home whilst I do the school runs and I can offer more flexibility to parents on extra days and offer more places in the school hols. He's great with the children and enjoys it but does get frustrated with the amount of paperwork involved. He leaves it ti me anyway.

Take the deep snow earlier this year - he stayed with the little ones at home in the warm and got the tea (and hot chocolate!) readywhilst I walked to do the school run. Normally it's done in the car but the snow was too deep and the poor little ones could'nt have coped with the walk.

In December I am due to give birth to my 3rd child. He is taking time off work to help run the childminding business whilst I have a break.

He did'nt want to be my assistant and is registered in his own right becuase he did'nt want me to have the satisfaction of being his boss!

It does work really well.

We can have 11 under the age of 8 together but have never reached that level.

lol I can't see my DH doing this!! he will have to get used to being bossed around!

[TheBTeam]

My husband worked with me as an assistant for two years on a self employed basis before registering in his own right almost two and half years ago, we are allowed 3 under 5 and 3 5-8's each, so we can have 12 between us under 8, we were told under no circumstances would they give us more than 6 under 5 and we originally had to have 2 between 5 and 8 each until our daughter turned 8 this year, when i wrote to have the numbers upped to 3 each.

They did a brief check on floorspace.