Dont know what to do!

[natalie28]

Hi

I got credited as a childminder in April, i still have no interest or children. A few phonecalls but no definates for September.

I have spoken to a few childminders in my area and they said its quiet.

Not sure whether to carry on or look for another job, feeling a bit down by it as i havent done all this work for nothing :-(

I have advertised via netmums, this site, my car, school.

Not sure what to do :(

[babs]

keep your chin up i found that i got nothing in first couple of months now im turning them away... sometimes its all or nothing.. do you attend play groups in the area? i have few inquirys from the one i go to. if you dont want to go on your own ask someone you know with a child either take them yourself or go alone with parents. also pop in to local college and give them some leaflets to hand out to parents going to college in sept that need childcare. leaflet drop in local schools asking them to give one to each child i know it seems a lot if its a big school but the work is there, parents just need to know you are too..

[Happy Bunny]

I have had vacancies for a year, have advertised on yell.com, freeindex, plus various other sites.
Make sure you update your vacancies with you local Family Information every few months that way you go to the top of the list.
Think its due to the current economic climate, plus the fact there are a lot of childminders in my area.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the phone will start ringing soon.

[funemnx]

When I moved house I had to start over again and sometimes it can take a while. In the meantime I took a few domestic cleaning jobs to earn some money. The fact that I had a few at different times of the week meant that I could either give them all up for a full timer or give up one or two as part-time work came along.

I hope things pick up for you soon x

[Goatgirl]

Hi,
If you haven't already, it's worth a look on childcare.co.uk.
I got a couple of part timers from there and i message parents who seem to fit my spaces :thumbsup:

best of luck :)

wendy :)

[littleguy1]

I feel the same. I've only been registered 4 weeks but because the process has taken so long, I am eager to just get started now! I am forever checking my e mails and just want some children to look after! Every day that goes by feels like an eternity!

[natalie28]

Thank you for your advice everyone.

Vick I keep checking my emails, phone etc. It's gets a bit obsessive :-)

I just expected to have a load of calls, how wrong am I. We live in a little village. And assumed that people were crying out for childcare, like we were when I went back to work after having my 1st. We ended up travelling the opposite way to get childcare!

Oh well! :-(

[Jo Jo]

Im in the same boat as you hun, Registered since march had a few enquiries but no mindees yet, ive got three interested for next year, but i just want to start now and need the money too. Ofsted also phoned to ask if i had any mindees in the ey group, i had to say ive not started yet, i think they wanted to do my first graded inspection,

Oh well, keep your chin up and i hope something comes along soon for you x

[julie w]

mOST SCHOOLS HAVE A NEWSLETTER, YOU COULD ASK IF THEY WOULD MENTION YOU IN THEIR NEXT LETTER. GOOD LUCK. IT REALLY DOES SEEM ALL OR NOTHING SOMETIMES.XXX :sorry accidental capitals

[SamBaker]

I have been registered a year next week and have found it really hard going to get children, it really does seem to go in fits and starts I think. I have messaged a number of Mums on The childcare website and have had a couple of children from there, the most annoying thing is when the people looking don't even look at their messages! I have got three in a row that I messaged last week and they haven't even been opened ( not that I'm checking every five minutes lol!!!)
I'm sure it will pick up though, just takes a while for word to get around I think.

[littleguy1]

Yes so true, it does get obsessive! My poor little boy thinks my face is the back of a laptop! We need the money too, and yep, likewise, thought it would just instantly happen :-(

[hollyberry]

Hi. I got credited as a childminder in April, i still have no interest or children. A few phonecalls but no definates for September. I have spoken to a few childminders in my area and they said its quiet. Not sure whether to carry on or look for another job, feeling a bit down by it as i havent done all this work for nothing :-(. I have advertised via netmums, this site, my car, school. Not sure what to do :(

I'm in totally the same boat. Have done LOADS of advertising and regularly trawl through chidcare.co.uk, phone calls but they never turn into a visit. I have been seriously pushing for mindees for six weeks and nothing coming up at all. Feel totally deflated myself - not to mention worries about money. Have limited childcare options so even finding a part time job would be v difficult indeed. Guess all we can do is hang on in there.

[natalie28]

I am like you Holly, looked at evening/weekend work but not alot around the area. Plus my husband works some evenings and weekends. I really thought this was my answer to my prays.

Oh well fingers cross for everyone in the same boat xx

[JoJo*]

Im hoping as soon as Sept comes there will be more demand for us - ive just handed in my notice at an office job to start minding - am now thinking "WHAT HAVE I DONE"???
fingers crossed for us all!
xxx

[Babycat]

My poor little boy thinks my face is the back of a laptop!

Just LOL but trying to hold it in! ive been trying to set up on maternity leave so my LO must presume the same and has an obsession with my iphone too lol

[natalie28]

Hi

Has anyone had any interest?

This is getting very depressing, I have 2 children to start in sept before and afterschool. I was really hoping for a under 5 full time, to make this business work.

Not liking this one bit, what to do?

