To still use childminder if nursery closes

[Musereader]

I'm not sure if it is negating the point of the schools closing or not.

Childminder is one that picks up 3 yr old dd from nursery, where she goes in the holiday and where she was before nursery. It's just as a single parent I need to work and i cannot take the time off to save the extra money.

I'm also thinking i will have to tell tax credits about the increase in costs as it is £100 more per week.

[LouMumsnet]

We've moved this over to our Coronavirus topic now.

[looselegs]

I'm a childminder. If the school closes, I will remain open unless my local authority tells me otherwise.
And,yes,I'll still be charging.

[modgepodge]

Yes I know! That’s what she told my husband at pick up anyway. I was surprised, I was fully expecting to have to pay her if closed.

[nameuseryourchange]

Mine has said she will be open if she can, but if forced to close we will receive a refund.

Blimey that's very generous! Can't imagine many others wouldn't expect to be paid!

[ShiveringCoyote]

Ireland has shut all schools and childcare facilities for two weeks and all the childminders I know are closing too.

[Camomila]

Italy is giving people babysitting vouchers and their situation is much worse than us.

Makes sense, 3 or 4 kids are much less of a risk than 30ish per class at school.

[modgepodge]

Well to be fair, schools and nurseries are ‘mass gatherings’ - tens or hundreds in the same building which is where the greatest risk of infection is. CM tends to just have 3 young children, up to 6 under 8s. I know they can have more older ones but I don’t think many do. So risk of infection is similar to a few mums getting together for a play date I suppose.

I wouldn’t be surprised if rules for CM were different for larger childcare providers. But if the government says all providers, of course that would include them. Mine has said she will be open if she can, but if forced to close we will receive a refund.

[adaline]

X-post, sorry!

Though I imagine if schools and nurseries are shut then childminders will be as well.

[adaline]

@toomanycats she can say whatever she likes but if the government shuts down all the childcare facilities like they've done in Ireland then she won't have a choice.

Childminders maybe self employed but they're still bound by government regulations.

I'd be very surprised if they're allowed to remain open when other childcare is forced to shut. Why should they be treated any differently?

[Toomanycats99]

@lyralalala

I probably should have finished the sentence! If she is instructed to close she will but if not she will remain open.

I don't know if rules will be different from big providers to ones that only have a handful of children.

[lyralalala]

My childminder is currently saying she will stay open if the school closes.

If it happens and she does that against guidance then she’ll be risking her registration, and insurance could be an issue

[Toomanycats99]

My childminder is currently saying she will stay open if the school closes.

[Shosha1]

As a retired CM who caught Swine Flu from one of my charges, I would be closing.

If I had closed we would have probably been closed for a couple if weeks. As it was I was hospitalised in ICU and my setting g was closed for almost two months.

Please think.

[Butterwhy]

Much like nurseries parents will be expected to pay if they close, in line with the majority of contracts. I would be surprised if any stayed open, especially if their own children are off school too, and guidance is likely to include them.

[lyralalala]

If they close all childcare then it’ll include childminders so the decision will be out of your hands

[Fatted]

She may well be forced to close. If she is a legitimate registered childminder, then she is under the same rules as nurseries and other child care settings. Mine is staying open until she is told to close by the regulating body.

[adaline]

She could be forced to close, yes.

Lots of self-employed people who work outside the home could be made to stop working - which is why there's a petition going round to the government saying they should be entitled to sick pay in this case because they're being forced to stay home by the government.

Being self employed doesn't mean you get to stay open against government advice and unfortunately situations like this can cause severe financial difficulties for people who are SE.

[LowcaAndroidow]

Some countries have closed all schools and childcare facilities.

Some have allowed small childcare providers under a certain size to stay open.

We won't know til it happens!

[Dieu]

If they're allowed to stay open, then yes, I'd use her.
Hope it works out ok, OP. It's stressful with work, single parenthood etc.

[Musereader]

She has 3 little ones that she has 2-3 times a week each. Mine is the only school aged one. She should still be open. I didn't think they could be forced to close as that means they would have no income as they are self employed, they can't do that to her if insurance won't cover it can they?

[Chickychoccyegg]

Im a childminder and we dont know yet if we'll be allowed to stay open , if thry schools and nurseries are closed.
We are still planning to work if allowed, as are all the other childminders i know, lots of parents provisionally booked extra hours already, just in case.
Because we work with small numbers , maximum of 6 children, we may be allowed to stay open, but at this stage we know nothing at all.

[Glenthebattleostrich]

As far as I'm aware (and no-one is telling us anything in my authority) childminders will have to close too.

[Hoik]

Would your childminder be open? From the chat at playgroup today all of our local childminders will also be closing if the schools close.