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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

28 replies

Babyice · 08/10/2018 20:37

I pay my childminder for 2 days a week, but my Mum has my baby one of these days most of the time. My childminder has said that as she is ofsted registered my child now needs to go to her on this day instead of my mum. Is this true, can she dictate this. She says she needs to register the child’s progress. Can’t she do this on the one day she does have her. As I am paying her is it not what I want for my baby.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Littlefish · 08/10/2018 20:43

"My childminder has said that as she is ofsted registered my child now needs to go to her on this day instead of my mum."

This is not true.

However, if your contract is for 2 days, and you rarely use her for more than one, why are you bothering with the second day?

It is hard to track a child's progress if they are only in a setting for 1 day a week, but it's not impossible. However, it's her choice whether she wants to continue offering you the place.

Thatstheendofmytether · 08/10/2018 20:45

No this is not true. As long as you are paying her for the contracted hours then you can use as many hours as you like. What a ridiculous thing for her to say. As a childminder we are asked to keep personal plans for the children but these it have to be done maybe every 6 months.

Thatstheendofmytether · 08/10/2018 20:47

And the personal plans are pretty small and do not require in-depth evaluation of the child's progress. If she had a child who was only contracted for 1 day a week then what on earth would she do about tracking theor progress? Insist they came more often, I doubt it.

jannier · 08/10/2018 20:51

Do you pay her for 2 days regardless?

InDubiousBattle · 08/10/2018 21:02

When you say you mum has your dc most of the time does your cm get plenty of notice as to when she's having your ds and when your mum is? I could see how not having much notice might be difficult.

Original poster

Babyice · 08/10/2018 21:16

Mum has her all the time, but if I need the childminder to have her I will give at least one weeks notice, or even more. It’s only if mum is going on holiday that she will need to have her. I used to only pay for one day, but I didn’t have anyone on the days Mum couldn’t do it. So the easiest way was to pay the cm for the two days and if mum can’t have her then I have a backup. I don’t pay mum as she does not want anything so it’s not costing me any more than it would if I didn’t have mum. When I was 9nly paying for one day nothing as mentioned about progress reports. It’s only now I pay for the two days.

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Original poster

Babyice · 08/10/2018 21:18

I do pay for 2 days regardless of where she is.

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Bonkerz · 08/10/2018 21:19

How old is the child. As a childminder myself I'd have an issue with the child having no continuity. Maybe your child is struggling with just one day a week at childminders and therefore 2 regular days would be better for the child and minder.

Original poster

Babyice · 08/10/2018 21:29

She is 12 months, and is very forward I don’t th8nk there is any problems where she is. The days are split anyway, not two days together.

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Original poster

Babyice · 08/10/2018 21:34

She has been with the childminder for one day only for the past six months. I started pay8ng for her for two days at the start of the new school term in September, and she has only been there once on the second day. But there have been two days since then when the cm could not have her, this was due to sickness at the cm and another she was going to a funeral, so mum had to have her then as well as her usual day. So what’s the problem.

OP posts:

Littlefish · 08/10/2018 22:12

If I was your childminder, I would probably give you notice. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking the money for doing nothing.

NorthernRunner · 08/10/2018 22:17

I too would give notice and find a child who would be there every week to have the space.

Goldmandra · 08/10/2018 22:24

I would never have had an issue with this. I childminded for many years until recently and often had parents paying for time in case they needed to use it.

It's a load of rubbish to say that the baby has to be with her. I was perfectly comfortable being a back-up, although this was more commonly for after-school children in case their usual clubs didn't run, etc.

I did ask a parent to put their child's hours up to two days once but that was because the child wasn't settling well and I thought a bit more time might help. I wouldn't have an issue if the child was well settled and happy.

Original poster

Babyice · 08/10/2018 23:09

Thank you Goldmandra, that is really what I was hoping to hear. The baby is a very happy child who smiles and laughs all the time. Even the childminder says that she is just a dream to look after, and if all children were like her, her job would be very ver6 easy.
I’m not sure why others would think that the childminder should give me notice. I have no problem paying, but I don5 wan5 my Mum upset by not having her grandch8ld once a week. Thank you all again for your comments and help. Think I will challenge what the cm has said. Thank you.

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HSMMaCM · 09/10/2018 06:47

I would be happy to be paid for a day I didn't have to work .

I find that children who only come once a week don't settle in quite as well, but your DD sounds happy and confident.

I can still meet all my ofsted requirements on one day a week.

Ask your CM what she means?

Thatstheendofmytether · 09/10/2018 10:09

I'm a cm and the if you were paying me for a day I wouldn't expect you to give me anymore than a few hours notice of wether your child woild be coming to me or not. As far as I'm concerned you are paying for the place so I would have it there for your dd no matter what my plans were for the day.

Thatstheendofmytether · 09/10/2018 10:12

I'm not sure why people are saying they would give you notice and find a child who would be there for the day this makes no sense to me. You are paying for the place so I'm not sire what the problem is there at all. I wpuld not be annoyed of one of my parents did this at all.

NorthernRunner · 09/10/2018 11:51

The only reason why I said that I would give notice is because I have a waiting list and I would feel uncomfortable taking money for a place that wasn’t always used, when I know I have others desperately needing childcare.

Thatstheendofmytether · 09/10/2018 13:37

You have a waiting list? What do the people waiting do with their children while they are waiting for a space to become available with you?

jannier · 09/10/2018 14:23

I have a waiting list some waiting for extra days some to start or restart after maternity leave, They juggle work delay starts and use temporary care or family while waiting. But if somebody was holding a day unused I would probably say as you don't normally use it I will not take payment for that day and if you need me occasionally I will do it as continuity if I can. But I have assistants I can call on.

NorthernRunner · 09/10/2018 14:31

thatstheendofmytether some delay work returns if I know of a definite date they can start, others rely on short term childcare from families or agencies. Occasionally I have to say to them it’s going to be a while so they look else where.

Thatstheendofmytether · 09/10/2018 15:02

Ah see I wouldn't call any of them a "waiting list". They have been given a date that their child can start so they're not waiting for the place they already have the place, just from a certain date.

NorthernRunner · 09/10/2018 15:12

It’s not a guarantee though, I don’t take deposits unless I know for definite there is a place coming up at x date. Sometime they are waiting 6months before I call them to let them know I have space.

itsaboojum · 11/10/2018 07:34

@Babyice

I think the best thing to do is to speak with your CM and find out why she sees the arrangement as problematic.

Perhaps she just feels uncomfortable about taking the money when your daughter is absent, but equally can’t do without it, so she’d rather fill the place with a more regular attendee?

Maybe she finds the erratic attendance disrupts other children in her care. They do get used to each other and often form friendships. One of them might spend days looking forward to seeing your daughter, and be very upset if she isn’t there.

It could be that your CM feels she needs a certain amount of time in order to properly assess and plan for your daughter's learning and development.

There are cases of Ofsted inspectors downgrading childcare providers in this sort of situation. Some inspectors quite rigidly believe you can’t do anything for a child who attends one day a week, irrespective of the parents' needs. Remember, Ofsted’s ideal is based on state schooling, in which you are coerced into attending five days a week. A lot of settings, especially nurseries and preschools, simply won’t take a child for fewer than two days weekly.

Not saying this is necessarily the case, but these things are all possibilities. A chat with your CM might just clear things up. Hope you find a way forward.

jannier · 12/10/2018 08:00

Thatstheendofmytether - I have some who ring me every month to see if I have a space coming up and keep a list of people who want me to contact them One lady waited a year to start work second time around as she wanted to come back.

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