Childminders at soft play

[Hollygolightly89]

I visited a soft play with my 3 year old yesterday morning. There was a group of childminders about 3 or 4 of them and they each had a couple of children. They mostly sat in the baby part of the soft play chatting in a group with their backs turned to the children the whole time and also constantly on their phones, even when the children were eating they were on their phones. Most of the children they had went off into the soft play alone and most of them looked under 2. I was quite shocked by this because if I was paying for a childminder I wouldn’t expect them to be on their phones and my child let loose in the soft play. At various points the children were crying for various reasons and they acted like it was a massive chore to go and get them. I aslo heard them speaking negatively about the children like “oh guess who’s crying again”.

Fair enough, you not not skilled though. Only a third of people go to uni, so lots of people have skills and qualifications without having a degree

What on earth has Snapchat got to do with anything?! I thought that for teenagers.

Don't worry.

Can anyone on here enlighten me? I’ve visited a few childminders on my childcare hunt recently and when you start to question them they don’t like it. I met a lovely childminder last month and when I emailed her afterwards about her dbs/ tv policy she didn’t reply. I think these are just basic questions that a parent needs to ask. it’s not the first time it’s happened. When you want their ofsted reports or similar they don’t reply either.

That's not normal. They are all cleared by Ofsted and they must have all their policies, none written except safeguarding and SEN though. There is no such childminder I know that would avoid answering questions or hide their information. Also everything is available online including the Ofsted reports of childminders.
Prepare all your questions and ask them during your face to face interview. You will find the one you like. Not everyone is for everyone. Because one or two did not meet your expectations, that doesn't make the population, that's just an exception.
Also if you haven't returned promptly, they may have already filled the vacancy as childminders have very few vacancies. Another option is they didn't like you or prefer not to work with you remember when you are interviewing them,they are also interviewing you
However, in all cases, they should return your inquiry with and asnwer

What are you asking about her DBS?

If I could see it.

Well from this post and many others, I’m starting to think most childminders just can’t be arsed with a lot things and have low standards. I have high standards so like to be thorough, if they can’t handle that, they won’t be getting my child.

I don’t know why. She couldn’t be a registered CM without one. If she was a babysitter or something I could understand.

Ofsted will hold her DBS (I was registered when it was CRB so I dont even have one) but Ofsted wouldn't register her without one and everyone in her household. Along with other checks such as social services, interview and references.

Call ofsted if you arent sure about her registration.

At ours It's normally the other way around with the childminders having to control other people's children and trying to support parents who can't cope. You get helicopter parents who won't let children try for themselves or mums at their wits end needing a cry. You don't need to stand over a 3 year old to support them at this age it's watch from a distance and support when the lo really needs it.

Did you ask her about them or ask for copies? DBs are confidential documents you don't get a copy Ofsted are the body that checks them no registration if they are unsuitable......do you ask individual school teachers for their DBS