Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Paid childcare

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

Flip

Original poster

Advice on this situation with childminder

20 replies

umbrellaella · 01/07/2012 14:50

Our CM told us last week that she would be having some work done around the house including a new central heating system. This will happen mid week when she is due to have mindees including DD (2.5). I have no concerns about her care and well being during this time but am concerned about lack of activities and the sense that DD will have to fit around CMs home plans (I have had this feeling before on a couple of occasions).

Can I just ask CMs (or parents with experience of this kind of situation) - if you were having such work done, what would you do? Would you tell parents you are taking holiday for a few days or take your mindees as usual? How much notice would you give them that the work was going to happen and would you give your parents the opportunity not to leave their DCs that day and would you charge them if they decided not to?

Any advice would be very welcome as I don't quite know how to handle this situation!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

nbee84 · 01/07/2012 15:05

Sometimes it's nice to have some days where you are based at home. I'm a nanny at the moment but have been a CM in the past and find that with the routine of school runs/toddler groups/library visits etc we don't get much quality time at home - time at home seems to be grabbing some lunch, preparing the dinner or getting ready to go out to our next activity. When we get extended time at home it's nice to get out the arts and crafts, the lego, some puzzles etc etc and spend time doing them leisurely and together rather than fitting them in while we've got 15 spare minutes.

I'm sure your CM wouldn't mind if you asked what she had planned for the children during those few days.

mopbucket · 01/07/2012 15:17

Depends on her room layout i would as a cm still have the children but spend more time out and about and use my bedroom for resting

Italiana · 01/07/2012 15:24

I would hate to have this type of work when I am working with my children but if the c/m has made plans so that the children are safe, have access to water and not disrupted this is acceptable as long as they are still taken out, fed properly and allowed to rest...
ask if they will have a space undisturbed by the builder...

sorry the list goes on...just shows what being regulated means as you have to show you have risk assessed everything and covered all eventualities!!!
At least I would.

fudgesmummy · 01/07/2012 15:40

No as a childminder I would never consider having any major work done in my home while the children are there, I have it done at the weekend or during my 2 weeks holiday in August. You are quite right to feel uneasy about this

Stoney666 · 01/07/2012 15:47

We are due to have an extension it will take a min of 6 weeks do u suggest I shut down for this period !!!! It is still my home and I would never risk mindees safety but I can't be expected to put my life on hold until I no linger have to work, surely????

AmberLeaf · 01/07/2012 15:53

What would you do if you were a SAHM and were having work done?

Would you move into a hotel/stay with parents during the work or would you make sure there is plenty of safe workable space for yourself and the children?

HSMM · 01/07/2012 15:59

I would carry on and have the work done. You can always ask her what her plans are. She may even go out and leave the workmen. I'm sure she's got plenty of activities organised.

MyBestfriendsWedding · 01/07/2012 16:45

Having a new central heating system is work that needs to be done when the weather is milder rather than middle of Winter. Hence why she is probably needing it done now. There rarely is a right time to have any maintenance carried out but if needs must you muddle through. I had an extension built whilst I was working and informed parents and we sailed through without my minded children being affected. I had informed Ofsted and they were ok about it. It's best to just ask your CM what her plans are rather than worry yourself.

ReetPetit · 01/07/2012 18:19

Hi there, I wouldn't think it would be a problem. I have had works done on my house when working and never had a parent decide not to bring their child. I have one who was worried about her child getting enough sleep but she did bring the child and did pay me, as I was available. I would think your childminder is still within her rights to charge you, as she is available for work and is saying that she feels her service will be unaffected.
Is she planning on staying out all day? I did this and it really wasn't ideal but it had to be done and was preferable to me leaving my parents in the lurch.

Strix · 01/07/2012 20:48

As a parent, I wouldn't have a problem with this, assuming children are safe and appropriately entertained. This might simply mean spending more time out of the house. But, I would probably just trust my childminder to make the right choices.

