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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 left 9 month old in car

98 replies

snowywol · 12/12/2015 21:42

Hi my sister has just started leaving her 9 month old with a child minder and when I went to collect my nephew the other day he was sleeping in the child minders car. The child minder said he had only been in there because he had been crying a lot and she needed to change other children she had and didn't want to wake him as knew he would be crying. She said it wasn't long but she was in the kitchen when I arrived so not changing the other children. The doors were open but still my sister and I were very shocked. I also have a young child and would never do this or expect my child minder to. My sister is just working out what to do and wondered if anyone else had had a problem like this?
Thanks

OP posts:

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Fizrim · 12/12/2015 22:22

I was thinking the same as Lorelei - the minder didn't say she'd been anywhere, just that she'd put the baby in the car! Not acceptable in my book but I wouldn't be happy if she'd left the baby in the car after a journey either. When that has happened to friend's children, we've sat in the car with them and chatted!

Lweji · 12/12/2015 22:23

It sounds like she has too many children to handle comfortably.

lorelei9 · 12/12/2015 22:24

thanks fizrim
from the OP, it sounds as if the childminder has the children at her house, because OP was going to collect the child. Sooo...what would the child be doing in the car unless the childminder put him there?

others seem to be reading it as "child left asleep in car" which is different than "child put in car while asleep".

now I'm chuckling at myself, funny chat to have with strangers on a Saturday night

Xmasbaby11 · 12/12/2015 22:25

This is very poor. I would never do this. I would only ever leave a sleeping child unattended in the car for long enough to quickly run into house, i.e. take one child in, go to toilet - a few minutes.

Both of mine often napped in the car and were cranky to be woken up. But I still didn't leave them. I either stayed with them in the car, or woke them up and brought them in. It was a total pain!

I think if a childminder would do this, what other safety guidelines does she ignore?

Original poster

snowywol · 12/12/2015 22:25

He was left in the car so the childminder could get on dealing with the other children. I think she was struggling as he had been crying a lot that day. Which I can fully understand makes it very difficult with other children.

OP posts:

Fizrim · 12/12/2015 22:27

Did she put him in the car, or leave him in the car after they had all been out in it?

lorelei9 · 12/12/2015 22:28

Snowy - you are categorically stating that the childminder looks after the children inside the house, wasn't going anywhere and simply put the child into the car so she could focus on the other children?

if this is what you are saying, it is appalling and I think other posters have not interpreted your post this way, hence they are not concerned.

Karoleann · 12/12/2015 22:28

Child minders are not allowed to leave children unattended.
I wouldn't leave a 9 mo asleep in the car alone.

I think some of the views on here are biazzare......call ofsted on Monday and they will be concerned. I would report and put in another setting.

Tamponlady · 12/12/2015 22:29

I think she was coming back from somewhere nd ran the others in while baby was sleeping

That's how I read it any way

YeOldeTrout · 12/12/2015 22:29

What is there to minimise? Nothing bad happened, near as we can tell.

I left mine asleep in car for sure. It was the best thing for them to have a good sleep.

Friend had kids she could pick up & move around when asleep. I always envied that hugely.

Seeyounearertime · 12/12/2015 22:30

I admit it changes things if he'd been put out there to sleep because he was crying. It's a big difference and I assumed they'd been somewhere and LO was asleep when they got back.

How would that even work? Dump them out there and leave them crying? I don't get it?

Fairiesarereal · 12/12/2015 22:30

I'd be furious too. I can't believe so many of you think this was acceptable. What if the car had been stolen? What if he'd slipped in between the straps and suffocated? What if he had choked? Your sister is paying the CM to look after the baby - I don't call that looking after him!!

HortonWho · 12/12/2015 22:31

National standards for under 8 daycare and childminding. Section 6.3 and 6.17 specifically states children are NOT TO BE LEFT UNATTENDED in a car.

Original poster

snowywol · 12/12/2015 22:33

Sorry post wasn't clear. They had been out on a trip in car then she left him in the car. So could be it wasn't to long he was in the car but can't be certain. I realise there are a wide range of views on this which actually reflects the conversations my sister and I have had on this.

OP posts:

PopcornFrenzy · 12/12/2015 22:33

I'd be furious if the CM did this with my DS, what would have happened someone took the child? OP said she was able to walk past the car without being seen.

