Need Childminding help & advise............please(sorry - long)

[katymac]

Sorry to crash your board again ladies (& gentlemen if appropriate)

As you know I'm a childminder and I have been eager to offer respite care to children with special needs and their parents, as I've had a little training and we run a very flexible childmining practise.

I have never asked any of my existing parent whether I can take on a new child and I am not intending to start now.

However I am discussing with a special needs advisor, whether my setting would be more appropriate for a child who is currently at a large nursery.

Is there a "good" way to go about telling my current parents about this child without being (so many words apply here including condesending, rude, un-necessary etc)?

I don't want to justify this child's place at my house - however feel I need to pre-emt any concerns and worries they might have. (things like will it uset my child?, will my child be neglected as this child is 'special needs'?, will this child's (assumed) bad behaviour be copied by my chilren?)

I know that this can be put in a positive light (I'm just not sure how)

I'm very pleased to have this opportunity and think that offering more flexible care to the child (eg C/Mer's, attending therapy with the C/Mer, also attending some nursery) is a really great idea.

Sorry to waffle, and also sorry if my concerns are inappropriate - I just want to do the best thing for everyone.

Any advise or suggestions

So all he has to do is not wear his Childminder Hat when at the childrens centre?

You will be at your house, with assistants and children, and will be within your legal numbers.

Your dh will be nothing to do with you! He will be doing a non-childminding job. He will not be in your house. He will not be minding any children.

There, I've sorted it all out for you!

(Can it actually work like that?)

That's waht I'm hoping we can arrange

However (as always) the problem seems to be red tape - who is responsible for insurance, what happens if the session is cancelled etc

I want the Nursery to take responsibilty for that time - they want us to

But I don't think it will stop the deal going through - but it might delay it

Will the girl be staying at the children's centre? Or being taken out?

If she stays there, I would assume they have insurance.

Your dh must have his own public liability insurance? I was under the impression that he is therefore insured wherever he is.

If the session is cancelled, wouldn't he just come home?

His PLI is for up to 9 children - she makes 10 (cos of the 9 at home)

She will be in the childrens centre therefore their insurance will count

If the session is cancelled I am hoping the Nursery will keep her & DH will come home and have a break

I just have to talk fast enough to make it all stick

But don't you have your own PLI? Therefore, you and your assistants will have up to 9 children (legally) in your house. He is nothing to do with it. Just talk very very very fast! (Remind me again why we do this job?!)

Oh it's all too complicated

and all we want to do is help (without loosing any money)

Throw the ball back into the children's centre court, let them sort it out! Then just send dh there to do what he wants to do! Don't start talking to OFSTED because they'll just say no.

Now come back and start discussing that snot problem we childminders are struggling with ...

I did aleady!