Setting up a parent and toddler group

lync77

I am a registered nurse who has had to retire early due to health problems. My daughter who is now 12 went to a parent and toddler group from being 18months old. She was then childminder by the leader of the group (who was a registered childminder until she was 10 years old. Due to personal problems my childminder had to give up her child minding and the parent and toddler group which she worked so hard to build up over the years. On my days off work I would often help out with the snacks and beverages, also I used to help out when they had an annual charity event to raise money for the rent of the hall. When she had to give it up she asked if I wanted to take over however I couldn't guarantee my days off. Now I am retired, I have more time to myself, however after 2years all equipment etc is long gone. I am aware that until we are hopefully on the other side of this pandemic that I wouldn't be able to set anything up however I thought I would take this time to do some research into how to financially set up a parent and toddler group. I was thinking £2 a child and £1 for siblings to cover snacks etc. I was wishing to know if there were any grants to help set up a small community parent and toddler group in a pit village in the North East of UK. I do know that our community is crying out for one as I have spoken to some mams and grandparents. I know a similar question has been asked before but that was 10 year ago and some things have changed. Has anyone got any good advice? Thank you.

Savvy_Sue

Find the umbrella body for such groups. Recruit allies for a committee. Identify premises. More later ...

Savvy_Sue

Savvy_Sue said:

Find the umbrella body for such groups. Recruit allies for a committee. Identify premises. More later ...

Having said that, there's no 'obvious' umbrella body for such groups. Early Years Alliance may be the place to start. I'd also see if you can find any groups running not on your doorstep, and see if you can visit, talk, get some ideas.

Allies: you don't want to be doing this on your own. So there are parents and grandparents who want to see such a group - ask them, "how can you help?"

Premises: it's all very well thinking of charging £2 per child and £1 for siblings, but unless you can get your premises for free, that's unlikely to go very far. And even with the most supportive venue in the area, there's likely to be a charge. But where is the most supportive venue in the area? Is it somewhere could parents get to easily, after dropping older children at school? Do any of the schools have a spare classroom, and would they welcome such a group? What about local churches, are any of them suitable? One thing I don't know is what provision you'd need to make for toilets, obviously you'd need some, and good baby changing facilities. And storage for all your equipment.

You also need access to simple kitchen facilities, for preparing those snacks and drinks. Oh, and my local group now serves hot drinks for the parents in lidded cups, to reduce the risk of accidental scalding.

The local authority may be useful in terms of grants, especially if they have identified such a need and wish to support it. Your local Voluntary Services Council is also likely to be useful in terms of looking for grants, and for model constitutions, advice on fundraising, and a whole heap of other things. It may be called something different - google 'volunteer' plus your area / county / city / town and see what comes up.

One of the things you may find, however, is that in the last 10 years, the early years 'scene' has changed radically. When mine were small, there were parent and toddler groups in every church hall (where we stayed with the little darlings) catering for up to 3 year olds. Once they were three, there were playgroups and nurseries, where the little darlings could be left. Some parents didn't use playgroups or nurseries, so you might have 3 and 4 year olds in the toddler group.

Once the government started providing some free nursery care for three year olds, there was a lowering of ages throughout the sector: to cover the shortfall between the government funding and the actual cost, nurseries started taking 2 year olds. Then the government started funding some hours for two year olds - and that had an effect on the toddler groups.

I don't know what provision there is in your area for those 2 year olds, but you may find that families want to access that as soon as possible, and that paying for a toddler group won't be a priority. Then there's the issue that if the two year old has a place at the nursery from 10 am to midday, there's not a lot of time to get an under-2 to a group, and get back to pick up the 2 year old. Which is why location is pretty important. 

This is the time for research, but it may well be a very good time for research. Everyone's wondering what the world will look like in a few months / years, and I don't know what effect this is going to have on all our children

disclaimer: I have never run a parent and toddler group, although I've been to a few in my time. What I did do, twice, was set up an out of school club. After the first time I swore 'never again'. Then we moved, and there was no out of school provision, and a group of mums were talking about it, and I did it again - even though I knew by the time it was running mine wouldn't need it. The second time was much easier, not just because I'd done it before and could pinch a lot of ideas, but also because the second time there really was a group of us doing it. The first time there were a few others involved, but it seemed that if anything needed actually DOING, then I was going to have to do it.

In a parent and toddler group, you won't have the expense of paid staff: that and premises were the biggest money gobblers! But as you'll know from doing it, reliable volunteers will be badly needed - some of them at least without their own toddlers to worry about!

Would love to hear how you get on.

pleasedelete

I ran one more than 20 years ago- we got the hall free and still charged more than that- we had insurance costs, refreshments, occasional visitors, toys/activities, craft items etc

comeandgo

I ran one about forty years ago.  I think you should really look at whether it is something that is needed now.  Mums are not at home with small children for long. They go back to work and the child will be taken care of otherwise.  Our local community hall is run by the community and is open for anyone who hires the hall at a very reasonable rate.  Would you have anything local?  

oldbikebloke

what is your objective?
- to make a profit and therefore supplement your retirement income?
or
- to provide a non for profit service to your community?

rach_k

Have you thought about doing it at part of another local organisation?  Then you may be covered by their insurance, be able to use their facilities or existing relationships to find somewhere suitable etc.  Maybe the local school or church would like a  toddler group.

Teapot55

I couldn’t find a toddler group in 1984 so I decided to start one even though I had no experience apart from sometimes ‘staying to help’ at the playgroup my four-year-old was at. 

The new local community centre said I could have the small hall for nothing if the group ‘affiliated’. 

I bought a few toys in a jumble sale, borrowed a wooden climbing frame/slide & a sandpit from some association, bought a bag of playsand, some tea/ coffee/ squash/ biscuits from the co-op. 

Crucially, I put a dozen hand-written posters around the local shops. I was staggered to get thirty mums along the first morning. A few of them immediately swung into action with offers to make tea, supervise the sand etc. Every week was the same. 

After a year I had to increase my hours at work & hand the toddler group to some other mums. It ran successfully for a good few years. 

I’d done no research, but the ‘market’ was there: I guess that was the main reason for the success. 

A long account, but my way @lync77 of saying: Go for it! 

J_B

Teapot55 said:

I couldn’t find a toddler group in 1984 ............................................
A long account, but my way @lync77 of saying: Go for it!

Sadly, there are so many rules and restrictions nowadays that your plan would be a lot harder now. 😢