Hi, I've never blogged before but I'm so fed up and angry that I have been spurred on to do so! We were recommended a childminder who ofsted rated as 'good' and who had glowing references, she seemed nice and we provisionally signed up when I was pregnant. We agreed that I would call when my baby was born which I did and we signed contracts. At this point my childminder said that she would hold the space for my son for a holding fee, £500, which would go towards the childcare fees that we accrued during the settle in period and over the first few months. We felt that was fair enough and that we were led to believe that this was the done thing? Anyway, all was fine until the settling in period when my son really didn't settle in very well and the childminder really didn't look very happy with the situation either, she was obviously stressed out. She looked after him at home and took him for a drive on the school run