SIL using unregistered childminder - what would you do?

I agree with many of the posters here, that if you aren't concerned with the childs welfare you should not get involved.

It meant I could exclusively breastfeed my baby for 13 months. And he was with someone I completely trusted. Not crackers to me

Well in that case I think you are crackers... but it's still none of my business.

Framey - your arrangement is ok, although I presume you are paying her NI and tax as her employer?

It wasn't about the cost! It cost me much more to have him with her than the cm. I couldn't use vouchers and it always seemed like I wasn't paying enough....so I'd end up financially totally devastated - Never do a long term arrangement like this with a friend... It gets messy like that! But, it was best for ds and I at the time so I don't regret it.

Not everyone chooses a less formal arrangement because of cost. Sometimes it's just better for your family.

my DS is looked after by DH's best friend's girlfriend. She used to be an au pair and a nanny but she's not currently registerd with ofstead. She looks after him here in our house. Is that ok, or should she still be registered? I keep asking her to look into it but she hasn't as yet.
SHe's training to be a teaching assistant at the mo so she's CRB cleared.

Since it doesn't involve me or my children, I wouldn't say diddly squat on the matter. I know how my childcare costs keep me in financial ruin so I can certainly sympathise with anyone who is struggling to pay the childcare bill, and will not pass judgement.

But strix what about in the case like I did and I know many others who do... It's not in their home but it's just one person's child(ren). It's an arrangement they've made that they are comfortable with and out of decency, they pay them to do it. In my case I chose my friends house because it was next door to my job... In other cases they have other reasons.

au pairs, nannies, and babysitters have nothing to do with this situation. They all work for one person, where the job is specified by that person (or people). A childminder serves the public and defines his/her own service. So is more akin to nurseries or pre schools.

Registration and regulation has no place in my home, where I decide who can look after my children and how.

Actually 'everything' didnt just refer to childminding. I was including everything we do in life! its getting to the point where you have to have a risk asessment to wipe your bum!
As for childminders, surely its a little unfair to single them out for beauracracy when as NN says, Au pairs, nannies and babysitters are unregulated?!

Mind you, Au-Pairs, Nannies and Babysitters are still not regulated (nannies can optionally choose to register). So Government is fine about it being care in the child's own home.

"Everything we do nowadays is governed by rules and regulations." - the rules you refer to in this case have been around since 1948. See the 1948 Act

WWI and WWII changed things, as women went to work in factories whilst the men went to fight. At the end of WWII, while some women were happy to go back to being a SAHM, others were not.
The result is what we have today... mothers are able to go to work, whereas in the past many mothers would have stayed at home to raise their children.

Reciporcal and Family care are different to Childminding (where money changes hands).

I agree with you, pippin on a lot of points. But... When ds was looked after by my friend he was the only one - no other kids, and financially worse for me because I couldn't use vouchers. I just trusted her, a mother, my best friend to look after my baby more than anyone else. Yes I shouldn't have paid her legally speaking, but basic etiquette prevented me from having her provide free childcare.
Sometimes it's just the best option. Would I do it long term? No. But in the short term while I was bfing and I just wanted him to be held all day... It was perfect. It's not always bad.

Just adding my humble opinion into the mix, I cannot abide unregistered 'childminding' - although i will clarify an unreg'd 'minder' is no such thing, they are providing illegal childcare.

They will have no insurance
no home checks or regulating (ofsted or local) checks
no safeguarding knowledge
potentially no up to date first aid training
potentially no up to date developmental and workforce knowledge
bascially they aren't working to regulations - as those who are registered do.
REGISTERED childminders go through hoops to become registered and it will then beg the question - why is that person not registered.
Carrying on - the parents will not be able to access tax credits or vouchers
the 'minder' is working illegally - defrauding the system - not paying tax, NI, declaring income - which I as a tax payer think stinks. My hubby and I work bloody hard and honestly.

