Childminder driving our car

[SilverDoublet]

I'm starting work on Tuesday after being a SAHM for the last 7 years. The job came up suddenly and I didn't expect to get it and have been left scrambling for childcare 3 days a week.
I need someone who can drive as we are a 20 min walk from school and the kids do lots of different activities that require them to be driven.
I found a minder who drives and thought the 4 kids would fit in her car, 3 in back and one in front. The only need 2 booster cushions and 1 narrow high back booster as they're are aged 5 to 11.

Now she's suddenly saying she's not comfortable with them in her car and she'd have to drive our car and it's all fine as she's got comprehensive insurance and do do I. But when I looked it up I said she might need business insurance as its for a job. She's saying we can't say that as she wants cash in hand so it's technically 'not a job' and she'll say she's my sister helping me out if asked. I'm worried that if anything happened, the insurance company wouldn't pay out as they would find out she's not my sister.

I've asked her to provide her policy document that says she's got comprehensive insurance and a copy of her licence. But she said she rang her insurance company and it's all good. My husband thinks I'm being ridiculous and we just need to get her, trust her about the insurance, regardless of seeing the policy. She then asked why exactly I need to see her documents which I thought was a red flag.

Am I being unreasonable?
And is she covered to drive our car on her insurance with the kids?

Thanks.

Does the person have professional insurance ? Would have thought even in Ireland someone offering their services as a nanny / childminder would have to carry that ?

But yes - add her as named driver to your own insurance as comprehensive insurance only covers 3rd party and not the car you're driving. And to do this you will need sight of her drivers licence to see when she passed, any points, disqualifications etc.

Different to the UK where all childminders must be registered and inspected - looks like currently only some childminders in Ireland need to be registered if they are looking after larger numbers of children so unregistered care is more of a thing.

Overly invested?

intrigued by you saying your 18 year old DS had business cards insurance for his two babysitting jobs?

I mean… yes, I was intrigued by this! And as if usually the case… the devil is in the detail l😂

Or is it because he’s a boy? 🙄

The majority of childminders in Ireland are/were in fact unregistered though? They only needed to register in certain circumstances (depending on number of children etc) and this excluded most until now. The regulations are changing with a deadline of 2027 for registration now.

OP, officially a childminder minds children in the childminder’s own home. That’s the official definition in Ireland too. A nanny or babysitter minds children in the children’s home (and they are exempt from the new regulations). However, I’m Irish too and have never heard anyone speak of a nanny in practice. Most people do use the term childminder for those officially working as a nanny too.

This link might be of use
https://ogchildcare.ie/childcare-roles-in-ireland-childminders-vs-nannies-vs-au-pairs-vs-babysitters-duties-legal/

You are right to endure she is covered by insurance. The sister comment she made would worry me as it indicates she hasn’t much sense, well, not about this subject anyway. That said, she could be great with kids.

I’m guessing you didn’t bother to check any docs etc and this person has been ferrying around your 4 kids?

I’d listen to the podcast Finding Samantha (about the GPO girl) if I was you and hear the regret of the parents who didn’t check her documents! Your nanny sounds equally dodgy. If she’s suggesting lying to an insurance company before even starting work I’d be noticing the giant red flag!

Yeah, no way.
I'm sorry it's so difficult for you op ☹️

The driving is the least of your worries. Is she even a qualified CM if she wants cash in hand and to tell people who as that ages your sister😱😱😱. she certainly won’t have valid childminding insurance and you have no assurance via ofsted etc that her device is safe for your kids.
delay your job start and find a safe minder for the children.

All the children belong to OP.
She doesn't sound like a registered childminder as this is not how a registered childminder would operate

The gumost to

As far as I know she would be driving your car third party....no matter that she has comprehensive insurance
Would be too much of a risk for me for all sorts of reasons!!

No, I didn't go with her in the end. It was just too many red flags for me to be comfortable with handing over my car keys, house keys and children to someone who was happy to lie to the insurance company and who had lied to me about having driven the previous family's car. They said she never drove their car.
So now I found a girl who will walk the 20 mins home with them, and we will most likely have to give up some of their activities as I couldn't get my parents or any other parent to give them a lift.

It is for 3 days of 4 hours of care, so 12 hours in total. And most of the minders here want to do that cash in hand. So it is not unusual here. We are in Ireland.

I was wondering if you're in Ireland.

This is totally normal in Ireland TBH - including the cash in hand thing for childminders - there are official rules, but it's rare to find people following them (especially for 12 hours a week). In theory, with certain requirements, a childminder can earn up to 15k a year without paying tax, so I think the attitude is that we'll just skip the paperwork, and it'll all work out the same.

When I needed a minder paid another mum to pick the kids up and bring them home for a couple of hours, she used her own car.

Using your car though - no way, especially if she's so reluctant to show you the paperwork, you have no idea about her driving at all.