This is dreadful and I'd defo report to OFSTED and remove my child.

gillyweed · 12/12/2015 22:34

How can she possibly have been watching a baby asleep in a car outside while dealing with other children in the house? She can't have at all times, in which case the baby was unattended and alone.

Which doors were open, house, car? The baby must have been cold if it was the car door (and I assume no coat as in a seat).

I agree with the poster above who asked if there was actually a journey or if the baby was just put in the car?!?!

There is so much wrong here; too many kids, baby unattended and left outside, you walking past undetected, baby shoved in a car. I cannot believe how blaise some posters are, not the same as leaving your own kid and sitting permanently in the window and watching them. I would be furious, would want to discuss at length but would probably remove my child and contact ofsted.

Ickythumpsmum · 12/12/2015 22:35

Our nanny asked if we minded our kid being left in the car while she sorted her other child, if ours was asleep. She explained to us exactly what she would do, and I trust that she keeps her word (she is excellent).

If this situation had been presented to you in advance, how would you have felt? Quite often I keep all three of mine buckled in to the car while I run back and forward with the supermarket shopping bags. I think it's safer than having them do their own thing while I put the bags in the kitchen.

I think you nephew was probably safe, but his parents should know how he is being taken care of, and if they don't like an aspect of it, they should speak up.

abbsismyhero · 12/12/2015 22:37

i thought you were not allowed to leave a child in a car seat for long periods? something to do with them dying occasionally?

my ex mil left ds in the car seat in the car while they unloaded the food out of it at our wedding reception someone tried to steal the car it was literally outside the venue door in full view of a lot of people and no one thought it was odd a stranger went to get in the driver's seat it was only my then husband walking up from the other direction and asking who they were that caused them to run off

personal view based on personal experience its poor behaviour and i would not trust her again but again i stress that is purely based on my personal experience

AntiHop · 12/12/2015 22:37

I don't have a car so I have never been in this situation personally but I would not be comfortable leaving my dd with a CM who leaves children unattended in cars, in any circumstances. I am surprised to see on this thread how common this is, I would not have expected that response.

StubbleTurnips · 12/12/2015 22:42

I would be fucking livid about this and I can't believe how many are minimising , I wouldn't leave my DD unattended in a car. Tell me - from the kitchen window can that minder tell if her charge has stopped breathing?? No fucking chance, this is irresponsible and stupid.

Report to ofsted and change minders.

ProfessorPickles · 12/12/2015 22:44

I wouldn't be happy with this, I often used to leave DS in the car while I unloaded shopping for a maximum of 10 minutes but the car was locked and I wasn't busy with other children/distractions and had a clear view from where I was standing.
I wouldn't expect a childminder to do the same especially as you said she wouldn't have seen you coming.

For a parent making a decision about their own child, to me that's different. But if a childminder did that to my son I wouldn't be too pleased as it'd make me wonder if she was being honest about how long he'd been there as she wasn't changing other children like she said and if there was anything else she was doing that didn't feel right (in my opinion I should add). It isn't hard for a quick 2 minute change to turn into 15, 20 minutes when distracted doing other things.

MonkeyPJs · 12/12/2015 22:49

I'm surprised by this thread - I really don't think leaving young children in cars alone is OK. Especially as it's very hard to regulate the temperature in a car that's not going - if all of the windows are closed it can overheat even if cold outside, and if a window is open in this weather it can get quite cold inside.

I know plenty of people do it, but I do think it's one of those poor parenting decisions people justify to themselves for convenience but is still something that really isn't a safe thing to do.

I see it like lying babies face-down in the 1980s - sure plenty of babies did it and it was fine, but why take the risk?

lorelei9 · 12/12/2015 22:52

so there was a trip
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

did your sister know there would be trips out in the car with this CM btw? If they had been delayed, you would have been left waiting - because she's saying they had just got back?

I appreciate it's not the situation I thought initially but something still doesn't seem right. You pay a CM to watch your child, which she doesn't seem to have done in this case.

Janeymoo50 · 12/12/2015 22:54

what is the chance of your child stopping breathing asleep in a car seat fgs!!

Cratos · 12/12/2015 22:58

I would not be happy with this behaviour. Yes at times, I have left my child sleeping in the car but I was watching him at all times. I wasn't changing nappies or working in the kitchen or looking after other small children.
She could be easily distracted by other children she is looking after. That can put all the kids at risk. What about people passing by ? Do they have access to the house and the car ? All doors open. Depends on the area she lives but it may not be safe.

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