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

Original poster

Is this awful advice or what??

16 replies

bignbouncy · 18/04/2007 11:35

A woman who lives in my road is becoming a registered childminder. She had had an awful time trying to get registered as she originally send her forms of in JUNE 2006 (yes 2006) they lost all her stuff she decided not to bother until I asked her in dec 06 if she would take one of my mindees for 2 days a week as I wanted to go part time. So she re sent all her stuff of again in Jan of this year, she's still not registered and has kids waiting to start, so she called up our local early years team to ask if they could hurry along Ofsted. They did phone but got nowhere but early years told this woman just to start minding then when her registration comes through to just bill the family then. I am so shocked by this and have explained to her she doesn't have insurance. I'm not even sure she is legally allowed to do this. Think she'll start minding on monday whatever I say. What to do?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BizzyDint · 18/04/2007 11:38

i believe it is illegal. i think it would be ok though if it was in your own home rather than in her home. could be wrong though.

LoveMyGirls · 18/04/2007 11:44

I think as long as she does it without reward its ok? but its a chance shes taking as the family could decide not to pay her back pay and she could be doing it for free.

crace · 18/04/2007 11:46

But isn't it hard to prove it's not for reward? It just sounds very dodgy to me, I may be overly cautious but I would never do it myself until I was cleared through.

Original poster

bignbouncy · 18/04/2007 11:47

I really don't think she'll have a problem getting paid as I've done odd days for the family she's taking on and they are always fine paying. I am just very suprised that it was our early years team leader that told her it was ok to do it.

OP posts:

Original poster

bignbouncy · 18/04/2007 11:49

Well she wouldn't have even considered taking them on until Early years said it would be fine.

OP posts:

saltire · 18/04/2007 11:52

I must admit that I was told by the Care Commission that I could start c'minding whilst my registration was being processed - as long as I didn't take any money for it.
I didn't do it though.
Are they full time children, as in Scotland someone can c'mind for 2 hours a day and get paid without being registered.

Original poster

bignbouncy · 18/04/2007 12:08

One toddler 2 days a week 8am-5.30pm and older sibling before and after school.

What's the longest anyone else has waited to become registered?

OP posts:

saltire · 18/04/2007 12:09

9 1/2 months for me, when I moved from England to Scotland. it's not as if I'd travelled from the other side of the world

Original poster

bignbouncy · 18/04/2007 12:12

How can it all vary so much my registration took 4 weeks from beginning to end.

OP posts:

mogs0 · 18/04/2007 20:01

I had my Ofsted inspection in the November but didn't get my cert til March!!

psychobitch · 18/04/2007 21:07

I had my Ofsted inspection in the July and got my certificate in the September.

I was under the impression that you don't have to be registered for care upto 2 hours a day so long as you receive NO reward! Even looking after their children in return is classed as reward in Ofsted's mind!

nannynick · 18/04/2007 23:27

Up to 5 days is just about acceptable. Once day 6 hits, then it is illegal in England to care for children at the minders home for more than 2 hours. I am surprised that Early Years have said it is OK. The minder will not have public liability insurance (as that usually states that the person having such insurance is registered).

If caught illegally childminding, what seems to happen is that the person doing the childminding is encouraged to register. I can't seem to find records of there being a great deal of fines going through courts - anyone know how to get those records? But because it isn't policed very well, doesn't mean that Early Years should be telling people to do it... that just seems wrong to me. Early Years are supposed to be providing advice, not telling people to break the law.

nannynick · 18/04/2007 23:29

With regard to 'for reward', far too many things can be considered to be 'reward'... it isn't just money, so it would be hard to prove that the person doing the minding wasn't getting something out of the deal - even if it was a box of chocolates once a year on their birthday!

PinkChick · 19/04/2007 14:02

before i was reg in november, i worked for free for one of my mindes mums as i didnt want to lose her and this was suggested by childcare person from council, although they said they would deny it if questioned, they said i was daft if i didnt and that i 'could' charge for 2- 21/2 hours(cant remember which?), but i didnt so by nov, i was soooo glad my reg came through!

she needs to get on ofsted's back, find out what the prob is, why its taking so long, what info they may need and that she is losing business..they are terrible i spent 3 months hounding them!

Original poster

bignbouncy · 19/04/2007 15:08

One day she rings and they say they have all the information they need, then she'll phone back a couple of days later and they will say they are waiting for her health declaration. They have so messed her around. Hopefully as she'll only be minding 2 days a week the 5 days of unregistered care will see her through until her certificate arrives. I feel really sorry for her as she wanted to do it all the right way. But agree that early years are out of order for encouraging her to mind unregistered.

OP posts:

PinkChick · 19/04/2007 15:19

i had the same prob with my health dec!
has she had to have one sent to them from doc?, if so get her to chase doc up, find out when sent, ring ofsted back, tell them date, then if no further, get her to write to them detailing probs they are causing with hold up.think one of the girls started a complaints thread for ofsted on here a while ago for things like this?..........

Flip