Finished

[FloraDora]

All the best for your new life in Wales Sing low, thank you for your many snippets of experience and advice.

Interesting reading about CM's leaving.
As someone who has come into this profession at the end of her career I see it from a different view.

Yes the 'paperwork' is heavy weight, but then it is hugely less than I am used to and once it's in place easy to keep up with, but you have to build this in to your mindset - I finish at 6, not 5 - that last hour is office work, if it takes me less I am on a bonus. I know I need this time so will not take on children who regularly finish later.
Resources? Unlike the majority, my children are long gone, our house was full of rooms being kept for the occasional visit, moving forward has helped me adjust to a new era of my life, Most of the resources have moved from the loft to our spare bedroom/ den and being used rather than waiting for grandchildren. I love children's toys, I suspect if I wasn't in this wonderful job I would be a sad old lady with dolls, teddies and vintage toys as ornaments! My house is full of energy and laughter again.
If I hadn't decided on this career would I still buy children's literature? I suspect yes, I am a literature graduate, specialising in children's literature, so a bit of a passion, I continue to have an excuse to feed my passion.

Hours? They are hugely less, I don't have to leave home, I can do some jobs whilst the children are here, I read the newspaper every morning, not in detail, just headlines, but I have never been able to do this and work! I spend time with children in my garden I get to see what I am growing in my garden every day, not just a weekend catch up.
The local nature reserve has become my home again, like it was when my boys were young, I get to watch the fauna and wildlife throughout the seasons, it's really calming, even with the children as they are in awe of it all as much as me.
I pop to the local shops for milk, to the post office, to the library in my working time- I always had to pay overdue fines when I was working and often had no milk if we had forgotton to pick it up on our way home and all birthday cards arrive on time now!
Yesterday we ran in the nearby field with our wind ribbons as the wind was back, we laughed and fell over, lay in the long grass and just chatted about the clouds - AND I GOT PAID TO DO THIS.
I get to spend all day with my elderly dog and he loves this. I never see that look of ' you're not living me again!' , he is a good weight now because I am not compensating by leaving him biscuits every day.

I do what I want, I do not have a manager reminding me of my shortfalls or any employees that I have to worry about.
I am teaching the way I have always wanted to without the restrictions of LEA or school policies. I follow the children's curriculum, what they are interested in, what I love.

I earn a fraction of what I did, but I am at the time of my life where I don't actually need as much as I thought I used to.
I am happy every day, not just at the weekend or holidays...I am not desperate for a holiday to get away like I used to.
My mornings are not rushed, no commute...

I could go on...
But I know there are real issues around childminding compared with expectations 15 years ago, as someone who knew the expectations before I decided to join this profession I made the decision that this is a job for me, paperwork, resources in all.

For now, I love the way I spend my day, compared to how I used to spend it in my other working life.

[Mrs Scrubbit]

Wishing you all the best sing-low, keep in touch. I agree with you FloraDora as I love the way I spend my days too...but I also agree with you Ripeberry as your reasons were also my reasons for packing up 16 mths ago after a very happy 24yrs of childminding 39 children ( may have missed a few out). Enough was enough, times had changed and not, I felt, for the better as I was begining to find myself worrying more and more about pleasing Ofsted rather than concentrating on the children/families I am now enjoying my job as a childcarer once again as I went straight over to become a nanny to one of my 'minding' families. Each working day is a pure joy as I know that I have returned the children to their central position.....happy days are here again xx

[Simona]

All the best for your new life in Wales Sing low, thank you for your many snippets of experience and advice.

Interesting reading about CM's leaving.
As someone who has come into this profession at the end of her career I see it from a different view.

