Would you use a childminder who couldn't speak English?

Communication with my childminder wasn't a problem - it was a bit of hassle occasionally but I worked around it - we spoke easily through her husband and sometimes friends that were visiting. She had enough english to understand the basics and I would leave a note if I wanted to be sure that we were both clear on what I meant - she would get it translated later during the day. Maybe that sounds awkward but my gut feeling was that DS1 was happy and I trusted her to look after him well. Even now that I have a new childminder (My original childminder could not mind both DS1 and 2) when we meet her out and about my sons act as if they are meeting a long lost relative.

I'd have some concerns about medical emergencies/communicating on important issues but they could be overcome.
what I wouldn't agree to at all is her speaking to my children in English all the time if her English was really bad (obviously, I don't mean if her English is in fact pretty good but just an accent/occasional errors). there is plenty of evidence to show that it's a much better idea to use your own language or one you feel confident in when bringing up/communicating with small children. it's not just that your dd might be taught the wrong word for something, but if you can imagine all the 'chatter' that goes on when you natter away to your dd, all that would be absent and the language used would be much less overall and much more functional. if it was just part time care then that might not matter as much, but if your dd would be spending a significant amount of time with her, then I would be wary. could be a great opportunity for your dd to be exposed to other languages though - exposed before a year and your accent will be better than someone without that early exposure, even if you only relearn the language as an adult

I wouldn't have a problem with this at all - my first childminder for DS1 (from 5 months to 3 yrs) spoke only Spanish - DS1 learnt to understand the Spanish and even spoke a little but there was no delay at all in his English. Even now at 6 he's forgotten most of the Spanish but still has a few words - I'm hoping when it comes to learning a language at school he'll find it that bit easier.

(If she speaks Urdu or Mandarin your child will have a head start, though...)

No, not unless I wanted the child to learn the childminder's language. What if, God forbid, your child needed urgent medical attention while in her care? Could she communicate with NHS Direct/doctors or nurses?

You learn language by having a go and getting it a bit wrong and having it repeated back to you correctly.

"I go-ed down the road mummy"

"Yes, I saw you. You went down the road on your bike".

I'm not sure from what you say that she would be able to do this.

I would think carefully about it

I (as a minder) have real difficulties getting some concepts and ideas across to the parents I mind for. All of us speak english

It might be that your conversations could get very blunt and abrupt as you try to communicate

The issue with your child learning their language is one you should consider along side the possibility of the child learning english with an accent.

I am not saying it ia a "bad" thing - just something that needs thought

It might be that all major communication would be done in writing? So limit misunderstandings?

No how will you tell her things that you feel are important / find out things about your child's day?

If she is awake more with the minder than with you, then I would say "no". She does need to hear English spoken to learn to use it correctly.

Would she be talking to your dd in English?

She must have managed to get through her childminding course somehow??

I suppose the problems would arise if you had a "complicated" issue (positive or negative) - am trying to think of an example ... for instance, would you have to say "no grapes" or would she understand "please cut grapes in half because dd might choke on them"?

I understand Twinklemegan's concern - it's easy enough to make small talk about having a good day, but you need to be sure that she understands the way you would like your child cared for (use XX cream if she's sore, always put a hat on her if it's cold, no Fruit Shoots, don't give any Calpol without checking with you first??)

One of the children I minded was German. My German is very limited, although my understanding is enough that I can say any written words. My own dd, who had good German skills, wrote down lots of questions like "would you like a drink/cuddle/biscuit?" or "what's that?" (so both child and I could learn each others language!)

You could look at it another way... Perhaps your dd will gain useful knowledge of another language from being with her.

I've had the reverse, and have minded children (from different families) with no English at all, and the mum with little or no English. I didn't have a problem with it, although I worried that the children might get frustrated or upset (but they didn't).

It was sometimes a bit difficult to chat to the mums, but they were gradually improving their English-language skills anyway. We didn't ever have any horrendous "understanding-each-other" problems, we always managed to converse somehow. The idea was, obviously, that the whole family would be fluent in English, which is a totally different situation to yours (so I'm probably not helping, sorry!)

Do her own children speak Engish? Does she have other minded children yet? How old is your`dd?

I definitely wouldn't. Not so much for my DC - more for me in terms of communication about DC's progress and needs.