Quick Question

[chocolateaddict]

I use a child minder one or two days each week.She has just told me she has taken on a child fulltime which is fine.
But this means in the school holidays she has seven kids in her care(including her own) their ages are;
14mths
21mths
2&1/2yrs
4yrs x2
5yrs
7yrs
I am not very happy about this and am sure this is over her allowance.Can anyone help?

Thanks

i dont know if this was covered below but the four year old can be counted as an over five if and only if they attend ten school or nursery sessions a week. (my school run even thought he is only 4.5 years he is classed as five because he goes full time to school)
hth

Am pretty sure that the ten full sessions for a nearly 5 year old are for proper school, not nursery.

Even having a registered assistant would not allow you to have 7 children under the age of 8. Having an assistant would mean that you can have six under 5-year olds, but then no children aged 5-8 years.

Does she have another registered childminder there, as this is the only way I think she could have more than 6 children?

I have had, on occasions, 8 children this week, ranging from 6 months to 10 years,and all perfectly legal and within my numbers! It takes lots of planning, lots of patience, and I am utterly exhausted by the end of the day. The children all gel together extremely well, and are good friends with each other (well, the baby isn't up on the friendship bit yet!) I have had most of the older ones since they were babies, and I think it works really well.

When I have my assistant with me we can have 6 under 5 and 12 under 8, don't think OFSTED differenciate between an assistant and an additional minder

I only use my assistants to cover occasional requests (assistant in my house is dh, lucky him, or one of my three dds), and is usually only available after school or during school hols, or if dh happens to be around during the day.

I'm still only allowed maximum 6 children under 8 years - am interested (Katymac) about you being able to have 12!! Is your assistant actually a registered minder, or "just" (not trying to belittle here) an assistant? I think I want to change my registration ... wonder if I should contact OFSTED ...

I currently have 2 registered minders as assistants and 2 registered assistants

We can have up to 9 under 5's and 3 under 1's at any time - if there are 3 of us (minder + 2 assistants or 2 minders + assistant or even 3 minders)

6 under 5's and 3 under 1's (with 2 minders or minder + assistant)

And each of the minders can work by themselves on a normal ratio.

BTW the assistants can have sole charge (up to 2 hours) with permission from the parents (but we tend not to use this)

The 12 is a condition imposed by planning - it is the total number of children on the property, it used to be 8 (but I persuaded them to up it)

DD counts as one of the 12 - but my other minders children don't (as when we are full I ask the A's and the M's not to bring their children - they have childcare available) - but when we are under our numbers their children can come - so they get to see more of their children than a regular job - just not as much as staying at home

I am finding all this quite confusing but as far as I can work out she has one too many under 5.She doesn't have any assistants and I had a look at her registation,which is on display,and she just has the 'normal' allowances for age groups.

it does seem that without an assistant of some kids she is over the limit by one child

as the 4 year olds (who i asssume start school, in sept) will count as 5 year olds (which i personally think is madness! if they are 4 they are 4 surely???!)

should have said "assistant of some KIND" (not kids)

sorry!

Chocolateaddict:
14mths 1
21mths 2
2&1/2yrs 3
4yrs x2 4 & 5
5yrs 6
7yrs 7

The 4 yr olds are not 5 until they are at school fulltime (OFSTED will confirm that - so the Monday they start F/T they will count as 5yr olds). So until that day she will have 5 under 5's. If she has them all at the same time she is over her numbers - she can be fined and even prevented from minding again. You can be called to account by social services if you knowingly allow her to mind your children over her numbers...please think carefully.

Also if she has 7 under 8 at any time she will again be over her numbers.

I'm worried for the children - the limits are there for a reason...please be careful as her Public Liability Insurance may not be valid along with her car insurance

I'm not trying to be a pain in the a*se but as I mind so many I know how careful you have to be to keep within the rules

Thankyou for your help Katymac I now have a better understanding of it all.I can now make an informed decision.

Oh gosh I sound like a real nag - sorry

Katymac - I am certain that you are allowed more children because some of your assistants are registered childminders in their own right.

Chocaddict - the only way I think any minder could be over her numbers is she has no assistants or a registration variation, is if there is some kind of emergency (eg. another minder dashing off to hospital and having to leave their minders with someone, and that doesn't mean that you can do it every day of the school holidays!)

How are things going Chocolateaddict?

I have decided to work my shifts around when my childminder has the other kids.I am a nurse and work nights and I do this so that I am my children's main carer.I just don't want to find a new cm and I have never had a problem with the care my kids have recieved it's just the numbers that bother me.So I think this solution is best for everyone.Thanks all of you for your help.