My childminder left my daughter all day with her assistant

[Glamourgal1989]

And I have just heard about it ! I’m absolutely furious. Her husband got really sick so she needed to go with him to hospital, I could have accepted the first time it happened but it happened more than once and she left the children with the assistants for much more than 2 hours. I only know about it because a friend mention it in passing and I put 2 and 2 together.

I mentioned it to the childminder and she admitted it but also got very defensive when I told her I was unhappy and that I should have been told. I never would have left her in the care of the assistant. I want to take my daughter from her care and complain to Ofsted. Would you do the same ?

Presumably you will have signed a contract with the CM? And in the contract you would have agreed that DC can be left with the assistant?

Alright I’m really sorry for the drip feed, she has had at least 4 assistants since last September. She doesn’t keep them for some reasons, they are unreliable then leave. The assistant was new, I have a strong feeling that the cm hasn’t done the necessary paperwork, I’m not even sure the assistant has her first aid certificate. I really feel for my childminder but my dd’s safety come first.

Well the drip feed changes my opinion.

You need to find out if the assistant holds a paediatric first aid qualification. Your childminder should have no issue showing you it.

It is 100% a requirement if she is leaving children in the care of assistants.

She may say it was an emergency and she hasn't done one yet etc but I wouldn't be happy about that if it's happened more than once.

I had my assistant do hers before her start date and I know my childminder had her assistants do theirs as soon as they agreed their start dates. I have seen both assistants certificates and have signed her policy relating to her use of assistants.

The drip feed makes it worse.

Because childminder assistants don't have to have childcare qualifications and also have to be registered with Ofsted within a couple of weeks of starting and they can't be left alone with children until they've had their letter of suitability from Ofsted.

New staff, not a one off, no transparency and defensive attitude would put me off.

I'd feel differently if it was a one off due to an emergency, the assistant was established with the children and I was openly updated and informed at pick up.

Simple solution really

Take your child out and find other childcare. Good luck.

You know childminders don't have to be qualified either don't you? It's not like a nursery where you have to have a certain proportion fully qualified.

Normally an assistant must have first aid training ti be left alone with children fir up to 2 hours. In an emergency a suitable person can be left with the children.
This was an emergency and the assistant is suitable.
You should have been told though.

Looneytune253
You know childminders don't have to be qualified either don't you? It's not like a nursery where you have to have a certain proportion fully qualified.

^^this.
When I first started childminding, approx 14 yrs ago, out of about 10 local Childminders, only 2 of us had a relevant level 3 qualification in EYFS/Childcare.

I don’t think the childminder did anything wrong in what she did. I do think it is reasonable to want to be informed, though.

Childminders do have to be trained and inspected by OFSTED.

If this has been going on since last sept - as in not sept last month , but a whole year ago why haven’t you changed cm @Glamourgal1989 as obviously not happy with her care ….

uou can moan saying you aren’t happy but carry on using her services for another year

I think she should have informed you so that you had the option to collect your child or arrange alternative care.

If you only found out about it after the event, it would be fair enough to ask her to ensure you're contacted if something similar happened again.

Assuming I trusted my childminders judgement (if I didn't, I wouldn't be leaving my child with them), I wouldn't be reporting to Ofsted or similar. If I didn't trust them, or was unhappy with the turnover of assistants, I'd be withdrawing my child from the setting regardless of this.

But harsh if this was a genuine emergency! Calling ofsted can ruin a childminders life, I don't think she needs unexpected inspections or suspension because her husband got sick. (standard response from ofsted is to suspend childminders for 6 weeks pending investigation, no pay and not able to tell anyone why!) But like others have said, who is this assistant? You should talk it through with the childminder, no harm came to your child, the assistant will have safeguarding, dbs, first aid etc.

OP what would you rather have happened? Would you rather have been called twice to pick your child up rather than someone else look after her?

I’ll go against the grain and say YANBU to be upset you weren’t told. Knowing who’s cared for your child that day is important, especially if there’s been an incident occur or if you’re needing information about xyz.

I can’t imagine any parents not being upset at finding out their child isn’t with the person they thought they were leaving them with and the childminder not telling them either. All those saying it’s fine to not tell a parent that their child was left with someone else - would you really have been happy to find this out second hand from a friend and not direct from the minder?

But she used her assistant not some random person @PotentiallyPolly

I hope that the childminder's husband is ok.

Now that you know you have 2 choices OP; find another childminder or ask them to call you so you can collect your child.

you have not answered some questions like how old is the assistant etc.
bottom line is if you don’t feel you can trust her to hire assistants you are happy to leave your child with - then you don’t trust her and it’s not going to work

The first time could have been an emergency but she should have told you immediately.
Repeated occurrences are not emergencies and should be planned for.
You should know what the plan is in advance and be told when it has been needed.

Apart from that 4 assistants in a short space of time would be a red flag for me.

Move your child and complain

I don’t no if it’s worth complaining to ofstead, it all depends on wether the assistant has the first aid training etc.

But you’d be irresponsible as a parent to keep the child there as you don’t trust her, and the working relationship has broken down. In an emergency needing to take her DH to hospital is ok, but why didn’t she tell you? And why didn’t she just phone you to come and collect your child if the assistant isn’t appropriate? Why can’t she hire and keep staff? I’d be looking for somewere else asap

She hasn’t really done anything wrong but if you are unhappy, then change your childcare.

OP, Unless you have another update after your two posts. I agree with above.

So the bottom line is that you don't trust your childminder's judgement in an emergency?

If you feel like that then you are the one who is completely unreasonable to EVER leave your child with them!

Even if the assistant is highly trained and equally as experienced it’s not right that you weren’t told.

The fact that the assistant is new also adds to it being an issue.

Anytime the childminder I used needed to leave the children with one of the assistants I got a text saying “X has had to leave for an emergency situation. I have the children, are you happy with that or would you like to collect early?” from the assistant. It literally takes two seconds to send.

The lack of communication is the big issue though. You should always be able to trust your CM to keep you up to date on what’s going on.