childcare in school holidays?

[TheBody]

I am thinking of returning to childminding after a 2 year break while I got a level 3 TA qualification and have been working as a TA for 2 years. I also a qualified district nurse.

my question i want to set up a business for teachers children only as I would like the school
holidays with my own dd. I
wouldn't charge for this so effectively it would be a pay as you use service.

what do you think? would this be popular? very grateful for any imput.

[BrianButterfield]

Yes, it could work. Do you live near a school? I teach and know some people who have to pay ful fees during holidays just to keep their place open.

However you should also consider that many teachers like to make some use of childcare in the holidays as it gives them a break, is fun socialisation for the DC and keeps a semblance of routine going - I keep DS in one day a week and this is quite common.

[TheBody]

thanks Brian, that's interesting. yes can see the part time aspect of this.

could work around this I think. yes do live near a school and have lots of contacts.

[manyhands]

You might well need to do a few extra days for teachers inset days.

[rollonthesummer]

Great idea-there used to be a nursery round here that only took teachers' children; it had a huge waiting list!

[PatsysDouble]

My childminder does this, and our old one did too. They seemed to jump at the chance to have teachers kids for exactly the reasons you suggest.

Could you offer occasional cover in to the early evening for Parents Evening's? And quite early starts? Say 7.30am? Inset days too.

I never use childcare in the holidays, but I can see some people might want to occasionally. I guess you could specify which day(s) you would work so that you don't end up with 1 child every day of the week, but have all of them on one day.

A 3rd childminder we use just sends a letter out a few weeks prior to the hols asking what people would like and them figures out what suits best. No guarentees of holiday cover.

Good luck!

[Abbierhodes]

Great idea! I employ a nanny that is term time only as she has her own child. Works perfectly for both of us- her son comes with her in term time (he's pre-school age) but has his mummy to himself in the hols. We all love the arrangement.

[JumpingJetFlash]

I'm a teacher (well at the mo anyway lol) and both of the childminders my dd has been with have offered this. I loved it and it saved us a fortune!

Second that if there was some flexibility for the occasional day in holidays that would be great but it wasn't essential for us. Good Luck with your new venture :-)

[Tanith]

I offer free "prep" days in the school holidays for my teacher parents to set up their classrooms for the coming term. They almost snapped my hand off :)
Might be an extra incentive if you're wanting to attract teaching staff.

[Katz]

when mine were little we had a term time only contract with a nursery - it was great DH (who's a teacher) spent time with the DDs in the holidays and it saved us loads.

[Awakeagain]

Do you live near me? Lack of term time only childcare here
Free prep days - you sound like a childcare god! Where can I sign up