Someone has told my friend she's not allowed to look after her grandchild while her step-daughter goes to work

[NotActuallyAMum]

She has her one day a week, all day, she's 2. Someone has told her that she's meant to be a registered childminder

Surely that can't be right?

i think half the working population couldn't work if that were the case!

Grandparents do not have to be registered.

Nope. Wrong.

Of course she can look after her. She can't do it for money though.

are they trying to say that the rules for grandparents do not apply in this case because she is "only" a "step" grandparent? No idea if this makes a difference. Is she being paid?

Thanks very much ladies, I knew someone on here would know

whyohwine yes I think that's what she was getting at - because she's strictly speaking not the child's grandparent

Don't know if she gets paid (don't like to ask) but I'd be very, very surprised if she. Would be prepared to bet she's doing it for nothing

Very, very surprised if she does (get paid)

only if shes being paid in money or gifts :)

Step grandparents are still regarded as a close family member. She does not need to be registered.

Of course if she is not getting paid it doesn;t matter anyway.

You can of course give a grandparent some cash to help with expenses or whatever - what you couldn't do would be to claim this as a childcare expense. This produces the irony that an unemployed granny cannot be paid to look after her own grandchild while her daughter goes to work/college - baby must instead be sent to a stranger while granny stays on benefits!

Sounds like she's OK then, thanks again