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Original poster

cost of sister childminding

48 replies

sassie23 · 15/01/2009 10:20

I am hoping to go back to work soon and my lovely sister has offered to childmind for me but I have absolutely no idea how much to pay her. I will be clearing around 250 per week and DS is 10 months old? BTW feeling really guilty about leaving him 5 days a week but can't find anything suitable part time.

OP posts:

Original poster

sassie23 · 15/01/2009 11:29

Crikey that would be most of my wages I would definitely rather stay at home with DS Iam in Northern Ireland ??

OP posts:

DaphneMoon · 15/01/2009 12:50

Please can someone post something on here which ACTUALLY says it is illegal. I would really like the posters to prove this. In what way is it illegal??? A relative looking after a child given full permission by the parent. Gosh lock the buggers up!

I am sure you will find it is only illegal for someone to claim they are a registered childminder when they are not. Surely we are within our rights to actually leave our child with whoever we are happy with, after all we are the parents.

As far as the money is concerned, the only way it could be illegal would be from a tax point of view, but then you would be having to pay the auntie an awful lot of money for it to become liable for tax.

juuule · 15/01/2009 12:54

It is NOT illegal for a relative to look after a related child for payment.

philmassive · 15/01/2009 12:57

It is definitely not illegal.

However, you won't be able to claim any money back for child care on your tax credits as you can only do that if your child carer is registered with Ofsted. That is the only potential downside of having a member of your family look after your child. It is a small price to pay in my opinion - and I'm a child minder!

Much nicer for children to be within their own families than anywhere else.

islandofsodor · 15/01/2009 12:59

lou031205 already posted the link stating it is NOT illegal.

islandofsodor · 15/01/2009 13:00

However Daphne it IS illegal for a non relation to care for a child under 8 for payment or reward.

DaphneMoon · 15/01/2009 13:09

What, whether the parent agrees or not. Surely it is down to the parent. Surely it is only illegal if the CM has claimed to be a childminder and isn't. If you had a friend you had known all your life and trusted her completely, are you telling me that it would be against the law. Please can you find a link for this as I won't believe it until I see it. I am now going to the link lou posted.

PuppyMonkey · 15/01/2009 13:12

Course imho who would know whether you were paying a close friend or not to childmind? Just say you're not paying her/him.

islandofsodor · 15/01/2009 13:12

No Daphne, it isn't up to the parent. There is an exemption if it is for less than 2 hours per day or less than 6 times a year.

The link is on the OFSTED website

ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/About-us/How-we-inspect/Childminders

Lou's link details the exemptions in more detail but you have to scroll through lots of stuff to get to it.

juuule · 15/01/2009 13:14

Seems crazy, doesn't it, Daphne?

DaphneMoon · 15/01/2009 13:20

Bloody ridiculous! Let's see who shall I choose to meave my DS with. My sister who I have known all my life, who has successfully brought up two lovely little girls, who will give him cuddles and love and attention OR a Registered childminder who does not know my son and will probably not give cuddles for fear of reprisal. Umm that's a difficult one, stuff the law that's what I say.

DaphneMoon · 15/01/2009 13:21

To the OP I say again, go with your sister! You simply won't bet better than that.

DaphneMoon · 15/01/2009 13:21

bet get

juuule · 15/01/2009 13:22

Daphne it's perfectly okay for the sister to look after the child.

But not okay if it was a good friend who wasn't registered (if receiving any payment/reward).

madlentileater · 15/01/2009 13:23

In defence of cms (though they are more than capable of defending themselves) you don't need to worry they would be scared of giving your baby cuddles!

PuppyMonkey · 15/01/2009 13:23

...and just say no money is exchanging hands. Who will be able to prove otherwise. The CM police?

aGalChangedHerName · 15/01/2009 13:23

I am in Scotland so not sure if it's different up here?

I know personally 2 grans and 1 auntie who have had to become registered to look after grandchildren/nephews.

aGalChangedHerName · 15/01/2009 13:24

I am a CM and i also think it's mad tbh.

Eddas · 15/01/2009 13:26

Sassie, I used to give my SIL £20 per day to look after dd for me. We were both happy with that amount. She orginally said she'd do it for nothing but I insisted on something

juuule · 15/01/2009 13:26

Not sure about Scotland but the reason that relatives might register as CM is so that the parent could get part of the childcare costs paid. The are NOT required to register. At least not in England.

BONKERZ · 15/01/2009 13:27

i think it is just the issue now of money that left really, if you used an OFSTED approved carer you could claim up to 80% back in tax credits, as you cannot claim anymoney back you need to check how much you can afford. Will your sister really be reliable to look after your child if she is only getting £50 per week??????????? What will you do if your sister cannot have your DC for any reason?????? It will put a huge strain on your relationship!

aGalChangedHerName · 15/01/2009 13:32

Good point Bonkerz. A lot of my work used to be really last minute from mums who had fallen out with relatives who were not doing the childcare how the parents wanted.

I am sure it works out for lots of people but i wouldn't do it. My sil wanted me to look after her dd years ago and i told her to bog off lol. I was registered at the time and she wanted me to work 8am till 5pm for £40 a week I would have hated for family relationships to be strained if i'd wanted to give up looking after her.

Eddas · 15/01/2009 13:54

don't be scared off by the negatives about having your sister look after ds for you. If you have a good relationship now and are honest with each other it'll be fine. I disagreed with some things sil did whilst she had dd, but unless it was majorly important i ignored it. IMO dd was in her care it was up to her how she got on with things (I desperately tried not to be to PFB about things!) Make it clear to her that if she has any issues or it doesn't work out for her then she must tell you. all you can do is try it out and if it doesn't work for either of you then just don't fall out about it.

When I had ds sil agreed to have both of them for me, but found it hard work. She got BIL to call my dh and say they could no longer have them. Now at the time it was shit for me. But I never ever said anything. I just told them I undestood and they agreed to keep having them until I found an alternative. I wouldn't let it affect our relationship as they are too important.

I much preferred dd being with SIL than the thought of her with other people she didn't know, mainly whilst she was so young(I went back from ML when she was 6 months) luckily sil had ds from 6 months to 13 months. Then they both went to nursery. Now dd is at school and ds is due to start at a cm.

Do what is best for you, ds and your sister.

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