Teacher To Mummy To Childminder (i Hope)

[Guest]

Hi there everyone

 

Havent been on here for ages due to christmas performances, church services, partys etc. I'm sure you know what i mean.

 

hat thought 'D SHARE WITH YOU is that my My Husband and I will be trying for a baby in the new year, (all of a sudden at the grand age of 33 I feel very grown up), i have butterflies in my stomach at the thought of the excitement of starting a family....or am i getting this confused with the added responsibility etc etc. But anyway....have recently been thinking about going down the childminding route after i have had our first baby, just so that i can carry on working in eyfs which i love (i am a rec teacher) and look after my own child which i am sure I would prefer to be doing. Was wondering if Iwould have to do a childminding course, and what Ihave to do to be able to childmind. HAS ANYONE GONE DOWN THIS ROUTE BEFORE...IF SO WOULD LOVE TO HEAR. Also do you think its a good idea to come out of teaching and not be using those skills.. Iwas thinking could do part time teaching and then two days C minding. Whast are others doing? Would love to hear your thoughts on this

 

Fom A very excfited Popcorn

 

xxxxx

[AnonyMouse_8466]

How exciting - good luck with your baby making plans! I'm neither a teacher nor a childminder, but I know we have lots of members who are one or the other and hopefully they'll be long with some words of wisdom soon.

[AnonyMouse_3139]

Congratulaitons on taking the first huge step. I cant help either but wish you luck in your plans

[Guest]

AH THANKYOU BOTH FOR THAT....its very exciting

 

xxxxx

[Guest]

ooh how exciting!!

 

I'd suggest having a look on the National Childminding Association website - they have a "Is childminding for me?" publication that may answer some of your questions.

 

Ofsted guidelines are that you can be registered for 3 children in the Early Years age group, of these no more than one can be under 12 months old, so ask yourself if you'd want an active toddler around your young baby?

 

Also, check with your LA as to 1) how long the registration is taking at the moment as it may be best to register before your baby arrives and 2) how many vacancies childminders are advertising locally at the moment - I know in my area that some childminders have had full and part-time vacancies for months.

 

Reading this back it seems very negative and I really don't intend it to be but I'd rather you had all the facts and figures up front.

 

Good Luck!

 

Nona

[AnonyMouse_15046]

Just to add to Nona's very good advice, it is possible to be registered for two babies under one year (I am) but only if you can show that you are able to meet both their needs sufficiently well.

 

As Nona says, it is not always a very reliable income. I have had long periods when I am turning people away couple of weeks but when I returned to childminding after my second daughter was born I had no enquiries for months. It really is that erratic so you need to have a plan for surviving the leaner times.

 

On the plus side it is lovely to be able to be there with your own child every day, never missing the milestones or feeling guilty. Being there at the beginning and end of the school day is a real positive for me even though my older one is now 13. It has been very good for my two to grow up with lots of friends around them too.

 

As far as part-time childminding goes it's the luck of the draw. You might find someone who need the hours you are offering but it will generally be harder to find parents whose working hours suit your availability.

 

I find that childminders are generally a friendly bunch who are happy for newbies to swell their ranks. It might be a good idea to find a childminder drop in or support group and contact them to have a chat or visit to find out how the land lies in your area.

 

I have never for one moment regretted my decision to be at home with my girls (even when money has been tight as a result).

 

Good luck with you plans. I hope it all works out really well for you.

[Guest]

Ah thankyou so mucjh for that Upsie dasie and Nona. Will defo be looking into that further.

 

xxx

[AnonyMouse_26197]

Oh how fantastic, Childminding is so much fun. But do your market research. Talk to local childminders at their groups and contact the Sure Strart Childrens centres as childminders should be available to speak to their as well. Some have childminding groups in them so you can chat about vacancies in your area.

 

Your local auhority are responsible for ensuring they deliver information to you about how to register, to include ensuring those who work with children have met basic skills. You will need to undertake the childminding module of the new level 3 diploma (although you are a teacher you will still have to do this as it is specific to working in a home-based setting). You will also need to undertake a peadeatric first aid course minimum 12 hours usually. Also research into the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly the welfare requirements. But as you are a teacher no doubt you are fully aware of all of these. You can look at the EYFS Welfare requirements which will give you an insight of the policies and procedures you will need to ensure are adhered to.

 

Your local authority will tell you all you need to know.

 

Good luck.

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I am a teacher who went into pre-school work after having baby number two. I worked part-time as a teacher with baby number one but couldn't bear the thought of re-establishing myself again at school after a second maternity leave so left and moved to child care.

