finding it hard to start up childminding

**helen 29** · 22-07-2011, 02:21 PM

Hi i got registered as a childminder in may this year(2011) and i'm finding it hard to get my childminding business up and running can anyone give me any tips or advice on how to start getting the children in to mind i have registered with my local families information service, i have made and give out posters and leaflets and still nothing i am greatful for any advice or tips or is it just a slow start up in genreal.

**zippy** · 22-07-2011, 05:45 PM

try on facebook hun, we have sites called buy sell swap then the town name, they don't normally mind business advertising on them

**Carrie1983** · 22-07-2011, 06:43 PM

Some of my ideas for advertising my business:
Website
Other people's websites
Signatures in some forums I use
Facebook page
Yell.com
Gumtree
Childcare.co.uk (this is where I got my full time and part time mindee from - they start once my registration comes through!)
Car flyers/magnetics for side of car/ bumper stickers
Posters in shops, children's centres, drs, vets etc
Business cards
Postcards/adverts through people's doors
Direct.gov
School newsletters
Word of mouth - pass it round at groups you attend, tell them to tell anyone they know!
Any local pages - like ones on facebook, some of those websites that are set up for towns
Local leaflets/magazines - we have one called Wellington Directory and another called The Edge!
NCT magazine for local area
Local notice boards (you know, the community ones)
Parish magazines
Local newspaper - a nice striking ad.

It obviously depends how big and serious you want to get. If you only want one mindee part time, then you probably won't want to bother with a massive leaflet drop or big striking ads. If you want to maximise your intake of children, you might want to think bigger.

I have only personally advertised on childcare.co.uk so far as I am not registered yet. I have one full time mindee and her brother before and after school, but I'm hoping to get another one 2-3 days a week or a couple who will cover the equivalent of 2-3 days a week, and possibly another afterschooler from the same school as the boy I have taken on, attends. I will see how it goes with childcare.co.uk and once registered will also get my name in newsletters, yell.com, local boards, local websites/facebook, word of mouth... just to get my name out and about. I will save the harder advertising for when I need to get more through the door. At the moment I think I just want my name out there and the best way to do that is through passive advertising like local pages.

I would take a more active approach to advertising as it will probably pay off.x

**gegele** · 22-07-2011, 07:33 PM

I have only personally advertised on childcare.co.uk so far as I am not registered yet. I have one full time mindee and her brother before and after school, but I'm hoping to get another one 2-3 days a week or a couple who will cover the equivalent of 2-3 days a week, and possibly another afterschooler from the same school as the boy I have taken on, attends. I will see how it goes with childcare.co.uk and once registered will also get my name in newsletters, yell.com, local boards, local websites/facebook, word of mouth... just to get my name out and about. I will save the harder advertising for when I need to get more through the door. At the moment I think I just want my name out there and the best way to do that is through passive advertising like local pages.

I would take a more active approach to advertising as it will probably pay off.x[/QUOTE]

be careful your post makes it sound like you are working unregistered!!!!!

**alysonclark** · 22-07-2011, 07:35 PM

Hi I no how you feel i've been registered since April , had a couple of enquiries but that's all ,nothing has come of these . I am doing all of the above mentioned advertising.A word of warning if you do a leaflet drop through letter boxes take care, I've been bitten by someones dog on my fingers ! That dog will not get the better of me I now use a 12 inch ruler instead of my fingers to push the leaflets through .

**gegele** · 22-07-2011, 07:38 PM

going to toddler group, school, church and giving your cards away as you chat with people.

have you got your own children. getting known at school by parents and staff members.

you could ask to put leaflet or cards in staff room of different business.

it took 5months before i signed my first mindee and kept working part time as a carer. i'm now as full as i want to be.

**Carrie1983** · 22-07-2011, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by gegele

I have only personally advertised on childcare.co.uk so far as I am not registered yet. I have one full time mindee and her brother before and after school, but I'm hoping to get another one 2-3 days a week or a couple who will cover the equivalent of 2-3 days a week, and possibly another afterschooler from the same school as the boy I have taken on, attends. I will see how it goes with childcare.co.uk and once registered will also get my name in newsletters, yell.com, local boards, local websites/facebook, word of mouth... just to get my name out and about. I will save the harder advertising for when I need to get more through the door. At the moment I think I just want my name out there and the best way to do that is through passive advertising like local pages.

I would take a more active approach to advertising as it will probably pay off.x

be careful your post makes it sound like you are working unregistered!!!!!

[/QUOTE]

I haven't started yet!! I start end of September (it says further up my post that they start when my registration comes through)! I'm not that stupid. LOL.

**gegele** · 22-07-2011, 07:51 PM

that's what i understood but had to re read several times

good luck with all of it, i hope you get your certificate on time

**jane5** · 22-07-2011, 08:10 PM

all good ideas above.

I have nearly all my mindees and loads of enquiries through childcare.co.uk and 1 mindee from *****.

I paid for gold membership and messaged all parents local to me who were looking for childcare.

It does depend what area you are in and some areas are slow at the moment but I am full and have turned loads of enquiries away which have got my number from childcare.co.uk.

Good luck

**Babycat** · 23-07-2011, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by Carrie1983

[SIZE="5"]
I haven't started yet!! I start end of September

What did you put in the add? and can people visit you before you are registered? do you need to start your insurance early for this? Sorry pre-reg praying to be ready in Sep! x

**Jiorjiina** · 23-07-2011, 11:15 AM

You only need insurance for the day a child actually sets foot in your house and is in your care. If they visit, it will be with their parents and they are still their parents responsibility.

I have a website, I am going to get some business cards done, I am registered on Childcare.co.uk, I have done a facebook page, and I have told everyone I know what I am doing, and telling everyone they know that I am registering. I'm not on FIS yet because OFsted are being annoyingly slow about visiting me.

When I am registered, I will do more on line advertising (gumtree, local websites, etc.), and get some posters up around the place.

I have to say, of all this, my own website and childcare.co.uk have been the most promising so far.