To not know what I am supposed to do now - childminder

That's so frustrating. I would look at school nurseries for 30 hours places (it might not help as they are term time only and will involve picking up at 3.15 ish) but they might have a last minute place plus also day care type nurseries who will accept the 30 hour funding. I think they are more likely to have the last minute place you need as they have more places overall. You might get lucky and get your dc friends who end up going to his future school.

Have you also checked eligibility for tax free childcare etc to help with costs?

To give you no notice is really unreasonable of the child minder and is unbelievably stressful for both you and your child.

Does your contract not state a notice period? Our childminder closed just before DC was due to start, it was with the necessary notice so I couldn't complain. It was extremely stressful though trying to find an alternative as I was already back at work and all the good ones get booked up 6+ months ahead!

You will have to be flexible in your requirements, look for someone further away or with less than ideal hours and just work around it while you get yourself on the waiting list for someone else more suitable. Is there a local FB group for childminders in your area? Or contact one person and if they have no availability, ask if they know of anyone else who might have space and work your way along the chain until you find someone.

We ended up with a pretty terrible childminder as we were so desperate, didn't really like her when we did the interview but it was that or nothing. Toughed it out for about six months then changed to someone much better.

That's absolutely shocking a day before he started! Something must have happened, that's not normal amongst childminders.

It is a nightmare for you and you will have to see if you can get on any waiting lists. As for your "joke" of stalking the house to see if she is still childminding, It may be the case that she might still have children but has decided to not take any more children on.

I know 3 of the childminders at our church playgroup that have decided not to take any more new children on since the 9 months funding has come in. They are still minding the children they have but are not taking any more on. There is also at least 2 others (I know for definite about 2) in our area that are also not taking the funded hours, they are just offering their spaces for before/ after school and school holidays care for school age children. One of my friends has had to put her 1 year old in a nursery as the child minder for her 5 year old isn't taking any more babies on.

Unfortunately this is the result of a badly thought out, rushed government policy that is now having a detrimental affect on parents.

That's shit but for all you know, she's sick or divorcing etc.

Tbh this can happen with any childcare, I know of a nursery that closed with no notice - can't remember if it was debt or a bad care rating or building health and safety or something.

Don't waste energy being annoyed with her, you wouldn't want your kid to go there now if she did do a U-turn. Just focus on deposit and finding a different solution.

People saying it's her prerogative to not provide childcare - yes, but with reasonable notice! She can't leave people in the lurch like this. I would be claiming for the deposit plus other costs as a result of her breach of contract (although perhaps difficult to actually get her to pay them in practice).

Contact Citizens Advice about getting your deposit back.

it almost sounds like she’s a fraud, as she should have transferred your deposit back immediately once she had informed you she was quitting childminding (unless of course she’s had a family emergency which may delay her responding).

Letter by registered post outlining the time frame within which you expect your deposit to be returned before you are compelled to take further action. She could twist you turning up there as intimidation

You have her home address so id be tempted to go there to talk to her about getting the deposit back. Not ok that she didn't return it and is now hiding.
Failing that, letter before action and threat of small claims court. I wouldn't hesitate.

If she's not returning your messages, you are well within your rights to knock on her door and tell her she needs to refund your deposit. Just keep very, very calm while doing so!

Maybe she has failed Ofsted or another check.
Maybe she's got a job that pays better.

Unfortunately it can happen with childcare settings. When DDs nursery failed Ofsted we were told up pick up they were closed with immediate effect.

yeah get your deposit back asap nd say you need to it to pay for an emrgency nanny for next week as she has left you in the lurch.

Did you sign a contract with her? Remind her of that if so.

As someone who used an amazing childminder for 10 years, I’m shocked by this. Obviously she’s entitled to give it up but you do it with reasonable notice or if it has to be sudden, a recognition that you’ve let your client down and some recommendations on who may be able to help in the immediate term. My lovely CM was hospitalised with a sudden illness that left her unable to work for a few months but even in those circumstances she thought enough of her families to ensure they were contacted straight away and provided some contacts of her network of childminders that she’d personally recommend.

From a practical perspective, I would contact her, iterate the hole she’s let you in with zero notice, state you will need your deposit back today to be able to arrange alternative care and ask for recommendations of other CM’s (if you trust her). You can also contact the council.

Hope you find a better CM quickly.

I’m sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you meant he wasn’t in school yet but was joining this month.

i think your meaning and frustration was perfectly clear.

Remeber you'vedodged a bullet here as well - she is not reliable and would probably have been a nightnare - and may even be being forced to quit.

Have you asked her if she can recommned another childminder - she may be handing over her business to someone else.

I’m sure the contract that you signed means that you both ought to give a certain notice period before termination of the contract.

That doesn’t help you now though.

We had a similar situation a few years ago, I rang the local Family information Service to get an up to date list of childminders and started phoning them all. We had 2 DS to accommodate with 3 school runs a day so a bit more complicated than your situation. I’m happy to say that we found a fabulous childminder and it worked out much better than them staying with the one who left us in the lurch. Get on the phone straight away!

As an X registered childminder myself I'm very sorry that a fellow 'professional' has done this.
I would be tempted to contact Ofsted.. and complain about her.
She's supposed to be reliable.
And definitely get your money back.

How frustrating.
But you never know, something awful could have happened in the childminders life, a death in the family maybe?

I think you could have worded it more clearly tbh. You asked if it would be unreasonable, it would be.

I would feel the same and would be dying to know if she had over booked or actually given up. Not that it changes anything but I would feel the same (although not actually do it as you say).

If she’s quit childminding, she’s not going to give a stuff about a review.

Actually, if she’s quit childminding this suddenly there is probably a very significant reason, OP, so might be worth cutting her some slack once your frustration has passed.

Sadly this is fairly standard with childcare - it's always stressful and peoplelt you down.

Remember that there will be other flaky people letting childminders and nurseries down at the last minute so you need to phone around now and find those places that have come free!

What a massive let down. As another poster said you should get your £300 deposit back!