Should i give up?

[child_friendly]

I don't know what to do! I have only been registered since beginning of March and still have no mindees but need an income quickly! I've paid for everything to become a childminder, but had no enquiries as of yet. I have a 1 year old so am a full time mum and my partner works full time, but i need money coming for myself. I don't know whether to stop even though I haven't even started yet and get a job, but the problem is getting someone to look after my son (became a childminder cause cnt afford childcare). I have been thinking about getting an evening job, but it still won't be much. I'm kinda lost.....:(

[rickysmiths]

Oh dear. I'm afraid this can happen. I have been a childminder for 18 years now and 8 years ago we moved house and moved 10 miles away so I effectively had to start again. It took me 18 months to build up to being full.

I know some are lucky and seem to have mindees lined up to start but I think your situation is more common. It depends on so many things and I think it is unrealistic to think you will be full and earning enough to substitute giving up work within weeks of being available.

Sorry I know its not what you want to hear but it could take many months to fill your spaces.

Good luck and don't loose heart and get out there talking to people. After Easter go to all your local schools and leave your details they will have folders in their office for this. Some may even put something in their news letters to remind parents that they have this list if they are looking for local childcare. Find your Children's Centre and see if you can advertise there. Find local mums and toddlers groups at local halls and churches and see if they will let you put up a vacancies card.


Good luck and don't loose heart and get out there talking to people.

[loocyloo]

good luck, i moved and it took me 3 months before i had a single mindee ( she only did 5 hrs, one day a week ) and it was another 3 months before i had filled my EY spaces, 6 months on, i still have spaces for schoolies.

go along to all the toddler groups and advertise yourself, get talking to mums and everyone you meet. i have tshirts & fleece with 'childminder' on and handed out my business cards and flyers. i also left a few at all the groups, so the info was there if anyone enquired.

i have an advert on my car window, and as where i was renting, had a window immediately onto the path that everyone walked past to go to school, i put a poster there too !!! it didn't particuarly get me work, but it meant everyone knew who i was and what i did, and word of mouth has found me mindees.

check with the FIS that they have your up to date details, sometimes people get lost in the system.

if there are any local childminder groups, go along and introduce yourself, hopefully people will be able to pass enquiries your way.

good luck xxx

[toddlers896]

Hi
Ive been registered since the beginning of february and still only have one child and thats only because somebody passed my details on. Ive advertised in loads of places and havent had any enquiries but dont give up because its worth it when you do get somebody. I keep thinking I wont get anymore but they will probably all come at once.
Good luck, ile keep my fingers crossed for you x

[Smiley]

Sounds like you really need to market your business fast, just thinking on my feet have you considered
Placing adverts in local school, pre-schools, shops, libraries etc
Contact your local authority families information service to make sure they know you are up and running
Place advert in any local parish magazines
Make some flyers, business cards and distribute locally

Do you know any other local childminders?

[Two Princesses]

I've been registered since the beginning of Oct last year and it took me 3 months to fill 2 after school places. This morning I had my first settling in session for an 8.5 month mindee but she doesn't go full time until July! It does take a while to get your business off the ground but I fully expected to be without work for at least 6 months so I wasn't dissapointed that it's taken this long, I counted myself lucky that I had the schoolies :D
I've had a few enquiries for EY spaces but it didn't seem like anyone was willing to give the 'new girl' a break and they went with more experienced cm's (totally understand their reasons too!) at this point I was thinking about finding care for my 2 DD's and grovelling for my old job back but I stuck with it and (fingers crossed) everything seems to be working out well. We based our finances on me only needing a full timer so my schoolies are a little extra :)
Is there any way you can get temp evening work that you can give up when you get some mindees? Or can you get extra tax credits? As people have said you need to get out there and make yourself known to people. I had a parent at the school the other day tell me we should have signs on as she didn't know I was a CM!!
Good luck and I hope you start getting some enquiries soon x :thumbsup:

[child_friendly]

I have put flyers through doors around my area, posted in the baby clinc, posted in toddler groups, local shops, library etc, given posters to family and friends, local childminders know i have spaces and have told people, have done my own website, am on the childcare.co.uk website and on the DIS website, have placed an ad on gumtree, done a FB page. Don't have a local childminding group. So I have pretty much done all the advertising i can think of....

[CH1957]

I could have written the same post 3 months ago - in fact I did lots of times. :D

I was really worried as had no mindees and am single so no other income, but this last 2 weeks I have suddenly had so many enquiries Ive had to turn 4 away!! Now Im full for under 5's and 2 spaces for schoolies.

It will feel really desperate for a while but it will happen for you. As everyone else says, get yourself known everywhere. I have to be honest that none of the leaflet drops, cards in shop/office/doctors etc helped. I have either got mindees from childcare.co.uk or netmums, and 1 after schoolie through the LA website.

Good luck.

[toddlers896]

I could have written the same post 3 months ago - in fact I did lots of times. :D

I was really worried as had no mindees and am single so no other income, but this last 2 weeks I have suddenly had so many enquiries Ive had to turn 4 away!! Now Im full for under 5's and 2 spaces for schoolies.

It will feel really desperate for a while but it will happen for you. As everyone else says, get yourself known everywhere. I have to be honest that none of the leaflet drops, cards in shop/office/doctors etc helped. I have either got mindees from childcare.co.uk or netmums, and 1 after schoolie through the LA website.

Good luck.

Did you pay for childcare.co.uk. Ive registerd my details but it seems silly because nobody can get my contact details and i cant get theirs unless i pay.