Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Paid childcare

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

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Would you use a childminder who couldn't speak English?

67 replies

dotcotton · 21/02/2007 23:13

I've found a newly-registered childminder who i really like the idea of - nice, caring, mother of four, well set up with toys and books, clean home, completed courses and seems very committed etc etc.

But despite her having done several English courses it was quite difficult to communicate with her when i interviewed her. My dd will be one when she goes to her. She's assured me she'll be going to lots of groups locally so there will be contact with other children and minders, but i've got a bit of a nagging doubt that if dd is with her full time and she's not speaking fluent english, she may miss out on learning and it might be difficult for them to communicate once dd does start talking. Other than this i thought she was lovely and felt instinctively i could trust her with my dd so i'm a bit torn here.

What do you think?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ThePrisoner · 22/02/2007 22:18

I spent the first two years of my life in a foreign country, and was cared for by a non-English-speaking "maid" (albeit not full-time). I think I managed to survive and have not suffered any language problems since - in fact, I studied another 3 languages (and Latin - bleugh!!)

I think that you should remember that to have become registered as a childminder,she must have achieved some level of English!

If your dd is doing something dangerous (not that we childminders would ever allow such a thing), the tone of voice says more than any specific words.

You said in your OP that it was "quite difficult to communicate with her" - was it a language problem or an accent problem? Just how good/bad is her English?

(I just hate the idea that a perfect childminder could be discounted because of a problem that might not actually be a problem).

Aloha · 22/02/2007 22:20

I wouldn't like it if I felt I couldn't communicate very easily with someone who was taking care of my child for so much of her life tbh. I would want quite a lot of communication about her day.

ScottishThistle · 22/02/2007 22:24

I'm staying out of this now even though I have first hand experience of children who spend 5 days a week with a Carer whom speaks a different language!

(runs away & cries as nobody's listening!)

Aloha · 22/02/2007 22:26

You could give it a go, I suppose. How old is your dd.

Original poster

dotcotton · 22/02/2007 22:30

ThePrisoner i'm not discounting her at all, other people might be but a few posts ago i said that the "No Way" posts are making me feel like actually it could be fine, because i can answer most of the issues people have raised. And there are lots of positive posts here too.

Her english was stilted - i think she may have been nervous as she's new and needs work - and there were a few difficult parts to the conversation eg "What would you do about a settling in period?" "Yes, she's settling in now" because dd was a bit wary on arrival and then playing happily. And i was a bit embarrased to have to keep repeating things so it was a bit awkward. Anyway I think i'm going to go and meet her again and probably go for a trial period if i still like her.

OP posts:

morocco · 22/02/2007 22:48

interesting article? here

Original poster

dotcotton · 22/02/2007 22:55

Thing is, there must be a difference between a young unqualified au pair and a 40 year old registered childminder with 4 children who lives in the country?

OP posts:

morocco · 22/02/2007 23:09

I have no idea if this applies to the woman you interviewed or not, but I think the point is that when people of any age don't speak the child's first language well but they still communicate with that child through that language (rather than for example just speaking Polish to them the whole time) then that child is not exposed to any language at all and overall interaction with the child is limited. It's like if you spoke a bit of eg french and then tried to chat to a one year old - how would you say all the stuff you usually say to a one year old? you'd probably say a lot less, the vocab you used would be severely limited and much more functional and there would be less overall interaction. Like they said in the article, it doesn't matter if the English is a bit broken/accented, it's about whether the carer feels confident enough to speak to the child in that language.
sorry - article not nec aimed at you in particular, just thought it might make an interesting read. I guess you've seen your dd and the childminder interacting and only you would know whether she seems confident enough to chat to her in english or not, or alternatively to chat to her in her own language instead

edam · 22/02/2007 23:11

I don't think you can compare a childminder who has very limited English to a family where children are growing up in England but the parents aren't native speakers, though. Dynamics completely different.

I rejected a childminder who didn't speak very good English - I had trouble understanding her and vice versa. Which I thought would just make life ten times more difficult. I need to be able to communicate with the person taking on parental responsibility for my child. Ds was a baby then, and I was particularly worried that if there was anything wrong he wouldn't be able to tell me, obviously and I'd never work it out.

And forgive me, but I'm not sure the basic requirements for qualifying as a childminder are that stringent. My youngest sister, aged 21 at the time and with no experience other than having her own tiny baby, qualified very quickly when she arranged to look after a friend's baby two days a week. She's a bright girl but I was shocked by how easy it was.

Am not dissing childminders, btw, but just saying I wouldn't rely on someone being a registered childminder to the extent of ignoring any worries I had about the person in front of me.

fireflyfairy2 · 22/02/2007 23:14

Definitely go & meet her again

Do you think she would be offended if you asked her what she would do in case of emergency?

It sounds to me like it would be a great experience for your dd! The chance to pick up a few words in another language. My dd goes to after school club where they speak Irish language. [3 days a week] this in no was impairs her grasp of the English language Howeverm if I asked her for the purple towel she would say "It's corcra mammy" Or the red dishcloth, "You mean the dearg one!" So it's nice for her to pick up words & know where to place them in a sentence

Give it a trial & see how you go

Good Luck!

QueenEagle · 22/02/2007 23:15

No I wouldn't.

Hulababy · 22/02/2007 23:19

I probably wouldn't with a small baby/toddler TBH. I would be concerned about the communication with me aspect of it (getting my queries and concerns across, etc.), and as others have said - in case of emergencies too.

But that is just my thoughts and concerns. And I may have changed my mind had I met someone like the OP has.

Ellbell · 22/02/2007 23:24

Dotcotton's dd will be 1 when she starts going. In an emergency, the cm is not going to say 'No Babycotton, I don't think it's a good idea to be ingesting that washing-up liquid.' She's going to take the washing-up liquid bottle out of Babycotton's hand and put it out of reach, and maybe say 'No. Don't drink' or something like that. (Stupid example, but you get my drift.)

Moreover, from the example you gave about 'settling in', it doesn't sound as if her English is THAT limited, just that she sometimes gets the wrong end of the stick.

Oh, and my dds have been with my (fab) cm full-time for years now. Cm has a Yorkshire accent. I don't. My dds don't either.

I am also going to bow out now, because I think this is now down to what dotcotton feels happy with. Hope you find a good solution dot.

cece · 22/02/2007 23:51

My dd went full time to a wonderful cm but she did pick up her accent (a local English one,) but even so she became quite pronounced with it. Definintely came from her as we don't speak with that accent!

Ellbell · 22/02/2007 23:57

Possibly depends on the child too, cece. (Sorry, I know I said I was going, but this interests me...) My dd1 only ever sounds like 'herself' (iykwim). Dd2 is a great mimic and 'does' my mum's Cornish accent to a tee, even though she's only ever been there for short holidays. Anyway... I'm wandering off the point, but it's interesting...

PollyLogos · 23/02/2007 05:26

If you are happy with your DD becoming bilingual with another language then i would go for it. Its a great advantage in life!

From my experience I would say that the biggest problem that could arise is if the cm speaks 'broken english'with dd all the time. ie I would prefer that she spoke the language she is fluent in rather than one she does not speak well. I imagine that the problem

sunnyjim · 24/02/2007 11:04

No, I agree that bilunguilism is a good thing but I would be far too worried about DS struggling to make himself udnerstood or about how I would communicate important things to her. If her english isn't good how can you be sure that any instructions / requests you have are understood?

Flip

1 2 3