Going rate for non-registered childminder

[Haily111]

Hello all, i will be returning back to work January part time, three days a week. A friend of mine has offered to take my littlen in whilst i am at work. By my own choice i would like my dd to have one to one for the first couple of years. The 'childminder' isn't registered, but she has had three children of her own, worked in midwifery and is a nurse, and the most relevant aspect is i trust her completely.

My question is how much i should offer to pay hourly, bearing in mind she isn't registered, but will look after dd three full days (08-18), i will provide food, and my dd will only be seven months when she first starts going.

I have no clue with this so any helping comments will be very welcome :-)

[Olihan]

Just be aware that it is illegal to pay anyone money to look after your child if they are not registered with OFSTED. Even payment in the form of gifts/holidays etc is illegal so your friend will need to think carefully about whether she really wants to do it. Obviously she'd have to be caught and it proven but there is a hefty fine involved.

[CarlyP]

how would she get caught though?.....

if she is not claiming benefits etc, but working then thats unfair, but if shes a mate, id pay her.

[Haily111]

Oh god really???? I didn't realise that :-( They don't make it easy nowadays do they!!

[Twiglett]

its easy to register though .. and she'll get a grant .. she'll have to do a 4 day course and have a CRB and home check ..

[Haily111]

Thanks for that Twiglett.

Can i just ask then if it is illegal for grandparents to look after the children as well?

[nappyaddict]

i pay my cm £2 an hour. is it really illegal? sometimes my cousin looks after my ds and cos she has to come and collect him (i don't drive) i pay her for petrol and a little bit extra as well cos i don't like her to do it for free. and what about babysitters? they aren't with ofsted and you pay them don't you?

[nappyaddict]

btw she charges £18 for the full day. how many hours would your dd be there during the day?

[Haily111]

She would be there from eight in the morning til 6 in the evening, but only three days a week. Long i know :-(

[Xena]

Not not illegal for any relation to look after your child for payment without being registered, although they still have to declare self employed earnings to the IR. Lots of grandparents etc have registered so that childcare tax credits can be claimed

[Bamzooki]

It is only illegal to 'mind' a child for payment if it is more than a set no of hours, tho for the life of me I can't remember how much. I'm pretty sure 3 full days a week would be too much however. If your friend were to register as a childminder she would be letting herself in for a stack of routine paperwork to maintain her registration, but you would have benefit of her being insured etc, as well as no prospect of being 'found out'!
I pay mine £2.50p/h (for part time), though it will be rising to £2.75 p/h next term, and she is only bringing herself into line with the lowest chargers in the area. But i would pay her much more if she asked - she has had dd and now ds, the kids love her and I trust her completely!

[Xena]

Its 2hrs IIRC (the max time for unreg)

[Haily111]

Sorry didn't realise how complicated this can get!!!

[edam]

Agree that your friend will have to register but it is very easy to do. My baby sister did it not long ago in order to look after a friend's child and I was surprised how simple it is.

[anniebear]

I don't see any real reason to pay her less cause she isn't registered??

Someone asked how would she be found out?.... Other childminders could report her. I was a registered childminder and there was a lady who came into the toddler group with 3 children and she wasn't registered. It used to annoy some very much. And I am sure some of them wanted to report her. So you never know

I think you can look after a child for 2 hours without being registered

It's insurance reasons also. When I was registered I had insurance. Accidents can easily happen. If I were her I wouldn't want to look after child illegly. Could be too much trouble for her.

Also even though you are friends, with a registered childminder you would have a contract. And have certain things down on paper.

[MegaLegs]

If you register does that mean you will be inspected. What are the regulations. will I have to make loads of changes to the house, garden etc..I have been asked to help a friend out one afternoon a week and she has offered to pay.

[anniebear]

yes, you will have inspectons

You may get told to make certain changes, if you have a young child yoursefl you will have some of the safety things anyway

[Haily111]

Ok i shall look into it, does anyone know where i need to go for this?

I don't want to pay her less i just wanted to know what the going rate is as i am totally new to this

[Bamzooki]

I think you contact the council for a registration pack and info for your area.

[anniebear]

I think the rate of pay varies greatly

Is there a childminders section on here If so maybe ask on there?

[Katymac]

Ok

If you are looking after children in your own home for more than 2 hrs a day you need to be registered.

If you baby sit in the childs house you don't

You need to be registered for lots of reasons

1. It's illegal not to be
   
2. Technically (tho' unlikely) if social services found out that you were using unregistered childcare - they could consider it neglect (as I said unlikely) Both parent & carer could be prosecuted.
   
3. Anyone looking after your child should be first aid trained (not a problem in this case)
   
4. Insurance is very important - car ins, household ins, Public liabilty Ins (if your buggy is stolen from her house is it covered - if you child is in a car accident in her car and needs expensive surgery - who pays - not her car ins as it was not declared for work...sorry to be blunt)
   
5. Regulation - everything needs to be regulated in some way - childcare is very invisible OFSTED inspects to ensure minimum standards - some minders I have met I wouldn't leave an adlt in their house let alons a small child - & they were refistered.
   
6. Safety - childminders have a crb check - so do all their household - you would be fine with your friend but if you go to an unregistered C/Mer how do you know that the people who live there or who visit are safe?
   
   This is a general rant about unregistered care - it is for information - I am not having a go at Haily...honest & I am not referring to this particular arrangement

[nappyaddict]

what about if someone looks after your child in their house for more than 2 hours but they aren't paid?

[Katymac]

If you aren't paid at all (ie voucher/trading/other things?) then you are a mug

Sorry the legal aspect won't could but the other issues are valid (first aid/insurance etc)

[julienetmum]

If they are truly not paid then I don't think it is against the law. However paid includes gifts and reciprocal favours so even if you just gave them a box of chocolates or bottle of wine every so often it classes as a payment.

[Haily111]

Thanks Katymac. As i said at the start of the thread i had no clue that it was against the law. Thank god for mumsnet :-)

I shall try and get a registration pack from my council. Thanks again everyone x x x

[dartlady]

hi can my siser be my childminder for my 2 year old son if she not registed