Please or to access all these features

Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Childminder with fake paperwork

35 replies

luzt · 25/09/2010 20:40

I am going back to work and we have been interviewing millions of nannies, babysitters, paying visits to nursery and etc, than we found this childminder on a certain childcare website and just reading her profile we felt like choosing her. First time we payed her a visit we were sure she was the one for us and we have been meeting and visiting her constantly to settle our 2 month old and getting t know her and her child better and we have no doubts that she can provide the childcare that we want even though she became a childminde recently and our child will be her first mindee (she is a former nursery teacher and babysitter). But there is one little thing...She is renting and her landlord refused to give her permission to childmind in the flat. Her child is starting school now and she does not want another job as she wants to take her of him. She is desperate to move out but got no money for deposit and firts month rent upfront so she faked a pemission letter from her landlord and will childmind whitout his permission until she got enough money to move out. She was honest about this first time I called her to enquire..So, what to do now...

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
LesbianMummy1 · 28/09/2010 08:45

I wrote on your other thread not realising you had posted twice here is my original response

Could you ask her to register as a home childcarer for you?

information on childminders

information on home childcarers

that way she can work at your house and you can still use tax credits or vouchers as she is registered with ofsted still

The other option is to allow her to work without permission which is likely to mean her insurance is invalid and you could end up up the creek without a paddle if her landlord ever finds out because even with a contract he could still refuse and she may jeopardise her tenancy and deposit by doing it.

JenniPenni · 26/09/2010 20:37

'if the landlord found out she was watching a your baby she could always say that she is watching a friends child and recieving no reward therefore not childminding and you could just back up her story'

Since when is LYING acceptable? I am shocked to see you say this!!

Fraud, lying... NOT things a respectable and professional childminder would EVER consider doing.

It is unfortunate that she is in this predicament.. but her predicament will only worsen should she dig an even deeper hole and start practicing illegally.

nancydrewrocked · 26/09/2010 19:18

cherry you are missing the point - the Landlord doesn't have to prove anything.

If he believes the minder in minding with his express prohibition he will simply evict her.

If he is vindictive (and he is certainly likely to be pretty pissed off) he might well give ofsted a call and let them know what she is up to.

Ofsted will investigate. It is perfectly plausible that they then might refer the matter to the police - especially if the mindee appears to be further lying by denying what she is doing.

I would be running fast if I was the OP!

pippin26 · 26/09/2010 18:47

yes but there is a papertrail. so its just digging herself deeper and deeper in the web of deceit surely.

the fact remains though - the minder should NOT be doing this for all the reasons myself and others have expressed.

IF something happened and 'it all comes out' then she could feel the weight of Ofsted and a few other organisations come down on her. She could be banned from caring for children full stop. Not to mention the parent has no way of claiming for an accident as insurance is not valid. Bit like an uninsured driver pranging your car - and we all know the crap that causes.

xoxcherylxox · 26/09/2010 17:48

she still could and should do that but as a landlord they would not ask for access to the childminders accounts and if shes claiming not to childmind then he wont say let me see your account/bank statements as he as to right to anyway. would only be if a problem with insurance because of injury and it all came out then they may investagate and look and see if payment was being paid but between childminder and landlord then if they stick to the story then landlord cant prove otherwise. dont no maybe im wrong but who knows. landlord may not no that written permission was needed before being registered so he could believe that she applied for it got it through then asked him and said no so she said ok i wont do it then

pippin26 · 26/09/2010 16:17

cheryl - what about accounts - surely this childminder should and will be keeping proper accounts. otherwise on top of everything else she will be defrauding the system by not keeping proper accounts.

what about if the parent is claiming tax credits

xoxcherylxox · 26/09/2010 15:26

if the landlord found out she was watching a your baby she could always say that she is watching a friends child and recieving no reward therefore not childminding and you could just back up her story

nancydrewrocked · 26/09/2010 14:43

I agree with onimolap and pippin.

If she has used the fake letter to get Ofsted approval and insurance then both those will be void and can be revoked at any time.

She is also commiting a criminal offence and I doubt Ofsted would look too favourably on that.

pippin26 · 26/09/2010 14:33

i would say, that if she has faked the permission from her landlord and presented it to Ofsted and insurance to gain her registration/documentation - it will be considered fraud for starters - and could potentially have her registration revoked with immediate effect - leaving you with NO childcare. I would say that it will also void her insurance - so she will be working without insurance - again not a good situation for a professional childcare provider.

