Local competition - I give up....

[SimplyLucy]

There is so much local competition for holiday clubs that the local childminders now don't stand a chance.

There is a holiday club - undercut us on prices.

Council run sports centre holiday scheme - works out to around £15 per day, no way we can compete. Ofsted registered.

Escot park - local forest park, running a summer camp with day camps. £32 per day but bush crafts, swap walks, drop slides indoor play etc etc. Oh and lunch included. Ofsted regiistered.

Crealy Adventure park - summer club £18 per day, £15 for members, includes lunch and snacks. Horse riding, go-karts, all the fun of crealy, bush crafts, water sports etc etc. Ofsted registered.

Exeter city football in the community - football schemes, unsure of prices but give sibling discount and early starts/late finishes. Ofsted registered.

With all these wonderful things going on children don't want to go to a childminder. It's cheaper for the parents to send them to these wonderful exciting clubs at theme parks, with their included meals and fabulous activities.

I can't compete with their prices.

It seems that a lot more places are jumping on the wagon now they can get OFSTED registered. Parents see it as a wonderful this as they can claim childcare cost through Tax credits because these schemes are registered.

My numbers are rapidly dropping. Even the before and after schoolers I have don't want holidays because of all the local options. I can't charge a holiday retainer as no one local does, if I did I'd loose them term time too.

All the local childminders are feeling it. One even dropped their prices to try and gain in the holidays but no one was keen because of all the activites the other places offer.

I'd happily take children horse riding, go-karting etc, but the parents would have to pay extra - I can't win.

Anyone else feeling the same?

[The Juggler]

I know hon, same here though still lots of minders needed. I 'd love to offer some of those activities. However, what you can offer is a comforting, relaxing home environment. when the kids are pooped and just want to chill on a sofa they just can't do that at an 8am -6pm playscheme.

I know what I'd choose 90% of the week for my little ones. Even my two 10 and 8, go one day per week in the hols to a playscheme for a change of scene and they are totally exhausted. You could not put a 5 year old in one of those schemes for a week

[TheBTeam]

You could not put a 5 year old in one of those schemes for a week

No, I agree, but i do know some parents that do simply because it is cheaper!

We have a lot of day activities too here ranging in cost from £11-£32 a day, I dont try and compete because as you say they have a huge range of activities that I can not and do not want to match. What I do offer is a home from home environment, not another scheme designed to occupy every minute of the day with something, you can chill here and flit from one thing to another, do nothing or something!

[SimplyLucy]

Like you say, 9 times out of 10 the parents will go for the cheaper option. They aren't fussed about their child being shattered, I know a lot of parents that would be pleased with that!

I know I offer a home environment, but is it whats needed/wanted these days? I guess not, the other places are buzzing and childminders are struggling.

[AnnieM]

No, I agree, but i do know some parents that do simply because it is cheaper!

We have a lot of day activities too here ranging in cost from £11-£32 a day, I dont try and compete because as you say they have a huge range of activities that I can not and do not want to match. What I do offer is a home from home environment, not another scheme designed to occupy every minute of the day with something, you can chill here and flit from one thing to another, do nothing or something!

I get none of my term time kids in holidays as they all go to sports camp. One of them is only just 5 and is exhausted at the end of the day (I have collected him on occasion) I however cannot compete with £12 per day including lunch! I know that what I offer is a home environment and we used to have great times in the summer, with picnics and outings, but that has all changed now, as parents are going for price rather than quality care.

[TheBTeam]

It does make you wonder how some of these places are sustainable, how many staff, quality of staff to get away with charging so little.

[Beetlejuice]

That's a shame. Here the holiday clubs are nothing like that and my kids love coming to me rather than holiday club because I take them on such good outings. This half term we've done a trip to the woods, bowling, the beach, country park etc and the kids have a ball. I've managed to do a variety of things that don't cost me too much. I don't know how these clubs get away with charging so little

[peanuts]

our local wraparound is to be no more after the summer. Had a wee smirk as when it started they took all our business. Ive put my signs up already in their building.

[SimplyLucy]

I think advertising is one of the issues too.

Our local school hand out all sorts of leaflets for the sports clubs, Camp Wild and Crealy, and the holiday club.

They will NOT hand out leaflets for an individual childminder. We (well I) once did a collective childminders leaflet with all our names and numbers on it. Cost me a fortune in ink and paper and I'm not sure it made any difference to any of us.

Last night I had an email from ***** advertising all the wonderful holiday activities and clubs, no mention of childminders.

[miffy]

I sympathise - there's no way I could compete with those prices either but these places must be subsidised or they couldn't offer such low prices. Perhaps with Government cutbacks they will lose funding and either fold or have to up their prices (well, we can hope)

Miffy xx

[huggableshelly]

i do not compete its too much hassle.

most of my afterschoolers use holiday schemes but it suits me as means i can give more time to my own children and younger mindees but then saying that their sibblings come to me, i have just taken on another little one who's sibblings will be coming in the summer too.

i have 12 booked in for a full wk in the summer, most are over 8 so will be chaotic fun. luckily the rest of the summer hols will only be 7 - 9 each day.

[kindredspirits]

I have never once had an enquiry for holiday work and when i did have after schoolers (who are now all the afterschool club) they didn't come to me in the hols. Its a pain because at first i thought i would be raking it in over the hols but at the end of the day i am not going to drop my prices when i consider that age group to be harder work. I quite like only caring for under 5's - i think it gives my business a good selling point to parents of babies and i never was able to entertain the older ones as well as the younger ones.

[Donkey]

How can they do it ratio wise for the under 8's??

there is a holiday scheme around me for over 8's....

they charge £1 a day but the kids have to take a packed lunch. they go ice skating, adventure parks, its run by the local forum which is a charity. will be losing my 7 year old mindee to it this summer.

but they dont open for 2 weeks in the 6 week holidays and at christmas so I know they will be back.

just need to plod on!!

[Carol M]

I have just added my details to ***** holiday clubs.
By saying flexible hrs available from 6am till 10pm 0-14yrs i'm hoping I might get something!
I am really struggling and need to get more business or will have to think about other jobs!
Carol

[AnnieM]

That's a good idea off to *****. Holiday club I am!!

[mama2three]

That's a good idea off to *****. Holiday club I am!!

me too! You never know!

[The Juggler]

I have just added my details to ***** holiday clubs.
By saying flexible hrs available from 6am till 10pm 0-14yrs i'm hoping I might get something!
I am really struggling and need to get more business or will have to think about other jobs!
Carol

good thinking!