When you are new to childminding, all of the paperwork and things you need to do can feel overwhelming. Some childminders get help at every stage through their councils. Others get next to no help at all and this is very much a postcode lottery. Even if you get all the paperwork in place, you still need to get parents through the door in order to make money. Childminding can feel like you have chosen a very isolating profession. Here are a few things that can help.
Sign up for our Childminding Best Practice Newsletters
We write a newsletter that is totally free for childminders. It contains business tips, legislation updates, links to useful documents as well as a few laughs.
Sign up using the purple sign up box on the home page – there is a link at the top of this page that says ‘newsletter signup’. Or send an email with the subject ‘subscribe’ to newsletter@kidstogo.co.uk
Official Document Links Page
Not sure if you have the right version of the Parents Poster or want to print a copy of ‘what to do when you think a child is being abused’ or if you need to refer to the Statutory Framework or Food Safety legislation etc, then bookmark the LINKS page on this site. We keep up to date links to each of the key childminding documents at that link.
Are you on Facebook?
Facebook is a great way to stay in touch with other childminders.
Like and follow our page, called Kids To Go for links, articles, legislation updates, inspection tips and craft project ideas.
Join the Childminding Best Practice Club
Start out as you mean to go on with a mark of quality. Childminding Best Practice Club Members receive a monthly toolkit bursting with ideas, crafts, CPD and more! (You can see what is coming up by visiting the home page.) It’s great value at only £2.50 per month. You also get 25% discount on loads of our other products when you join our club.
Articles
These articles contain business tips and topics that you may find useful if you are new to childminding, just setting up or trying to find new business. Sign up for my blog using the sign up box on this website to make sure you don’t miss any of my articles.
How to write a year plan (long term plan) for your childminding setting
Step by step instructions on writing a year plan so you don’t forget anything.
Do you take advantage of special childminder library privileges?
Extra privileges you might now knew you could get as a childminder [more]
Everything Childminders need to know about Food Business Legislation
Useful checklist when you are setting up.
10 Mistakes to Avoid on Childminding Directory Sites
Most councils and many private companies offer websites where you can list details about your childminding business to help you to fill your childminding vacancies. Getting these listings right will help parents to find you and choose your service over the competition. [more]
How NOT to receive a “Thanks for Being A Great Babysitter” Mug this year
A post on Facebook broke my heart the other day from a childminder who had been given a mug for Christmas that said “Thanks for being a great babysitter”. Upset, insulted, underappreciated, and angry don’t begin to describe the range of emotional responses from other childminders… [more]
How NOT to be a victim of a bad Ofsted inspection
For anyone expecting ‘the call’, 10 ways to take control [more]
If you pay peanuts you get monkeys (for childminders)
Marketing advice and getting new business advice for childminders including advice about setting sensible hourly rates [more]
How to burn out at childminding…. in 10 easy steps
Some tongue in cheek advice for all childminders on balancing childminding with life without burning out. [more]
How Childminders can cut costs and save money
Lots of practical tips from other childminders [more]
How to sell yourself to parents
A bit of common sense business advice for childminders [more]
Products that can help you with your childminding business
Ultimate Childminding Checklist
The Ultimate Childminding Checklist is 3 checklists in 1: statutory requirements, countdown to your inspection, and outstanding workbook. It is useful whether you are new to childminding, trying to get organised before your inspection, or if you want to get outstanding and want to check you haven’t missed anything.
Forest Childcare Association Pack
Members of the Forest Childcare Association make a commitment to taking children on weekly outdoor outings year round. It is a mark of quality of your setting, great for keeping children active and a great way to promote your business to parents. Pack helps you to market your business as a Forest Childcare provider – very sought after service by parents.
Policies, Contracts and Forms Pack (as Word documents)
This pack contains a fully updated contract, complemented and reinforced by specially written policies. It also contains lots of useful forms for you to use in your business.
Contract, Policies and Forms Pack
Childminding Best Practice Club – themed packs
Join the Childminding Best Practice Club and get monthly packs of themed activities emailed to you. As well as art projects with templates, each pack includes a planning guide to help you plan around a theme. Great for new ideas.
Learning Journey Plus
Put in place a complete observation, planning and assessment system. Includes 200 photos and example observations teaching you how to link observations to next steps. Based in Word, all documents can be edited and customised easily before you print them.
Partnership with Parents Pack
The Partnership with Parents Pack contains all the tools you need to improve how you communicate with parents or learn to do so in an outstanding manner. The pack includes tackling more challenging forms of communication like when you have concerns about a child’s development, dealing with late payment, or giving notice. The pack also contains detailed marketing information to help you to attract new business including making a step-by-step plan to ensure that the all-important first visit goes well.
