In shock after visit to childminders

I would just like to say how hurtful it is to read some of these comments demonising all childminders from usually one (sometimes no) encounters with a childminder.

I am not an abuser. I do not leave children alone or in the care of others. I do not park them in front of the TV and chat with friends. I do not take risks with my mindees. I do not put their needs behind those of my children. It is not a convenient way to earn money whilst I stay home with my own children.

Childminding is a career choice for me. I care passionately about the care and education of my little ones. My own children are teens and my mindees and their families are an extension of ours.

I work hard developing my knowledge and training in my own time. I look after them as I did my own, with love, kindness, awareness and energy.

I also have many childminder colleagues who are the same. They would feel the same as I do in feeling absolutely gutted at the generalisations made here towards us.

Omg! This is so so sad

Absolutely horrid to read.

As someone who supports victims in court I’ve lost count of the amount of people I’ve sat with - adults and still little ones - while they give evidence about abuse at a childminders that breaks your heart and turns your stomach. Most will never get any type of justice because age, development, trauma, etc. affects memory which will inevitably undermine the ability of a jury to convict.

In a lot of the cases I sit in Childminders are usually unsuspecting people that abusers target for relationships to access children. In so many cases childminders will regularly leave the child/ren in the care of a partner or other kids. It blows my mind. I will never ever leave my son at a childminders because in all honesty far too many of them make choices for the children in their care that a parent would never make.

Dogs, small objects, left in the care of -at best, strangers - at worst, abusers, seems far far too common and the price is paid by the child and family when it goes wrong.

thank you for sharing what happened to you and I’m so sorry it did - its so important people understand how abuse at childminders is far more common than people might think; because it’s one person & zero oversight.

nearly all the abuse in courts is uncles by marriage, step dads, family friends, abuse in care and abuse at a childminders. That’s Iike 99% of my abuse victims with the odd teacher or online groomer but childminding is top 5.

Report her she is a bad apple.

Exactly this.
The other parents may not be aware. You need to think of protecting all the children not just not sending your own dc.

The fact she was recommended - and you have had this experience will make you doubt others opinions. It reminds me of my own experience of visiting a highly recommended childminder. I had no overt concerns in my two visits- but just noticed she didn’t appear to smile or enjoy the children at all , seemed flat.
We didn’t go with her ( despite being v desperate for childcare at time) - but I almost questioned my judgement given even more parents positive feedback. It was only later I realised that most parents praised her for being so flexible- able to switch days, happy to allow parents to cancel days and not charge. Whilst those aspects are all important I realise it was how she treated parents that was admired rather than the child. I see her a school gates fairly often now/ she has never hugged or smiled at mindees that come out of school
I know it’s really hard to make a decision based on visits alone but trust your instinct. When I was still looking for childcare , I contacted one lady who said she had done it 26 years so had definitely enjoyed it. I wasn’t bowled over in my visit but out of options she felt most nurturing. She didn’t do homeworks or day trips so I did wonder
I knew I made right decision when I came for pick up and she was carrying my daughter ( my very heavy, tall 3 year old daughter) on her hip, she explained they had just been watching a cartoon
nNow as much as I don’t like screen time- dd is sensitive and just loves getting to sit on someone’s knee when tired
All childminders have there strengths and weakness
Good luck in search

You need to report this to the local authority she is in - I presume she’s registered?
you also need to not bother a doctor when your child is fine, no skin broken, what do you actually expect a GP to do because your child had dog saliva on her hand, calling a Gp is ridiculous.

Wow..... report to Ofsted and tell your friend.

I hope you and your little one are okay, must have been a terrible shock.
I use a childminder now, she's brilliant, but my boy is 4. At 10 months I would prefer a nursery, they're in a room adapted to their needs and not sharing the space with older kids (so no risk of choke hazards), there's a ratio of staff and lots of activities.
Whatever you choose, I wish you best of luck with your search.

