Local Childminder - leaves children alone - What more can I do!?

[mum2phoebs]

I have reported a local childminder to Ofsted a couple of times, for leaving children on there own whilst she goes off to another scholl to collect more children. She has alos left children in her car whilst popping into shops, drives fast around the village, screams and shouts at the children etc...

Ofsted don't seem to have done anything looking at her latest report.

Recently she's been doing it again so I rang the local police and said children were left alone in her driveway behind a waist high gate. These children are from the local primary so I reckon must be under 11. The Police said had I range Social Services, personally I think I have done all I can, by ringing Ofsted & the Police.

I rang anonomously as I think I live too close to reveal my name. Im sure the parents wouldn't be too pleased if they knew this was happening, but then again maybe they know!

Any comments?

Sorry just re-read it after posting and notice my spelling and grammar is terrible! Must ne typing too fast!

I use a [great] child minder but...

If my DCs were apparently being left alone in this position I would want to know.

I would be happy if you, as a concerned stranger, stopped me in the street to share your concerns.

I would then 'drop by' the child minder at the applicable time and 'catch' my children there alone.

However, if they have agreed to this, any parent should be happy to say so.

Knowing my DCs are safe and happy with the CM is the way I am able to work full-time. I would want to know and hope you feel able to share your concerns with parents.

Thank you for your comments. I also use a fab childminder and would also be glad if somebody told me if they saw my children alone.

Unfortunatley I haven't a clue who the parents of these particular children are!

If she found out I had spoken to Ofsted, Police & parents she would make my life hell! I just think if I told some of the parents they may just say "Yes I know and it's fine" and then go back to the CM and mention I had spoken to them.

how about calling the children's school anonymously and asking them to pass message on to parents?

Good idea, did notice that the 3 left alone this afternoon waved and shouted hello to a teacher who didn't bat an eyelid that they were on their own!

Next time it happens, ring Social Services. The police should be acting on your information, however.

i am a childminder and i have permission to leave 2 of my children in the car if they fall asleep (and its not hot obviously etc. etc)
but i have a private drive with 8 foot fences all around my property and a farm gate at the entrance with sensor alarms so the parents know for sure nothing would happen to their children. But leaving them in the car while picking children up from school is now an NCMA and OFSTED rule you are not allowed under any circumstances so ring her anonymously get her registration number and ring OFSTED (or her name should be ok) and tell them again as this is totally unacceptable or tell the parents.
Teachers only have a duty of care to the children in their care so they wouldnt be great unless you spoke to the child in questions teacher... sorry to be abrupt but i cant believe noone else has reported her for this...

Thanks Moomillion.... She leaves children at her house in the driveway whilst she drives to the school at the other end of the village!! Not just in the car whilst she pops out!

Your situation is fine and I would be happy for my childminder to do the same as you.

I will ring again if I see nothing happens this time.

Are you sure there is no one in the house when she goes out...eg hubby or friend who is a registered assistant??

Seems very strange that she would leave them totally alone....

100% positive, her Father came to the gate after 15 mins of being alone and stood outside the gate chatting to the kids, waiting for her to get home, he could of been anyone!!

surely no cm or nanny would leave their dc home alone and then go out to another school/shops etc

If these are school aged children - and from the sound of it possibly approaching eleven - why on earth don't they tell their parents, and if they have, why are they stil with her? I think there must be more to this than meets the eye

It wouldn't suprise me if she told them to keep it quiet - I know if I was a child I'd be scared of her. Some of the children sob their heart out when they are left there, my DD has never cried when leaving her at our childminder.

moomillion

I had a friend who phoned me in tears one day cos her neighbours had told on her for leaving one of her mindees asleep in the car. She had just arrived home and he had fallen asleep and so, like you, she would leave him on the drive way and watch him from the window.

The police came round, Ofsted were on the phone and then she got a visit too.

She had the mothers permission to do this.......but it's absolutely not allowed.

