If your childminder left your child with their under 16 yr old daughter

[StayClassySally]

Yesterday I dropped DD (8) off at the childminders. The childminders daughter opened the door and it was a quick drop off. As I turned around, I realised that no cars of the childminder or her husband were on the drive. I sat in the car and the childminder drove very quickly on the drive and quickly walked looking very stressed from the car to the house. I realised that the daughter had been in charge for an unknown amount of time of several primary school aged children.

The daughter is in high school herself. Around 15/16.

What would you do? She is one of the best in the area. There are other niggles including her younger daughter being quite nasty to my daughter at times meaning during school holidays DP has to take several days annual leave while still paying for the CM and disorganised annual leave that has screwed me over 2 out of the last three years.

I would get straight on the phone to the local authority and ofsted.

That's really not on. It doesn't really matter whether or not the teenage daughter is responsible or whatever, you are paying the childminder for a service which she is not delivering.

Definitely report to Ofsted.

ask her why -

She is one of the best in the area.

Is she though? You've just found out she uses her unqualified DD to cover, someone you know can be unkind to your own child. You don't know if this was a one off or a regular occurrence.

The husband could have been in the house and car at garage? You should ask childminder but don't jump to conclusions unless you know 100% that neither were in the house

I would withdraw my child immediately and inform ofsted. Completely unacceptable.

Are you certain the husband wasn't there?

She wouldn’t be my childminder any more!

I think until you have asked the question . Dh car could be in the garage.

I don’t know why you didn’t ask at the time.

I’d ask and then, if she had, I’d report to ofsted.

Unless the husband is also a childminder it doesn't really matter if he was there. But, perhaps it was an emergency of some kind? I'd ask the childminder about it.

I’d report her immediately to the LA. Completely and utterly unacceptable. Her insurance won’t cover her and how bloody awful for her dd if something happened.

What makes her one of the best in the area? Because her DD is mean to yours, she's messed up annual leave 2/3 years and now you suspect she's left a number of primary age DC with a 15/16 year old? What so the other CMs do I wonder?!?

Even if there is some kind of reasonable explanation, it's not sounding like it's the right placement anymore.

Sorry that would be it for me. I'd ask, but what's the point? You'd be lied to (although I guess she might not be quick enough to think of the DH in the shower and car in the garage excuse so maybe not!) And yes I'd report her.

But that's easy to say and less easy to do if she's part of your local circle.

If it was an emergency she should have phoned all parents to explain, or sent a mass text so they could rearrange. NOT allow a 15 year old to be responsible.

Does the daughter normally open the door to receive your child?
I’m just wondering why you thought nothing of this until you noticed the cars in the drive not being there.

Were you early?
How do you know several other children were there if it was a ‘quick drop off’?

Is she the best or most accommodating so convenient for parents? Ask her where she was why wouldn't you then remove your child once you have organised. CC which I appreciate is going to be a pain.

I didn't think anything of it because I was so late myself I was panicking about being late for work. Often a child of hers will open the door but CM is in the house at the table or in the kitchen but shouts that she is there. My error there... assumed she would be there tbh.

100% no adults there according to my DD.

Her husband is DBS checked and works for her (they own a few childcare provisions and this is a tax dodge by their accountant). He also has a full time job and she works for him at another childcare provision so they both earn salaries.

I am glad I posted here as I didn't think about the LA. I only thought of ofsted. She was previously reported for having someone work there who hadn't yet been DBS checked.

I am told she is the best in the area and hear worse things about other childminders. It got me wondering if you can ever fully trust a childminder.

it depends if he has first aid , can work as an assistant so would be able to cover . I do know a couple of childminders who use there mum as assistants and a couple who worked as a couple .

It might of been an emergency isn’t an answer . I have had to refuse a child in the doorstep due to another child becoming very ill in my care .

If children were left with 15 year old it is a different matter.

She sounds horrendous tbh. I’d have pulled my dd out after learning she allowed someone to work there without DBS. Why have you continued to use her?

Ofsted absolutely is the place it should be reported but you also need to make a formal complaint in writing. . She is required to show this to Ofsted inspectors . I would do the complaint first , inform Ofsted of response.

If the trust is gone then pull your daughter out immediately and look after her yourself until you get a place at breakfast/ after school club - all you can do now.

It sounds like this woman has the monopoly on childcare provision in your area but you are still using her when you know she employs people that are not DBs checked

The daughter in charge is not the daughter that is mean to her. She also has a DD that is 8/9.

My DD wouldn’t be going back. The fa t she knew you would notice she wasn’t there and still said nothing is huge. She thought that this was okay behaviour that she didn’t need to hide

I don't understand how a childminder can own multiple childcare provisions? Unless you're not in the UK? If you are UK then I would report her to ofsted/ciw or whoever is responsible in your area.