There are two types of childminder...
One of them has a bunch of kids loosely confined to an area in which anything goes. The adult in attendance spends most of their time updating Facebook.
The other type is a childminder.

just find a nursery: they don’t have dogs

Just out of interest what kind of dog is it? Sounds like one I went to visit recently I got a bad vibe from the dog

I had this sort of experience with a daycare center over twenty years ago. Nothing this blatantly obvious, but once we started going things became clear. I would pick up my children and a ton of formula would be missing, multiple diapers missing but the baby was in a wet diaper when I showed up. One day I put a little mark on the diaper I sent her in and it was the same one when I showed up to pick her up hours later. And it was the supposedly better daycare in the area, they had cameras, it was very clean, separated by ages so that older children weren't ignored while babies were cared for, a lot of staff, etc. And if it had just been my one child, I probably would have never seen a problem as they took care of her great. But my other child, they were horrible. I found a different place right away.

This, do this. You might save a childs life. I'd be furious if a dog I didn't know was allowed near my child. It's not appropriate in a childcare setting!

I think that's bad

I don’t think you overreacted by phoning the GP and I would report the CM.

My late MIL “gave up” childminding after an on spot inspection when she had 13 charges. She was licensed for 4 children.

Without question you need to report this immediately!!
Whether you are sending your child is irrelevant now, you've witnessed a situation unfit for children.
You need to call your local council tomorrow. You would never forgive yourself if anything happened either with the dog or an accident due to unsafe items being left around.

This is why I never used childminders. I’m sure there are good ones but there will be loads who are just in it for the money and don’t give a crap about any risks because it’s not their own child they are looking after. Please report this person to Ofsted and let the friend whose daughter goes there know.

That’s dreadful OP. Agree with others that you should report - I don’t agree that it was ‘just luck’ that the dog didn’t bite (it was clearly uncomfortable and gave a clear warning - not necessarily a ‘bad’ dog) but it is unacceptable that the woman allows it free access to the children.

separate note: don’t ever let your baby crawl up to a dog, regardless of how nice you think it is. You never know how a dog will react to a baby and babies are unpredictable.

This reminds me of the time I visited a child minder with a view to leaving my then toddler for a few hours a week. Omg, the TV was blaring (11am!) So the childminder could hear her programme from the kitchen ( TV in a tiny front room), childminder with a raucous voice, children mooching aimlessly. I thought thanks but no thanks.

Ended up going to a lovely lady who actually spent time doing fun activities in a beautiful and quiet home, where there was a huge garden and lots of nature. Far far better!!

Are you doing a degree at University? Do they have recommended child care?Where I live, one of University's does. The other one may do, but I was at a mature students day and they talked about the child care at the university. I would definitely check other child minders out, not all are this bad.

Sure, because it's 'panic' to ask if a baby who has been bitten by a dog has been vaccinated for tetanus...

The OP mentioned 'marks'. This link makes it clear, in the third section, that tetanus bacteria can enter the body via superficial wounds. Does it not occur to you, with your hilarious laughing smiley, that there might be damage to the skin that the naked eye cannot see?

Tetanus Causes and How It Spreads | CDC

I am sure that she has been vaccinated (8, 12 and 16 weeks) but, as not all parents vaccinate, I would rather ask the question and have the OP consider that possibility than not ask the question.

Op, I sense your ambivalence re being/not being SAHM but I agree with pp don't be put off by one bad experience, which I agree was terrible and I'm a dog lover! When I looked for a chilminder for my two dcs I visited 16 on the list of registered and close by. Hand on heart I wouldn't have left a dog (hah) with any of them bar 1. I went for that one which was fine when they were little, safe and nurturing and reassuring. I had no choice re SAHM as am the main breadwinner. The nurseries I visited had some worrying, unsafe moments and seemed always to be short of staff. One to one adult/child is considered to be most beneficial for very young children, whether it's a trusted parent or a trusted carer.
Good luck with your decisions and choices

I would report her to the local council and look for another childminder or nursery

I would say it's hit and miss with childminders.
I know a childminder who used to be a nursery teacher and I would call her the Lewis Hamilton of childcare!
But we had a bad experience with one when DG1 was 6 months old. She just simply disliked him. He used to cry when being dropped off and it got on her nerves! After a couple of months I said we should look for a nursery he was just unhappy with her and she just didn't like us! He started at a lovely nursery at 8 months 13 years ago and 2 more GSs have attended since and there's still a lot of the old staff which is a good sign.
Don't turn your back on your studies you will find somewhere that is suitable.
There are a lot of good childminders but sometimes people just don't click