Yes the 'paperwork' is heavy weight, but then it is hugely less than I am used to and once it's in place easy to keep up with, but you have to build this in to your mindset - I finish at 6, not 5 - that last hour is office work, if it takes me less I am on a bonus. I know I need this time so will not take on children who regularly finish later.
Resources? Unlike the majority, my children are long gone, our house was full of rooms being kept for the occasional visit, moving forward has helped me adjust to a new era of my life, Most of the resources have moved from the loft to our spare bedroom/ den and being used rather than waiting for grandchildren. I love children's toys, I suspect if I wasn't in this wonderful job I would be a sad old lady with dolls, teddies and vintage toys as ornaments! My house is full of energy and laughter again.
If I hadn't decided on this career would I still buy children's literature? I suspect yes, I am a literature graduate, specialising in children's literature, so a bit of a passion, I continue to have an excuse to feed my passion.

Hours? They are hugely less, I don't have to leave home, I can do some jobs whilst the children are here, I read the newspaper every morning, not in detail, just headlines, but I have never been able to do this and work! I spend time with children in my garden I get to see what I am growing in my garden every day, not just a weekend catch up.
The local nature reserve has become my home again, like it was when my boys were young, I get to watch the fauna and wildlife throughout the seasons, it's really calming, even with the children as they are in awe of it all as much as me.
I pop to the local shops for milk, to the post office, to the library in my working time- I always had to pay overdue fines when I was working and often had no milk if we had forgotton to pick it up on our way home and all birthday cards arrive on time now!
Yesterday we ran in the nearby field with our wind ribbons as the wind was back, we laughed and fell over, lay in the long grass and just chatted about the clouds - AND I GOT PAID TO DO THIS.
I get to spend all day with my elderly dog and he loves this. I never see that look of ' you're not living me again!' , he is a good weight now because I am not compensating by leaving him biscuits every day.

I do what I want, I do not have a manager reminding me of my shortfalls or any employees that I have to worry about.
I am teaching the way I have always wanted to without the restrictions of LEA or school policies. I follow the children's curriculum, what they are interested in, what I love.

I earn a fraction of what I did, but I am at the time of my life where I don't actually need as much as I thought I used to.
I am happy every day, not just at the weekend or holidays...I am not desperate for a holiday to get away like I used to.
My mornings are not rushed, no commute...

I could go on...
But I know there are real issues around childminding compared with expectations 15 years ago, as someone who knew the expectations before I decided to join this profession I made the decision that this is a job for me, paperwork, resources in all.

For now, I love the way I spend my day, compared to how I used to spend it in my other working life.

I do agree with you Flora Dora...having owned a preschool and then become a CM I can identify all the benefits you mention....working from home has huge benefits although I feel those have not changed for the last 35 years...or since they were agreed with the HMRC...time to move on and that is why sometimes an accountant is very useful as they know all the changes that are relevant to our homes being our place of work.....the instance of the 10% wear and tear and council tax claim come to mind...they need renewing and updating as they are past their sell by date!

CMinding has changed in the last years...it would require a book to list all the pros and cons of our profession....maybe one day I will start that long story!

It is interesting that 'paperwork' gets mentioned as one of the reasons CMs give up
Administrative paperwork has not really changed but we are sometimes pushed into providing more that is required...'just in case' the inspector on the day cannot make up her mind whether that additional piece of paper is really 'grade relevant'..
Policies are really the most important example as we produce them by the dozen when just a few are really required....again 'just in case' and obviously make some money for those who are paperwork pushers.

Documentation...that is children's LJs or whatever we choose to call them...have been in place for a very long time...even before EYFS 2008

Again we now have all the demands of having to keep the parents informed every minute of the day.
Where does it actually say that and do schools do the same? considering they are now going to be inspected under a common framework can anyone see school going on an online tool to pass on WOW moments to parents...somehow I don't think so and they will retain the half termly meeting with parents as per usual

The other important bit is the introduction of agencies...many mention this as a worry because of the way the govt is keeping tight lipped about them...as I said before one thing is worrying about an agency that is far away from our doorstep and another is having an agency directly on your doorstep as in our LA.

Last but not least is the fact that cms are now able to draw funding but ..having achieved that equality with the rest of the sector....are subsidising care and education....well most are.

That is the most important factor for me...as a preschool owner I never had to subsidise 'free' childcare but as a CM I must if I join the scheme and, frankly...it is not sustainable.