my childminder is using a non registered assistant

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Hi I was wondering if anyone could shed some light
My childminder has had a difficult year ( stroke- but she is recovered almost)

While she was ill, her husband who is registered ( not sure to what level, I imagine the most basic)and a registered assisstant looked after the children. It was a struggle for everyone and I am very grateful that they continued to care for all of the children. It has been 7 months now and the original assisstant has left and now they have a very young girl who speaks hardly a word of english, who is not registered and prob not even CRB'd looking after the children.

I get the feeling that for portions of the day this new assistant is downstairs with the children alone while my childminder/husband are upstairs.

When I pick my dd up and ask how the day has gone, how many times she has used the toilet etc what she has eaten, the childminder/her husband have to ask the new assistant as they dont know.
I appreciate that the last 7 months have been hard but im quite loathed to be paying £50 a day for an unqualified person to be looking after my daughter.
My daughter also seems to know the names of all sorts of tv cartoon characters and when flicking through the TV she told me the names of the programmes ( we dont watch tv at home that much so she hasnt learnt it from here)

I am over reacting here or should they have someone qualified helping them out?

They must have someone registered but that person need not necessarily be 'qualified'. How do you know the new assistant isn't actually registered?

If the assistant isn't registered then you're not over-reacting.

Big alarm bells should be ringing, I know a local childminder who is employing an unregistered assistant, this person has unsupervised sole charge at times, she does the school runs.
It puts me off using any childminder because ofstead have been alerted by several different people and nothing has changed.

Hi thanks for your replies, I asked the husband if the new assistant was registered he said no, but they were applying for CRB and an English course for her. He told me if Im not happy I dont have to bring my dd there any more!!

Glad im not over reacting Im a bit upset over his reaction when I questioned the qualifications of the new person
Unfortunately there are hardly any childminders in the area with vacancies and there are waiting lists for most childminders so finding a new one is not the easiest of options and they know this!!

CRB's will be really hard to trace if she's not from the UK we had a nightmare with just an employee from Wales.
We moved our children to a school with after school care, is your DD too young ? What about a nursery ?

Your childminder has to fill in an EY2 form from ofsted before she can have this girl working with her, she certainly should not be left unsupervised with the children.Ofsted then do a suitable persons check and apply and pay for the enhanced disclosure that is required. Your childminder is in breach of her registration conditions if she has not let ofsted know. I would not be happy about this, I am a cm and I would not risk doing this myself. She should also have employers insurance, her public liability insurance could be compromised aswell if a child had an accident whilst in the care of an unregistered assistant. Is the husband definatly registered as an assistant aswell?

Hi Husband is definetely registered, when I signed the contract with her, she showed me the ofsted certificates for her husband and the previous assistant. The husband told me that the assistant is never alone with the children, but this is contradicted when I ask about how many times dd has used toilet etc and other questions, he doesnt know the answers so I think the assistant is definately alone with them ( although husband may be upstairs- still in the property)

I pick my dd up at different times of the day and the assistant answers door and then husband/proper childminder come down the stairs.
thanks everyone for confirming what I already thought, I suppose one positive thing is that they are taking steps to get the girl registered but obviously it will take time.
My dd is only 2 1/2 and not entitled to start pre school until next september !

sounds like this girl is more like their au pair than an assistant!

I would be very worried, not necessarily because of age/English level but the disregard for OFSTED's regulations, the lack of CRB and the lack of insurance cover. If she was a registered assistant then I would be on their side - they can employ whoever they wish as an assistant - but she's not, so you're definitely not over-reacting.

"suppose one positive thing is that they are taking steps to get the girl registered but obviously it will take time."

I'm no expert but isn't that shutting the stable door after the horse, what will they do if the CRB comes back with a problem but they've had her working there for 6 months ?

This is such a stressful situation, im pregnant so will be on maternity leave from Jan next year, but I doubt I would be able to find a childminder locally who would be willing to take on my dd for 4 months.
I will talk to OH when he gets home, and email local council to get a list of childminders with vacancies.

thanks everyone for your replies x