Caring for a friend's child/paying a friend to care for your child

[RahRahRachel]

Have you ever done it - either as a childminder or a nanny? Did it work ok, or was it more trouble than it was worth?

I'm thinking that raising some issues (like child behaviour) might be easier if it was a friend, but others (like money) would be more difficult. Also, did you feel obliged to charge less/pay more than market rate - some kind of "mate's rates" deal?

i did it. i looked after one of my best friends daughters who was the same age as my son, for 2 years.

if you are going to charge you have to register as a childminder. i had formal contracts and everything so that everyone knows where they are.

i charged the going rate in my area (£3 an hour) but i did throw in snacks and meals for free. i also let her pay me in arrears as she worked odd hours and i also worked extra when she needed it, i could be flexible as i only ever cared for her child (and my own of course!)

it worked really well for us, and having the contracts made things like pay for holidays and stuff a lot easier than if we hadn't set it all out in writing. it was great and the 2 children are still best friends now!

I'm a cm and I mind my next door neighbours kids. I must admit I do do mates rates. It works for me. We are good friends and behaviour issues are not a problem at all. Her kids don't have any,not with me anyway! [ I don't charge for her girls, who are both at school, so simply walk to and from school with me. Mum drops sends them in 5 mins before we leave and dad is home by the time we're home from school. She bungs me a bottle of wine now and then! Her ds is pre-school though, so I charge her for that. I never chase money, even if she's late. Its such a small part of my income, there seems little point. I know where she lives!

I take it you are registered?

I'm not registered - not a childminder.

So you're a nanny, right?

bear in mind if you want to do it as a childminder you have to register and it took me about 6 months, and cost about £250.

So you couldn't look after the children in your house - you would have to go to their house

I look after my friend's little boy a couple of days a week while she's at work. Money is irrelevant, she gives me some money to contribute towards food and stuff but not actual payment as such. Behaviour on the other hand is very much an issue and not something I can comfortably bring up with her - I am worried about us falling out over the children - so for me it's more trouble than it's worth.

That's payment MissM. The rules are anyone looking after a child for someone for more than 2 hours a day, for reward, be it flowers, wine or money towards food, has to be registered as a childminder. Be very careful that a cm who isn't filling her places and knows you aren't registered, doesn't shop you to Ofsted.

They have to prove you are being paid for it ofcourse. My mate has offered to watch my 2yr old for free but i've already said i couldn't allow her to do it for free, it wouldn't be fair and being a single mum the extra money will come in handy for her...she great with the kids and shes 2 off her own 1 of them being same age as my daughter, so they'll both have company. and they both start nursery in jan 09.

It's reward not payment... the regulator would not need to prove that payment was happening, but that care was being provided in excess of 2 hours per day and that care was being provided at the home of the carer. Reward is very hard to disprove... as a box of chocolates once a year, is reward!

The original post was about working for a friend and how that went, what problems there were etc. It wasn't as far as I can tell, about the illegalities of what is/isn't a childminder (we have covered that very recently). After all, the OP mentioned nannies.

I've never nannied for friends, so can't pass comment on the OP.

Thanks for that nick! Yes, I'm aware of the legalities of working as a childminder, but I was more interested in the problems/drawbacks/positives of involving a friendship in what is normally a professional relationship - especially as money is involved!

I think as long as you both set out some clear guidelines so you both know where you are and you are both happy with it then i would go ahead!!