childminders with an assistant? sounds like a nursery?

[SevernTrentWater]

well, i'm really unhappy with the way my daughter reacted to being placed in nursery as she's still only 4 1/2 months, when i picked her up she was unresponsive and floppy; i've never seen her like that, is that a normal response to stress? They said she never cried once but if i'd been with her i would have taken one look at her and known that she was extremely stressed out! When she saw me her face crinkled up and she started crying and i felt like such a bad mother for leaving her and i felt i was being critically assesed, and the nursery nurse said so i could hear her, 'i've never seen a child act like that before, it's like she's scared of her mum' - ?!! and i also got a negative comment about my baby being 'too young' to leave - if i had maternity leave i'd take it but i'm on my own. There was too much noise, toddlers poking her when i arrived as they don't have a baby room, So i'm thinking a childminder, but the only one with a vacancy works with an assistant and has a number of children running around between 9 months and 5 years. Doesn't that just sound like a nursery with less rules and regulation?
What should i be looking for?

The rules & regulations are fairly close - since the EYFS was introduced in Sept 08 all childcare setting most follow almost identical rules.

I operate as a childminder (with assistants & without) and also as daycare - the differences are very little.

When I am daycare (so nursery) the differences are:
I must have 2 adults there
I must have 2 toilets for every 10 children over 2
Assistants cannot collect from school

Nannynick will be able to give you chapter & verse all the actual regulations but to me the difference is minimal

I've used a "nursery" that was 2 childminders working together (actually 3, 1 full time, 2 job share). It was really good lots of advantages over an individual CM and def several over a nursery.

would you say that for a little baby with, a childminder would be better than a nursery, even if that childminder uses an assistant? would my dd get more responsive care? Less over-stimulation? Or are you saying that a childminder working with an assistant operates pretty much like a nursery so there is really no advantage?

I thought you were asking about the regulations - sorry

Obviously I would think that working with assistants is a good form of childcare & I have Outstanding twice so I guess OFSTED thinks it's OK too

But seriously I think childminders are an excellent form of childcare - do you know her OFSTED registration number - if you send it too me I can read her report on OFSTED & give you an opinion if you want? 'Tho tbh the feeling you get as you walk through the door is the most important thing imo

Yes I think your dd would get more responsive care. You need to go and visit a couple of times and get a feel for it.

They should only have 2 babies under 1 at any time whereas in a nursery each staff member in the babies room will have 3 babies each (I think)

A mixture of ages of children may work a lot better, as they will be like older siblings to your DD. They sort of become part of an extended family... with the older children helping to entertain the younger ones. Yes sometimes they may fight a little - as they would in a real family - but the adults are there to intervene if that occurs. Did the nursery staff not stop the toddler poking your DD?
I would expect your DD would get more attention
from childminder and their assistant.
Go with your gut feeling when you visit childcare providers... you will have a good feeling about things when you meet the right person/people.

i expect there are good nurseries around, but i know a few mums have complained about the one i'm using, not a single staff member looked to be over 20, and for a city centre nursery it's suprisingly empty. And it is probably the case that my dd gets overstimulated easily.
I was actually recommended this childminder by a friend but just a bit surprised in that i didn't realise that childminders looked after children up to 14, but during the day she'll only be looking after the little ones because the others will be at school. I think i'll just arrange a meeting and as you say, get a feeling for things!

apparantly it's more normal now for cm's to work with assistants anyway?

My childminder works with her husband so they have a big place and quite a lot of children but for me the key advantage over a nursery is that it is always the same person so your child gets to make a 1:1 bond. That is the most important thing to a little baby.
They don't work shifts or have staff turnover. In my experience childminders are usually older and more experienced and they usually have children themselves so hopefully they wouldn't make the kind of ignorant comment you got from the nursery nurse.
Being quiet and less responsive to strangers then crying when mum comes is a completely normal response and just means your baby is securely attached to you.

I think it's a lot more common now for CM's to work with co-minders and /or assistants, regulation wise minding is very similar to nursery but I think the ethos is very different however much we are pushed into becoming a standardised machine many CM's are dedicated to being as much like a home as they can be.

I wouldn't worry about the minder having an assistant or older mindees, little ones gain hugely by associating with all ages and I find my older children spoil the little ones rotten. You will know pretty quick whether its right for you and your DC.

Bit shocked at the staffs comments BTW very unprofessional and unnecessary.