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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Nanny Nick I've seen your work before...come hither my dear

20 replies

McPhee · 06/04/2012 07:27

Ok, I'm due to go on maternity leave from my job at the end of May, and return at the beginning of November. But I'm a little bit confused about my Ofsted registration/first aid/insurance renewel. Basically they all run out whilst I'm on maternity leave, and I'm certainly in no position to do my first aid at the moment, which actually runs out at the end of this month. So I don't really know what to do. Please can you help me [busmile]

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

wakeupandsmellthecoffee · 06/04/2012 10:01

Lets see if he appears.like magic.

HSMM · 06/04/2012 10:18

We had an expectant mum on my first aid course and she was allowed to observe all the rolling on the floor stuff ... if that helps?

bump6 · 06/04/2012 10:30

Hi McPhee, I am on mat leave myself. Ofsted never ask to look at docs. When you do your renewal! And your employer can't use the vouchers to pay you. I spoke to Ofsted who said if you give reason why you wish to cancel & then renew later then it shouldn't be a problem. I would give them a call. I couldn't see the point in paying for something which no body would have any benefits from. The cost to renew is the same as reapplying anyway! Good luck

nannynick · 06/04/2012 11:20

You could resign your Ofsted registration. You could then become Ofsted registered again in the future. However how long it would take to become registered is unknown. It may be possible to do fairly quickly but Ofsted may need to go through all the initial procedure again. You could write to them and ask about their procedure for resigning registration and then restarting it again.

Whilst you are Ofsted registered you are supposed to maintain Insurance and First Aid. Whilst you are Ofsted registered you can be selected for inspection. You don't need to be inspected with children present, so the fact you are not working I don't feel would be sufficient to delay an inspection - though such a decision may be up to an inspector, their team manager, or someone more senior at Ofsted.

Do not call Ofsted, only write/email them as any thing they tell you, you may need to refer back to them at a future date. Ofsted procedures for resigning and reapplying for registration I expect will exist and may not be changeable by individual staff.

Tanith · 06/04/2012 12:18

They used to let childminders voluntarily suspend their registration for maternity leave. I don't know if this is still an option.

Original poster

McPhee · 06/04/2012 13:50

I probably should have said I'm a nanny so my registration with them is voluntary, so my employers can use vouchers as part payment.

Is everything above still the same for me?

OP posts:

nannynick · 06/04/2012 14:17

I can't see that being on a different part of the Childcare Register makes any difference. I had assumed you were a nanny.

Do you know when you would be resuming nannying? I would not resign registration, as you can't be sure how long it would take to get it back again. However unless you are inspected they are not likely to check First Aid and Insurance (though you never do know, Ofsted has asked for copies of First Aid certificates in the past). Make sure you have booked a first aid course and have completed the course in time for when you start back working. Insurance can be recommenced easily. Important Note: During the time period where you are not meeting the registration criteria you must not care for children whose parents are using your Ofsted registration.

Original poster

McPhee · 06/04/2012 14:25

I'm due back at work on 1st Nov 2012, so I'm only having 6 months leave. Baby will be returning to work with me. Thankfully I was inspected just last year, so hopefully they won't come back for a while.

OP posts:

wishiwasonholiday · 06/04/2012 19:59

I did my first aid whilst I was 30+ weeks pregnant with spd! The course tutor let me do the floor stuff on a table so i didn't have to bend down and I didn't have to do the being rolled over but just describe what I would do.

lesstalkmoreaction · 07/04/2012 11:09

While keeping your ofsted registration live you also need to keep your insurance live, I found out this new rule the other day while being inspected, I have dual childminding and nanny restration. How they would know is beyond me but do not suspend your registration as you have to reapply including doing a new crb etc so could take forever.

MrAnchovy · 07/04/2012 15:25

While keeping your ofsted registration live you also need to keep your insurance live, I found out this new rule the other day while being inspected...

That's only a new rule in the sense that it was made up by the person that was inspecting you

The law, and Ofsted, only require you to have insurance cover while you are doing an activity that you need insurance for i.e. looking after children.

Original poster

McPhee · 07/04/2012 15:48

I think maybe the best thing to do is put all this to my boss and let her decide what we should do. After all, it's her who pays for the registration.

I'm too confused now

OP posts:

bbcessex · 08/04/2012 20:50

Good luck, it is confusing..
If you were my nanny, I would want you to have insurance and first aid cert, but would mainly want the Osted reg so I could partly pay you via vouchers.

Therefore, I wouldn't mind that your reg lapsed during Mat leave, as I wouldn't be paying via vouchers during Mat leave.

I would want you to re-register in good time for it to be in force for when you returned. I know this can take a while sometimes...

Is it quicker / easier to renew rather than start from scratch? If so, I'd prob renew, but if it's not cheaper or easier, I'd let it lapse, then renew in good time.

Good luck - congrats on your little one x

MrAnchovy · 09/04/2012 12:13

Therefore, I wouldn't mind that your reg lapsed during Mat leave, as I wouldn't be paying via vouchers during Mat leave.

Why not? If the parents are still getting £243, or even £486 per month of vouchers then surely they are going to use those to pay SMP (topped up as necessary)? This is possibly against the spirit of childcare vouchers - as they are only supposed to be used to pay for childcare, and when a nanny is on ML they are not caring for your children - but I don't think that the regulations governing vouchers disallow this in practice.

Reregistering requires a new CRB check so can take an unpredictable amount of time whereas renewing is a simple formality.

nannynick · 09/04/2012 12:43

Whilst on maternity leave the nanny is still an employee, are they not. So yeah I can't see why vouchers could not be used towards SMP.

MrAnchovy · 09/04/2012 14:10

I can't see why vouchers could not be used towards SMP.

Why not? Beacuse a nanny on ML is not providing child care and so the vouchers are not being used to pay for qualifying child care within the meaning of S318C of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

Also, many voucher providers require a childcare provider to make a declaration each time a voucher is cashed that the voucher is payment for "qualifying childcare" which would not be true.

So whilst in practice it may be possible to pay SMP with vouchers, this may not actually be lawful.

MrAnchovy · 09/04/2012 14:11

And yes, I have just contradicted myself

bbcessex · 12/04/2012 13:27

You don't need to pay the SMP via vouchers because parents don't actually 'pay' the SMP.. so to speak.. that's my understanding anyway, because you can claim it up from the authority (whoever my payroll company get it from!!!)...

I would probably be using my vouchers to pay for the temporary nanny.
Or if not having a temporary nanny, saving it to pay the 5.6 weeks holiday pay at the end of Mat Leave that does come out of my pocket...

bbcessex · 12/04/2012 13:29

So which is it MrA? !!!!

MrAnchovy · 13/04/2012 03:22

You do actually pay SMP, but you can claim it back as a small employer so there is no net cost (in fact there is a small profit, but note that employees on ML accrue holiday and you cannot claim the cost of that).

You should certainly pay for temporary child care with your vouchers if you can, because although you might get away with paying your nanny's SMP that way, if HMRC decide that it is not OK you would have to pay back the tax and NI saved.

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