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Original poster

Am I being unreasonable to think my childminder shouldn't leave my child with her daughter's 17 year old friend?

27 replies

Love2dance · 19/03/2008 07:11

I have a very nice, experienced and flexible childminder. My DS is 14m. CM has a meting at her daughter's school and has told DH she has arranged cover with 17 yr old for 45 minutes. According to our contract we are supposed to be offered an alternative CM in her area if she can't care for him. I appreciate CM wouldn't leave DS with omeone she didn't know but I know little about her and am not happy. What if there's an emergency? Is she first aid trained? Work committments mean we can't take time off. I have not objected in past when CM' daughter covered for short periods as i know her and she is studying child care. I don't want to offend her or upset her but feel i ought to raise it diplomatically if possible, otherwise a precedent may be set.

What do people reckon?

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aGalChangedHerName · 19/03/2008 07:34

I am a CM and afaik it would not be acceptable with the care commission to do this. I would only arrange cover with a fellow registered CM or on occasion parents have said it's fine for my mum or my DH to provide cover for a short period of time.

This has only happened a few times and only where the mindees parents have known my dh and my mum well. I have also had to get a letter of permission from parents for any cover being used.

HTH

Twiglett · 19/03/2008 07:31

well I think you're over-reacting, what kind of emergency are you expecting to happen in a 45 minute period? Do you really think a 17 year old isn't capable of minding a 14 month old for such a short period?

You do know that the CM course that they go on is rather laughable .. with the exception of the first aid course of course .. it's beaurocratic tosh and an ability to write a, doesn't have to be any good, essay and source it correctly

If it was without your knowledge it would be unreasonable. It wouldn't phase me to be honest .. but then I've got two who are older and one tends to relax with more experience and distance from first babyhood, am trying to wonder how I'd have felt with DS at that age and probably would have been the same as you.