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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Childminder's dog has bitten DD

462 replies

Jugglingitall85 · 27/03/2025 17:07

Last week my childminder's dog bit my DD on the face. What would you do? I feel like I have lost trust in their judgement and allowing this to happen.

OP posts:
Muchtoomuchtodo · 27/03/2025 17:08

Unless the dog has been pts my child would not be going there again.

Sportacus17 · 27/03/2025 17:09

You 100% cannot send her there unless the dog gets put to sleep. I’d also be warning the other parents.

TheJollyMoose · 27/03/2025 17:09

I would have reported it to the police, and I would be plastering it all over social media that she has a dangerous dog that needs to be PTS and nobody should be using her.

I would destroy her childminding business so she never worked in the industry again.

starpatch · 27/03/2025 17:11

This is awful your poor DD. Difficult for you but I agree you need to find new childcare. Personally I would let Ofsted know as they regulate childminders.

AliBaliBee1234 · 27/03/2025 17:13

TheJollyMoose · 27/03/2025 17:09

I would have reported it to the police, and I would be plastering it all over social media that she has a dangerous dog that needs to be PTS and nobody should be using her.

I would destroy her childminding business so she never worked in the industry again.

why would you do this before seeing what action the childminder took?

OP, childcare is tough to find but I would try and find an alternative. You won't feel at ease sending her back there.

PalmLady · 27/03/2025 17:13

I wouldn't send my child back. How old is your child and what kind of dog? Say, an 8 year old child with a tiny dog, I could forgive. However, if she has left young children alone with a large dog I would not be wanting her to continue childcare for anyone and would take it further.

WinterMorn · 27/03/2025 17:14

TheJollyMoose · 27/03/2025 17:09

I would have reported it to the police, and I would be plastering it all over social media that she has a dangerous dog that needs to be PTS and nobody should be using her.

I would destroy her childminding business so she never worked in the industry again.

Why? There are two sides to every story and the opening post gives absolutely no context.

ScrewedByFunding · 27/03/2025 17:16

TheJollyMoose · 27/03/2025 17:09

I would have reported it to the police, and I would be plastering it all over social media that she has a dangerous dog that needs to be PTS and nobody should be using her.

I would destroy her childminding business so she never worked in the industry again.

I'm sure the childminder is utterly devastated and almost certainly will be dealing with this by reporting and following what she's been advised. The OP should follow up with the cm to confirm this is being done.

I'm not sure there's much value in using her energy to be nasty about things. Much better to use correct protocol and keep communication open to ensure safe and effective resolution to all.

I hope your DD is OK OP Flowers

Togglebullets · 27/03/2025 17:19

Your poor daughter. I don't think many people would send their kids back in those circumstances. She should have a risk assessment for the dog. Have you got a copy? Has she given you a full account of what happened? Only asking because this might be something you should consider reporting to Ofsted or ciw (depending where you are) if she's been negligent.

Devilsmommy · 27/03/2025 17:19

If that dog wasn't PTS I'd be killing it myself and I wouldn't take her there again. Has she told you about anything she's doing about it. I'd be letting the other parents know too

socks1107 · 27/03/2025 17:19

I’d loose all trust and be looking for a new childminder

WinterMorn · 27/03/2025 17:20

Devilsmommy · 27/03/2025 17:19

If that dog wasn't PTS I'd be killing it myself and I wouldn't take her there again. Has she told you about anything she's doing about it. I'd be letting the other parents know too

What a stupid thing to say. Why don’t you take the vindictiveness out of this and apply some rationality?

Gymmum82 · 27/03/2025 17:20

I would report to the police and I would not rest until the dog was put down. I’d report the childminder to ofsted and the council as she has failed in safeguarding children in her care. Why was the dog even in the same room as the children? Nevermind in a position where it was able to bite.
I would report to the parents of the other children if I knew them and I would plaster all over loca Facebook pages so parents knew to avoid this childminder.
Absolutely awful and a total failure by the childminder. Any idiot knows a dog should not be around children especially children that are paying to be cared for

Starlight7080 · 27/03/2025 17:22

It's very sad all round but I would also report.

WinterMorn · 27/03/2025 17:23

Gymmum82 · 27/03/2025 17:20

I would report to the police and I would not rest until the dog was put down. I’d report the childminder to ofsted and the council as she has failed in safeguarding children in her care. Why was the dog even in the same room as the children? Nevermind in a position where it was able to bite.
I would report to the parents of the other children if I knew them and I would plaster all over loca Facebook pages so parents knew to avoid this childminder.
Absolutely awful and a total failure by the childminder. Any idiot knows a dog should not be around children especially children that are paying to be cared for

Once again, an awful lot of assumption going on here.

MoreChocPls · 27/03/2025 17:23

This happened last week and it’s already Thursday. What did you do?

Stripeyanddotty · 27/03/2025 17:24

Hopefully the op will come back and clarify the situation.

ScrewedByFunding · 27/03/2025 17:25

Stripeyanddotty · 27/03/2025 17:24

Hopefully the op will come back and clarify the situation.

Well quite. Bit odd to post such a brief post for such an important situation that you need advice on.

oustedbymymate · 27/03/2025 17:34

I would be extremely angry and upset. I would want to know the full extend of what and how it happened. I would remove my child from the setting immediately. I would also inform ofsted as it's a safeguarding concern.

I would not involve social media.

2024onwardsandup · 27/03/2025 17:35

I am
the biggest dog person going - but I would report to the police and all relevant regulatory bodies.

there are no two sides where a child in this environment is bitten by a dog.

Nosaucelikemintsauce · 27/03/2025 17:36

Ultimately the cm will have to choose her business or her ddog...

Iknowaboutpopular · 27/03/2025 17:36

This actually happened to me at 3 years old at my childminders (who was also my godmother)

Her family dog, not prone to being nasty, was lying in a doorway and I tripped and fell onto him. It was a complete accident. He bit my face, very close to my eye. I don't even remember it happening but have some vague recollection of my godmother sitting me on the kitchen side utterly beside herself with panic, trying to give me first aid. I had to have some complicated suturing under anaesthetic to fix it. You'd never know now that it had happened, the scarring is not obvious.
I broke that dogs ribs with the impact of me falling on him. Poor thing.

My mum didn't demand the dog be put down. He wasn't, although my godmother did offer to do this. And I returned to her for childcare. He was kept away from us behind a stairgate but was never aggressive ever again. He died an old dog who was very loved.

Only you know what you'll be comfortable with moving forward OP, emotions are understandably high in these situations but context would be good.

WinterMorn · 27/03/2025 17:38

2024onwardsandup · 27/03/2025 17:35

I am
the biggest dog person going - but I would report to the police and all relevant regulatory bodies.

there are no two sides where a child in this environment is bitten by a dog.

Well, there are if the dog was secured away from children, was provoked in some manner and then bit to defend itself.

Dweetfidilove · 27/03/2025 17:38

I didn't know children are mixing with dogs at CMs now 😳 .

Mrsbloggz · 27/03/2025 17:40

I wouldnt use a childminder who has a dog in the first place.