I'm a childminder with 2 assistants...

[pinguinandfriends]

And I now would like for my 2 assistants to registered as childminders so I can leave them for more than 2 hours or take the occasional day off.

Also I'd like to have the business open sometimes without having to close.

My assistants have refused to get registered as they don't want the fuss when I hinted at it. However I'd like to insist.

What do you think ? Good or bad idea ?

You can not insist that someone becomes registered. However you could actively look for a co-childminder, thus meaning that an assistant (or both) would no longer be needed.

There are a few minders who post on here who co-mind, so expect they will be able to give you advice about how the business would operate when there are more than one registered childminder based at the premises.

Thank you Nannynick

Are you offering to pay for this?, and give paid time off for training?

But why would they be registered childminders for you rather than themselves in their own home, that doesnt make sense to me

Because they would have a regular income of at least National Minumum Wage, paid holiday, sick pay, no problems of parents not paying...

Actually, why would anyone NOT want this ?

They have got all of this...I just want them to get registered so I can leave them for more than 2 hours...I pay/will pay for all the training..the pay will stay the same...

There is no specific time limit on how long you can leave the assistants alone. It is referred to as 'short time'. I don't think you could leave them to it and go on holiday or take a day off though.

"There is no specific time limit on how long you can leave the assistants alone"

Yes there is - EYFS 2012 makes this clear (3.41 "... Children may be left in the sole care of childminders? assistants for 2 hours at most in a single day...") but this is true for older children too (and was true before EYFS 2012) as a consequence of the limit now in The Childcare (Exemptions from Registration) Order 2008 which specifies that where provision is made for a particular child for two hours or less a day, the carer is exempt from registration as a childminder.

In that case pinguinandfriends I think that either they are lazy or do not want the responsibility of being left in charge for longer periods or even whole days.

Whichever one it is (or even a combination of the two), do you think that it would be a good idea to force it on them?

They are paid 25 k a year, 5 weeks off (4 are paid), I let them sometimes go home early if the ratio allows it.

They are not lazy, they are great assistant, I just wish they were registered so I could leave them for longer period of time !

Perhaps they just want to be employees without the responsibility of running things for days when you are not there - not everyone wants to be a "leader" some like to plod along with the status quo... hence applying to be an assistant, not going for childminder in their own right....

In their position I would also refuse.... it would sound to me like you want them to run things when you are on holiday - for the same pay??? ..... or are you going to pay them more for more responsibility?

maybe you have not made it clear to them how often and for how long you will expect them to have sole responsibility?

mranchovydo you know if those regulations apply in Scotland to or is just England?

"They are paid 25 k a year, 5 weeks off (4 are paid), I let them sometimes go home early if the ratio allows it."

Is that a mistype? 25k a year??? I don't know any childminders that earn wages of £50,000 a year for themselves, let alone pay 2 assistants £25k each

25k a year?
You must be full to bursting with children!

@shesariver

Those regulations apply in England and also in Wales; in Scotland a similar provision is made by S2(21) Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001: I am not sure if the National Standards (which are the equivalent of the EYFS) add any more.

Note that you do need parents' permission to leave children with assistants - in effect you are not providing the care you are contracted to provide, instead the assistants are providing (unregistered) care for the children. This permission can be part of the contract of course.

It sounds like you have great staff and treat them well. I think you need to inspire them to want to take on more responsibility, and possibly reward them too, rather than force them.

Omg 25k a year!!!!

Where are you? Can I be an assistant? I'd quite happily apply to be a childminder in own right for 25k a year without the responsibility of actually running the business!

Erm...ill work for you on that rate.

Hire some new people?

Thanks mranchovy, DH is a cm and is in the process of registering an assistant. But he wont be paying her £25 grand thats for sure

I earn a little bit more than them but not much ! Yep I pay them that much because I wanted to keep them motivated !

We are in North London that's why.

Mranchovy - I think you are right, about inspiring them more. I won't obviously force them to become registered.