How to make money as a childminder in Mons, Belgium

Where paying customers for childminding come from in Mons

In a city the size of Mons, families looking for childminding help use a mix of channels. Some search online for childminders by name or location and find you through search results or local service platforms. Others ask for recommendations from friends, family, neighbours and colleagues - word of mouth remains the strongest source of regular bookings. Parents often ask at their workplace, local schools, community centres and parents' groups whether anyone can recommend a childminder.

In Mons itself, families are spread across the city rather than concentrated in a few high-income districts. This means your potential customers are not locked into one neighbourhood. However, it does mean you will likely spend time building the client base gradually, customer by customer, rather than expecting to fill your schedule quickly from a single source.

Setting your first price for childminding in Mons

When you set your price, you are setting what customers will pay and what goes into your bank account (after Websta processes the payment through Stripe). You have full control over this - you decide the hourly rate, any minimum booking length, and rates for different times of day or week if you choose.

Research what other childminders in Mons and the wider Hainaut region charge. Talk to other childminders if you can reach them. Ask parents in your network what they currently pay or expect to pay. Look at a few online platforms to see what rates are listed. In a city of Mons's size, rates can vary widely depending on experience, qualifications, whether you offer full-time or drop-in care, and whether you are registered with the authorities. Start with a price you are confident in and adjust it as you gain customers and experience.

Avoid pricing so low that you resent the work or cannot cover your costs. You will have expenses - supplies, utilities if you work from home, insurance, and tax contributions. Your price needs to make sense for you first.

Tax and social contributions for self-employed childminders in Belgium

As an independent childminder in Belgium, you are self-employed and responsible for registering with the tax authorities and paying social contributions. The rules are complex and vary depending on whether you are registered as a formal childminder (accredited by the Walloon Region if you are in the Hainaut province) and how many hours you work.

You must contact the SPF Finances (Belgian Federal Public Service for Finance) to register for tax purposes. You should also contact your local chamber of trades or a tax advisor who knows the childminding sector in Wallonia, as they can advise you on which contributions apply to you and at what rate. Some childminders pay lower social contribution rates under certain conditions - this depends on your specific situation. Do not assume you know which rules apply; get advice before you start.

Keep records of all income from childminding. When you receive payments through Websta and Stripe, they will go to your bank account - keep these records clear and separate from personal money. You will report this income when you file your taxes.

What your first ten customers usually look like

Your first customers are usually not strangers. They are often referrals from someone who knows you - a friend, a parent from your child's school, a neighbour, a colleague. These early bookings tend to be sporadic at first - a few hours here, an occasional full day there - rather than regular weekly schedules. This is normal and does not mean you have failed; it reflects how people try out a new provider.

Some of your first customers may book through Websta or find you via search. These tend to be local families actively looking for someone in your area and willing to reach out to a provider they do not yet know. The conversion rate from browse to booking is low - expect most searchers not to contact you - but a clear profile with your services, prices and online booking form makes it easier for the interested ones to get in touch.

As you complete a few bookings well, some customers return and book again. Others refer you to their friends. This slow compounding is how a client base builds. It is not instant, but it is real.

What tends to go wrong in the first months

Many new childminders expect customers to arrive quickly once they are 'open for business'. In reality, building a steady client base takes months. If you have not had a booking in two weeks, that is not unusual. Patience and persistence matter more than panic.

Some providers set their price too low, thinking it will attract customers faster. It does not - it attracts customers who are price-sensitive and may be less reliable, and it leaves you earning very little for your time. A realistic price attracts the right customers.

Others do not have clear information about what they offer - how many children they take, what ages, what times they work, what happens if a child is ill, what they charge. Families need this information to decide whether to book. A vague profile generates fewer bookings than a clear one.

Communication delays hurt. If someone books through your Websta profile and you do not reply for two days, they may have already booked someone else. Quick, polite responses to inquiries matter, especially when you are building your reputation.

How a Websta profile fits into your childminding business

A Websta profile is a page that shows your services, prices, photos and a contact form. Families in Mons who search for childminders online can find you on Websta and through search results. You can list your rates, your availability, what ages you work with, and any specialisations you have. You also get an online booking form so customers can request a time and pay through Stripe, with the payment going directly to your bank account.

This profile works as a central point you can send to anyone - parents from word-of-mouth recommendations, friends who ask if you have more information, your own network. It removes the need to explain everything by phone or email. It looks professional. It gives customers one clear way to get in touch and book.

Websta also has a marketplace where people nearby can search for childminders by location and post tasks for providers to make offers on. This is another way people in Mons might find you. None of this guarantees customers - you still need to do the work of building your reputation and keeping your profile up to date - but it removes barriers between you and families who are already looking.

Starting small and building from there

Many childminders in Mons start as a side income alongside another job. You do not need a full schedule from day one. You can take a few bookings, learn from them, and gradually take more as you build confidence and your client base grows. If childminding eventually becomes your main income, that can happen over time.

The foundation is the same either way: clear information about what you offer, a realistic price, reliable service, and a professional way for customers to find you and book. A Websta profile handles the last part. The rest is the work you do with each family.