CM says she can no longer take photos?

"it could be simply and email address, or phone numbers on your mobile." So would that not apply to everyone in the country then... we all store that sort of data on a mobile phone (assuming we have one). Mind you, the ICO website says that "personal information for your own domestic use" is exempt.

Talking of annual business fees - if you are paying the ICO fee, then are you also paying the Business Waste collection fee? What about Business Rates (or are those done on property type?). Point I'm getting at is that either childminding is a business and everything business related applies, or it isn't a business.

Seems that over recent years more and more things have started to apply... so will childminding be seen as being a business now by local councils (so waste collections, planning permission, business rates?) and by Ofsted (thus publishing full location data)?

As a nanny (and thus employee) I expect I don't have to pay the ICO fee, though do wonder if the parents (my employer) does or not.

It's an annual fee for the business. I imagine if I move, then I just have to send them my change of address. Forget the focus on photos, it could be simply and email address, or phone numbers on your mobile. My renewal has just come through as a direct debit.

I don't understand all this complaining. I registered and paid £35. I am responsible enough as a professional to go by the rules. They do give you guidance on how to store data ... to be honest I haven't really thought about it before. I got a certificate to show to prospective parents and most of them commented that other minders didn't have this one. Had my inspection recently and inspector said 'I see you take photos and use computer to store data have you registered with ICO?' I was able to show her certificate there and then (she did say that most minders have no clue what she's asking about). Ofsted do check now so if any of you are due an inspection I strongly advise to register.
I take as many photos as I want and don't have to worry about breaking rules.
I know some minders said they go back to an old fashioned camera to avoid registering but I bet it will cost them way more than this £35 a year to run.

Is it a one off fee or an annual registration? What if you move, does it move with you or do you need to re-register?

If a childminder records observations and progress on the computer- even if they just print it off- they are supposed to register with the IOC, same with other personal information and digital photos. I tried to resist registering?. but in the end decided it was worth £35 to stop me worrying that Ofsted or someone else would ask to see my registration- I think the whole thing is ridiculous but once the NCMA started saying we needed to well that was the final straw.

erm, this is the first i have heard about this...........i had no idea i am supposed to register with these people

meditrina - you're right, I registered because of all the email addresses, phone numbers, etc I store, as well as the photos.

I thought that any keeping of data in an organised filing system was controlled by The Data Protection Act? Not just photographs?

But don't exclude the possibility that she is using officialdom as a pretext, either because she doesn't want to do this anymore, or because another mindee's family has refused/withdrawn permission for photos (and might have good reasons for doing so) and she doesn't want to be treating her mindees differently. I wouldn't force the issue. I'm sure you'll have plenty of other non-Cm opportunities to get lovely pix of your children.

looneytune said:

being on the register is simply that, being on a register.
It doesn't actually 'protect' anyone from what I can see?!

Exactly.

The important part is not the paying the £ 35 and filling in the form.

The important part is being aware of the 8 principles of data protection and abiding by them. They are straight forward and all common sense really. This page summarises them and is one of the few pages on the ICO website that won't send you to sleep:

www.ico.gov.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/the_guide/the_principles.aspx

Anyone can do that - without putting themselves on a register.

What applies to big business seems to also apply to small business. Fine in principle but in reality it's not so good.

Parents with a nanny should be ICO registered, as they are a small business (1 employee) and will have some data about their nanny in electronic form these days, or do parents never record anything about their nanny on an electronic device?

Only in the last few days a politician (think in the House of Lords) was commenting on there being extra "taxes" imposed on people doing their jobs (in the case he pointed to it was dentists needing to register with some govt body at a cost of 800 pounds a year, somewhat more than 35, but principle the same).

Over a number of years, some of the costs had gone up fourfold, ie + 300%, and clearly massively above inflation. Government spokesperson was "not persuaded" that there should be any relaxation or changes, despite suggestions of reducing burden of regulations and paperwork for smaller businesses.

ThisIsWhyIQuitChildminding.com

Yes, I registered with ICO. It's money I would rather have in my bank account and it has been of no benefit to the children.

FGS it's only £35. How can you be a decent childminder and not take photos of the children? From what I gather you can risk a fine of thousands if you're not registered with the ICO. I know they are taking money for nothing but sometimes you just have to conform.

I registered with the ICO recently as was told Ofsted inspectors are now checking it.

I must admit, I've really had enough of all this stupid stuff now and it makes me wish I was in a position to quit!!! Oh and it's a total waste of money too, being on the register is simply that, being on a register. It doesn't actually 'protect' anyone from what I can see?!

Whist the NCMA are technically right about registering as a data controller, we all know that, in the real world, it's absolute b*llocks to expect CMs to register.

Just ignore the madness and carry on as you were. No one will either know...or care.

Yet another reason why I am bloody glad I'm not a CM anymore! How you CM's keep going with all this shit, is beyond me.

obviously cannot work buttons either ...

Oh god I'd best go down the cop shop and hand myself in then - not only do I take loads of photos,put them on CDs for parents and even (with parents signed permission) have a few on my website, but there are two pics of me and my charges in this months childcare magazine! And they have just asked if they can come round to my house and take some more pics (all with parental permission)

Obviously the parents do not know their own minds and I must hang my head in shame as I take myslef off to the clink...

Oh god I'd best go down the cop shop and hand myself in then - not only do I take loads of photos,put them on CDs for parents and even (with parents signed permission) have a few on my website, but there are two pics of me and my charges in this months childcare magazine! And they have just asked if they can come round to my house and take some more pics (all with parental permission)

Obviously the parnets do not know their own minds and I must hang my head in shame as I take myslef off to the clink...

what the jeff is going on? This surely can't be right. This sort of thing will turn me into a daily mail reader one day

Or you could provide a storage card (SD or whatever) for her camera?

They are also adding in rules about Website Cookies - so that will see an end to websites then! ha. Just host it abroad.