 

I do regret not keeping my hand in. I have only been out of teaching for 5 years but feel really out of date and don't even have the confidence to do supply in my children's school. I know I am a damn good teacher so it frustrates me when I see other Mums doing supply or who held onto a one or 2 day a week job which they don't do very well!

 

I would say do a bit of both- see if you can go part-time in your teaching job, maybe doing one day a week PPA cover and do child minding on a couple of days as well. Can't you be an Accredited childminder if you are a teacher?

 

I get frustrated that I have an Early Years PGCE but may be asked to do EYPS if the government wants every setting to have one. I believe I am better qualified than an EYP to work in a Pre-school and it is like being asked to do GCSE science when you have A Levels in Chemistry and Biology and no plans to ever teach Physics! (i.e babies) (open floodgates here...)

 

The beauty of teaching is that you continue to have teacher's pay and conditions (i.e £18 an hour rather than £10 and 13 weeks paid holidays) and your qualification is valued.

 

But then the irony is you will need to find a childminder if you do continue teaching.

[AnonyMouse_8466]

I get frustrated that I have an Early Years PGCE but may be asked to do EYPS if the government wants every setting to have one.

I know that teachers working in Children's Centres have been asked to gain the Status (I guess because up until now CCs have needed both an EYP and a QTS) but I'm sure it says somewhere in the guidance that only practitioners with QTS or EYPS are considered as true level 6 in order to enable settings to run with the 1:13 ratio. That would suggest to me that someone with QTS wouldn't need to undertake EYPS unless they wanted to do for their own CPD.

 

I wonder if any of our lovely LA advisors/consultants can shed some light?

 

In any case I think everything is probably up for discussion and interpretation at the moment, so if I were you I'd just keep my head down and see what happens!

[AnonyMouse_73]

Edlee, Maz is quite correct, if your QTS is in early years (assuming that after you PGCE you did indeed complete an NQT year), then you would not also need EYPS.

 

The key differences really in what you did for your QTS and what you would need to do for EYPS would lie in the experience with under 3s which is not covered by QTS, so a bit more like being asked to do an A level in Biology when you have one in Chemistry. (ie lots of cross overs but some unique things too)

 

My own personal feeling is that we are a long way off having or needing an EYP in every setting.

 

Good luck Popcorn, lots for you to think about, but also you don't know how you will feel when baby comes along, maybe you will want to spend time with just you, or maybe you will want to go 'out' to work (as I did), or maybe you will decide childminding is right for you.

[AnonyMouse_1490]

Popcorn have you thought about a job share with another part-time teacher with children and you share the childcare.

[Guest]

I came into childminding from a Primary education background. I am now mainly working outside the honme, and while I enjoy my job, I would not be working if my husband was. I regret the fact I hae missed out on my duaghters' early years, even though they have been having a great time with my husband.

[AnonyMouse_1490]

Yes my husband and i were lucky enough to manage with one wage so I could stay home untill our children went to school BUT I find that children that have another experience for a few days a week are more independent and they settle and mix easier with other children.

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I am a teacher who went into pre-school work after having baby number two. I worked part-time as a teacher with baby number one but couldn't bear the thought of re-establishing myself again at school after a second maternity leave so left and moved to child care.

 

I do regret not keeping my hand in. I have only been out of teaching for 5 years but feel really out of date and don't even have the confidence to do supply in my children's school. I know I am a damn good teacher so it frustrates me when I see other Mums doing supply or who held onto a one or 2 day a week job which they don't do very well!

 

I would say do a bit of both- see if you can go part-time in your teaching job, maybe doing one day a week PPA cover and do child minding on a couple of days as well. Can't you be an Accredited childminder if you are a teacher?

 

I get frustrated that I have an Early Years PGCE but may be asked to do EYPS if the government wants every setting to have one. I believe I am better qualified than an EYP to work in a Pre-school and it is like being asked to do GCSE science when you have A Levels in Chemistry and Biology and no plans to ever teach Physics! (i.e babies) (open floodgates here...)

 

The beauty of teaching is that you continue to have teacher's pay and conditions (i.e £18 an hour rather than £10 and 13 weeks paid holidays) and your qualification is valued.

 

But then the irony is you will need to find a childminder if you do continue teaching.

 

Hi Edlee!

I am sure that there are courses available to update your teaching skills; I wouldn't know where to look, but you could start by asking the head at your children's school or contact the local LEA. It has to be cheaper to update a qualified teacher than to train a new teacher!