How Much Can a Childminder Earn in the UK?
Taking care of children might sound like a fun activity but is something that teaches you patience as well as how to have fun. Know how much you can earn in line of work in the UK and what all you need to keep in mind in this career choice.
Accept it or not, taking care of children is a unique kind of business. You invest your time, energy, creativity, and other skills to bring up children in your custody. After the Covid-19 breakdown, parents are also concerned about their children's upbringing.
If you think from humanity's perspective, childminding is one of the most loving professions that let you be directly involved with toddlers and kids for several hours. You get the following benefits being a childminder:
The job of a childminder is independent of space and time. You can either specify a portion of your house for children, or you can go to the child's residence to take care of children there.
You can set hourly rates as a childminder. Since the parents can't rely on any random kids' institute, hiring a childminder is the best option for them.What are the Responsibilities of a Childminder?
Following are the responsibilities of a childminder:Safety
First of all, safety. Every parent would want their child to be in safe hands. As the busy schedule of today's parents makes it difficult to focus on their children, they instantly look for reliable childminding services.
If you want to become a childminder, you must be at least 18 years or older.
Moreover, you have to have a clear criminal record. This criminal screening will make sure that you are an appropriate option as a childminder. A team from authorities also pays a visit to your place and checks whether your residence is sound enough for children or not.Basic Needs
What are the basic needs of a toddler? Eat, play, sleep, repeat. That's it!
Being a childminder, it's your responsibility to:
You can understand that before registering as a childminder, you probably have to learn how to take care of children's basic needs. If you are a parent yourself, fulfilling a child's needs might not be a big problem for you.Emotional Support
Since there is not much awareness about this topic, being a childminder, you must know that a child deserves maximum attention and emotional support.
At an early stage of a child's development, the brain needs care and love. Even if a child makes a mistake, it's your responsibility to correct that child without affecting his brain negatively.
Also, you should organise an environment where no emotional or mental stress takes place.
You can build such an environment by creating a sense of teamwork and compassion among the children under your supervision. Ultimately, you are there to make the children better humans for the future.Outdoor Activities
This responsibility varies from place to place. Some parents might restrict you to only keeping the children inside the house. But those parents are quite rare in number.
So you are left with children who will insist you take them to parks and playgrounds.
This is also an opportunity in disguise because it's necessary for children to explore what's going on outside the walls. It keeps the child mentally and physically fit. You can arrange outdoor games for children and make the best of the outdoor activities.Pick-and-Drop
For the older children, it's your responsibility to take the kids to nursery/school and bring them back on time. This might be a hectic job. But you can opt for children below school-going age if you don't want to do pick-and-drop.
But there's the tradeoff; younger children are usually more chaotic than older ones. If you are fond of toddlers and don't want to get separated from them, select the age group below four years.Parents' Wishes
Some parents might give you particular instructions related to unique hobbies, games, diet, and religion. Before committing to their wishes, it's again your responsibility to consider such kinds of wishes as a yes or no.
Make sure you clearly agree/disagree with the parents who come up with additional wishes. Here, you can make a bargain in your package as a childminder.
The above points highlight the responsibilities of a childminder. Now you can easily realise what work you have to do as a childminder. If you love being around children, you can register yourself as a childminder without a second thought.Earning of a Childminder in the UK
You must be wondering how much you can make being a childminder. The following breakdown (updated in 2019) gives you an idea of the hourly rates of a childminder:
In the UK, the pay of a childminder varies on the following factors:Conclusion
All these factors decide how much you will earn if you opt for becoming a childminder. Keep in mind that being a childminder is not a full-time job. You can run a side hustle if you want to have a passive income.