Childminder who is a recovering alcoholic

[connedbird]

Would I be unreasonable to make Ofsted aware of a person who has recently registered as a childminder but who has also recently been referred to AA following a recent mid day alcohol abuse episode which resulted in her children being temporarily removed by the police?

She has a sponsor and is attending AA meetings/ following 12 steps, so is by all accounts happily getting her life on track. Social services have deemed her suitable to continue looking after her own children on the understanding that she continues with AA and doesn't drink around the children. Also that she leaves her partner due to DV from both sides which she has done.

So, I don't want to be a bitch... but having left my own children with childminders from babies, I feel like it would be something I'd want to know that Ofsted had had the chance to assess before my children were left with a minder.

Wondering if I should even stick my nose in... maybe my own concerns about leaving my pfb DD when she was small are clouding my judgement.

Would SS have made Ofsted aware anyway?

What are your thoughts??

[MysteriousCircusZebra]

here

It must be this one, although the details are a little different to what I said. Ie night instead of afternoon.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Op in any case yes I would contact them anyway as children's welfare is paramount always.

[Tanith]

I think I remember the case Mysterious refers to.

The childminder, although registered for daytime care, wasn't legally minding at the time. She was caring for a child overnight when she wasn't registered for overnight care.

[Tanith]

Sorry - cross posted!

[connedbird]

babies have very messy poos sometimes that aren't diahorrea - but yes, I'd always have logged it and told mum.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Thanks for the link. Very disturbing and yes agree Tanith she probably wasn't registered for overnight care.

Good and bad in every profession although they wouldn't make me home school my kids because of the bad teachers they have had or home medicate because of the crap doctors out there.

Sweeping generalisations are usually daft.

[MysteriousCircusZebra]

I hope the inspector told you that bathing mindees is only in very specific circumstances like diarrhoea I
Which case you contact the parents and register the incident. Both the bath and why.

I expect they probably did . Although really, child minders shouldn't be relying on the inspectors to tell them that basic piece of information should they? By inspection stage they should really know what they are doing anyway.

[realitygone]

It is rather insulting to read some of the comments derogatory to childminders here.

I have read twice the amount of nursery horror stories than I have about childminders.

these days childminders are doubly qualified than some of the managers.

The fact that someone would be concerned about a husband and wife minding team, it a definite sign of the ridiculous scare mongering over child abuse more than likely as a result of daily mail readers across the land.

[ladygracie]

I think that you do need to report her but it would be better if someone (not you) could try to convince her to wait a while before minding.
I have skimmed some posts but I think it's interesting that one poster who said that she will not use a childminder has invoked huge criticism and arguments but (unless I missed something - quite likely) then the poster who says they would never ever use someone who had had issues with alcohol was not questioned. I find that far more difficult to understand.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Mysterious yes agree but I have been working as a TA recently with both trained and untrained staff.

It's amazing how many times you have to remind colleagues of long standing what is and what isn't acceptable behaviours.


By that I mean behaviours that could leave the person wide open to allegations.

In my experience cms are so aware of their vulnerability they are super aware of safeguarding issues.

[adsy]

I think it's interesting that one poster who said that she will not use a childminder has invoked huge criticism and arguments but (unless I missed something - quite likely) then the poster who says they would never ever use someone who had had issues with alcohol was not questioned. I find that far more difficult to understand
because someone who has had issues with alcohol is someone with a specific problem which is all too easy to slip back into whilst CM'ing is a profession full of caring, decent people.
the two are not necessarily linked but I find it very easy to see why you would be wary of a former alcoholic being in such a position of trust. The same as I would feel better knowing my surgeon is not a recovering crack addict.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Ladygracie I think most sensible people would not expect anybody to be drunk doing any job.

That's really a given.


It's a Shame that some people post that they would not use a cm simply because she/he is a cm.

It's too ridiculous for words really.

[DaisyFlowerChain]

Reality, some may be but there are no qualifications needed to be a childminder according to a quick google. There's a short council course and first aid and that appears to be it. Some may go onto study just as some nursery nurses and nannies do but I doubt CMs in the main are most qualified. NVQs etc are rife amongst nursery staff.

It's perfectly ok to not to like a form of childcare for your own reasons. No difference to boycotting a brand or sticking up for small businesses.

There are pros and cons to all forms of childcare, how you rate them is down to the person themselves.

[212amveryupset]

My older sister is a recovering alcoholic and a victim of domestic abuse (thankfully now living alone) who also works as a primary school teacher.

She is amazing at her job.

She has never had a bad OFSTED, is much loved by the children and parents and respected by her colleagues.

So, YANBU - people have a right to move on with their lives.

[adsy]

It's perfectly ok to not to like a form of childcare for your own reasons. No difference to boycotting a brand or sticking up for small businesses
you're quite right, but no one says they are boycotting all small greengrocers 'cos they think they are all abusers.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Daisy

Where I live the college course is set over 3 months.

You have a paediatric first aid certificate and safe guarding training. Enhanced CRB checks and personsl/business insurance.
You have a professional requirement to continue training.
As you are a small business owner you have to deal with all the complexities of that too.

Of the cms I know 2 are qualified teachers While I am a qualified nursing sister.

I am also a level 3 grade teaching and learning and have multiple EYFS certificates.

I don't actusliy know any unqualified cms? Do you know any or are you just speculating here?

[treaclesoda]

You could have all the childcare qualifications in the world and still not be very good with children though.

[morethanpotatoprints]

I would never use a child minder neither, I don't like the way they are vetted, nor the fact they can practice without qualifications, nor do I subscribe to Ofsted opinion of what is good or not.

In the case of the recovering alcoholic as I said up thread, if she does work as a cm and Ofsted find her satisfactory, good or outstanding, I doubt they'll take any further action.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Yep and the man living alone at the house on the end is obviously a paedophile.

Good grief the prejudice on here is frightening.

I hear all gypsies are thieves too as for those on benefits!! All on the fiddle.

[treaclesoda]

That wasn't aimed at at you

It was a general comment, by which I mean that I'd be more concerned about a childminders 'way' with children than about qualifications.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Childminders are vetted and qualified. Where do you get your info from?

And of course some people who work with children are crap.

So are some teachers and doctors! Do home school and self medicate.

Bangs head on wall.

[treaclesoda]

Arggghh! That came out all wrong! I wasn't criticising childminders, quite the opposite. What I meant is that nurserys can have all the impressive stuff in the world but when I chose childcare what I wanted was for dd to feel at home, and for that reason I chose a childminder who just treated her like one of her family.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

They should have both qualifications and a way with kids.

Not one or other. Both.

Childminding is a profession. It's not aunty jean down the road anymore Nd good job too. Sorry jean!

[Tikimon]

you're quite right, but no one says they are boycotting all small greengrocers 'cos they think they are all abusers.

Yeah, but let's be realistic.

There's a higher probability of being abused in the privacy of a home than in a nursery. Not to mention most abusers are family friends or someone the child knows. Sorry you guys don't like that fact, but it statistically stands true and people being offended doesn't change it.

That said, no of course not all child minders are abusers. But there's a higher risk with a child minder than a nursery. I'm trying to get a few kids to watch at my house, and I still stand by this. You need to be much more selective with a childminder that will be with your children alone, with no one to keep them in check than a nursery where there's other workers and witnesses.

[Thebodyloveschocolateandwine]

Yes get you 100% treaclesoda