Unsure about what I overheard this morning

[OFSTEDoutstanding]

Hi I was at my local toddler group thismorning when one of the mothers was discussing with another one about a school outing that is happening next week. I clearly heard her say 'I hope they don't get back late because I am looking after xxx that day as well.'
She lives in my village and I always see her walking around with other children that are not hers. When I first started going to toddlers she found out I was a cm and quizzed me about becoming one and all that it entailed paperwork etc. A coupleof weeks ago I asked her if she had gone ahead with applying and she said no because too much paperwork involved but I keep seeing her with different children on different days. I think she is minding without being registered and I know that she is not registered because I am the only one in the village at the moment. The question is what do I do about it turn a blind eye or who do I tell?

she might be doing it from the parents houses ie part time / self emlpoyed temp nanny? In which case she doesn't need any qualifications at all.

Thats what I wondered until I saw her coming out of her house this afternoon with her dd and 2 others. Have seen these children with her before and as dd is only 1 its not like she was having 2 and 3 year old friends round to play!!!

Could they be the children of close friends? Someone needing a CM might be more inclined to use an unregistered close friend whom they and their DCs knew rather than a stranger. They might view it as regular babysitting and pay for it as such. Yes, it's illegal and no, I personally wouldn't do it but if both parties are happy is it really that bad? Obviously, it is very bad for the CM who's put in the hard work and is registered and now being done out of work but maybe that mum just would not leave her child with anyone other than a friend. I'm not defending it (so please don't jump on me!), just putting it forward as a possibility. Incidentally, I didn't know about the 2 hour daytime rule either so it's possible that the parties concerned aren't aware either and think it's okay to enter into a private agreement.

So if your children regularly have playdates with another child then that is illegal if you're not a registered childminder - that is insane!

Playdates are fne - it's the charging for care that makes it an issue.

Which is fair enough: if you sell food you have to have health and hygeine certification, if you sell any other service it has to be safe and of a regulated standard as regards fit-for-purposeness, safety etc.

'I didnt know about the 2 hour daytime rule' I agree with you mummydoit that not many people might know about it but I did tell her when she questioned me because her comment was if you only have part timers do you still have to register and I said yes if you have them more than 2 hours and want paying!!!

I can see what people are saying but I remember you saying about this originally and DO think it SOUNDS LIKE she's working as a childminder but on the quiet!

I think I'd turn a blind eye if it was just one child as I'd see it as no different to regular babysitting for someone she probably knows well (despite the legal situation). I see no real harm in that as long as both parties are happy. However, if it's more than one child and from different families, I'd be more concerned. From the OP's original post, that seems to be the case here. I think the most important thing is do the parents of the children she's looking after know she isn't registered? If they're happy to have their kids looked after by an unregistered person, then maybe there's an argument for ignoring it. If they believe she is registered, you should inform Ofsted as that's fraud.

If you have observed sufficiently to believe that the person may be childminding, then you can contact Ofsted (complaints line I suggest) and tell them about it, giving as much info as you have. Especially important will be the address including postcode if possible, days and hours on which you believe minding is taking place.

One thing though about reporting unregistered childminding, chances are all that will happen is that the person will be encouraged to register. Though of course persistent childminding without registration could be dealt with through a court.

The Rules - do people actually want me to post where you can these rules? Can give you links to legislation if you like, but not sure it would help all that much. For more simplified details, try surestart.gov.uk and direct.gov.uk

Isn't that annoying though that IF she IS childminding as a way of living then gets reported that they are unlikely to do anything!!! And then us childminders doing it above board worry about getting permission for a 15 mins overlap in numbers!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrr

I don't know for certain what would happen, but I would expect that a softly-softly approach may be used, at least initially. Can't imagine the resources exist for Ofsted to go in all guns blazing for every case of reported unregistered minding. Maybe they do... but given civil service cut backs over recent years... I would be surprised.

There was a woman cMing illegally here, the mother knew she wasn't registered, but went to her because she was cheaper than me.

Two months later the mother turned up, could I take her child the next day as the illegal, had decided that she was going shopping the next day so wouldn't be having the child, It was the 4th time that she had been let down. I couldn't take the child I was full, but did feel like saying, 'well if you will go with a illegal, without a contract, well, that's what happens.

The woman that was illegal was prosecuted later for child abuse. (not concerning the child in question)

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No jet if you are looking after children for any reward, that means each others children or a bottle of wine, you DO have to be registered. Think Nick has the actual legal bit somewhere.

Message withdrawn

Thats OK Jet, alot of people don't realise that you have to be registered

Also the think with playdates ot the occasional favour for a friend is that generally they are not for more than 2 hours on more than 6 occasions a year.

So no 2 hour playdates for 7 times reciprocated!

personally I would report her, so what if all that hapens is ofstead make her register, as you say you are full with a waiting list. From what I gather you have no issue with another cm in teh village, more that if she is illegal it makes a mockery of what you do and also potentially pouts kids at risk.

FWIW if that CM goes ot in her car wuth those children she is not insured. If one of them has an accident in her house and gets hurt, they are not insured. If her other half or even herself has a criminal record the parents of those children do not know.

Now I don't care if she is a 'good friend' to people she is minding for, those children are at risk in some ways, in ways the parents using her may not realsie. For those reasons, and not becasue you are hacked off with her, should you report her.

ofstedoutstanding - i wouldn't worry about reporting it if i was you
what is the point ? The parents who are using this woman SURELY know that she is not registered (i know if i was using a minder i would've looked at her registration certificate and insurance details and checked her references)