childminders over numbers

[kaffkooks]

Someone who works at the same place as me has just moved to the area and was looking for a childminders. Most of the CM locally work in term time only which didn't suit my colleague. One CM who does work all year is very busy and now she has taken on my colleague's 2 children so she is over her numbers. Consequently, whenever I see her she seems to be struggling to look after them all. Should I say anything to my colleague?

How do you know she is over her numbers?

Have you seen Her with more then 6 children alone?

Maybe she has an assistant at home so can have more and you see her with diff children iyswim?

Are you sure she is looking after more than six children under eight (eights and over are not included) and as Blondes has said, that she does not have an assistant? Also, are all the children with her really with her? I walk home from school with three or four children I am looking after, but by the time their friends catch up and tag along, I look like the Pied Piper some days!

But by all means say something to your colleague, then she can ask the CM if she has concerns.

What business is it of yours?
What exactly do you want to happen?

Just get your colleague to check her numbers. 3 under 5, 6 under 8 plus over 8s (normally with some exceptions).

But never more than 6 under 8 at any time. The only exceptions are for under 5s (and by under 5, they mean under full time school age, 4 year olds in full time school move into the older category) if all the parents are happy about it. If your friend doesn't know about it, then cm shouldn't be doing it.

And yes, I would mention it if she is struggling. I would want to know if my children weren't being given attention and the cm was struggling, but do you have examples. Don't think, well the cm has six children, I couldn't do it, so she must be struggling. Do you know what I mean.

Sorry, yes Lucy. No more than 6 under 8 ever.

She knows CM is over numbers and doesn't care so I'll leave well alone.

Hi, I work as an assistant so know a little about the numbers. It is a maximum of 3 under 5, so we can care for 6 children at any one time, however there are some days where we may have 7, technically this put us over our numbers but as some of the children are siblings it doesn't count.

So if the Childminder is over her numbers it's maybe due to this rule.

Basically, you can be over numbers with siblings.

Hope this helps a little

Scottish, again that's not technically true afaik. If you care for a child and they have a new sibling, you can care for the new baby. But you can't take on siblings and go over your numbers. It's only for new babies that the rule applies.

Sorry not 100% sure and I don't think there's much online. and this is a new baby so that's probable true