confused by nanny working in her own home

[mummypig]

I am starting to look into childcare again and I am confused by a woman I thought was a childminder who actually seems to be working as a nanny instead. Maybe it's my fault as I found out about her through a friend rather than checking the council's register. But she has a contract with hourly rates, didn't say anything about tax, and looks after the kids in her own home... She has applied to be on the vOCR and I really like her, I'm just uncertain where I stand re. whether she is self-employed or the parents are her employers, and what checks she will have as part of the vOCR. Any comments??

i would say you should ask her what her position/title is?, if she looks after children in her own home she IS a cm NOT a nanny.

she MUST be approved by OFSTED or your countries local authority whch ever system they use.

Ring local council give them her name, ask what they have her down as?

If she is a cm, then she wont speak about tax etc and ONLY give you a alist of rates, you dont pay a cm's tax, thats her job..hope this helps?

ah, re read..she may be trained as a Cm but can also be a nanny as nannies require no formal training, her cm back ground will just be a great advantage not a neccesity.

Sounds a bit confusing. If she is caring for children under the age of 8, and those children do not live at the place she is caring for them, then she is acting as a childminder in my view, and that requires registration with Ofsted (assuming she is in England).

Checks under vOCR will include an Enhanced CRB check.

What age children are involved?

Agree with nannynick. She needs to be registered as a child minder, to have had training with the local council and have Ofsted reg.

how old is your child? If your child is over 8 or the care is for less than 2 hours a day she does not have to register at all.

The Voluntary Ofsted Childcare Register is for carers of children age 8-17.

www.ofsted.gov.uk/portal/site/Internet/menuitem.eace3f09a603f6d9c3172a8a08c08a0c/?vgnextoid=41e31e7a 681eb010VgnVCM2000003607640aRCRD

www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/070142

My friend is paid as a CM (ie peanuts) but goes to their house and looks after the kids there. She is a nanny but not paid as such. makes me but it is her choice.

vOCR is also for nannies and au pairs looking after under 8s in their own home.

The voluntary OCR also covers Birth to 17, where the care of the child, is in the child's own home - thus a nanny can be registered under vOCR.

mummypig - really need to know the age of the children concerned, as regulations affect care of children under age 8, not aged 8+.
With regard to tax side of things, as she isn't working in your home, it's not your problem. If she was ever to provide care in your home, then more than likely she would be your employee.
Why do you think she is working as a nanny, rather than as a childminder?

mummypig - Having searched Mumnet, appears your children are 3 and 5, thus if this person looks after them at her home, then she can not do so for a period of 2 hours or more without being a registered childminder. A Registered Childminder in England will be able to show you their Ofsted Registration and public liability insurance certificates, along with many other documents such as policy's and procedures. Your children could be at risk if you leave them with an unregistered childminder.
Contact your local Children's Information Service (CIS) for a list of registered childminders in your area. Your local CIS phone number can be located via ChildcareLink or by calling 0800 2 346 346

Thanks NannyNick and everyone else for your replies. Yes, ds2 is 3 1/2 and I would be leaving him for more than two hours; and the other child she currently looks after is also under 8 and stays all day.

All her testimonials talk of her as being a nanny, and she didn't have an Ofsted certificate to show me, but has done the council "introduction to child care" course and a recent first aid course. She also mentioned that she had applied to be on the vOCR as a nanny (which is what confused me in the first place, before I read the testimonials) and had to fill out another CRB form despite having been cleared beforehand due to previous work with children.

I wonder if she used to work as a nanny but has now decided to register as a childminder, and is in the middle of the process. In any case, it appears I will have to ask some more questions. I'd rather know exactly what she's up to and where I stand.

Thanks again

Sounds like she was previously a nanny, thus the testimonials, CRB check etc.
However, you must see the following:
Ofsted Registration Certificate (which says she is a Childminder, not Home Childcarer. Registration number will typically start with EY as certificate date would be post-2001.)
Public Liability Insurance certificate (again for a Childminder, not Nanny/Home Childcarer - major insurers are NCMA and Morton Michele)

Childminder registration will check other occupants of the home (aged 16+) and suitability of the home, whereas vOCR only checks the individual providing the care.

Ask her more questions, if you still aren't happy, contact your local CIS and have a chat with them - as they can search the Ofsted registration database to confirm the registration status, and also point you towards other providers.

i think she wants to work with children
decided she wants to work in her own home but cant be bothered with ofsted and wants to work tax free cash in hand