Childminders and over 8's?

[annh]

Doing some investigation work on what to do re childcare for 2 ds's when they are both fulltime at school after Christmas. We have never used a childminder but looking on the childcare website it seems that most only take children up to 5 or 8. Is there a partiular reason for this? And what do other people do with their over-8 children? DS1 will be eight in June so if he went to a childminder after school for 6 months from January what would happen then? I have visions of him being cast out on the street and told to stay home alone!

It's not that we don't take children over 8, it's that we are only registered for under 8's as that is all that is required by law at present. Contact the childminders who collect from your ds's school & find out if they have vacancies for them. I have 2 dd's of my own aged 8 & 12(in 2 weeks time) plus I care for 3 under 5's, 1x6,1x7,1x8,1x9 & 1x10 before and or after school. Out of these 3 are teachers children so I only see them in the term time & another often spends a good part of her holidays with her dad so I don't always have her in the holidays.Ofsted's only concern with the over 8's is that they don't infringe on the care we give to the younger children, & that we have enough space. Also check the public liability insurance to make sure that the childminder is covered for a larger amount of children, the NCMA issued insurance will cover for up to 10 children not including the minders own!

Aha, mystery solved! Thanks very much for that Badgerhead. I may know all about nannies but am obviously a complete novice when it comes to CMs. Will look at the list tonight with renewed interest!