Not to mention, what IF the landlord finds out that she has faked permission or is running a business from her (his) premises. she could be evicted - again leaving you with no childcare.

A professional childcare provider that has gone to this degree of deceit (although I understand her desparate reasons perhaps) is not a good start is it.

However, at the end of the day, its up to you whether you use the childcare as offered or not. You need to weigh up the pros and cons - (to recap) ie/ leaving your child with someone with invalidated insurance, could have her registration revoked with immediate effect (and its NEVER a good idea to lie to Ofsted), potential immediate eviction, potential very peed off landlord who could take her to court for fraud.

If she can lie about this and fake something so important - what else might she do in the future.

luzt · 25/09/2010 21:49

onimolap, that is a good point, I will have to research on this

OP posts:
nannynick · 25/09/2010 21:37

A nanny CAN NOT take children they care for back to their [the nannies home] for total time in a day exceeding 2 hours (day being 2am to 6pm under Childcare law in England). That's the moment in time that Childminder registration is required. The nanny could therefore go back to their home for an hour or so... though they may not be covered under their nanny public liability insurance (they should notify their insurer to obtain confirmation that insurance cover will still be provided in such a situation).

onimolap · 25/09/2010 21:34

If she used fake information to get her registration, then that registration is potentially voidable and all the other protections (insurance) etc would be voidable too.

And if it came to the landlord's attention, he could bubble her to OFSTED etc, and seek eviction action.

It leaves you in a very uncertain position. It could all go very wrong on no notice. Can you withstand this?

luzt · 25/09/2010 21:33

the baby would adapt, yes, but would I?
and no, I know childminders who rent and they are the majority

OP posts:
luzt · 25/09/2010 21:29

and I dont think that landlord pemission is vetting process anyway, he might be just worried about his cheap carpet

OP posts:
luzt · 25/09/2010 21:28

sorry muddlepuddle if I came accross as nasty, I never heard that a nanny could take the children that she look after to her house and asked you about the information. I was thought that the 2 hours period was for favors from friends, etc

OP posts:
MuddlePuddle86 · 25/09/2010 21:26

Perhaps the others own their homes. In all fairness your baby is 8 weeks old (?) and will probably adapt to anyone at that age.

luzt · 25/09/2010 21:24

Well I wish she hadnt tell me anything because for me what really matters is that she is checked and registered, my husband, I and the baby get on really well with her and her child and she has got wonderful references from nurseries managers, and people she babysat before and we confirmed everything by phone.
Sure the other childminders out there that done the same because all tenancy agreements state that it is not allowed to run a business at the property so how the others childminder get away with it...I dont know...

OP posts:
MuddlePuddle86 · 25/09/2010 21:22

And yes, the insurance would be VOID if there was an accident in the home when that property is not registered for it's required use (similar to if you have insured a car and added modification and not let the insurance company know).

nannynick · 25/09/2010 21:21

Anyone could start and then stop (give notice) due to various circumstances. Your baby may not settle... may spend all day screaming. That can happen in any childcare setting - nursery, childminder, nanny - thus can result in the provider giving notice to end the agreement.

MuddlePuddle86 · 25/09/2010 21:20

And stop with your nasty attitudes I was just adding my input-and you may not have "heard of such a thing", I have never heard of a parent being so careless as to even consider a childminder/nanny/babysitter who has lied throughout any of the vetting process.

MuddlePuddle86 · 25/09/2010 21:18

nannynick- if she has a child of her own, and needs to go to and from school 2 hours a day is suffice for this, the rest of it can be at Lutz's home. But I agree Lutz, if you thought it was kosher you wouldn't be wondering about it. My advice is to find someone else.

nannynick · 25/09/2010 21:18

It may not be reliable childcare, as if Landlord finds out they may evict her I suppose.

You are worried... you haven't got full confidence that things will be ok. You are having doubts. Is that fair to say?

Could you find someone else, then once she is settled in her new home, then consider her again.

luzt · 25/09/2010 21:12

basicly because I chose her and I want her to look after my child, I dont want her to start and suddenly stop

OP posts:
luzt · 25/09/2010 21:10

Like you nannynick I dont see it as a big problem and she also pointed to the landlord that she would look after only one baby so that would be pretty much like having another child of her own and not like a business but he decided to be unreasonable, I am just worried about the problems she could face if Ofsted or the Landlord find it out before she moves.

OP posts:
nannynick · 25/09/2010 21:08

luzt - what made you decide to post on here?

If you saw this situation being a non-issue, then you wouldn't have posted anything. Given that you have posted about it, is there something about it that you are not happy with?