Is this too many children for 1 childminder?

[joey99]

A childminder (registered etc) at school was doing the school run for the last couple of days with 2 little ones in a double pushchair, 3 infant school aged ones (between 4-7 years old) and 3 junior school ones (age 8-11). To me this is too many children to be properly in charge of etc walking down a busy road to school but legally is this number ok?

Legally it sounds ok. Very hard to know for sure without knowing the exact ages of the children and seeing the childminders registration certificate. Their insurance will usually permit care for 10 children.

you been following me?

i am registered to have at any one time

1 under 1 (and i have)
2 more under 5 (and i have)
3 more under 8 (and i have)

and any number over 8 (and i have 3)

i take up to 8 children aged 10 months to 10 years on a school run. we all walk in twos holding hands (older ones hold the smaller ones) the two youngest are in a p&t buggy (double). All children wear a hi vis jacket.

everybody at school (parents and teachers) comment on how well my gang walk, they know the rules and stop at the crossings.

my two newest mindees parents approached me because they were inpressed with the way i cope with the gang

Wow - other childminders always only have a couple of kids and then i saw this one- guess you can earn pretty decent money with that many children i'm impressed. Not many jobs pay about £40 an hour!!! Think i am in the wrong job so off to read up on becoming a childminder.....

Only 3 under 5, though... And the others can only be there before and after school hours so not quite that high salary all day long....

actually i earn about £12 an hour before tax.

I dont have that many children all day...think about it...this is only before and after school. Som of my schoolies are term time only where i dont charge for school holidays.

i work a 55 hour week...i have to do all paperwork in the evenings and at weekends as well as my degree in early years. ontop of all that my home (a child free zone before) is now covered in childrens art, posters and information boards.

but if you think you can earn £40 an hour...good luck to you

No being serious i couldnt do it and admire people who can. My levels of cheerfulness, fresh ideas and that calm telling off voice professional childcare people all seem to have (ie not turning into a screaming banshee) would soon dry up!

ha ha....actually i am getting good at the smiles.....20 years in the nhs helped.

must admit when they all go home at 6.30 i turn into a snarling spitting swearing bitch queen from hell (my OHs description)

I earn £6 an hour on a good day. Where am I going wrong?

£12 before taking all my expenses off...so that would probably bring it down to about £7 ish.

just thought about that

watching stoke play...multi tasking

Every day I walk 12 children home from school-4 under 5 with 1 walking and the 3 little ones in a triple buggy,another 2 under 8 and another 6 between 8 and 11.

I have a variation in place for the 4 under 5, and am fully covered by my ncma insurance for all of them.

For the 3 hours after school I am earning £56-50 an hour-but boy do I earn it.............................

bows in awe to fudgesmummy :)

Not read the whole thread but it's perfectly legal. I don't have 8 but have 7 every day (couldn't have 8 in school time as only have 8 seater car and HAVE to drive to this school). Mine are all aged 8 and under (but that's fine as ds1 is 8 so doesn't count in the numbers). As long as the cm is dealing with them well and they seem safe and well looked after, it's fine. But either way, definitely LEGAL. I used to worry what people thought when I had 4 aged 18 months and under, especially after school with a 4 and 5 year old too. But all was legal and above board.

yes my CM mate has 3 under 5y, 2 in infants and 3 over 8s

they walk beautifully to school, two by two, the younger ones in double buggy and board

they are perfectly safe, know the stopping points and folk remark often how well behaved they are

and yes, it's legal