Childminder advice really needed

[YOUSEECOLOURS]

So sorry for the long read. I've had a few concerns about my childminder recently for my 2 year old... she failed ofsted last year for a few reasons (one being because of child to carer ratio) and at that point gave all of us notice of closure. After a couple of weeks of desperately trying to source a new childminder she changed her mind and said she would remain open to selected children (us included) and end contracts with some of the others.. She hasn't ended up losing any children (actually taken on extra) but managed to scrape a pass again recently despite not really changing much.

My child loves it there and has made friends and for that reason we have probably been a little bit leniant on skimming over the issues.

The childminder has also now employed someone else as a helper (who sometimes brings their own young children along too meaning that there is most likely still too many children)

Last week my child (who is a big child and wears 3-4 clothes) came home stuffed in to someone else's 18-24month trousers.

The next day she came home covered head to toe in pen which didn't look like it would have been a quick job to accomplish. The childminder said she had been changing a nappy in another room and left some of them unattended in the kitchen (all 2 or 3years old). I was concerned but understood these things happen and kids can be quick .... The childminder however made it feel like it was my child's behaviour that was an issue (they are two for goodness sake!). The same evening another parent messaged and said that both their child and mine had been playing around around at their pick up time and swung on the stair gate....my daughter got told off and put in time out and theirs didn't.

Today when she was collected the childminder said she had drawn on her kitchen wall. She had been out of the room again sorting an issue between one of the other children and the new helper's child. She was visibly annoyed with my child and very off with my husband.

I understand her frustrations but as mentioned, she is two and needs rights and wrongs explaining rather than her carer being angry at her. Also..... It makes me think that the other helper wasn't there despite her own child being in the house otherwise there would have been an adult in each room.

Am I wrong in feeling like she has been unreasonable? We are thinking of moving her to preschool when she turns 3 but may move sooner at this rate.

Thanks for sticking with this and would really appreciate thoughts... I can't post on Facebook groups etc for fear she may see it.

Leaving multiple toddlers alone in your kitchen… It’s just not good enough, is it? It’s not safe.

What are the alternatives? I understand not wanting to unsettle your DD but children are resilient creatures and I’m sure she would adapt to a new setting.

It's not working for your child, move her

She doesn’t sound very good. In fact, I think it’s an accident waiting to happen. Trust your instincts.

You need to look for an alternative sooner than later. A safety minded carer will not leave children out of view unless the unattended children are napping or independently toileting. It sounds like she does not have her home set up appropriately, nor is she inclined to fix it.

It sounds dreadful. I’d feel negligent leaving a child there.

This sounds unsafe and uncaring. I would not be leaving my child with her.

Childminder here!
Children here of that age are not left unsupervised with pens! My god,my house would be covered in seconds. So the incidents with owns are down to the Childminder! And so is the incident with the gate- all she had to do was ask your child not to do it.
Children can be left unsupervised as long as they are within sight or hearing of the minder. However, you move stuff out of their way....

*pens

I would start sourcing new childcare. The minute you said new helper brought their own children my 'child senses' were tingling. If they are preoccupied with their own children they can't adequately care for yours. Equally importantly, your primary carer is failing to cope. She left 2 pre schoolers unattended in a kitchen to change a nappy?? Outrageous. Tough luck about her walls. Pens.Glue Sticks ,Scissors etc should be supervised. Lucky for her your little one had no skin reaction to having that penning left all over her. So many red flags already,without even touching on the overcrowding issue!

I'm a childminder - would never in a million years leave a 2 year old alone with pens. I did once, and only once, when I was newly minding - said to parent whoops I left child colouring whilst I made their snacks and she drew a picture on the wall, parent apologised and I said 'totally my fault for presuming she would stay where she was - its only a coat of paint needed in any case'. But it was my fault not the fault of the child. As for them being unsupervised in the kitchen... well the mind just boggles. Please find alternative childcare before you end up being one of those people that regrets not following instincts.