Babysitting - what are the legalities ?

[TriangulationStation]

I’m currently babysitting for a very young child

I’n possibly going to move onto several days a week looking after the child in their home, for a couple of hours a day, whilst both parents are at work.

I have an Enhanced DBS and prior experience employed with children and am a parent myself, but am not a ‘registered’ childminder.

What liability issues might I face and how can I protect myself?

I ask because today the nipper lightly caught his forehead on the corner of a table (no damage as like everything in the front room it’s all very baby-friendly from what I’ve inspected), but I need to think about this.

I am paid by bank transfer and was invited to interview because my details are registered on a childminding website. Although I have been able to have my DBS and other documents verified by the website, this is not an employment contract.

Does anyone who’s done this have advice for me please?

I really appreciate any time taken to respond. Thankyou

You'll be a nanny or at least doing a nanny's job.

There is no need to be registered anywhere but you can register with Ofsted on the voluntary register if you want to. This means you can accept tax free childcare vouchers.

You should get nanny insurance.

You should check carefully whether this would count as being self-employed (in which case you would need to sort your own taxes) or whether they'd need to employ you (in which case they need to run payroll for you including sorting taxes etc.).

Have a contract in place.