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Paid childcare

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

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Original poster

Childminder's husband doing school run - dodgy or am I paranoid?

38 replies

slev · 05/02/2014 09:02

That's it basically. Went to see a potential childminder and she said that as she doesn't drive, her husband would be doing the school run (I get the impression he works nights). She might be able to go with him sometimes, depends how many children she's got.

This just didn't sit right with me, and I don't know whether it's quite normal and I'm just being paranoid, or whether I'm right to think it's not okay. She's OFSTED registered and said that he was CRB checked, but I'm still not sure.

Annoyingly, she appears to be the only childminder who's even prepared to do the school pick-up (we've been kicked out of our nanny share so quite desperate!) but I don't want that to blind me to what's acceptable.

Any views on whether this is okay or not? Thanks.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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ForgettableTampon · 05/02/2014 09:05

How old are the children? Slightly diff regs apply to over 8s iirc

2cats2many · 05/02/2014 09:06

I guess that if they are sharing the childminder job, I'd want to meet both of them and talk about it before I decided whether or not to employ them. I'd want to be shown his CRB along with all her other papers and policies.

Are you worried specifically about abuse? If so, is there a reason why you are worried about it?

Chocotrekkie · 05/02/2014 09:08

I would rather he did the school run tbh - saves taking little kids out when they don't need to go and he can focus/chat to the school age ones.

A year 1 child at our school ran across the road in front of me as she had seen her friend. The cm was busy getting a stroppy tired toddler into a buggy.

Gave us all a huge fright - I stopped in time so didn't hit her but....

flatmum · 05/02/2014 09:08

That would be a red flag for me I think. My cm husband occasionally helps out but generally you are paying of the relationship with the actual cm and I think te school run is a big part of this. I do know of one cm couple where they are both registered cms but this caused problems as they just crammed in too many kids.

Original poster

slev · 05/02/2014 09:10

DS is 3 so still under EYFS etc.

I don't really know what I'm worried about just not sure if this is okay. It's our first time working with a childminder (previously we used a nursery and then a nanny share with someone we already knew) so there's probably a general uncertainty anyway.

OP posts:

starfishmummy · 05/02/2014 09:16

I think it would depend on whether her husband was properly crb checked and insured to be doing this.

moogy1a · 05/02/2014 09:17

He has to be a registered assistant to do this. If he is, I really don't get the problem?
flatmum why is this a reflag? My dh is my assistant and we do one school run each. I'm assuming he's not suddenly becoming a child molester on the school run

lilyaldrin · 05/02/2014 09:17

If he's registered as her assistant/co-minder then I don't see the problem. Why would it be "dodgy"? I think childminders can work with up to two or three other people.

lilyaldrin · 05/02/2014 09:19

If I had a pre-school age child I'd much rather they got to stay at home than go on every school run tbh.

moogy1a · 05/02/2014 09:20

Having my DH do the school run is a godsend in sleet and snow rather than getting little ones out.

WholeNewProblem · 05/02/2014 09:20

I think you have to meet him first. There is also the important issue of communication with school - you are going to be relying on the CM to be able to tell you if he has had a good day, if any issues are cropping up.

I was an infant teacher for many years and this whole element is a very important part of schooling.

yummystepford · 05/02/2014 09:22

I used to use a cm at weekends, and her husband was lovely and he was there when I first met them, as it was the weekend he was around. His job was a paramedic and he had been crb checked. I was more than happy for him to be around my children and if school runs had have been part of it I wouldn't have minded him doing it. I would prefer him to do school run, than him stay with kids while she did it. You should meet him though and see how you feel. But as long as he is crb checked I wouldn't think it's a bad thing :)

LyndaCartersBigPants · 05/02/2014 09:25

Why is this dodgy?! He has been crb checked, a legal requirement for any adult living with a childminder, so technically he could work with children too if he did the course.

Given that his role has nothing to do with teaching, nurturing or disciplining the children and he is essentially a taxi/bus driver, I'd have thought that a clean driving licence, a sense of responsibility and a cheery persona would be enough to satisfy parents that he is capable of getting children to school and back.

I don't see why this is an issue, unless you are working on the assumption that all men are paedophiles.

HSMMaCM · 05/02/2014 09:50

If he is registered as her assistant and his car insurance covers minded children then it's not a problem.

If he is not doing the school runs as part of childminding, but simply as a lift to school, then maybe it's different.

givemeaclue · 05/02/2014 09:53

Ask to see the crb check, insurance and registration

MyNameIsKenAdams · 05/02/2014 09:55

Im another one failing to see the problem as long as he is registered as her assistant/crb checked.

Original poster

slev · 05/02/2014 10:01

I'm not assuming there's any kind of abuse likely to take place. And agree I need to meet him and all of that. He's not working as her assistant, he's just helping her out because she doesn't drive.

I think it's more when I think about all the bits and pieces that I would expect a childminder to have - insurance, health and safety training etc., he won't have any of those things. Does it matter? Maybe not, I don't know.

Interesting to see so many people telling me I'm overreacting though. Which is probably what I needed to hear if that is the case. As I said, the whole childminding piece is new to me so it's useful to get other people's perspectives. Thanks.

OP posts:

nannynick · 05/02/2014 10:16

Are there wider implications of not being a driver in your area? For example does it limit what out of house activities they do?

In some areas public transport, walkable things are good. In other areas places to visit can be many miles away.

Are there other providers you can visit? If you are concerned enough to post on here then maybe it is not the right provider for you. However do consider if your view is being clouded by gender biais, if it were the childminders sister would your view be any different?

lilyaldrin · 05/02/2014 10:22

If you have asked and know for sure that he isn't an assistant and doesn't have insurance then fair enough not to be happy about the set-up - the CM is breaching her registration.

MrsCakesPremonition · 05/02/2014 10:27

Presumably your child will be staying with the CM while the husband does the school run with the older children? So by the time your child starts school, you'll know them both much better and be better placed to judge.

MrsCakesPremonition · 05/02/2014 10:28

Why do you think that he isn't registered as her assistant and properly insured?

BrunoBrookesDinedAlone · 05/02/2014 10:28

As lily said.

He is acting as her assistant but isn't, officially - ask her straight out how this works with her insurance, her registration. He's CRB checked - ok, what about first aid etc. Is she happy - properly happy - for you to meet him? This for me would be the big test - does she properly understand that this means that he too is involved in their care or is it a case of 'what's the fuss, he's checked, he's only with them for five minutes'?

He works nights - how many hours will her have been awake/working when he is driving them?

BrunoBrookesDinedAlone · 05/02/2014 10:28

HE have been awake

Dietagainmonday · 05/02/2014 10:53

I am a childminder in Wales. My hubby has taken the children home on rare occasions (mum has gone home ill from work and requested drop off) of course mum was just grateful that she didn't have to come and get them. Risks are minimal but as a regular thing I wouldn't in your shoes. Childminders DH would not be insured to take children in his car, he may not be first aid trained- lots of other reasons. If he was a assistant it would be a totally other story.

minniemagoo · 05/02/2014 11:11

What happens insurance wise if he has a car accident collecting your DD, As he is essentially providing a paid service will insurance cover this?

If your DD has a bad day and has a tantrum will he cope? If your DD had a small accident at school and wanted tlc at pick up (as does happen with small children!) what would he do? These are personality questions so I think it is vital you meet him, if he works nights he will be in the house for most of your DDs time there. Will they click? What other involvement will he have?

Sometimes CM have the potential to become family friends, most times its just a business relationship. Has this CM many children? What's the turnover of children?

I know its your first time with a Cm but my opinion is gut instinct means a lot.

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