Childminder closing due to heat..

[doneitagain12]

Hello!

I live in the south west, our summers for the last couple of years have definitely warmed up compared to say 10 years ago.

I returned to work 3 days a week - DS is with a childminder on 2 of those days, family the 3rd day.
Since the warm weather arriving, I’ve had to leave work early to pick up DS from the childminder on these two days, she’s now introduced a Heat Policy and is now saying if it gets to 28 it’ll be half day pick ups (12.30pm latest)
We haven’t got family nearby who are on hand to collect him for us while we’re at work, as those that are, are also working. so it’s meaning having to keep leaving work early. My husband works a fair distance away, so it’s usually me collecting/leaving early. And I don’t work in a job where I can leave without causing quite big disruption to other colleagues and work.

The childminder has no air con in place, her garden shelter is basically sheets she’s thrown over a wood pagola, and has one tower fan which does nothing and keeps the kids mostly in the play room which is a conservatory.
she’s also claiming she has health issues and the heat affect these…

before anyone suggests it - we are leaving. There have been some other issues that have factored into this decision but, given our summers are hotter now and we actually get longer than a week of sunshine! It just isn’t sustainable.
But I haven’t been able to get him into his new placement until September as of course most reputable places are now full until then.

But is this normal??

From a legitimate brand that meets British safety standards? Do you have a link?

@doneitagain12 where can you rent them from?

Yes? Literally just google it.. Loads come up that will be specific to your area. X

Even B&Q rent them..

We were in the red weather warning area 2 weeks ago and reached 38C. We were allowed to keep the funding if we closed.

I stayed open but did chat to parents and we all agreed thay if they could collect early they would and in the end all but one did on both the days.

In theory but nothing is available now!

From B & Q maybe, travis Perkins… in stock.

Its pointless me listing places for you when I don’t know what area you’re in.
But they’re available, just requires a little effort to look to mitigate closing and keep children comfortable and continue to provide a service parents rely on to earn a living..
Hence my post, MY childminder has made zero effort to adapt to the circumstances, and we’re not permitted to get paid to leave work early to collect our children.

Yes there was plenty on there. I got one off Amazon years ago and touch wood it’s still going strong! Just have a search. Check the reviews.

28c is just regular summer weather she’s being ridiculous.

If I was a childminder I’d have an ac unit downstairs plus fans.

I haven't seen any available on Amazon from proper companies.

So do what other people do and ask on Facebook local groups what shops have them in? Our Lidl had them in as well as Wickes. They might be better stocked this week as they'd have ordered extra during the heatwave the other week?

My local schools didnt close with the red weather warning, they've just said if you want to keep the kids off then they won't be marked unauthorised absent. I think thats best. They were doing water play, watching tv and lazing around! I do think it's hysteria closing the schools - workplaces don't close! There should always be the option.

As a CM surely you can get them to a place with aircon like a soft play for a little while and invest in shade sails/parasol for your garden? Play with a sprinkler and have lots of ice lollies?

The only people I know who managed to get hold of air con did so during the first heatwave in May.
Nothing is in stock now.
And no, there's nowhere with air con near me.

My dc's childminder is the opposite. During the heatwave, she brings out the paddling pools, gazebo, home made ice lollies on tap, lawn sprinkler on, she makes it fun.

The play room is the conservatory?
Surely she hasnt got children in there?
Mine is like an oven

I think the heat is something all childcare settings and indeed schools are going to have to think about. It's happening every year for multiple weeks of the year (not just 1 hot week anymore). Closures have huge impacts on working parents and some parents face huge pressure from workplaces. This week and indeed the heatwave week is also difficult for so many with children as so many schools closed leaving many parents needing to take emergency leave or frantically swap with other parents to cover the closures.

She does need to think about the safety of the children in her care and as a PP said there are tighter regulations on room temperatures for sleep. God forbid anything happened to a child due to heat. As others have suggested this includes investing in shade providing infrastructure- trees/ shaded canopies, awnings. As well as cooling fans/ portable air con. The problem is pretty much everywhere is sold out of fans and portable units, those that do have them are top price. Aircon installation is booked out (a local installer has posted on our local FB that bookings for Aircon installation dates is January now - he's going with prep for NEXT summer). Aircon is also an expensive investment and cannot always be magic'd up with a click of fingers.

Our school closed last heatwave and has hinted at afternoon closures from tomorrow if it gets above 30 degrees. For some parents this has led to an extra week of leave needed when they are very much relying on employer goodwill as all AL is booked due to holidays. We've had numerous parents contacting the PTA chair about fundraising for installation of air conditioning in the school. Again not something that can be organised at a click of fingers as it needs to be fitted to certain standards and have regular testing ect as it's in a public building.

What do you consider a ‘proper company’?

It was hot when DD was a baby so I made a makeshift tent thing in the garden with a paddling pool underneath, I used to put ice cubes in it.
I think the heat was easier to manage in the day than at nighttime sometimes as you can do things to mitigate it.

Any legit company whose products meet UK safety standards.

As a childminder you can't just buy any random unbranded electrical equipment because of the safety risks.

All the aircon units available on Amazon are using similar AI images and have brand names like EUHOMY, UASER, PIACZEW.
You can't take the risk with unsafe equipment in a childcare setting.

This is usually listed in the details section on Amazon. It will say things like CE mark etc

So random unbranded Chinese electronics on Amazon isn't going to have actual safety testing even if it claims that.

That’s not true. I used to work in retail buying.

Amazon etc will have to have the test reports filed.

Plus nearly everything we buy is made in china. Often the same factories are used by branded companies as ones you haven’t heard of. All they do is stick a different logo on and alter a couple of things.

Its the same for fashion and clothing. Things like Levi’s made alongside Primark.

China is actually one of the most high quality manufacturers with some very high tech factories for things like electronics.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/unbranded-electronics-marketplaces-asjRy3W81dzi

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54973538

https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy-campaigns/blogs/electrical-safety-first/

Loads of unsafe electrical items are sold on Amazon.
"Currently, because online marketplaces are not recognised as actors in the supply chain, the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 does not apply to them. Consequently, they have no responsibility for unsafe goods sold on their platforms, and no legal obligation to inform consumers if they have purchased potentially lethal electrical goods."

That’s why you buy from Amazon and not a third party or marketplace

Can you give an example of what you mean by an unbranded electrical item that's sold by Amazon and not a third party?

Maybe shes on MN and got told that air con exacerbates climate change and took that advice. 😑