Anyone know the rules on paying friends for childcare?

[MayaAngelCool]

Do you remember that OFSTED fiasco over the two policewomen who were doing a childcare swap? Well I'm now thinking about asking a friend to be available as a standby carer for the occasions when my CM's kids are unwell. I intend to offer to pay my friend in cash or in kind, but I don't know whether this is illegal, or if OFSTED finally relaxed their rules and actually 'allowed' parents to make their own decisions.

Or should I just not give a shit what OFSTED and go ahead and let my lovely, extremely trustworthy friend look after my child?

The childminding rules may be intended to protect children, but less rigid regulation could achieve that objective without the consequences of reducing the supply and increasing the price of childcare.

By that logic, nannies should be as heavily regulated as CMs and nurseries.

Either the state trusts parents to make decisions about childcare, or it doesn't.

Dickens wrote in Our Mutual Friend: 'Left to he Minded, sir. I keep a Minding-School. I can take only three, on account of the Mangle. But I love children, and Four-pence a week is Four-pence. Come here, Toddles and Poddles.'
Source: Our Mutual Friend, Chapter 16

What date would that have been published - 1864?

Infant Life Protection Bill, 1871 failed to become law. It was even more stringent than our current legislation, as it was care of under 6's for any period of time outside of their own home which would have fallen under regulation.

It may come as no surprise that the WWII was when things started to become more organised. Registered Daily Guardian Scheme, 1941.
Main childminding legislation was in 1948... Nurseries and Child-minders Regulation Act 1948

Enough with the history though... it is possibly a bit odd that some things are regulated and others are not but that is how things are and it has been that way for quite a long time. Back in Dickens' day, daily minding was happening, I would presume as Dickens writes about it in Our Mutual Friend. It probably wasn't regulated in any way but I feel that daily minding would have been seen as being different to baby farming.

Not sure what I am really writing this for... but maybe it's that the state does not make laws like this easily... it took a a while to come about and it would have been events in history that made it happen. We are now stuck with it, though it could have been worse if the 1871 Bill had got through - no 2 hour rule then!

Thank you Batman, I didn't know about being able to pay if in own house!

We are very happy with our CM but good to know this could be an option if she is away or something. We can't really return child care favours so I would prefer to pay a friend but have been worried about doing so.

Yay!