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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

Would you be happy if your childminder suddenly had.....

30 replies

notsossure · 17/02/2008 21:54

builders around her house for weeks, major works going on in the house and garden, cranes and tools around, doors open from the garden onto the street, broken fence that went straight into the next door neighbour...and the children would let happily out to play in the middle of this chaos?
Would this be enough to make you take your child away from said childminder?

I forgot to add that builders have big dog with them every day....

Just wondering if I am an overprotective mum...

OP posts:

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saadia · 17/02/2008 21:58

blimey, doesn't sound good, I wouldn't be happy with all that.

looneytune · 17/02/2008 21:58

Not overprotective at all, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't even be allowed without informing OFSTED first. You just can't have garden opening up into neighbours garden and let the children out there. It's not right and it's not allowed I'm sure.

If I was having ANY work done, I'd check parents were happy first!

As for the dog, where is it kept?

vInTaGeVioLeT · 17/02/2008 22:27

no i would definately not be happy

Sidge · 17/02/2008 22:28

Nope, no good for me, I would be taking my child away.

Were you told about this building work?

Original poster

notsossure · 18/02/2008 00:34

she did mention it - but I never imagined the scale of the works carried out.

Also she said that children would have been in enclosed safe area while works were going on, but this is not the case as she is leaving them in the garden while big holes are being digged and dog is left free to wander around house/garden.

Doors are left wide open to let the builders take out to the skip outside all the rubbish and earth that is being digged from the garden.

She thinks this is quite educational for the children and that it's good they get used to pets and people working around house.
Now my concerns are:
I don't know this dog.....
I dont's know these builders and wonder if they are checked at all..... to work with children running around them all day?
I am not comfortable with the idea of dd running outside on the street or anybody walking in

If taking dd away, do you think I need to pay her the month notice we have in the contract?

OP posts:

MaureenMLove · 18/02/2008 07:34

She most defintely should have informed Ofsted on the works she's having done and very possibly they will come round have assess if its safe for your dd to be there. A cm friend of mine had some works done not so long ago and I know that's what happened here. Ask her if she's informed them?

mumlove · 18/02/2008 08:01

I wouldn't be happy for my own DD to have free access to an area like that let alone mindees!!
The builders should also not bring their dog to work with them, I got rid of my window cleaner for those reasons, I always had to bring mindees indoors and then he let the dog poo in my garden and didn't clean it up. He refused to acknowledge it was his dog!!

KaySamuels · 18/02/2008 08:05

That is terrible, she shouldn't be having such major work done whilst minding. Ofsted should be informed of these works by the cm'er and either notified she will not be working while it's going on or stating what safety measures will be in place.

Are your contracts NCMA ones? If they are I woul call them for advice. Personally I would call this a breach of conract, but I would make sure that's right first.

No wonder you want to take her out, I would feel exactly the same.

KaySamuels · 18/02/2008 08:07

Why can't the kids watch through a window!?
Doors should be closed with usual safety catches on, etc. She should be being more safe, sounds pretty lax and sloppy to me.

southernbelle77 · 18/02/2008 08:23

Sounds awful! I would not be happy for my dd to be in a situation like that, and I certainly would never ask like that as a cm.

Original poster

notsossure · 18/02/2008 08:28

I have kept dd home last week and had to take time off work, it's half term today and I had booked hols anyway so she is with me.

However I want to sort out this asap because the problem will still be there next week...

How could I break it to her gently that I don't feel this is right and I need to find dd another childminder now?

I don't feel comfortable sending her there now not even after the works have finished (mid April apparently) as she hasn't shown to me big awareness of children safety

OP posts:

southernbelle77 · 18/02/2008 08:33

Why don't you call the NCMA (if contracts are with them) now and see what they say about whether the contract has been broken? At least that way you know where you stand legally!

MaureenMLove · 18/02/2008 08:39

Well, if she has't informed Ofsted, which it doesn't sound like she has, ringing them would be one option. I'm pretty sure, they'd make the decision that your dd can't be there whilst the works are going on!

If you want to change cm's anyway, could you just say that a family member has stept in and offered to mind for you, so you won't be needing her services anymore.