Yes, people will argue that just because a minder is registered, trained, qualified blah blah that doesn't make them a good minder - well i will argue that there are a darned sight more excellent childminders out there than there are crap ones - childminders who put their heart and soul into what they do, they are professionals through and through and its sickening to think that there are people out there who get away with this. I'd love to compare my working week and knowledge with an unreg'd 'minder' and then have someone tell me that the unreg'd minder is better! Maybe they are better financially - charging a low low price, packing their house full and not providing half of what I and many of my colleagues do - but if parents prefer to place their finances higher up the chain than the safety and welfare of precious children then.....

sorry - will step of my soapbox now. its a subject i am passionate about.
I am all for reciprocal care and family care - thats fine by me

If the mother is happy, and this person is sensible, what does it matter? Obviously there is a tax issue, but other than that?..There are no regulations for people looking after a child in their own home, whats the difference? If I left my daughter with a friend for the day, she would probably not have a first aid certificate, or a CRB check, and she wouldnt be 'up to date with the latest childcare developments.' She would however be someone I trusted and most probably a mother. If it was for several hours, I would probably insist she accepted some kind of financial reward.
I looked into childminding, and a friend took it up. She stopped because the paperwork and regulations were horrendous! I never bothered.
Everything we do nowadays is governed by rules and regulations. Its pathetic!

If you think your SIL has considered all relevant issues then it's fair enough to raise them with her. Otherwise, who she leaves her child with is no one's business but her own imo.

I used to have a really good childminder who was registered, then she left her hubby and moved to a different house and then wasn't registered. I carried on using her, someone reported her to Ofsted and she nearly had to stop. If she had been forced to stop I'd have had to give up work. I was seriously pissed off that someone had reported her. Anyway Ofsted let her carry on but then she had to stop for other reasons later on.

So I did eventually find a new, registered childminder who was useless. Not as good as the old one. I'd have trusted the unregisterd one more for stuff like gernal commo nsense and first aid ability.

As a kid I was looked after my a number of different women in the village, none of who were registered (noone was), no qualifications, no first aid certificates, etc. My mum would just find a stay at home mum who was responsible enough to look after her own kids and hand me over. Worked fine.

Your SIL is happy with the arrangement, I would keep out.

Quite, Starexpat.

Look, ultimately it is the mother of the child who has to live with the consequences of her decision (and the Dad too, obviously). The OP hasn't described her SIL as a neglectful loon so it is reasonable to assume she has taken some care over where to leave her child. The fact that the CM is not Ofsted registered does not mean there is anything wrong, just as if she was it would not mean that the child was 100% safe from harm.

Don't report the cm. Speak to your SIL and ask her if she is happy with her decision. If she is, leave it at that.

Gah nothinG not nothin. and please excuse other typos. On iPhone

Al1son I can think of plenty of reasons why someone would choose not to be registered. the eyfs stuff cm's have to do now would IMO be reason enough.

But nannynick it doesn't matter what he regulating body is.... If it's a friend that she trusts, it's her business.

In my case she wasn't registered because we didn't see any reason for it and didn't need anything formal. Pactically family.

And I agree about ofsted. Same with schools. they see what? A week? A day for cms? And paperwork. Anyone can make themselves look lazing for a day and then do a horrible job the rest of he time.
Not saying his is the case for a majority of cms. All I know are extremely professional and provide excellent care. I just think ofsted is a load of crap - just from what I know from teaching and having inspections at schools. It's not something people should rely upon for information about a school or carer.

Love it how there are assumptions being made that FrozenNorths' SIL is in England. They could well be somewhere else - Scotland for example, or indeed any other country.

Before talking about things like Ofsted it is useful to find out the unregistered childminders location... as there may be a different regulator and different regulations.

This really works me up because when ds was a little baby, I had to go back to work very early. My best friend looked after him (an "unregistered cm" shock horror) because she could bring him to me or I went to her often so I could continue to breastfeed - she lived across the street from my school (I'm a teacher). I completely trust her. It was ideal and exactly what we needed. He now goes to a registered cm (has since 16 months). And I adore her and feel very safe. But no more safe than I did with my friend. I see absolutely nothin wrong with what I did. She had kids of her own in school so our hours matched exactly, I was able to bf for 13 months, ds was happy and had 1:1 care (I could NOT afford a nanny) .... I have no regrets.

I would have to question why she isn't registered. It isn't that onerous so is it because there is a reason Ofsted would refuse registration like a someone with a relevant conviction living in the house for example. A quick phone call to Ofsted should ensure she gets a visit and they will probably support her in becoming registered rather than prosecute her.