:-( Natalie

[brightstart44]

Hi there,

I was only reg on 11th July and had one waiting before I was reg, and have just signed up my second mindee. I admit that I live in a busy town with lots of primary schools so I think I am in the right area to begin with, but here are my hints and tips:

1. Get to know as many local CM's as possible - if they're full ask them to give out your details.

2. Speak to CHYPiS/FIS once a week to go to the top of the list.

3. Get business cards and keep them with you all the time, pass them to anyone who may need you - great for when you're in the park/supermarket etc

4. Get all your hairdresser and beautician friends to take your cards to pass out, they have such a wide client base that they'll know who to recommend when someone asks!

5. Get your free Yell.com listing, and anything else that is free.

6. Spread the word at your local school as soon as they re-open in Sept.

7. Consider printed polo's - don't be afraid to be a walking advert for yourself even before you have regular mindee's.

8. Consider an 'Open Day' - would take some planning but if you're an NCMA member then you can buy packs to help you along and what better way then to let everyone see first-hand all the effort you have put in.

This is just what I've done or will be doing xx

[natalie28]

Thank you

I have been registered from April, and going to weekly toddler groups and Pre school with my 3 year old.

Just getting very frustrating.

Thank you for ideas, i may pinch a few :)

xx

[Mrs_Locky]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I OBSESSIVELY check childcare.co.uk, my emails etc. knowing I'm not alone does make me feel a little better

[Caterpillar]

Hi,
If you haven't already, it's worth a look on childcare.co.uk.
I got a couple of part timers from there and i message parents who seem to fit my spaces :thumbsup:

best of luck :)

wendy :)

It is DEFINITELY worth registering with childcare.co.uk. I have received all of my 3 full time 1-3 year olds from there!! And even a school run! I have only been child minding 4 weeks and have a full schedule. Would defo recommend upgrading to profile plus - I paid £19.99 for three months, and will certainly be renewing.

Also my husband made me a great website!! www.littlecaterpillar.co.uk

Good luck - stick at it!!!

[natalie28]

Hi

Just to make you all aware contacting FIS does not get you to the top of the list. You used to, but they have changed it to that the parents looking for childcare is found by the distance from their address.

I just spoke to them.

Many thanks

Natalie

[Carrie1983]

I would second the recommendation for childcare.co.uk.

I have loads of views from people and one woman viewed me several times a day for a couple of months before she finally got in touch (she had to sign up for profile plus!). I should have taken the hint and done it myself, but at the time I was at the very early stages of finally deciding to go ahead and register after already having done all the training last year. She contacted me at the beginning of July, visited a week later and 2 days later asked me to take on full time care of her daughter (who is my daughter's age) and part time care during term time, full time holidays, of her nearly 5 year old son! I won't be registered for a good 6 weeks yet! I have also just had an enquiry from someone and if I get that contract, I will be full 2-3 days a week.
***NB, This will be from September for anyone thinking 'oooh naughty naughty, she's minding and isn't registered.'**


Also, I'd say to make sure your profile really sings your praises. Some of the profiles on there (parents' and childcarers'), sorry to say, are pants! They don't say enough and are ill-written. The lady I spoke about above, said one of the reasons she was so impressed with me was because of how much information I gave (just enough... not too much!) as well as how experienced and qualified I am in this area. Try to include a picture if you can, and maybe start working on a website, which can then be added into your profile.

I don't live in a city or even a big town; I am in the south west of England and live in a semi-rural farming town. We have 3 urban primary schools in the town (plus a private school) and a secondary school. There are then about 6 small rural schools in the outlying area, each with about 30-60 pupils. There are lots of childminders here already - I think about 15-20 in this one small town. There are 3 nurseries. So there isn't a lot of work about for a new childminder, but I'm getting it somehow.

I'd also think about advertising in parish magazines, local community magazines, local newspapers, shop windows, drs, hairdressers, leaflet drop, flyers in schools and chn's centres, school newsletters, yell.com, gumtree, a sign for your car, a banner on your fence if you get a lot of passing traffic/pedestrians.

[brightstart44]

Hi

Just to make you all aware contacting FIS does not get you to the top of the list. You used to, but they have changed it to that the parents looking for childcare is found by the distance from their address.

I just spoke to them.

Many thanks

Natalie

Hi Natalie

What area do you live in? I know that in my area the way it works (still) is that the Childminder who made most recent contact goes top of the list simply because they know the information is the most up to date. This is true of my area (Bury) and it's a real shame if your area work it differently :-( It could mean a lot of uneccesary ringing around on parents behalf, just because someone is closest does not mean they have availability. As a parent that system would really annoy me!

My area is pretty cr*p on all levels, hardly any pre-reg meetings, no Safeguarding Children courses, no funding whatsoever for anything. However, the 'top of the list' thing still works, so I'll not complain :-)
It took me 4 months to get registered, and that was being as proactive and assertive as possible. It would have been even longer had the CRB checks not been so quick!

The first lesson I have learned is to be picky. I was so excited to be contacted before I was reg that I never thought about not taking the child on - and now here I am a week after giving notice. He did not fit in, has numerous issues that I cannot provide for, and is bullying my son. He is under constant supervision - anyway, I digress.

Good luck with finding your mindees everyone - have any of you put a card or two up at your local maternity ward? Might be worth catching them early ;)

[natalie28]

Hi

I live in Gloucestershire in a little village. I suppose I go back to when we were looking for childcare 3 years ago. We were so desperate to find someone, and ended up having to travel to get a childminder.
I am not the only childminder looking for mindees which makes me feel a little better.

Thank you for your advice

Xxx