childminder/ helping friends out . rules etc.

[girrafey]

Hi all. I wonderwed if someone could take the time to look at what our plans are for september and tell me if we are breaking the rules/ any solutions etc.

My dd (just 4) and her best friend (4 start of the year) are at the same nursery and are going to the same school starting in september. I am a SAHM as i also have a 20 month old ds and a 6 month old dd2. So registering to become a childminder is pointless at this time as i couldn't really do it with numbers etc .

however my friend and i would like to work something out to help each other out.

She proposes to drop her dd off at 8.10-8.15 we would have to leave for the school run at 8.35-8.40. I would pick the girls up at 3.20pm and we would get home at 4ish. I would then feed them all tea and she would get picked up at 5.15

so technically she is slightly over the 2 hour rule in my house. Also if her mum was to give me say £10 a week for food would this be seen as payment? could she bring a pack up as a way round this? (they are having school dinners)

Any idea if i have to register for this?

I would have thought you are helping out a friend with the school run and your child is having a friend round for tea, which the other Mum is contributing towards (whether by food or cash). I don't think you are being paid to look after the child? Obviously if this becomes a more formal arrangement, or you are getting paid to care for the child, then it is different.

Other people may think differently ....

i agree id say the same as long as its not loads off kids and its just as u say it is a friend helping a friend ...

is the 2hr rule bendable as not all of the 2hrs will be in your house?

im not really sure how the 2hr rule works iyswim

ie if you had a chld for 2hrs and took them to the park, would this count and then you got given a bottle of wine to say thank you

but in your case, you are helping a friend out

It's possibly just breaking the rules, but even if someone did report you I can't imagine Ofsted taking much of an interest.

I would guess that is fine my colleague most days drop her daughter off at a friends on way to work and they go off to school together an hr later.

thanks alot for your messages, i was hoping that was the outcome. don't want to get into hot water if people think i am minding un registered.

Yes technically you are breaking the law... assuming you are 'actually' going to be being paid...(even if you say that she isn't paying you).

If you were doing it for payment or reward then technically you should register as a childminder.

But if I were you I would not register for those hours...Just not worth the effort! So I totally see where you are coming from! Just be aware that if anyone reports you and you get a warning letter then you will have to stop...

If you really aren't gaining anything from it...eg no payments, no wine, no babysitting in exchange. Then it isn't a problem and you have nothing to worry about.

If your friend just provides you with the food but NOT money then i can't see what's wrong with that. As you say it's just over the 2hr rule and lots of famillies do this anyway, a lady down the road has 5 kids dropped off at her house to play with her 4 kids, but most of the time they play out in the street anyway (they are all over 8yrs old).
Keep thinking it must be a pain when it rains and you have 9 kids in the house!

I would say it is under 2 hours. My view is that the 2 hour rule applies for time On The Premises. I can't find any specific thing that says it is ok... but in my view the regulator wouldn't be in a great position to argue the point, as their own documents state things like "on domestic premises".

8.10-8.40 - 30 mins
4.00-5.15 - 1h 15mins
Total time: 1h 45 mins

I wouldn't bother registering. If someone reports you, you can tell the regulator that you provide childcare at your home for the hours above. If the regulator asks about care off the premises, that is up to them to ask about... not for you to tell them about.

Have you thought about school holidays?
Will your friend make other arrangements or will you look after her?
If you are doing it just term time,I hink you will be ok.

thats the way i thought of it as well nick

great minds eh