All Ofsted will say to you if you're caught is "if the parents gave you permission to let the kids play on the motorway, would you let them"

We as childminders are supposed to be professionals, we get paid to do a job, so it's not our place to cut corners to make life easier for ourselves.

If you hired a cleaner who didn't clean properly, you'd sack them, why oh why do people think it's OK to slack off where childrens lives are concerned.

meant to mention i sit in the drive up the patio table doing my assessments as well so i cant believe she leaves them alone for more than 2minutes. and they are awake too its disgusting people here pick on me for nothing god shes is so lucky.

Really have to make a point of this to make sure I do not get made out to be a bad childminder I do not leave the children I sit next to the car or in the car doing paperwork or I bring them in luckily the 2year olde sleep through anyway but I just want to point this out as I missed a vital point out of my message and don't want to get a bad rep when I've just found a nice website

cm's have it tough moomillion

im a nanny and i leave my dc in car asleep and either sit in garden or in playroom where i can see the car

i have mb permission to do this - she does the same thing

obv car is locked aand alarmed - windows open if hot, plus car is parked in shade right by playroom window

there is no point in waking them, carrying them from car to house, to then do the same thing when i leave to do school run

esp on a tuesday when i come back from an activity and then go to school for older child pick up 30mins later

obv no parent is going to allow their children to play on a motorway and neither would a professional child carer - so a silly thing for ofsted to say

there is a big difference from leaving a child asleep safe in a car with the cm watching - compared to a cm leaving children alone in a car and doing school run and NOT being able to see/hesr the charges

thanks blondeshavemorefun
I totally agree with you i know loads of parents that leave their child in the car whether it be for 1 minute or for an hours sleep but being a childminder i would never leave the children unattended as my husband explains it would you leave £10 million on the back seat of your car? NO so why would you leave the most precious thing in the world on your backseat?

So hopefully this childminder gets what she deserves as i trully believe she is breaking the law and endangering these childrens lives.

So please take my word and believe thati do not leave the children it was an error i now find is biting me on the bum...
Thanks for your support those who have and im sorry if i have caused annoyance for those who havent.

i too agree with you blondes

i work in a house with 2 lots of gates and gate alarms... so we know the second any gate is opened.
the car is not even visible from the road / pavement, and is parked by playroom window where the child can be seen by me.
If asleep i would leave him there knowing he was fine.

ofcourse i would never let them play on the motorway.

OP the CM sounds awful and it sounds like you are doing everything you can to get her shut down.

This may be a bit drastic but if YOU see them alone why dont YOU take them to the safety of your house and call police social services and ofsted from there...

she will have the shock of her life when she returns to finds the children gone.

I've just discovered mumsnet and am enjoying reading the discussions. I have been a cm for 16 years. last year 3 cm that I know were reported to ofsted by members of the public for leaving their mindees alone in the car. They all had a visit from ofsted immediately and it was written on their inspection report for any perspective parents to see. You should ring ofsted again

I am a cm and if my mindees fall asleep in the car I park up in the shade and have a lovely quiet read, always keep a book in the car for this reason...

If just one asleep then we all get out of the car and go in the house.. wouldnt dream of leaving one in the car asleep and alone..

understand Nanny posts though, especially if they work in enclosed properties and park off road...

What parents do is up to them though..

The cm in question sounds a cow imo..

She leaves children at her house in the driveway whilst she drives to the school at the other end of the village!! Not just in the car whilst she pops out!

sorry im confused!

if she leaves the children alone while she goes to do a school run then the police can book her - its abandonment

Don't understand why they haven't actually........

I reported an after school club to Ofsted and the Police for leaving children in the car whilst they went and collected children from another school. The children were left alone and out of the carer's sight during this time - and there were no booster seats either in the car.

I was surprised as the Police didn't do anything at all. Ofsted however did do an unannounced visit and found them in breach of numerous other things too.

I agree this sounds really serious, I am shocked none of the agencies you have contacted so far have responded. If Ofsted do not respond I would consider calling your local social services department, ask to speak to the duty worker for child protection re a child at risk issue and report your concerns anonomously. Good luck with it, sounds distressing.