I ladies I have just had my conditions letter through from the care inspectorate, and I was wondering what your thoughts are on advertising. Also what thing I will need for first meetings with parents. I am buying the contracts and things from scma but I am not sure what else I will need. I have my policies and procedures but will I need a list of activities I will do with the children also.
I am hoping to get some work soon fingers crossed.

hello, congratulations on becoming a childminder!

I do have a list of the activities that will be on offer - both those at home - craft/outside play/stories/construction etc and a list of places we go such as library/toddlers/soft play/pond/woods/zoo etc but explain that I don't do all of these outings all of the time! I also have a sample 'timetable' - Monday ... breakfast/freeplay, school run, toddlers, park, lunch, storytime, sleeps, school run, craft, tea .. etc ( with a mix of home play and outings, adult & child led activities )

I'm not in Scotland, so don't know how long until you get certificate/are allowed to work, but you could put a few adverts up saying you are in the process of becoming a childminder. I find the best thing to do is tell EVERYONE , EVERYWHERE you go!

good luck x

I have a folder I show prospective parents. In it I have my first aid certificate, copy of reg certificate, any other training. I have photo's of activities I have done with mindee's, places we have went . If you don't have mindee's yet you could take photo's of your own kids doing activities, at places you will take mindee's. Tell parents these are things, places you will go with mindee's. I also have an info leaflet about myself and my setting in my info folder.

Through a few months experience I have learned it is best for me to email my info leaflet to parents first before visit. This info leaflet basically tells them all about me and my family, hours of opening, costs, what I provide, what they need to provide. How I want paid. Places I will go to with child, things I will do, my aims and objectives. Also it means I can change the info on my info leaflet as time goes on. At first I said I would pick up from four different nurseries. Now I don't want to and realise I should get enough business by just sticking to the two closest nurseries to me. So I have changed that part of my info leaflet. I have also changed my opening hours on my info leaflet.

I find if parent has this info before that first visit it stops parents coming whom you can't accomdate and answers alot of the questions they would ask you anyhow.

If you google childminding information leaflet for parents you will get a few examples you can use.
Good luck.