Some advice about holiday cover, assistants and insurance please

[SheilaWheeler]

I may be attending a family funeral later this year in Australia and will obviously be away from the UK for up to 2 weeks. (That sounds very cold but I can't think of another way to put it).

My friend is a registered CM who is about to move to another county and so has suspended her minding for the time being but is still Ofsted registered.

She has agreed that, if she is not yet minding in her new home, she will come 'home' and mind my little ones whilst I am away - both of my parents are very happy with this arrangement as the children have grown up knowing her.

My question is this - obviously she will be using my home. Does anyone know if her insurance will cover this (I am assuming not). Will I have to register her as my assistant on the off-chance that she may be covering for my Oz trip?

All suggestions gratefully received!

Has she given her registration certificate back to the regulator?

No, her last mindee only left last week

Could she mind the children ar hers if she is still registered?

I'm concerned that her insurance would not be valid at my house, which is why I wondered if I should register her as an assistant.

I was under the impression that you had to be around to supervise the assistant and you could only leave them for short periods, I think she would need to register as a co minder to cover for your holiday.

justfab - she is moving to another county which is why she has to, possibly, use my house.

She minds them at the mo at her house when I'm on holiday but the house is all but sold.

So could she change her childminding registration address, so that it is your address? That may involve being inspected but it might not, especially if there is no request for the number of children being cared for on the property changing. That would make her a co-childminder and thus could care for the children in your care, subject to it not exceeding her registered numbers.

If she were an assistant, then she could not be left alone with children for a long time.
So I'm in agreement with wishiwasonholiday, having her as a co-minder sounds the way forward. It may also make it easier money wise, as she is still self employed at this stage so could put the children through her books, rather than her becoming an employee of you.

nannynick - I will talk to her in the morning. I hadn't thought about co-childminder, to be honest.

Thanks for all your advice.