Do all nanny employers require OFSTED registration?

[Strix]

Well, obviously not all because we all know what I think of them. But, I am told by a few nannies that it is impossible to get a job through an agency without OFSTED registration.

I'm aware people like to uses their childcare vouchers. But, I'm suprised that there are not more people out there who don't care one way or the other about an OFSTED piece of paper.

I not only don't need OFSTED to tell my nanny how to do her job, ther are a few points with which I would have to step in and tell OFSTED to stick their advice where the sun don't shine (like inspections of my home).

I think the attractive thing about OFSTED is that you know the nanny has up-to-date first aid training and a CRB check, I thought it was a bit tricky to organise a specific CRB check otherwise?

I looked into hiring a nanny but gave up because of the cost, the extra childproofing and tidying and the nanny's holidays and potential illnesses, and have gone for nursery + au pair for school run but when I was looking at hiring a nanny there did seem to be a big difference between the CVs of experienced nannies who by and large went the OFSTED route and nannies who were ex-mother's helps and so on.

I don't give a stuff about it TBH, other than for the tax break.
In fact, our last nanny was not registered when she came to us but we got her registered to benefit from the saving. Funnily enough registration didn't make her a better nanny.

But when we were thinking seriously that a nanny would be the best route, we did do things like put a fire extinguisher and first aid kit in the kitchen. And we've bought nanny insurance (the Morton Michel policy) and first aid training for our au pair.

Isn't it all about the money? I don't give a damn about what Ofsted registration means in terms of quality of care, it's just that it saves me £2400 a year.

Yeah, £2400 a year...

minus...

1- the pension deduction
2- the increase in nanny's salary because he/she is "worth" more due to having this valuable sought after registration
3- the annual registration cost
4- the time off to complete the OFSTED requirements

Then OFSTED comes to your house, and after that inspection, nanny comes to you to tell you what OFSTED has told him/her what should now be part of his/her job.

I wonder how long it will be before EYFS is required of nannies who look after newborns?

Now, what have I forgotten to mention...

Soon childcare vouchers will be taxed anyway won't they? What's the pension deduction Strix?

I wonder if our coalition government will remove the link between childcare vouchers and nanny registration. Oh, wouldn't that be nice!

Oh oh... don't they have a website somewhere asking the public to submit ideas to reduce government wasteful beaurocracy.... anyone know where that is? I should go blab on my soapbox there.

I was actually quite reassured by the OFSTED nannies we interviewed telling us they needed to put corner covers on the tables etc. even though I personally don't think they are necessary. Much better IMO than the nannies who said they'd put the baby on the sofa at naptimes.

Wow you're really against this aren't you?

1 - well it helps the cashflow, now. I also love not paying tax.
2 - I am paying her the same as when she wasn't registered.
3 - about £200.
4 - negligible.

I have yet to entertain ofsted at my house so I guess this is almost purely a monetary benefit for me.

Go and start a petition at petitions.number10.gov.uk/

I know a lot of nanny employers and none of us have ever had our houses inspected by OFSTED.
Frankly, I think they have more serious concerns to address.

The pension deduction is because your pension contributuin is worked out after your company deducts the voucher money from your salary. SO, less goes in from your income and less is matched from your company (if your company matches).

Anyway, I am clearly on the extreme end of this dislike for OFSTED registration of nannies and tying it to the ability to use childcare vouchers...

My questions was am I really the only one who doesn't require a nanny to be OFSTED registered?

I would support it if the govt made OFSTED registration voluntary for childminders as it is for nannies (so no more threatened action against police officers covering each other's childcare requirements during overtime). At the end of the day, if many parents would prefer to use OFSTED registered carers then the demand from that side would lead to people registering. The compulsion seems v silly to me.

Strix, I think that depends on your employer's policy so is not universal. Also for high earners the pension tax relief has disappeared anyway.

I think perhaps you are the only one who has such a strong dislike for OFSTED at home, although I see where you are coming from as it is literally a "nanny state" thing!

Most nannies won't be inspected by Ofsted though, and childproofing the house isn't a requirement of Ofsted registration.

From OFSTED website - is this not it?

The Childcare Register
We will inspect a random selection of all those on the Childcare Register. We will also inspect all providers where we receive a complaint about the childcare provision that relates to the requirements of registration or any conditions we may have imposed on the registration. We carry out inspections with little or no notice, unless providers are home childcarers, in which case we seek the consent of parents.

If we decide to inspect, an inspector will visit the provision to check compliance with the requirements and will give feedback on the outcome of the inspection. Read more about the Requirements for the Childcare Register for childcare providers and childminders.

At the inspection visit, the inspector will:

?talk to the provider, the children and any staff members and observe the provision to make sure policies are being put into practice
?check registration details and assess compliance with, and understanding of, the requirements of registration
?assess the safety of the premises and risk assessments
?assess any member of staff?s understanding of policies and procedures
?look at recruitment policies, where applicable
?look at arrangements for making sure unvetted people do not have unsupervised access to children.

Nannies must be aware of health and safety themselves, and must advise parents of any health and safety risks - but Ofsted have no power to insist parents childproof their homes or meet the same safety standards as a childminder or nursery.

This factsheet outlines the different requirements for childminders and nannies (home childcarers). CR5.6 is home childcarers requirements for safety of premises.

I see, thanks

I'm a nanny and have never been asked for OFSTED registration. It's never been in my interests to register because basically it costs a fortune and is of no benefit to me or the families I work for because they don't use childcare vouchers.
Have never heard any nannies say it's difficult to get work without it.

Or have an agency request it or refuse to place me.

Whoever it was that paid for the au pairs registration apparently this invalidates her insurance if (heaven forbid) you ever had to claim. When it's up for renewal remember the person being insured must have paid, otherwise the company could easily turn around and refuse to pay up. Whether you then organised sone form of reimbursement completely unrelated compensation is up to you.

And strix you're not the only person who doesn't require it, it's just something that's really being pushed so people now think it's a requirement. I can see the benefits and the disadvantages but on balance I keep myself in a state where I could register without forking out the £100 odd to actually maintain my registration.

do you mean my post Frak? We didn't pay for the Ofsted registration for the au pair, we use our childcare vouchers towards nursery costs, but we did send the au pair on the same 1st aid course and pay for that.

The previous scheme didn't have as much uptake. Looking on Ofsted's system, looks to me as though there are currently 7551 home childcarers in England (not all will be nannies, as some childminders changed registration category). Think that's about twice the number the old scheme had.

I thought I read - if it was you (scrolling difficult!) - that you paid for MM insurance. The childcarer must always pay their own insurance. If the potential claimant can be traced as having paid then it can cause all sorts of issues.

Some well-meaning employers offer to pay to save the cost to the carer but it's the one thing they can't have anything to do with, just in case it did ever come to a claim, because it would cause all kinds if mess.