[#1]

As of today, I'm officially unemployed :-( Had my last week of mat pay, and had to apply yesterday to sign on. We'd banked on me working months ago, but it hasn't happened so we're in real trouble now.
Registering as a childminder took far longer than we'd hoped, partly through not having as much time as I'd hoped to sort the house, and partly just the system. However, I've been advertising for several months now and still have no work.
I've had 3 prospective parents round. One decided not to go back to work til Aug, one found someone who could offer term time only, and one found that her daughter's nursery were opening a baby room.
I've got several friends who run big childminding set ups with their husbands or assistants and they are always full, but I'm struggling to get my foot in the door. I'm advertising everywhere, and doing all I can, but it's not working.
Because Chris works full time, it seems we don't qualify for any housing benefit or anything. Rent here is horrific, so we're really going to struggle. I'm ebaying for England- I do at least have tons of stuff to sell!
Please send lots of positive thoughts this way, we could really do with them right now. Thanks
Becky

[#2]

As of today, I'm officially unemployed :-( Had my last week of mat pay, and had to apply yesterday to sign on. We'd banked on me working months ago, but it hasn't happened so we're in real trouble now.
Registering as a childminder took far longer than we'd hoped, partly through not having as much time as I'd hoped to sort the house, and partly just the system. However, I've been advertising for several months now and still have no work.
I've had 3 prospective parents round. One decided not to go back to work til Aug, one found someone who could offer term time only, and one found that her daughter's nursery were opening a baby room.
I've got several friends who run big childminding set ups with their husbands or assistants and they are always full, but I'm struggling to get my foot in the door. I'm advertising everywhere, and doing all I can, but it's not working.
Because Chris works full time, it seems we don't qualify for any housing benefit or anything. Rent here is horrific, so we're really going to struggle. I'm ebaying for England- I do at least have tons of stuff to sell!
Please send lots of positive thoughts this way, we could really do with them right now. Thanks
Becky

[#3]

Oh Becky.

just a quick message to say that word of mouth is the way to get children for childminding I think. Do you go to lots of toddler groups and things? If so make sure you tell all the Mummies that you're setting up - I know that I'd much rather put my children with someone I know from a children's group than just someone from an advert (if you see what i mean). Also, can your friends who are childminders give any advice - or even, if they're full - pass people onto you? I'm sure you've already thought of these things, but in case you haven't...

I'm sure things will pick up, but positive thoughts in the meantime!

H.

[#4]

Hi Becky,

so sorry to hear this! We have a low income (DH's wages are appalling) so he gets working tax credits. Can you apply for anything like that? The threshold for a lot of benefits is really low (as in we were considered too high for most benefits yet our income was too low to guarantee the house we wanted to rent and we had to pay 6 months up front and fight to go onto a monthly basis after that first 6 months. I don't know how they tally these things up!) 

As for childminding... when my mum started some of the ladies she had previously worked with in a playschool had already started and one had become a local "leader" and so people first contacted her and she then found spaces for them in the childminders in her area. My mum got both the children she looked after through this "leader". Does it not work like that elsewhere? Or can you not go help out at one of the childminding families who need an extra pair of hands until you get a foot in the door?

Sorry this probably doesn't help much, but I do hope you find something that works for you soon xx

Also, check out http://www.workingmums.co.uk/ they have advice and jobs for working from home

[#5]

this might sound really shallow but I chose my childminder (initally) from her website. She had pics of her kiddies, of herself of the rooms in the house, trips out, her fees, her terms and conditions etc.. Really lovely. That made me call her, then once we met the deal was done. not sure if you have anything like that. Freewebs is a good site to use.

What Hazel said about mums and tots groups is a fab idea, Some groups are huge and word of mouth is everything.

I really hope hun you get sorted soon x

[#6]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I don't seem to get round to going to groups like I did with Gemma, time always gets away from me, but sounds like I should make more of an effort. Talking to other local minders, it seems this is always a quiet time of year. There have been quite a few jobs coming up for August and September, but it's a gamble as by taking them, I could be losing out on work that starts sooner, and I really don't want to be on benefits that long.
Amie- I'm really glad you said that as I'd been considering a website, but wasn't sure if anyone was likely to look for a childminder that way. I'm also going to set up a FB business page to spread the word a bit. Hopefully something will work at least!