Childminder working in my home - any info?

[mexico]

I have a very good friend who is also a qualified Nanny. I would like to employ her to work in my home three days a week and she is keen to do so. Thing is I can't really afford to pay nanny type rates, well not if you add on tax and VAT. She is more than happy to work for me for a reasonable sum per hour which is much more than she currently earns working in a nursery. So really I would be looking to pay her by the hour like a childminder, but working in my home. If I do this and pay her cash in hand, are we both breaking the law? Does anyone know of a way around this or have a similar arrangement?
Thanks

If you pay cash in hand yes you are both breaking the law. If she doesn't declare it as registered childminder then she is breaking the law.

If she registers as a childminder she should declare the pay and then she, not you, will pay tax.

I think that's right.

Agree with countess plus you are risking it if you dont do it above board. She wont have any insurance for one thing. Her car wont be insured to take your child either. Not worth it imo.

So she can register as a childminder but to work in my home? I think she would be more than happy but how would that work with the OFSTED bods etc.? As a friend she often takes me and my son in her car anyway and I assumed her own insurance would cover us?- I guess that is social and domestic though rather than business

If it is as a business she needs to let her insurers know. I dont know about working in your own home.

Mexico - I think a childminder working in your home is called a Child Home Carer (rather than a nanny)- but I could be wrong. I think somone on my 1st Aid course for childminding was doing this sort of thing for a family member. Will try to find out for you.

Just found this:
Home Based Childcarers
Home based childcare is a new form of approved childcare, which takes place in the child's own home. So instead of taking your child to their childcare setting, the home based childcarer comes to your home. From April 2003 only registered childminders can apply to become home based childcarers. This will enable parents to use registered childcare within their own home and be able to apply for childcare help through the Working Tax Credit.

Like childminders home based childcarers offer good quality, safe childcare while providing children with play and learning opportunities to help them develop. The details of exactly what they do will vary from family to family. Amongst others you would expect a home based childcarer to:

make sure that babies and children are safe and well cared for in a warm, stimulating environment while their parents are working
prepare meals for children, making sure that their dietary and other specific needs are agreed with parents and met

Thanks MO2, very helpful. It seems she would need to be registered in her own home already then to get regsitered in mine. Still that gives me something to go on.

Am I being thick, but what is the difference beween a "home based child carer" and a nanny?

Doesn't a nanny live in?

A nanny can be either live-in or out so I am also left wondering what the difference is between the two jobs and why would someone describe themselves as a home-based childcarer rather than a nanny?