is it acceptable to turn my garden into a nursery?

is it acceptable to turn my garden into a nursery?

by: motherofall - 27-06-09 11:57

hi everyone, just stumbled into this website and it has really helped a great deal. just one question that has been bordering me though.

I am a childminder with 15metres garden. i am no greefinger and this seems to be a waste of big massive space. is ideal for me to turn it into a nursery whereby i put a big summerhouse or insulated shed and run a nursery from there? obviously access will be through my house, but i already have that with the children i have already anyway. i am also thinking of getting a qualified assistant so i am able to get more children through the door. is this something that anyone have done before or have ever considered? any tips and advise will be of great help

by: Strawberry

As far as I know you are allowed to do this. You are registered with ofsted anyway so I guess ring them and see if you can get the summer house registered as the premises. 

 As for the assistant - childminders are allowed to do this anyway so again, I don't think you'd have a problem.

Ring your inspector and talk it through with them.

x

by: Louise

I would talk to the local planning department first to see whether you need planning permission for the construction of the 'shed/summerhouse' .  There may also be issues if they consider it to be for 'business use'. 

by: Lolo

I think if you did that then you would stop being a childminder, which is a wonderful form of childcare, but you wouldn't be a particularly great form of nursery either - accessing through your house is a bit weird, and summerhouse/ shed isn't really a great environment, tbh.  I can imagine it would suffer from extremes of temperature.

Why not build a big play room - and there may well be capital grants money for you to do this - and then you could have assistants or co childmind with people.

by: motherofall

Thank you all very  much, all responses has been very helpful. I see this could be a long process or may be not so long. but its worth a try to give it a go and see what the outcome will be.

all response is well appreciated.

thanks all.

by: me

i work with several childminders who run like preschool with 8 to 14 kids depending on size. they make a load of dosh and run very well they re very popular. one has converted her garage. 

by: kaz (the first one!)

We have a local 'nursery' that is basically two childminders in the front room that belongs to one of them. They have up to 6 children at each session (am or pm). So although they are sessional, they are still childminders. They are not accredited tho so don't claim the NEG but charge a lot more per session than a local pre-school as they 'specialise' in literacy for 2-5 yr olds (Don't get me started!!)

by: motherofall

Hi Tutu, does any of this childminder you work with need to get a permission from the  to change any of their room for business purposes?