male child minder...would you use??

scousedave

Putting this thread on here as need some feedback from families and not sure which forum to place it under.

Hello I need some advice and would appreciate any feedback from yourselves......
I'm a single dad and have been looking for work but always seem to hit a brick wall when job searching....and this is that childminders don't do the hours that I would require in order to go to work as I come from an industrial background.

This set me thinking that the most obvious choice is that it would be good to train as a childminder with the intention of going self employed and I could then be a stay at home dad and work as a childminder.
So many people say how good I am with children and I know myself enough that I would enjoy working with children given the correct training.
I was wondering your thoughts on a Male childminder....would you steer away from putting your children with a male chldminder or would it not bother you in the slightest?
Thank you in advance

seven-day-weekend

It would not bother me if they had gone through the appropriate checks.

bizzybee

Definitely yes, there aren't enough male role models in the under 11 education and child care system.

I have employed male childminders in the past and they are the ones my children remember most, maybe it was because they seemed to do more adventurous things with them or maybe it was just because it wasn't the norm.

kelpie35

scousedave wrote: »

Putting this thread on here as need some feedback from families and not sure which forum to place it under.

Hello I need some advice and would appreciate any feedback from yourselves......
I'm a single dad and have been looking for work but always seem to hit a brick wall when job searching....and this is that childminders don't do the hours that I would require in order to go to work as I come from an industrial background.

This set me thinking that the most obvious choice is that it would be good to train as a childminder with the intention of going self employed and I could then be a stay at home dad and work as a childminder.
So many people say how good I am with children and I know myself enough that I would enjoy working with children given the correct training.
I was wondering your thoughts on a Male childminder....would you steer away from putting your children with a male chldminder or would it not bother you in the slightest?
Thank you in advance

I think your idea sounds fantastic :T

Are there many single dads in your area that would prefer to use your service?

belowtheline2013

I would. I think a few people might be a little surprised at first, simply because there aren't many male childminders but once they have met you and chatted to you the surprise will wear off.

Some tips -
Get registered
Get first aid and food hygiene training (might be provided free by your local council/college)
Set up a free website, facebook page and get yourself on google listings and yell.com etc. but don't pay for anything(Small Biz part of the forum can help with this)
Leaflets - you will get 500 printed really cheaply on eBay, put them up in as many offices/shops etc. as possible. generally i hear that door-to-door is less successful.
Car - if you have a car you can offer pick up/drop off from home/nursery/school.
Paperwork - get all the right leaflets, contracts etc. (if you look on eBay at the packs they offer you can then make your own)

Good luck!

Tigsteroonie

Our son is autistic and, if we needed to use a child-minder, personally I'd prefer a male who would be more prepared to play boisterously and physically with him (not that I'm saying females don't, but he's used to being with his dad)

iammumtoone

Yes I would chose a male over a female as I would appreciate more male influences in my sons life. He does see his dad but to me the more males he interacts with the better as I don't really have any male friends. Most of the people in his life are female.

RichardD1970

Yes, wouldn't be a problem.

But what a sad reflection of society's attitude that a question like this even needs asking.

chella

Maybe if you are the only male childminder offering childcare in your area you could approach your local newspaper and they may do an article on you. My friend did it and he got a good response from it. Good luck!!!

ska_lover

Yes I would , as long as they had the same checks as any other person male or female. In fact I would have loved to find a male child minder when my son was small, being a single parent for many years he didn't really have many men in his life and looking back it would have been beneficial

Kayalana99

Got to be honest... wouldn't use a male child minder with a female child.