Worked for a dodgy Childminder. Need advice and help!!!

[Tamara29]

I worked for a few days with a childminder and I was very confused about my roles and duties as an assistant. I am a nanny and worked as a childminder assistant for the first time.
The childminder asked me to complete the ofsted registration online which i did but i started working the next day. So Is a childminder allowed to work with an assistant before the assistant is checked and registered by ofsted? Is it enough to complete the online registration and start working with the children?
The day I started she made it clear that my job is to look after the children (aged between 1 year old and 3 year old) while she will be cooking for them and changing the nappies. So I am allowed to be in sole charge care of the toddlers without consent of the parents?
Once the children got used to me, the childminder was leaving me alone with the children when it was nap time. She would take the youngest toddler who was sleeping in a buggy and go for shopping or a walk for more than half hour. Most of the time, the toddlers were waking up before she came back and i had to text her to come back as the children was asking for her as soon as they were waking up.
When we were in the park or soft play, she was helping me to look after the children but when we were at her place, most of the time she was asking me to stay in the garden with the children while she is inside talking on the phone, cleaning her house etc.... Sometimes the children were going inside to find her and she was putting them back in the garden and in 2 occasions she even closed the door and kept me and the toddlers out alone. I personally think that her garden is not a safe place for the children as there are rocks everywhere and the lawn is bumpy. Most of the time I had 6 toddlers at once and it was difficult to entertain all of them while also safeguarding them. She would always come out and play, just before the parents arrived to pick up their children.
The worse thing that happened was when the childminder told me that next week she will go to see the doctor for one or 2 hours and that her friend will be here. Please note her friend is not a childminder. I am sure that she is not allowed to leave her premises when the children are around so how come she was casually telling me that she will not be here for two hours but her friend will be.
As i said i am very confused, so can anyone tell me if all childminders act like that or not?

No, this is not right at all, and is worth reporting to the relevant authorities, for the sake of children's safety.

Thats exactly what I am thinking would be best for the children but the problem is she will know it is me who reported her. When i quit the job after a week, she bombarded me with texts and calls for two days. She acted in quite a childish and crazy way and i do not know what she would do if she finds out i reported her. She has my mobile phone number, my address etc...

You should never have been left alone with the children until all your checks had come through. You should never have been in sole charge of the children. The parents should have agreed to the arrangement.

I agree - report to Ofsted.

Please call Ofsted and report any information you have.

It's important that the poor childminders are corrected, and both parents, and good childminders, can continue working together happily!

Are you first aided trained? If so once your checks come through you would be allowed to be left with the children for up to two hours sole charge.

The issues here are she has 6 toddlers - is this just when u are there? As you can increase numbers when working with an assistant.

She may have permission from parents, did you ask her?

Checks with Ofsted- if you are already registered as a Nanny through Ofsted then you would already have had a police check done so would the do another?

I think you need to be careful before reporting the childminder as you don't seem to have given us all the facts.

I don't think you need to have all the facts, simply tell ofsted you have concerns and it is for them to examine the legitimacy.

Agree - call OFSTED and say you have concerns about the CM and the wy she works with her assistant.

The rules about working with an assistant are published online. Read carefully, or call Ofsted anonymously and ask the questions cleanly before you decide to complain. In your shoes, I would make absolutely sure about the rules, and which rules she is breaking, before complaining. If you resigned without giving her notice, she must have been struggling to manage the children without an assistant. Personally, as a child-minder, I made the decision to not work with assistants as it could put me in trouble if she wouldn't show up for work, give no notice, etc. Yes in my opinion you need to check the facts before making a formal complaint.

You sound absolutely lovely OP, and very responsible. I don't blame you for leaving what sounds like a very dodgy setup indeed.

Please do report her to ofsted if you possibly can. I do understand why you'd worry about reporting, but it could be anyone that reported her, so if she approaches you, deny, deny deny!

Even once an assistant can be left with children, they can't be left with all the children for two members of staff on their own.