ROSEgarden · 18/02/2008 08:49

two options..ring ofsted and ask them if they are aware, you can do this anonomously and they would probably visit and call her to check on what you were sayuing

alternativly..and the best option for me..i would go and speak to her, explain that although she told you she was having work carried out, she didn no were near mention this scale, that you feel it is unsafe and ask her truthfully if SHE thinks as a childminder or a mum that this environment(strange dogs/builders/machinery/tools/holes in ground/so safe boundaries is REALLy suitable for even one child??...i would then ask her for alternaitve names and numbers for you to send you dc too whilst this work is carried out at a cost to her, tell her you pay her to look after your dc, this is no lonbger a suitable environment and will use someone else until she gets her act together, alternaivly, if you have your contract with ncma, ring them with her reg details and ask were you stand if you were to take your dc out straight away?..very bad practice andbad parenting IMO!..i felt bad having some tacky gloss paint in hall last few weeks when mindees cameFGS!

eleusis · 18/02/2008 09:41

I agree this childminder is being unreasonable possibly even negligent in her childminding responsibilities.

But, I think you owe her a conversation before you take any action. (unless you ar going to call ofsted anonymously in which case having a conversation with her would obviously tip her off as to who had called ofsted)

Have you talked to parents of other children whom she minds?

Wisteria · 18/02/2008 09:46

Even I would be unhappy about this and I do generally speak from the more relaxed angle of parenting

I'm unsure about the insurance implications of this as well.

Original poster

notsossure · 18/02/2008 10:06

thank you all, I am glad to see that I am not the only one to feel so strongly about this!
I pay her quite a lot, so I would expect a good service and I don't feel I can negotiate for dd's safety!

Have called ofsted anonimously but they have said that I need to log a formal complaint by writing a letter and they will have to organize a visit to the house to check safety of environmnet, however this could take a few weeks as they are quite busy.

I don't want to go down this route as I know childminder well and we bump into other often in the street/shops/local restaurants and even once at the cinema!

So I guess I will have a quiet word with her and see if I can negotiate notice period...

OP posts:

ROSEgarden · 18/02/2008 10:08

ofsted are fobbing you off!!!....i made a complaint about my dd's old private nursery..they were out within the week!..ring them back speak to someone who knows what theyre doing!..otherwise speak to you cm, deep down she really knows this is not acceptable!

MaureenMLove · 18/02/2008 10:19

Notsosure. She Should have a local rep from the council that she speaks to. Phone the Early years/Surestart team there. I'm sure you wouldn't need to leave your name and if you make it very clear that you are very concerned about the safety of children in her care, someone could get off their backsides and be round there today.

FeelingOld · 18/02/2008 13:10

I would deffo speak to the childminder and say that you are not happy with the current situation and could she re-assess what is going on.

I am a childminder and I am currently having and extension built to make my kitchen bigger. Firstly I wrote to OFSTED and parents outlining my plans and how I would deal with tradesmen (although my dh is doing the majority of the work), they will only enter the house when absolutely necessary, will not be left alone with children etc. The work is going on right outside my back door and obviously there are building materials out there so I have said that whilst work is going on we will not be using the garden but we will use outdoor areas at toddlers, childminder stay and play and local parks etc.
I had my OFSTED inspection recently and the inspector saw the building work as a positive as we have turned it into a project for the children, we watch out of the window at work going on, we are charting its progress etc.

Definintely voice your concerns and if she can not reassure you about safety then I do not see how you can continue to send your child there.

dylsmum1998 · 18/02/2008 21:15

i would defo not be impressed with this as a parent, if my childminder did this i would take my dd out. as you say we pay a lot of money for childcare, in order to feel reassured that they will be kept safe at all times- this does not sound a safe environment for the children.
as a former childminder i would not have done this. your childminder should have informed ofsted of the work with a full written risk assessment of how to keep children safe while this is going on- e.g. builders using gate not front door, children not allowed in garden until work is completed etc etc.
definately phone ofsted again- do not be fobbed off they should be taking this much more seriously if you have NCma contracts definately call them for advice on where you stand IMO this is a breach of contract therefor you should be able to terminate imediately.

ShinyDysonHereICome · 18/02/2008 21:19

ASide from all the obvious dangers associated with the equipment etc, all those builders aren't likely to be CRB cleared which is a safeguarding/child protection issue aside from anything else!

Call Ofsted.

vInTaGeVioLeT · 18/02/2008 22:17

surely the c/m won't be leaving the kids with the builders - you can't expect them to be CRB checked?

ShinyDysonHereICome · 18/02/2008 23:13

Well, no but much the same as a childminder's husband needs to be CRB checked Ofsted would need to be suitable satisfied that the children were safe around workmen.

vInTaGeVioLeT · 18/02/2008 23:56

well i totally agree that the op's childminder is out of order in her attitude/practice - but i don't think you can vet tradesmen working on your house - i recently had a guy to check the central heating boiler - ds was really interested and wanted to watch - the guy didn't mind ds staying[i had no mindees] but i had to stay too - there was no way i'd leave a child with a workman/woman i didn't know.

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