Childminder not there at drop off

[Rockchick76]

Hi
My best friend uses a childminder 4 days a week for her 2 year old DD. Whilst I preferred a nursery for my 2 I get that it works for her. Anyway she called me yesterday upset because she turned up to drop off her DD and the childminder had left to walk 3 children to the nearby school and only the childminder's partner was at home. It's the same dropoff time every day, on her way to work, and she'd had no heads up from the childminder that she wouldn't be at home at the usual DD drop-off time. Childminder's partner reassured her that he is DBS cleared and that childminder would be back really soon, so she reluctantly left her DD with him as she had an important meeting to get to, but she said she felt really upset. I'm wondering if it's even legal for that to have happened? Obviously DD was fine but unless childminder's partner is officially employed as her assistant (which he isn't, he's a handyman, has his own business apparently) then surely he shouldn't have offered to take my friend's DD? My friend is really questioning her judgement and thinking should she have waited and missed the meeting. I'm wondering about the legalities of it and want to help advise her, can any of you help? thanks in advance

But the cm left the child with a registered assistant as she is allowed to do. She did not fail in her duty and for all the op knows the parent just didn't read her paperwork. You do not have control over any staff in a nursery including agency staff.

He is a registered assistant

As he's her assistant even though part time I think it's reasonable to assume the child knows the partner.

We don't know for sure he was registered as her assistant. My childminder said the same but the relative might have been checked but wasn't actually registered as an assistant and it was never mentioned to me that she might have been left in charge. The story hear sounds similar, it should be made clear by any childminder if they are employing an assistant who might be left in charge of a child in their care. Nurseries are a very different scenario.

But many parents don't remember what they have signed in their contracts so we really can't assume the cm is wrong.....I've already said the parent needs to look the childminders report up on the Ofsted site that will say about assistants and adults in the home. The cm will also have suitability letters.

There’s no way on earth I would have left my DC with what was effectively a random man to go to a work meeting. Your friend should have known better. I would have taken my DC away from that premises pretty swiftly, and would find a new childminder.

My CM’s DH was DBS checked and registered as an assistant but on the 2-3 occasions over a 10 year period an unplanned situation came up, she phoned me each time to ask if I was OK with it. She didn’t assume that given I had said yes previously that I was OK with it this time.

If a parent asks for an unscheduled change it’s up to the CM to check with impacted parents before saying yes. It could be she could have asked you to drop DD slightly earlier and she take your dd on the school run for example.

Regardless of whether it is in the contract or elsewhere, the CM should also be making it clear to parents how they work, it isn't reasonable to turn up at agreed drop off time to find the childminder isn't there unless it is an emergency situation. Taking extra children to school is not an emergency.

When I was a child my mum would be collecting the children who had half days at nursery or school and my dad back from work atvhis lunch break would be greeting and settling the afternoon drop off children. He was all DBS checked and fully trained the kids loved him. He's 74 now and still volunteers at the local school to hear kids read. What's the problem if he is cleared? Ihink everyone in the house over 18 has to be.

There is no problem if the parents know that this is what to expect.

I was going to say check paperwork as often a cm dh is down as an assistant for times like these and anyone in the house over 16 needs to have a dbs

your update says cm says dh is on contract which i assume your friend read and signed and agreed to

so honestly she hasn’t got a reason to complain

agree a cm can’t ring all parents to say dh is having kids today and again no need if he is on the paperwork - which he is

Maybe I am far more relaxed than most people but I don’t think this would have bothered me. Childminders are more of a “home from home” environment so leaving the child in the care of someone else in the household (who is presumably familiar to the child as they live there) wouldn’t have bothered me.

what do people think is going to happen in 10-15mins while the CM is gone? If people are worried about abuse then why would it not be possible any time as the partner lives there.

Either you trust the childminder and the environment or you don’t.

Agreed, which is why I'd never use one. However, the childminder is a woman, so is significantly less likely to be a child molester than her husband is.

It is not allowed to leave children with anyone other than a registered assistant who has first aid. Even the partner. Certainly not a common thing, an should be reported if it happens.

That is not true....please show me where in the EYFS it says business operations must be cleared by the parents each and every time they use their registered assistant....because it doesn't. The parent is aware there is a registered assistant it does not have to be run past them every single day. Do you think a nursery ask each parent if it's okay to have a floater in to cover sickness, for staff to be moved from another room or the office?

But does this mean your not happy to use a nursery for the same reasons....lots of cases involving females abusing and harming children in nurseries so presumably you are a SAHM because most cases are family and friends doing the abuse.

I actually am a SAHM, but my daughter also goes to nursery 3 mornings a week. I consider nurseries to be safer than childminders because there are multiple adults around to witness other adults' interactions with the children. Obviously terrible things still can happen, but, post-Vanessa George, nursery staff are much more aware of the importance of following safeguarding procedures such as not having one adult changing nappies behind a closed door.

I also use a small nursery which, currently at least, only has female staff members.

That is really not what I said

Why are so many people finding it odd that the CM does school drop offs?

Most CMs I knew had their DH signed up as their “assistant” - ie back up. For these types of scenarios.

tbh sounds like the drop off time does not work for the CM if she was dropping off at school at that time, which is the type of scenario where the assistance would be helpful.

when we interviewed CMs we always met their DH or other assistants. You need to be happy with the set up. And we much preferred the CMs to nurseries. At least at age 6m or 18m.

When I met my CM and we interviewed each other for fit, I ket her husband as well. I can't imagine leaving my children in a home with any adults I hadn't met. This all sounds a bit slack.

Assistants are not just for emergencies where did you get that idea from?
As I've already said many parents don't remember what they discussed or even the details of contracts so it's very possible she was told.
The whole point of assistants is sharing the work load and splitting up so children don't always need to be taken why would anybody go to the costs of registering an assessment then not using them?
Nurseries work to exactly the same standards. They won't tell you they have cover.staff in and they are left alone with children.

That isn't what I said.

I think parents would remember if they have been told by the childminder that they have an assistant working with them.

To be fair, I registered my husband years ago when my friend had a family emergency and I had to go over my numbers. He remains registered (and first aid trained) so technically I could do this at any time too. Don't have a need to but it's not illegal. Get your friend to chat to her childminder but also remind her to not do something if she's not comfortable with it. Shes an adult

It's worse in other types of setting Ng childminder settings are the only ones where if there is police involvement with anyone at that address Ofsted are automatically notified. I'm a nursery a staff member doesn't live at that address and there is no link so until the next DBS update nothing is flagged.