Childminders at playgroup

[gentlemum]

I've been going to a playgroup with my toddler for a while and there's usually several childminders there each with about 3 children on average. They are hardly ever anywhere near the children they're looking after, they don't play with them or give them any attention. I frequently see them get hurt in some way through tripping or another child scratches them or similar and they're crying and people around have to say who is this child with, and they eventually come and get them. The childminders mostly just sit and drink coffee, chat to each other, and occasionally come over to take a photo to show the parents who I guess are none the wiser to them being so unsupervised. Is this typical of childminders? My family provide childcare currently but we will soon need to consider other care and I was keen on childminders over nursery but this behaviour is really putting me off. Keen to hear other people's opinions!

I’m not a childminder but for those saying that they have seen childminders on phones and not paying attention to kids while attending playgroups, the same could be said for some of the parents who attend them.

But no one is paying those parents to care for their children! It’s like going out for a meal to a restaurant and saying ‘oh well I sometimes burn the dinner too.’

I used to be a Childminder & i used to see others doing this. Then they used to wonder why I didn't want to be associated with them.
I just used to do my own thing & look after the children I was responsible for

@Giltedged yes but people are saying how these “childminder” kids aren’t supervised and causing a ruckus at soft play/parks. So parents need to supervise their kids whether they’re getting paid or not.

I’ve definitely seen plenty of parent “supervised” kids causing grief at play groups and parks.

They do, I don’t disagree. But I think the difference is that childminders generally have quite a lot of children with them, so you do notice it when a few packs of several children are let loose on a group as opposed to one or two. And it is a shame for the parents who probably think their children are being very well cared for.

I remember years ago when I was at the park with my then baby and there was a childminder there with 2 toddlers in the buggy with the hot sun directly on them, I wasn’t impressed that A) she hadn’t let them out to play and B) she didn’t turn the buggy away from the sun or put the sun shades down. She was sat on her phone. Strangely enough she’s a highly rated and well sort after childminder in the area!
My kids had a brilliant childminder who used to pack full the days with activities, I didn’t know where she found the energy!

I have seen this before at our local library. I have also seen childminders who are the opposite and very attentive of their charges.

My two are at a nursery, mostly because childminders are few and far between where I live and we have a very good, small, close knit nursery close by. But there are also always stories and down sides with a nursery too.

I think the key thing is due dilligence, word of mouth, research etc to find the right childcare option for you - there will probably always be less good nurseries or less good childminders but it doesn't mean to say you should totally write off either option.

I saw this a lot but also the other end, I could easily give my friends recommendations on childminders who seemed generally engaged with the children.

Plenty of mums ignoring their kids at ours, one has 4 kids under 4! (3 year old twins, a toddler and a baby, don't know how she does it) anyway the 3 year olds run riot to the point they are on warning, supposedly they are starting nursery after Easter so won't be coming any more. The reality is that you don't see what happens in nurseries, and arguably a lot of nurseries employ staff who are far less experienced than the average childminder

I've seen many childminders like this at toddler groups I have been to which totally put me off. Made me feel so sad for the children and the parents who had know idea. I then was in a situation where I needed to use a childminder when my child was on the waiting list for nursery. I found one which was not local but I had seen at other groups and had no idea she wasn't looking after her own children, she was an ex teacher. I think I was really lucky to find her every other childminder I had seen were awful.

I also had a conversation with a childminder who told me she doesn't go out on a Wednesday because he is over ratio so doesn't want anyone to see, which I thought was shocking.

I attend a playgroup regularly and there is a group of childminders to cling together. The children are left to look after themselves and I've frequently helped a child who is crying stuck on a slide or one in a Walker who is also stuck and had been crying with no one helping. I would never use one unfortunately. In a different group I heard one grab a child hard by their wrist and drag them and this was there method
Of discipline, disgraceful.

They are not all like this. Mine was great and there was a little group of them who regularly got together at one another's houses or for day trips, and there was quite a little gang of kids together which was lovely. Also one in the group could sometimes stand in at short notice for the other and they were all great, really sound and trustworthy.

I viewed a house to buy years ago, before I had children. it was also a childminders, run by a mum and two adult daughters, so they had a lot of children. It was chaos, children were in rooms unsupervised, a baby was asleep in a downstairs bedroom (teenage boys room) with the patio doors open... I was not impressed.

