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Paid childcare

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

Childminder left child in car with an 18yo girl we don’t know?

28 replies

BluLavender · 25/03/2026 23:43

Both me and DH feel really uneasy about this and want to see what other people think. My DD (20 months) had her first full day with the childminder today. She’s a very chatty, friendly lady maybe a little over familiar sometimes.

She was saying how bright and funny DD is and how on the afternoon school run she had to hop out the car to go grab another child from school and was playing peek-a-boo with the 18 year old girl who was sat in the car with her. She quickly explained the 18yo as another child she’s looked after for years and years, she was talking so fast and it was such a whirlwind that I don’t think she really explained why the 18yo was there and has never mentioned this person before until today.

I’m not happy that DD was left with someone we don’t know, also not happy that there’s potentially a situation here where children are left in the car so other children can be picked up from the school? She said she carried her for the other school pick ups. Feel very strange about it all.

Are we overreacting?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
ToKittyornottoKitty · 25/03/2026 23:53

The 18 year old themselves I wouldn’t be overly worried about for now, it’s more the waiting in the car while she picks other kids up, what happens on the days the 18 year old isn’t in the car to watch her? Also I wouldn’t want my baby in regular car trips with the childminder that I wasn’t informed about in advance. The risk is small but your child’s risk of being in a car accident is far higher if she’s in the car every day compared to if she were in nursery and therefore not going in cars without you at all.

Kingdomofsleep · 25/03/2026 23:47

I think when you choose a childminder then it's more of a family vibe like asking a grandparent to babysit. The story you describe is the kind of thing you wouldn't complain about if a grandparent did it (left toddler briefly with say an 18yo neighbour they knew very well).

If you prefer your childcare to be totally by the book, with every decision scrutinisable and every little decision signed off by head office, you need to use a nursery. That's what we did for that reason. But I completely get that's not what everyone wants

FancyCatSlave · 25/03/2026 23:46

No.
It shows a complete disregard for safeguarding. Unless that 18 yo has a DBS they should never be alone with your child.