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Paid childcare

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

Original poster

would you report and Unregistered Childminder???

34 replies

lottiesmummy · 12/05/2006 18:30

I know of an unregistered childminder in our area, what would you do.... report them to NCMA/ OFSTED?

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Tinker · 12/05/2006 18:33

I would if they were claiming to be reg. Do they all have to be now? Ofsted would be the way to goI think

waterfalls · 12/05/2006 18:34

Yes

jellyjelly · 12/05/2006 18:37

yES i think i would if i knew that they werent registered and if they are receiving payment of any sort then they have to be.

Riddo · 12/05/2006 18:39

Yes I would because there is no point in registered childminders jumping through all the hoops and going through the hassle of getting registered if some people arn't going to bother.

SenoraPostrophe · 12/05/2006 18:39

depends on what exactly she's doing really

looneytune · 12/05/2006 18:45

Yes it's Ofsted

nannynick · 12/05/2006 18:53

Yes, but before doing so I would try to find out as much info as possible - as they may not fall under requirements to register, or may be registered already. The more evidence you have to provide the regulator with (Ofsted if in England) then the easier it is for them to deal with.

If it's someone you know, then easiest thing to do is to ask them to Register - if they refused then report them.
Ofsted CIE line: 0845 601 4772
\link{http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubs.displayfile&id=2841&type=pdf\Leaflet about notifying Ofsted of a concern}

milge · 12/05/2006 19:11

Yes.

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 12/05/2006 19:24

she is working more than two hours a day and being paid for it with children under 8yrs of age

OP posts:
HappyMumof2 · 12/05/2006 19:29

Yes, I would. It puts the child/ren she is caring for at risk as she will not have had all the checks, she will not be insured etc.
If anything happened to one of the children, the parents wouldn't have a leg to stand on as they would have left them with an unregistered person.

The parents could get into trouble for using her services.

And, as already said, it's not right that the rest of us have had all the checks, do the training, keep our insurance up to date etc and others arw working unregistered.

Original poster
lottiesmummy · 12/05/2006 19:41

your right, I'm a registered childminder too you see, I don't want her thinking I've reported her to "steal her job" or anything of you know what I mean

OP posts:
donnie · 12/05/2006 19:47

this is a tricky one. On principle, I would generally say yes to reporting someone. However, what do MNers think of this scenario: a friend of mine returns to work after mat leave in a few weeks. Her older dd starts reception in sept, the same school as the son of a good friend of ours who also start reception there. So my 2 friends have come to an 'arrangement ' where the days friend 1 works, friend 2 will collect both kids from school and look after friend 1's daughter for a couple of hours until she is collected by friend 1, and friend 2 will be paid a bit.
Strictly speaking is this illegal? becuase it seems like a good idea to me.

HappyMumof2 · 12/05/2006 19:50

not if it's only 2 hours. Think the maximum is 3 hrs? before you need to register

zippitippitoes · 12/05/2006 19:55

if it was basically a swap arrangement between friends with a bit of "expenses" to compensate then no..if it was done with the knowledge of all aprties probably no as well

but if i thought a child was at risk then yes

ayla99 · 13/05/2006 10:51

I believe that strictly speaking "swaps" are considered payment in kind and probably not allowed if more than 2 hours. But loads of people do it - viewed more like "play dates" than a childcare arrangement really. I think this is quite different from the "cowboy childminder" who is earning money without any insurance, first aid, training or ofsted inspection, paying tax etc.

fireflyfairy2 · 13/05/2006 10:56

I wouldn't. If the mother is happy with the care her child/ren is receiving and she is aware that the minder is not registered then she must feel confident enough in the minder to leave her child/ren there. Perhaps the childs mother has been to see a few registered minders but didn;t feel comfortable with them and so she chose a woman who would care well for her child and that she had a rappor with also?

If, however, she was telling the parent she is registered when she is not, then I would report her, but IMO you need to find out more details before doing so.

Isyhan · 13/05/2006 10:59

Its ridiculous. Just about every parent in my daughters class does it as there is no childcare. they all drop off and pick each others kids up from school. They are not paying each other they just do it to help each other. Parents have been doing that for years!

ayla99 · 13/05/2006 11:24

"Perhaps the childs mother has been to see a few registered minders but didn;t feel comfortable with them and so she chose a woman who would care well for her child and that she had a rappor with also"

That may be but why can't she suggest this woman register with Ofsted? What if the child had an accident and the woman hadn't had any first aid training? What if the woman has a criminal record or medical issues that would prevent her from registering? I could go on ...

Katymac · 13/05/2006 11:38

Isyhan - if there is no money changing hands then there is no unregistered minding. What happens at your daughters school is just friendly and nice

If the parent knowingly uses unregistered childminding then should Social Services or the police be involved (ie if an accident happens or something) then technically it could be classed as neglect - which is really sad and makes both the minder and the parent open to prosecution

goosey · 13/05/2006 11:54

Yes I would – because I would absolutely not be prepared to sit by and watch my business (that I have worked very hard to build) threatened by someone who is not - as equally as I have to be - prepared to train, to be insured, to be ready at all times to be accountable and to pass the rigorous standards of an Ofsted inspection, or to pay their taxes.
As a parent I would also wonder what they had to hide that made then not want to register.

TwoToTango · 13/05/2006 12:17

If the person is advertising herself as a registered childminder yes you should report it, but is there a possibility that it is just parents who have come to an arrangement?

Uwila · 13/05/2006 12:38

If you report her, will she know who reported her? She will surely be very unhappy? And what about the children's parents, will they know? And they may be very unhappy with you as well. I'm not sure what I would do. It's a tough one. I would need toknow more about the circumstances. Like, are the children's parents and childminder old friends? relatives? Is it financial (i.e. is this childminder cheaper than the registered ones in the area?). If she is cheaper and the parents are using her for that reason I imagine they'll be rather displeased if you ruin that arrangement. I'm not saying it's right. Just that you might want to consider all possible consequences before running off to OFSTED.

nightowl · 13/05/2006 13:06

but if you are on a low wage and you claim tax credits you will get up to 80% of your childcare fees paid anyway, as long as the childcare is registered? so it would be better to use a registered carer. (doesnt say here whether its a couple or single parent?) (can couples claim tax credits, i have no idea?)

Uwila · 13/05/2006 13:44

Yeah, depends how you define low wage. I assure many who don't qualify for any kind of support do their share of struggling.

zippitippitoes · 13/05/2006 13:45

you really do have to be on low pay though..it's tough paying for childcare if as a couple you earn the minimum wage