I also went to collect my nephew from nursery, I stood outside watching, the nursery worker was just staring into space, while the children were trying to talk to her. The baby room had babies sleeping on gym mats. (it wasn't a cheap nursery either) The entire place was filthy.

I've also seen many a nanny or childminder ignoring children at playgroup.

There's also a childminder I see daily on walks, all her children are perfectly behaved, well mannered. She walks them a fair distance, past the animals (small farm with, pigs, horses, donkeys, chickens, sheep, ducks etc) then down to the park. Pretty smart of her, it must wipe them all out, and keeps them busy in the afternoon. Therefore good childminders do exist.. I have no idea how you find one though.

I've stopped going to a certain playgroup near me because of the childminders.

The kids are largely fine, but they ignore them, take over a large table and chat relentlessly. They're pretty cliquey too.

I never even looked at nurseries as none of them had good Ofsted ratings in the area and the pick up was by 6pm and I couldn't get back until 6.30pm.

This is true.

I like the idea of the childminder putting a branded t shirt on them when out and about.

I’m a childminder, I go to groups but no one ever seems to realise I’m a childminder. They all presume I’m a parent as I generally only have 2 or 3 children. I take it as a compliment when they describe me as Mum and they’re always surprised when I say I’m a childminder. I treat the children as I would my own. Sometimes I stand back at groups as the children are enjoying engaging in play with other children and don’t need adult interaction. Sometimes I’m right in the middle joining in with play as that’s what they need at the time. Sometimes I chat to other childminders or parents and sometimes I’m too busy too. Occasionally I even manage a hot cup of coffee but that doesn’t seem to happen all that much!

just because someone sees a childminder not engaging doesn’t mean they’re the only childminder there. Sometimes I might only have one child with me and you would never know I’m not that child’s mum until they call me by name

edited to add - I’m not working this afternoon. Just incase someone shoots me down!

Thank you for all the responses and opinions. Clearly good childminders do exist, but sadly it seems what I've experienced at the playgroup is pretty common which is worrying. Obviously nurseries come with their downsides too.

Sorry to the childminders who have taken this personally or as an attack. I'm not 'bashing' childminders.. I described what I've noticed about a handful of childminders on multiple occasions and asked if other people have had similar experiences.

For those who are saying 'but parents are often disengaged or on their phones too'.. whilst that is true it's irrelevant. When you're paying someone to look after your child that's not the behaviour you expect.

I have 3 friends who are/or have been childminders, and they are all excellent. They do go to playgroups but they are very much working while they are there, and still making sure the children are behaving, sharing, playing nicely, wiping their noses, encouraging them to explore etc. However, I used to see two nannies at a playgroup i attended, and the difference between them was immense. One was like a mother to her charges, attentive and loving and proud, and the other barely glanced at the child with her. I once saw the mother of the first in the supermarket - recognised the child- and I told her how lucky she was!

I was a SAHM and out of all the childminders I saw at playgroups locally (about 10 - 12 of them), I'd have only been happy with the care one of them provided when outside the home. And she really was good, to the point I thought she was the mum until she put me straight.

The rest were awful and just spent the time at playgroups chatting, drinking tea and not being anywhere near the kids.

There is one at one of the toddler groups that is like this. It isn't uncommon.

I had to point out to one that she had left a hot drink under a chair and wasn't keeping an eye. Luckily I did especially as my son was going near it.

I like the idea of the childminder putting a branded t shirt on them when out and about
Yuk

I also had a conversation with a childminder who told me she doesn't go out on a Wednesday because he is over ratio so doesn't want anyone to see, which I thought was shocking.
Did you do anything with this information?

I’ve been doing childcare for a long time and I’ve seen it all. Disengaged parents, grandparents, nannies and childminders and brilliant parents, grandparents, nannies and childminders. You can’t generalize that one group is useless and another is great because the whole lot have bad and good.
Absolutely this.

Childcare is always going to be emotive. Find who suits your family best. Don't dismiss childminders just because you have seen a couple of bad ones. The right one could be wonderful for your child and your family.

OP I presume that this is the same playgroup so the same childminders? So clearly not representative of childminders as a whole, you're just seeing a lot of the same.