My childminders given me 4 weeks notice

**mummyplus2** · 14-09-2007, 01:57pm

I am on the verge of tears as my childminder has decided to get a job at a school now so has given me 4 weeks notice. His wife is still a childminder but she doesnt have any space for my two. I've been ringing around everyone local and no one has spaces for two, I dont know what i'm going to do.

I thought they'd be looking after my two for years, I thought they could grow up with a familiar face but now i have to go find a stranger to bond with them all over again.

**Miss Frosty** · 14-09-2007, 02:00pm

So sorry hun and hope you manage to find someone soon xx.

**mummyplus2** · 14-09-2007, 02:07pm

I've just gone through the whole list of childminders in my area on childcarelink.gov and no one has vacancies, does anyone know where else I could look?

**Toots** · 14-09-2007, 02:10pm

This happened to me earlier this year and I had to find a new childminder at the start of the school holidays.

You can usually ring up and get a printed list of childminders. I think it is from your local council. I found there were a lot more childminders on there than online.

I hope you find someone soon. DD is actually happier at the CM she is at now than her old one but purely because there are other children her age there.

**Moose** · 14-09-2007, 02:14pm

No advice, but I hope you can get something sorted soon.

Moose x

**mummyplus2** · 14-09-2007, 02:39pm

I rang my local council, they told me to ring the childcarelink people but i've already checked their website. I've run out of ideas.

**sallycinnamon** · 14-09-2007, 02:40pm

Put word of mouth out, there might be someone starting up loclally who a friend knows, look in your supermarkets, post offices notcie boards, ask your current c/m if they know anyone?

**mummyplus2** · 14-09-2007, 03:00pm

They did say they will ask around for me, in fact alot of the people i rang know my current childminder! I just want to be prepared now, I hate not knowing.

**stacey86** · 14-09-2007, 03:04pm

Oh no.

I know how settled they were. What a total PITA xxx

**lazymummy** · 14-09-2007, 03:36pm

This happened to me when J was about 18 months old. I managed to get him into a nursery instead and he thrived there! Is nursery a possibility for you?

**mummyplus2** · 14-09-2007, 03:42pm

No, I know two people that work in nurseries and they have witnessed alot of bad things that go on (that sounds scary, I mean things I dont agree with!), I dont want to send them to one if I can avoid it. Not to mention it will cost me an extra £35 a week!!!

MsNat · 14-09-2007, 03:49pm

Oh no, what a nightmare for you ?

Does you current Childminder not belong to any childminder link or have a support childminder ?(where I am, the local authority pairs you up with another childminder in case of sickness, emergencies etc). Does she not have anyone she could recommend ?

**mummyplus2** · 14-09-2007, 03:56pm

He said he's going to try really hard to help me, so hopefully he'll pull through. He's chairman of a childminding group in my area, so knows alot of people, but he says most of the good ones are full (especially for two under two.)
Someone has called back to say they have vacancies, but only from 9am some days (i start work at 8.30) but if it comes to it i'll try to ask my work if they mind me starting a little later. Theres light at the end of the tunnel (if she's any good!)!!

**goldilocks** · 14-09-2007, 06:43pm

I know you said you've looked on the CIS site and there are no vacancies, but you may well find that if you call around people will have spaces. Here we are supposed to update our details every month, and tbh alot of us never remember

This time of year I know that many minders are looking for work as alot of us have children starting school.

It may also be worth calling your local NCMA office to see if one of their coordinators can help. My network coordinator is often helping people find childminders.

What area are you? I belong to a forum for childminders and I'm happy to put out a request on there if you want me to. Its a long shot but may be worth a go. PM me if you are interested.

I hope you can sort something out

If I can help in any way feel free to ask!

**Samba** · 14-09-2007, 11:42pm

Just to say the same thing happened to me as well, and I was also

I decided to put them both to nursery as I thought it would be better for DS1. It was absolutely hideous at first, but they are both happy and settled now.

Hope things work out for you too

**mummyplus2** · 16-09-2007, 01:38pm

No I have rung EVERYONE on the CIS list and no one has spaces. I met two ladies yesterday, one was charging £5 an hour for them each (i currently pay £6.50 for them BOTH) and expected them to sleep on the floor in the living room (yeah good luck)! I said they HAD to sleep in a cot and she said 'well i guess i could get one!'. She had no baby toys (normally does school pick ups but decided to do little ones now too) and had glass ornaments everywhere!
The first one was alright, but her garden was unusable so the kids arent allowed out there and she won't take them to toddler groups as she cant keep an eye on them if they're running in opposite directions

. So they'd be stuck indoors all day.And her little girl was constantly pushing josh over and running lana over with a pram!! Lovely! And neither of the ladies showed me their certificates or ofsted report, I would have thought if it was good they would be raving on about it.
Am seeing someone tomorrow so we'll have to hope they're any good!

Puffy · 16-09-2007, 03:00pm

What area are you in? Have you tried Netmums? Im a childminder and get most of my work from netmums! Good Luck

**mummyplus2** · 16-09-2007, 07:06pm

Yes have advertised on netmums, had one reply so far from a woman in gravesend- i live and work in maidstone, like half an hour away from her but of course i want a childminder that lives nowhere near me