Moving House

**Louise_Oaktree** · 01-09-2015, 09:29 AM

I hope this is ok to post here, my house is currently on the market, mainly because we need something bigger to accommodate my Childminding business.

I just wondered if anyone had any experience of moving their business to a new area, not a million miles away but probably too far for my current parents to travel. My mortgage payments do rely on my monthly income and I'm worried it could take months to build up the business again although we do have some savings. I have been minding here now for about 8 years and have been lucky with vacancies filling up fast but I'm well aware this could change if I move area. Obviously I will research the area but I'd love to hear from anyone who has moved their business and what it has been like for them.

I have 2 children of School age so that will be a big factor in where we move to, but I'm leaning towards the village type property within walking distance to a village School.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

**loocyloo** · 01-09-2015, 02:31 PM

I moved 260 miles!

I knew no one where we moved to!

I liked the idea of a small village with a small school, but i didn't want to limit my choices for childcare. We live in a small town (about 3000 people) with about 220 children at school from nursery to yr 6. It means that i can walk the school runs if too many for car! Plus have a few little shops for odds and ends! I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of no where, not being able to go anywhere if lots of children.

Once i knew we were definitely moving and the area, i spoke to the fis and was given contact details of childminder support worker. I spoke to her a few times. I also spoke to the headteacher of the school my children were to go to, who said there was a need for childminders. I also emailed a few childminders i located through fis/childcare.co.uk.

Once we moved i changed my website details, all my adverts everywhere online and put adverts up where i was, plus also in school notice board & newsletter.

I wasn't in a rush to start working as in wanted to settle my children into school and find my feet etc, but it took longer than i expected ... about 5/6months before i had any children! The fees i can charge are lower here than i used to charge and i took the opportunity to really tighten up my policies/contracts etc, as starting with all new parents meant no one could say 'but you used to. ..' !

Good luck xx

**Louise_Oaktree** · 09-10-2015, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by loocyloo

I moved 260 miles!

I knew no one where we moved to!

I liked the idea of a small village with a small school, but i didn't want to limit my choices for childcare. We live in a small town (about 3000 people) with about 220 children at school from nursery to yr 6. It means that i can walk the school runs if too many for car! Plus have a few little shops for odds and ends! I didn't want to be stuck in the middle of no where, not being able to go anywhere if lots of children.

Once i knew we were definitely moving and the area, i spoke to the fis and was given contact details of childminder support worker. I spoke to her a few times. I also spoke to the headteacher of the school my children were to go to, who said there was a need for childminders. I also emailed a few childminders i located through fis/childcare.co.uk.

Once we moved i changed my website details, all my adverts everywhere online and put adverts up where i was, plus also in school notice board & newsletter.

I wasn't in a rush to start working as in wanted to settle my children into school and find my feet etc, but it took longer than i expected ... about 5/6months before i had any children! The fees i can charge are lower here than i used to charge and i took the opportunity to really tighten up my policies/contracts etc, as starting with all new parents meant no one could say 'but you used to. ..' !

Good luck xx

Thanks for your help it is really appreciated, we are still trying to decide on the exact area as the School my children attend is a small village school on the outskirts of the main town/city so we don't want move so far out that it affects my business. I have spoken to my current parents and some are happy to travel but obviously for some that already travel from the opposite direction I expect they will have to change. I've been worrying about this side of it for several weeks and we have been put off a fantastic house due to the location but yesterday one of my parents gave notice and it really made me realise that I could lose business even without moving and it has given us the push we needed.

I'm lucky my School doesn't have an after school club so I could pick up business from there if needed but I've avoided after school care due to a recent dispute with a parent as I couldn't take their child and they confronted me in the playground and it was quite humiliating. It put me off working with parents whose children go to the same school. But on the other hand I've got 2 little ones whose parents have lined them up for that school one who lives in the village so they could be potential after school care for the future.

I guess if all else fails I could always rely on maternity pay

as we haven't ruled out a third child, it could be just the right time