Questions about someone childminding unregistered. . .

[bestfriendswithbenefits]

I know someone who looks after their neice for two whole days a week. As a blood relative, I'm assuming this is legal? She's recently started looking after another little girl ( aged 2 ) for someone else, but is, as far as I'm aware, not registered. She's getting paid to mind them both. How can I find out if she's registered? And if she's not, should I do anything about it? Who do I report it to? Am I just being a sticky beak? I know she is aware of childminding regulations, so it's not just a mistake on her part. thanks.

Being registered does not mean that the care is any better... but it does mean that the person has been background checked, that the premises has been checked, that the person knows that at some point an inspector will visit and write a report. It helps to maintain a minimum standard, which in turns helps parents to know that their child will be reasonably safe in that persons care.

So really an unregisterd childmonder is not different in terms of care to some nannies?

I would'nt actually use an unregistered CM myself because as you said NN some people need additional help with judgement calls ie me.

Most parents have no childcare training, first aid training, insurance (of the kind that would pay out in the event of an accident anyway), or criminal record checks. Perhaps we should start doing background checks on all women of childbearing age and making sure they're properly regulated and insured before they have a child?

Nannynick is absolutely right - and I have no problem with snitching when it's necessary. An unregistered childminder isn't trained in child protection, so won't know how to spot signs of child abuse or neglect, isn't trained in First Aid, isn't insured, isn't police checked, and other adults living in the house won't be police checked. Would you entrust your child to someone in those circumstances?

And frankly, I trust my judgement over who looks after my child more than some box-ticking OFSTED bureaucrat who I've never met.

LOL at Daisy. prehaps we should do this before allowing DC to go on playdates, I mean what would happen if my DC broke an arm on one who would I sue? {grin]

TBH it is not straight forward

The first problems as I see them
1)Using unregistered care is illegal so implys a lack of concern for the law by both the parent, and more worryingly by the person providing care (I refuse to call them a childminder - you wouldn't call an unqualified person by what they thought they wanted to do illegally). If this person cares so little about the law that they are prepared to break it, what other laws will they break? Speed limits, H&S regulations? Food hygiene recommendations? Child Protection Safeguarding Children Guidelines?
2)Lack of insurance - this is a major issue
3)Social Services might consider using unregistered care as neglect
4)Tax - if she breaks the law wrt being an unregistered carer, she probably won't see any harm in not paying tax (which in my opinion is stealing from sick children in hospital or from your local school)

DaisyMoo - you're right, parents aren't subject to those checks. But parents aren't raising their children as a profit-making enterprise - it's not a business venture. The comparison doesn't work.

A nanny would be an employee and working in your home, for typically only you. A un-registered childminder could be caring for as many children as they could stuff into their home - baby farming comes to mind!
In care terms, you as the parent can have a say over what your nanny does... you could not dictate to a un-registered childminder.

The way things are looking to me is that ALL childcarers - whatever job title they may have, or wherever they may work - are likely to be Vetted by the Government within the next 5 years. While some people may not like that idea, it will help parents in giving them confidence in knowing that the person who cares for their child has had some level of background check... possibly even some level of childcare training.

No. But then neither did my best friend, who was there when my baby was born, and saw it as a natural extension of her fondness for both of us to look after him occasionally when I was called out to work at 20 minutes notice.

Daisy - did you object when the Government had it's consultations about all this childcare regulation? I expect you didn't... so by not objecting then... can you really object now.

Parent's aren't subject to checks - but given that some parents kill their children... perhaps parents should be checked... certainly parents are encouraged to do First Aid training, short courses covering the basics are run by Children's Centres.

We need to remember that there is no proof that this person is not just offering her services as a nanny or a nannyshare.

Does the OP know that this person is acting as a childminder illegally?

If you report this you need to know your facts first and be sure otherwise its all upset and hassle over nothing.

Find out for sure first!

I think it's a totally different kettle of fish to have someone help out close friends or family by looking after one or two children occasionally compared with someone who actively seeks to look after strangers' children on a regular basis purely for financial reward.

I 100% agree DaisyMooSteiner

Well, I didn't even know about the government's consultation so didn't really have much of a chance to object. Erm, yes I can object now, this is (allegedly) a democratic country.

nannynick - you obviously have a particular idea of how all unregistered childcare operates, but really we have no idea in this case how it is working out, what agreements the carer and parents have etc. Maybe they agreed only to look after that child, maybe the parents are telling her how to do things or maybe they trust her to organise herself.

Someone looking after a friend's child is nothing like a babyfarm.

Exactly Daisy - I think it's ridiculous that you can't come to a private childcare arrangement between friends without government interference. Operating a childcare business is different.

Well said Tankie. This person could be looking after her neice and maybe a friends child and not be offering her services as a childminder and just helping out her friend.

I don't think childminders on here do their own image much good in these sorts of discussions, frankly. You risk coming across as being rather narrow-minded and self-righteous, IMHO.

But getting paid to do it

When is it 'helping a friend' & when is it a 'business'?

I'm sure Daisy doesn't pay her BF who looks after her baby-that's what friends do

Sounds like CM's are worried about the money they are loosing to me.

When people look after friends baby they do tend to give them, flowers, lil bit of cash, choclates, wine.... 'is this not a reward?!' maybe its not full cash, so what is a reward classed as?

I look after plenty of friends children for nothing as I said in a previous post it's what friends do

But when I accept money as a professional, I provide a professional service.

so if I get one of my babysitters to "sit" in the day and pay them for their time are they then classed as an unregistered childminder??