BackforGood · 01/07/2012 21:05

I would never have had a problem with this either. I have always trusted my CMs to make sound decisions about my dcs care - if I hadn't then I wouldn't be leaving them with them in the first place. OK, so it might be a bit disrupted for a few days, but I'd probably have been very appreciative she was still prepared to have them for me, even though it was going to be harder work, than have her saying to me she couldn't have them (which would be a nightmare for those of us in jobs where you can't just book time off). Might even have taken round some flowers at the end of the week to show how much I appreciate her.

mrsthomsontobe · 01/07/2012 23:49

hi, i would still wrk and take children on those days. i dont imagine it will take more than 2 /3 days .i would just arrange a day trip for the day or as usual take kids to school (get workmen to arrive just b4 heading out), go to toddler group (do this daily anyway) we are there till 11.30 and then i would go to my mums (she is a childminder) for lunch or one of the other mums from toddlers which we do sometimes do anyway. and just spend a few hours there before picking kids up from school. stopping at a park and then heading home to hopefully find the workmen packing up. my friend had her heating done in a day. she did have to pack up whole house lift carpets ect but 1 full day out of the house and it was done. surely that wouldnt be a problem, you would be bothered if they went on day trip for the day or play date so surely its the same thing theres just actuallly a reason behind being out the house.

tootiredtothinkofanickname · 02/07/2012 20:06

As a parent, I wouldn't mind. It's just for a couple of days and as someone else said, what would you do if you were a SAHM? I think it's doing the DCs good to see that it's not all fun and entertainment all the time, sometimes things need doing and that's that. The only thing I would ask about are sleep arrangements while the works are being done, DS is really grumpy if overtired.

Saltire · 03/07/2012 09:15

Hi. I had work done on the house when i was minding in Scotland. New windows, doors and kitchen. I put extra stairgates on if needed to keep mindees safe in one room. We did go out during the day though, perhaps more than usual, but it was still manageable. As long as she has procedures in palce for keeping the children safe then ti should be fine

thebody · 03/07/2012 09:58

How silly!!! Of course work needs doing in every house, i worked full time as cm and it would have been ridiculous to take time off every time a job was done.

She will have plans for the mindees.

Would you rather she closed the setting and didn't provide child care?

Eggrules · 03/07/2012 10:08

I have recently had a new boiler and central heating system installed. It was very disruptive and took 3 1/2 days. The floorboards were up everyday. The firm we had were great and cleared up each night. There was a huge amount of mess and disruption every day and I was glad that I arranged the work whilst DS was in school.

It depends on what they are having done - we had all the old pipes and water tank removed. We had totally new pipes, boiler, shower and radiators. If they are only installing new radiators it should take a day and they may be able to do it room by room.

I would expect the DC to be out of the house whilst the bulk of the work was being undertaken.

iknowwho · 03/07/2012 10:14

I think you are over thinking this!!

The whole idea of a child going to a child minder instead of going to a nursery is that it is in a home enviroment........and what happens in homes? Occasionly work needs to be done.

Now come on get a grip. She is having a new central heating systme put in. The kids aren't going to have to walk round with high viz vests and hard hats.
Live will be a bit untidier and she will do what she needs to do.

My advice. Carry on as normal!

(I'm speaking as a parent who used childminders)

Rubirosa · 03/07/2012 20:28

Sometimes building work happens in nurseries too - they don't tend to shut if they can help it!

emile1973 · 03/07/2012 21:28

I am a cm and recently had a loft conversion that took 12 weeks.
Before having I informed the families that we were considering this and kept them all in the loop. I asked their feelings, notified Ofsted and gave them a copy of risk assessments of how I would care for their children. The option was there for no charge time away if they wanted it but no one did. One family even gave me a key if I wanted to use their house at anytime.
I think show that you are putting the children first in a difficult situation. Ofsted okayed it and I kept everyone upto date. Flexibility and a good health and safety plan works wonders too.
Ask yr cm for a risk assessment of how she will manage the children during the works.

complexo · 07/07/2012 01:15

it all depends on the size of CM's property and if she will be willing to go out so the children would not be nervous or unsettled tled with stranger in the house, please just make sure you ask her what is her planning for those days and make sure you see evidence of it. someone said above - I am sure she will have plenty planned - well I know a CM who lives in a small 2 bed flat, she has 4 children in the afternoon, she is never out (and we are spoiled with choices for early years activities in our area) and she had wooden floor, carpet in the bedroons, toilet, bathroom and kitchen done while working (not all at the same time tough) I popped in once and it wasn't very safe and toddlers were playing with baby toys in front od the TV, I don't honestly understand how parents put up with this crap.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread