To be put off using a childminder for this?

[appleharvest]

I am being completely unreasonable and I suppose I'm wondering why.

Shopping around for childcare at the moment for DDs (2 and 5 months.) I need full time places for them both.

I visited a childminder who was telling me about her rule that, when out of the house, all her mindees wore a luminous vest with her childminding company name and phone number on it.

I understand why this is a good idea from a safety perspective but I hated it. It seemed too much like an orphanage or something!

I know I am BU but I hate the thought of DD1 sitting at the dentists or walking through the shopping centre or to a school with a luminous vest on saying she is looked after by someone who isn't her parent.

I am a child minder and I absolutely can understand how you feel OP. I have never used hi-viz vests but do know other commanders who do. I can't legitimately explain why but when I see troops of little ones in fluorescent jackets it makes me feel a little bit sad. This is no reflection on the nurseries using them, I am sure the children are having a lovely time on their outings. The way I run my business though is to treat the children as near as possible to how I do my own family. I have always fleetingly thought that I feel this was way because I have been to orphanages and it gives me that same impression of same-age children all bunched together. I can see why Ofsted like them and what the use safety wise is but my aim is to keep the parents and children in my care happy, not a regulator who pop up every 3 or more years. I hope you find a lovely CM OP.

Commanders? Childminders, in fact. Weird autocorrect!

But he has a variation which allows up to 4 under 5s (max of 7 in total),

Never ever are you allowed 7 under 8s if it's just him registered. If you are increasing to 4 under 5s then fine, but you still must stick to 6 under 8s. Always always.

The nursery my DD attends has the bright green reflective vests. So it's not just that poor childminder

Sorry just continued reading and see you are in Scotland. What's the ratios there please?

The standard ratios are max of 6 (and ours is 6 under 16, not 8), of whom a max of 3 may be under school age. The variation allowed one extra who could be under 5 for continuity of care due to parental shift changes.

Starlight where are you? I want the girls to go to you!

Tinkerball, och don't be offended. Why would my daftness offend you? It just isn't quite for me at this time, which is daft but surely we are all daft about something where DCs are concerned!

I used to use them on my own child. He was a terrible runner. Blink and I'd lost him. I think they are great.

Honestly I can't see the conflict between a warm happy home from home environment and a really hot shit attitude to safety outside the setting.

Back to the op. Think you are mad rejecting a cm when nurseries do exactly the same but guessing there are other reasons and that's got to be your decision. Of course.

Never underestimate the person keeping your child safe. We owe our child's life to an instructor on a school trip.

I would never gamble with other people's kids and this cm sounds like she takes her mindees safety very seriously.

I totally understand where you're coming from OP. It's an excellent safety precaution for group childcare. The fact that this childminder does it just drives home that this is group childcare i.e. a higher number of young children than you would find in a family group. It makes it too institutionalised.

Of course the childminder hasn't done anything wrong. Childminders are cheaper than nannies because they look after more children so their per child cost is lower. Unless you're very lucky you can't have small group care and pay childminder prices. If you're going to use a childminder one who is safety conscious is a good choice.

OP we have a fabulous CM whom my children and I all adore. She's human, so not infallible but good God I hope she never gives up/moves/goes anywhere. I'd lay the woman on an open would as balm.

And I'm going to ask her if she's ever considered vests! I trust her implicitly but she has both my monkeys (1 and 2.5) and others in her care and if this makes them 1% more safe, I'm up for it.

Go with your gut though. I knew the minute I met her she was for us. The two outstanding reports from Ofsted helped, but I'd have gone with her anyway.

Sorry....not what you wanted to hear!

middlings what a lovely post.

I think yanbu! I had the same issue but my daughter was older and it was a school drop off. Spoke to childminder about it and she was happy for my dd to not wear the vest.

Hope she's got good personal indemnity insurance then happy
And hope you never have to know.

thebody what the hell are you on about? It's not law to wear a yellow jacket!

If she deviates from her policy without you signing it then she's massively working at risk.

No of course it's not but if it's in her policy that she uses them for outings and them she a
Doesn't then she's at risk of being sued.

Trust me on this. I do know.

Can you show me in the Eyfs where if says this? cos it's bollocks

Yabvu, her primary focus is child safety, if that helps keep a child safe so be it! I wouldent be bothered.

I like the idea of the luminous tabards, my daughters wore them when they got picked up to walk to the after school club, but I'm not so keen on the advertising side of things. She may as well stick them in luminous sandwich boards. I wouldn't want my two girls walking around with their carer's name and address emblazoned on them, not sure why but I thinks it's tacky.

lucky if you wish to pm me feel free and I will inform you.

You sound fairly innocent with your what the hell but policies and proceedures are required in child care settings by law and as such must be adhered to.

You can't pick and choose as parents request.

It's the way things are now.

It's a shame things have to be so formal and procedural really.

I'm still trying to decide what to do for the best!

And you're very patronising

I am a childcare professional and know all about policies and procedures thanks. They aren't required to be written down (bar about half a dozen/children register ones) and no where does it says patents need to sign them to agree/disagree though I agree it's good practice. Good practice doesn't make it law though.

Sorry to deviate on your thread op. I'll leave now. I just don't like 'professionals' spouting inaccuracies to scaremonger.

lucky

Cms are running their own businesses that they control with reference to the EYFS.

If you offer a certain service as in wearing reflective jackets while on outings then that's documented as a policy and both you and parents sign the legally binding contract.

If you deviate from that and an accident occurs parents could sue you.

Surely you realise that? Any business has health and safety proceedures set by the business for the client!

Not really bollicks is it petal.