Hello
I do both HE and childminding. It works for us. My mindees are not HE families (though I have had 2 enquiries from HE people recently). My ds is 13 and hangs around with me and has often chosen to help out with the mindees but I don't ask him to. He has gained fantastic childcare skills from this.
The day is long,- I set work when I get up at 6, he starts it at 7.30 and does his formal study whilst I do the school runs (Dad does nights so is in the house while I'm out). Then he comes out with me and the toddlers, we are back for lunch and sleeps. He will then do any further work or watch a relevent documentary etc. I don't finish work until 6 and sometimes do overnights so there is not much time to do work in the eves. At 6 we all do housework. We are in a HE group but don't get much opportunity to do all their activities as I have to be at school or they are not age suitable for everyone.
If you don't know anyone who childminds - the hours are long for little money (much less than basic wage when you calculate all the extra hours for cleaning and training etc). Your carpets, walls and doorways will quickly be beaten and wrecked. You can be lonely. The job must come first and the parents will ask for various routines to be followed with babies which could tie you to the house (or at least a cot). Each parent will expect you to put the welfare of their child first and this could mean everyone leaving the beach 10 mins after you arrive because little Freedy has wet himself and the spare clothes are half a mile away in the car (I can't carry absolutely everything) if it was my child I'd clean them up and make do somehow. It is only a career for you, if you are patient and completely devoted to children (it's easy to be devoted to your own - we are talking about children from any background).
I love being a childminder. But I have seen some bad ones out there where people are doing it only because it is convenient.