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Paid childcare

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

Original poster

Unregistered childminders

33 replies

Rubirosa · 09/09/2012 19:09

I wondered what actually happens if someone is caught childminding unregistered? Is it illegal?

If I knew my neighbour was looking after a child/ren at her house and wasn't a registered childminder, and I called Ofsted, what would the outcome be for her?

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ZuleikaD · 10/09/2012 07:44

Ah, thanks for the update, wish - I always thought that was dumb.

wishiwasonholiday · 10/09/2012 07:34

You can receive reciprocal childcare now just no money or vouchers or any kind of reward.

ZuleikaD · 10/09/2012 07:29

It doesn't have to be money - any kind of 'reward' counts. So for example if she was getting reciprocal childcare from someone else that would also count. (Though personally I think this is absurd - anyone remember the case of two friends a couple of years back who jobshared and looked after each other's children on their off days? Ofsted did them like a kipper.)

apotomak · 09/09/2012 21:16

If she's claiming any benefits benefit fraud agency would be very interested. We all know where it ends up with them. Ofsted would be least of her problem.

greenbananas · 09/09/2012 20:52

I think that if she is charging money then it is illegal and she can be prosecuted. However, there is an escalation process and Ofsted would visit to assess the situation then maybe serve an enforcement notice first. Here is the relevant page on the Ofsted website (section 4 5a is about unregistered services).

marriednotdead · 09/09/2012 20:41

It happened years ago to someone at DDs school. The parents were given 24 hours notice to find alternative childcare. For some reason, kids over the age of 8 were allowed to stay IIRC...

Original poster
Rubirosa · 09/09/2012 20:25

What if it is for money though?

OP posts:
greenbananas · 09/09/2012 19:15

I think that if she is not charging any money then it's not illegal.

(When I spoke to Ofsted about going on maternity leave, they confirmed that it was okay to carry looking after children of friends so long as this was just as a favour and was not a monetary arrangement).

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