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Paid childcare

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

Help with advising my potential childminder/nanny !!

4 replies

Vangough · 12/11/2008 17:16

Calling all you Chilminders out there, I need some help. I started looking for nannys but quickly realised it was cost prohibitive so switched to searching out a local childminder. During that search I have come across a local lady who had done 4 yrs of p/t child care on an ad hoc basis (she has several references she's happy for me to call up) She now wants a full time position. She called herself a 'childminder' but when we chatted I realised she intended to mind our child in our home and sometimes in her home. She also wants to find another child to look after to share costs. I said I was looking at a f/t childcare budget of £800 gross a month and she's happy with that (she's not qualified) as long as she finds some more supplimentary work perhaps doing school pick-ups or half days etc. I don't mind her looking after another child (or siblings perhaps) as it's company for my DD. I need help with how this could work ! So my questions are surely she should be registered? but, as a childminder or nanny? How would the tax/NI work as she understands we can't pay that on top of the £800. (if you're a childminder you look after this, yes?) Does she or I look into getting the standard Police checks done too? What about Ofsted? (is that necessary??) how hard is that to get and would she need to look after our daughter in her own home ALL the time for that?
As this seems to be a 'half-way' house between childminding and nannying I am unsure as to how we should organise things. Ultimately I want both parties happy ! HELP !

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Simplyme · 12/11/2008 17:31

It seems to me that she can't be both!! You need to decide on the role and go from there! Either she should register as a childminder and look after your DD in her home. She would need to do all checks neccessary and sort out her own tax etc

or employ her as a nanny or nanny share where she comes to your house and maybe someone elses house some of the time too. That way you need to pay her tax yourself so agree on the £800 as gross and work out the tax etc. It would be advisable she does CRB check etc but not a must do if working as nanny. To save costs it might be worth her becoming a registered nanny and have the government help with costs that way?

HTH

nannynick · 12/11/2008 18:38

Assuming you are in England, if she cares for any children who are not direct relatives at her home, for over 2 hours in a day, she will need to register as a Childminder.
If she came to your home to care for your child there, and also cared for a child from another family (thus a nanny share), then she would be a nanny.
It is up to her to get all appropriate registrations/checks. If you use her as a childminder (take your child to her home) then you will be using a service she is providing. If she was to work for you as your nanny (caring for your child at your home), then she would be your employee and you would be wanting her to prove her suitability for the job.
At the moment using this lady to me looks like a non-starter, as she clearly isn't aware of the various rules that exist in England with regard to providing childcare.

Vangough · 13/11/2008 10:24

Thanks for all the advice. I think there is potential for this lady and certainly I am going to follow up all her previous references, and we're going to meet her. If we like her then we're prepared to help her get sorted out properly as a nanny. It's hard finding the right person and I had a good instinct about her on the phone. I don't think it's that complicated for her to register and get sorted and if the only mistake she's made to date is not being organised then I can forgive that ! I've come across some very 'strict' and formal childminders in my search and in a business sense they are totally professional but at the end of the day I want a loving, fun and kind person looking after my DD, not an efficient businesswoman. There are certainly proper rules to have in place (& some more help on those would be great !!) and we'll do that but at this stage I am prepared to keep an open mind ! Hopefully I am not being totally naive!! Thanks so much for your input

OP posts:
Blondeshavemorefun · 13/11/2008 10:32

you have to decide to employ her as a nanny and work from your house or she be se as cm and work from her house and be registered

def worth trusting your instincts and if you like her then hope it all sorts out

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