Can I Home Ed someone else's child if I register as a childminder or, as a teacher, could I do it under the label of 'tutoring'?

[unrulysun]

A friend and I are wondering if I could Home Ed her child for a couple of days a week. I'll have my child at home too. Both are pre-school age at the moment but we're checking out options. It could also be a reciprocal arrangement.

I obviously want to make sure if I had someone else's child in my care that it's totally legal/I have insurance etc.

So would I have to register as a childminder? Or would that not cut it? Or could I be a tutor (as I am a trained teacher)? Or is there no way round this short of me becoming a private school ?

There is no need to become a private school. If you are caring for someone's child under 8 (I think) in your home you may need to be a CMif money is involved. If you do it in her home then there is no such need. Tutors don't need to be registered or qualified, neither do Nannys / babysitters.

mummytime is right. No registration is required to educate a child unless the setting counts as a school. I believe that kicks in once a certain number of children are involved for a certain number of hours a week. If you are doing it in your own home, just check to see whether this arrangement would count as childminding.

In addition to the concern about staying on the right side of the law, if you or your friend are on a low income then you might wish to see whether either or both of you could benefit from the childcare element of Working Tax Credits. She can receive this childcare subsidy if she (and/or her partner if she has one) works enough hours a week and her child is in qualifying childcare. I think that some but not all CMs qualify - not sure. And I don't think the childcare has to happen at the same time as the working, so for example if she has her child in tow while working and then sends the child to a CM on another day when she isn't working, I think that still qualifies. I don't really know about it, but you could explore that.

It?s the minding and money side they regulate, not the educating side.
You could choose to become a registered child minder which means if she?s working low income, she can claim child care tax credits.

If you don?t wish to register but are financially compensated, then you need to look after her child in her home to be legal. It comes under requirements for au pairs, nannies etc. (I have a vague memory you also may need a 1st aid cert, but it?s a long time since I looked into this.)

I did childminding training about 18 months ago (then got PG with DS1 so never got round to registering) & I was very aware of the rule that said you couldn't be a childminder if you were providing education for the children in your care. I was v proud that I asked a question the lady teaching the course had never heard - can you childmind if you're home educating your own children?!
It might be a different rule in your area though - worth contacting your local council's childminding dept to check!

Downside is it's a hassle and expense to get registered as a childminder.

Upside 1 is tax credits as self-employed for the minder (if 16+ hours in expectation of payment for lone parent self-employed, more for minder in 2 parent household and different again when Universal Credit kicks in)

Upside 2 is childcare credits for parents of minded child.

I guess my view is that things change...and having seen home educators come and go and friendships ebb and flow I'd be a tad wary about an arrangement which is set up entirely on the basis of particular child agreeing to spend time with another child...and on parents not falling out over parenting approach...

I'm a childminder, and home ed my daughter for a short time last year.

If you cared for the child in your own home and any payment (of any kind was received) you would need to be registered. If your friend wanted to claim tax credits you also need to be registered with ofsted.

If you did it from her house, I'm not sure what you need to do as it may come under nannying? In that case you'd need first aid and if you were being paid your friend would need to 'employ' you.

Hth x

If you care regularly for somebody else's child for more than 2 hours a day than you need to be registered. You don't need to be registered if no money changes hands, so reciprocal arrangements are fine.

Registering is a big hassle and expense, there's no doubt about it. You need to pay for Ofsted registration, public liability insurance etc. and will be inspected against how Ofsted think you should be doing things. You'll need to undertake first aid and child protection training. You must do a training course before registration (mine was four full days plus about 12 assignments).

If you are caring for a child under 5 (until end of reception year), you will also be expected to deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. I don't have a huge problem with this curriculum - it is play-based and totally child-centred - but the planning and record keeping involved is fairly hefty.

All parents using registered childminders can claim the childcare element of tax credits (depending on family income). You just need to give the childminder's registration number to the tax credits people.

purplypink is right, there are different rules for nannies. That might be something worth considering.

I don't think that providing home-education (rather than 'just' play-based care) would be a problem if you were taking the autonomous approach. You could argue that the child's education was still entirely the responsibility of the parents (so long as you weren't making the child go through endless workbooks/formal learning). Providing general play-based educational activities is something that all childminders must do anyway.

Do think about your options carefully. As an already registered childminder, I would love to care for home-educated children, but I don't know that I would have gone through the whole registration process just so that I could care for one child...

If you do it as a nanny you need absolutely nothing - and if your friend is paying less than the LEL there's no tax or NI to worry about (for the moment, at least). Of course nothing says you have to be paid IB which case you could do it from either home.

As a nanny you would only need to register if your friend wanted to use childcare vouchers or tax credits to pay you.