Childminders and discipline - what can you/can't you do?

[rubles]

Yesterday when I picked dd up from the childminder it sounded like the CM had had a pretty tough day as dd had had several of her mammoth tantrums. I sympathised, because I could picture the scene well. I told her that when it happens at home I put dd on the front door mat for a couple of minutes and go into the kitchen to try to de-stress, but she said she couldn't do it because it wasn't allowed because it was seen as cruel.

Is that the case? Who is it that sets these rules? What can childminders do then, if they can't have a 'naughty step' or its equivalent?

Hi, I ignore tantrums as best I can. If a childs behaviour is threatening to another, like hitting or kicking then its time out in another room from the rest of us. My Care Commission officer is happy with that, her first question on my behaviour policy is "You don't have a naughty step do you? good." I suppose a naughty step is humiliating especially in view of others whereas time out gives all of us a chance to cool down. Luckily I don't have to do it too often. Hope that helps.

Time out is generally allowed

But not a specific place for time out (naughty step/chair)

If you use the same place then they can be naughty then go and sit on the naughty step/chair...sort of to say "sorry"

We mustn't humiliate or embarass children...it's very hard

alliballie, did your care commission officer say that?
Mine, when she asked to see my behaviuor policy, told me that i should have in it something along the lines of
"children will be set on a "quiet step" away from other children, or in a quiet room"! Then proceeded to tell me that i should have a naughty step!

I have a terrible time with the wee girl i ind. She is the youngest in her family, and gets away with whatever she wants at home, but i don't let her, and she has tantrums of a mammoth scale several times a day. I tend to just leave her, this is an agreement i have with the child's mother.

So it is Care Commissioners who set the rules then - or at least approve your own rules as set out in your behaviour policy.

The Care Commission regulate CM's in Scotland! Although IME they make the rules up as they go along, and CCofficers from the same regional office have been known to tell different CM's different things! Am not happy with them TBH, and may have to give up minding.

If you are in England then its up to OFSTED, but each CM has their own set of policies and procdeures, which you should have seen when you went tot he CM. They should have a behaviour policy. I reached an agreement with the mother of the little girl i have that she will be carried out of the room and put on the "quiet" step if she's naughty, but if she has a tantrum we agreed to ignore and leave her to it. However when the mum comes to pick her up ts different again

I think the theory is that putting a child in a "naughty chair" is kind of like the old dunce's hat - encouraging the child (and others) to think of the child as a naughty/stupid person. This doesn't mean time-outs shouldn't be used, just that its considered more appropriate to refer to it as "thinking" or "quiet" time, so the child can learn they are not a naughty person, but a good person with choices about how they behave.

saltire, she didn't explicitly say that naughty step was bad but the tone of voice she used when talking about it showed that it wasn't something she thought of as appropriate, and was happy with my behaviour policy which mentioned time out. I know its confusing when different officers say different things. Rubles, as far as I can see the only rule we have to stick to is no smacking.

As I understand it, we can have a "time-out" area but child should still be within sight or hearing. If I'm pushed, I've used a settee in my lounge, so the child can still see us playing. I didn't think that there was anything wrong with using the same area or piece of furniture.

You are not allowed to use the word "naughty", goodness me!!

I also know of several minders who have got into trouble for saying "no" or "don't" during their inspections (wasn't looney told the same?)

We are certainly not supposed to use any physical punishment (smacking etc.) If we physically intervene to, perhaps, separate fighting children, we are also supposed to record this in writing.

And, of course, if we do anything in public (such as a toddler group), we will be frowned upon by any non-childminders for not remaining calm and peaceful throughout any tantrums.