Planning
In order for your business to run smoothly and efficiently it is important that you spend time planning. Some of your days will be repetitive, and you will have routines which you will have to follow time and time again, such as taking children to school or playgroup. You must organise your time effectively so that the children you are taking to school get there on time and that you are never late to collect them at the end of the school day.
Your day as a childminder is likely to start early and finish late, as you will be expected to fit in around the working hours of the parents whose children you are caring for. It is important that you are ready to start your day at the time you have agreed on your contract.
If your contracted hours are 7.30am then you must be ready to receive children, and begin working, at this time.
The busiest times of your working day are likely to be during the arrival and departure of the children to your setting. You may have several parents dropping their children off simultaneously and you must make sure that you are organised sufficiently in order that you create
opportunities for the parents to communicate any important information with you, when necessary.
It is difficult to give your undivided attention to a parent if their child is jumping up and down in front of you trying to tell you an exciting story about what they have done that weekend. However, if you prepare yourself for this hectic time, and have a suitable activity ready for the child on arrival, it will give you the vital couple of minutes needed to communicate with the parent before they leave your setting.
Daily Routines
There will be important times in your childminding day which you must be aware of, and you must plan your day around these times appropriately. Things to consider are:
- the arrival and departure of the children and their parents to your setting
- times you have to take children to and collect them from playgroup, nursery and school
- times for snacks and meals
Being On Time
If you have parents who drop their children off near to the times that you need to leave home on your journey to school or nursery, it is important that they are made aware of your routine and ensure that they
are not late as this may put your whole routine in jeopardy. They may have a six-month-old child and not realise the school start times, so you need to make them aware of the latest time they can drop their child off with you, allowing you plenty of time for your journey to school without rushing or compromising the safety of any of the children in your care.
If you agree to provide a school drop off and collection service you must ensure that you do this on time every day. There is no excuse for the children to be late to school unless in very extreme circumstances. It is not acceptable to take a child to school late simply because you have not organised your morning appropriately.
Mealtimes should be kept as much to a routine as possible. They should be enjoyable times for everyone and should not be rushed. It is important that you try to create a relaxed atmosphere and make mealtimes social occasions. The times you choose for meals should be arranged according to the times the children start their day with you and they must fit in with your normal day-to-day routines of school runs, naps and play times.
The chart on page 112 shows a typical childminder’s daily routine. It can be adapted to suit each individual childminder’s circumstances.