few questions

[MummyMummy]

heylo,

i'll be honest i did just register to get some info/ask questions, but hopfuly i will be able to offer some information to others in the coming weeks/months. i will write this before introducing myself otherwise i'll forget what iwanted to ask!! the joy of mushy pregnant brain haha!

anway the questions i have are:

do you have to be a within a certain age range to child mind?
is living in an appartment acceptable?

i am 20 and a fulltime mum, my partner is 24 and he works fulltime for nhs. we have a lil boy aged 2 (3 in feb) and i'm 5months pregnant, due in june (eeek!!). interested in childminding as it would enable me to spend time with my own children as well as earn an income and also because i feel like i could offer parents a wonderful service - as i mentioned i am pregnant and have been reading the usual pregnancy magazines and have seen alot of articles about returning to work and what other mums do etc etc and it seems alot of people use and need childminders, so it would be nice to be providing a service to help people too.
i phoned my local sure start group and they sent me an info pack out and a pre reg meeting form (although i can't make that partiular date due to other comitments)and i read the help sheets and the help pack and nowhere did i see anything saying you had to be a certain age or have a garden (we currently rent a 2bed apartment, thank god we didn't buy!). although i do drive (i have read about the liability insurance and letting our car insurer know about using the car for other peoples children etc.), have full acess to the car and we are very close to our local town. of course i have experience with young children and i have 3 younger brothers and 3 younger sisters (!!! i know) so have some experience of toddlers,aswell as having done health and social at high school (which included a placement at a local nursery).


anybody any advice/tips?

thank you!

xXx

[Helpinghands]

Go for it!

When I initially began my registeration I didn't expect the shed loads of paperwork there was to do, but when I got my head around it, I actually really started to enjoy my job.

As for the apartment, you dont have to have your own garden, but you must give the children some form of physical activity like going to the park, groups and just walking really!

Do your research on childminders in your area and the demand-I made the mistake of leaving my job too early and didn't get work for some time after I had registered.

Goodluck!

[jibberjitz]

I dont think there's an age limit. It sounds like you have loads of experience in childcare I would go for it if I were you and maybe look to take on your first mindee when you new little one is a bit bigger - it takes a while to do all the training anyhow,

Good luck

Liz

[misst104]

I agree with the others. Think it would suit you for now (who knows what will happen in the future - you are still very young!!). I am sure ther is not a problem with you becoming at childminder at 20. It will not hurt to go along to the pre-reg session and have a listen to the info. You will learn alot there ( but also tons and tons of help here!!!!! ). Good Luck and let us know what you decide. x x x Jo

[sue m]

I agree too. I'm 56 and I'm a childminder lol. I sometimes worry that parents might think I'm too old to look after their little ones. I didn't start till I was 35. I was a Mum at just 19 and you're a young Mum too so as Jo said, go along to the pre-reg session and see what you think. There IS a lot of paperwork to do!!

You might have to find out if you are allowed to do childminding from a flat as it is a business. Snowbunny has had a problem with this so she may be able to tell you more. Good luck.

[tulip0803]

At twenty you are fine to register as a childminder. You will find some silmilar aged ones on here
You will also find some minders that live in flats.

You will have to get permission from your landlord and explain how you will enable the children to have outside play (take to a park).

You sound like you have lots of experience. My only experience when I started was from my own 2 children , now I have certificates too .
I am certified

Go along to the next breifing session to find out more. Look through the posts on here and ask as amny questions as you like.