Childminders - School drop offs

astonsmummy

:hello:
I'm just after a bit of advice really.
I am due to start a new job at any time really, and I'm still undecided on what sort of hours I want to do,
I have a choice of 8am to 2pm, 2pm to 10pm or 10pm to 8am.
Now I'm a lone parent with one (nearly) 4 year old child who is due to start full time school in September :eek: and was initially going to do 2 nights a week, but i've not long split from me fella and dont think I will have long term reliable childcare for the nights, so now i'm thinking of doing 3 or 4 days a week.
Obviously School does not start that early and there is no breakfast club attathed to that particular school, or one that drops off nearby.
So, to get to the point of the thread, I'm (reluctatantly) thinking of getting a childminder for them mornings to do the school drop off, ( I hope no childminders take offence to me saying reluctantly, i'm not slating them, I'm just feeling guilty about posibly not being the one to drop my son off at school )
Anyway, how would it work, i mean would a childminder be willing to only do 3 mornings, would i have to pay for the whole day, how does it work?
I realise you aint all the same but i'm guessing alot of people follow the same sort of rules (apologies if i'm wrong)

Scarlett1

When I was looking at childminding I noticed that some charged by the hour, so you could drop of say 7.30am for your son to be taken to school for 9am and pay for 1.5 hours each morning, don't quote me on this but some CM'ers charge around the £4 per hour mark. Check with the school first though as they might do a breakfast club, my dd's school just started one and you can drop off from 7.45am

Threadhead

It depends on the childminders other commitments. She may or may not have space in the morning.

Generally c/ms charge by the hour, but may charge a higher rate if you're only looking for a few hours a week. Also, think about what you will do during holiday times - will you need the minder then? will she have space then? what payment will she expect? what if school has to send him home, who will collect him? (bear in mind that c/ms generally wont watch ill children). You may have to pay extra for her to be "on call"

A friend of mine watches child A and Child B before school, and Child C and child D after school. But she doesnt work during holidays, so never has them all at once.

Its worth phoning around a few minders. Also, dont feel guilty - looks like you'll be collecting him from school when he will be full of chat about his day.

Good luck, if you want any further info, pm me - I'm a childminder (but in Scotland)

astonsmummy

Thanks.
There are at least 2 school holiday clubs in the area, so that shouldnt be a problem, plus I have already booked Octobers half term and febs half term off, so no probs there.
I do also have a helpful mum and neighbour but obviosuly cant rely on them all of the time.
There are only 4 childminder listed on the childcarelink.gov.uk website that cater for my school, I am attending a parents evening on Thursday so will enqire about a breakfast club.
If he is ill, then I will collect him, my work will only be literally 3 or 4 mins drive away.
I'm not too bothered at the price as I will get help for this and I'm sure it will be a hell of a lot cheaper than the £100pw it is now :eek:

andyrules

Hi
i was a CM a long time ago, and Itook children first thing to drop off at school. I charged a flat rate for the job, a bit more than by the hour to account of the journey/short time, but certainly not a full day.

Many schools now have out of school clubs attached with the Extended Schools. You could ask if there's one being planned - if enough ask it may be considered.

And personally, I'd sooner be there at the end of the day than the beginning - better for seeing teacher about little bits and pieces too:D

TAG

I drop DD off at my childminder at 7.30am 3 days a week. She drops her at school, then that's her job done. She charges £3.20 an hour so I pay her for an hour and a half.

She doesn't like to child mind in the school holidays which suited me fine as it's easy for me to cover them with other arrangements ie Nanny's etc. So I don't have to pay her.

Still have to pay if DD is ill and she was supposed to take her to school, but not if the childminder is poorly or unable to work for some reason.

All in all I was really lucky I think, to find someone where the arrangement I needed/wanted worked for both of us.

liney

Doesn't the school have a breakfast club, or perhaps the local Nursery does a school run and be less bothered about you only wanting 3 days?

I think 8am - 2pm would be much better than 2pm to 10pm because other than taking him to school, you wouldn't seeyour son because he'd be asleep when you get in.

astonsmummy

liney wrote: »

Doesn't the school have a breakfast club, or perhaps the local Nursery does a school run and be less bothered about you only wanting 3 days?

I think 8am - 2pm would be much better than 2pm to 10pm because other than taking him to school, you wouldn't seeyour son because he'd be asleep when you get in.

No breakfast club that I know of, I'e checked the website and looked on the childarelink website.
I will have a word at the parents evening on Thursday.
And the local nurseries dont do school runs, they also dont open until 8am but I have to be in work and ready to start at 8am.

TAG

Just wanted to add that the only draw back I do find is that sometimes DD has to be woken up on the mornings I work, which can be a bit stressful.

I usually take up her some breakfast in bed to eat whilst I'm showering/getting dressed. But like today she was still out like a light at 7.15am. I was making as much noise as I could but no joy. I ended up getting her dressed in bed and having to get the CM to give her breakfast. That's when the guilt sets in and you feel like an awful mum. Well I do anyway. Dark mornings are also a bind.

Savvy_Sue

You'll need to make it clear to any childminder that you are NOT asking them to be 'on call' once they have dropped the child at school - I know that some do charge for this.

Other than that, I'd go for the 8 am - 2 pm option too.

astonsmummy

TAG wrote: »

Just wanted to add that the only draw back I do find is that sometimes DD has to be woken up on the mornings I work, which can be a bit stressful.

I usually take up her some breakfast in bed to eat whilst I'm showering/getting dressed. But like today she was still out like a light at 7.15am. I was making as much noise as I could but no joy. I ended up getting her dressed in bed and having to get the CM to give her breakfast. That's when the guilt sets in and you feel like an awful mum. Well I do anyway. Dark mornings are also a bind.

I've had to do the same seldomly in the past, he is usally in bed by 6.30pm on 'nursery days' as he sleeps for 12 hours or more.
They provide Breakfast at nursery.