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View Full Version : Another pointless moan about unregistered minders



ziggy
05-09-2013, 08:21 AM
I am moving house at end of month, we dont have Ofsted here so social services have to come out and do inspection of new house and myself. Social worker, who i get on really well with, is coming out next Wednesday, then all being well it will go to panel 26th and I will have my new certificate when i re-start work 6th october.

Yesterday on the phone social worker went through all i need in place, as new standards are coming in.

So spent fair bit of money online last night buying new stair gates, replacing first aid kit etc etc etc.

Also had to pay out to have new fence from this house taken and erected at new house.

Now I dont really mind all of that, all part of the job and keeping children safe.

BUT while i was at toddler group yesterday I was one of two registered childminders, then there were 3 other unregistered minders chatting away about children in their care and how much they enjoy it.

Just made me a bit cross then, i am so stressed with this unexpected house move and now pressure of preparing for inspection on wednesday

I had planned to go to a music festival this weekend but have cancelled as will be too busy.

ah well, as mentioned no point in this moan, just had to get it off my chest

Samantha_j41
05-09-2013, 08:24 AM
Isnt it illegal to be unregistered?

Very unfair as we have to do paperwork etc.

sprinkles
05-09-2013, 08:42 AM
Isnt it illegal to be unregistered?

Very unfair as we have to do paperwork etc.

Yes it is! It's illegal to look after children in your own home (possibly for more than 2 hours but could be wrong) if you are being paid for it and not registered! Really gets on my wick!!!!

I'd be reporting them but that's me - we spend lots of money and time to become registered and do paperwork etc!

Mouse
05-09-2013, 08:48 AM
It's so incredibly frustrating, isn't it?

About 20 years ago I looked after a friend's child. They paid me a small about each week, but I wasn't registered. I wasn't looking for any other children to look after, I was just doing it to help a friend out. As soon as someone pointed out that I had to be registered to do it, I went through the process & have carried on ever since. I genuinely didn't know you had to be registered.

Nowadays, the unregistered people do seem to know they should be registered. They just don't bother. But then, why should they? What are the consequences? I have never heard of anyone being prosecuted for providing unregistered childcare. They seem to know they're not going to be caught, so are quite open about it.

I know of several unregistered minders here who are quite open about what they do. The daft thing is, they often charge more than the registered childminders, but parents seem to think they're getting a better deal by using them!

adedwards68
05-09-2013, 08:51 AM
I know someone who is unregistered and cares for kids. Sent an email to ofsted but they won't to know so much info about them and as she is just a mum at school I couldn't provide it
I'd like nothing more than just to play etc with my mindees but its all the paperwork, paying out money for everything. They probably pay no tax either!
I'm surprised parents use unregistered carers. I know she charges more than I do.

Sent from my iPhone using Childminding Forum

Ripeberry
05-09-2013, 08:55 AM
Seems that you can't do anything about it. When I first registered with Ofsted, a parent at the school came up to me and said that she would continue to use her 'friend' to childmind (baby and a toddler) as she knew her and she didn't care about paperwork and didn't want her child being observed. She then said that if there was any trouble then she would stand by the illegal 'friend'. So the reason these illegal minders exist in the first place is because of the parents.

But in the meantime, if you are registered and do the slightest thing wrong, your name, reputation and lively hood can be dragged through the mud, resulting in you almost having a nervous breakdown!

Makes you wonder why we bother at all? :(

sprinkles
05-09-2013, 09:03 AM
Nowadays, the unregistered people do seem to know they should be registered. They just don't bother. But then, why should they? What are the consequences? I have never heard of anyone being prosecuted for providing unregistered childcare. They seem to know they're not going to be caught, so are quite open about it.

I don't think anything would be done unless something happened to the child whilst in their care as they won't have public liability insurance etc.

ziggy
05-09-2013, 09:18 AM
makes me wonder whether I would be better off doing the same to be honest.

what is the incentive to be registered and follow the rules, pay tax, NI, insurance, extra home/car insurance, keep on top of paperwork, cope with stress of inspections etc etc?

Plus if i wasnt registered I wouldnt spend so many hours doing accounts for tax man

In our village there are just 2 registered minders (I am one of them) and I have lost count of how many unregistered minders. In 10yrs of living/working here I dont know of any who have been investigated by social services or the tax man.

Seems you just get paid cash and who can then prove anything?????:angry:

yummyripples
05-09-2013, 10:23 AM
I wouldn't be registered if I didn't have to be. I would still give the kids the same care as I do now but just not the paperwork.

charlottenash
05-09-2013, 10:28 AM
Registering is imperative and I would report them because who knows who is living in their house etc!

ziggy
05-09-2013, 10:43 AM
Registering is imperative and I would report them because who knows who is living in their house etc!

But they will just say they are doing as a favour for a friend/relative. If they are being paid cash then I cant see what can be done.

If i have problems with inspection next week I am seriously going to consider whether there is any point to being registered

singingcactus
05-09-2013, 11:02 AM
Just want to say first off that I personally don't agree with reporting unregistered care, as I think it absolutely should be parental choice who they want to care for their infant child.

However, even if a parent is paying in cash the tax man can and will and does investigate and can and will and do prove when there is regular payments being made. They go through years of both parties financial records, looking for regular withdrawals from the parents accounts, and any other irregularities. It is the tax man who you need to be reporting to for undeclared earnings, then ofsted will involve themselves, when it is all laid out for them on a plate.

Jiorjiina
05-09-2013, 12:06 PM
I think it is important to report it, for the sake of the safety of the children. Whether or not Ofsted bothers to investigate is up to them, but I think we should still report it. I don't actually agree about it being a parental choice to not use registered care. There are good reasons why we have to be registered, checked, vetted and inspected, and EYFS and tracking child development aside, providing a safe environment and safe people to provide care is more important than parental choice.

Question: If Ofsted have been notified about illegal childcare and not done anything, then wouldn't they be equally responsible in the event of an accident? (Or, god forbid, worse)

ziggy
05-09-2013, 01:19 PM
I think it is important to report it, for the sake of the safety of the children. Whether or not Ofsted bothers to investigate is up to them, but I think we should still report it. I don't actually agree about it being a parental choice to not use registered care. There are good reasons why we have to be registered, checked, vetted and inspected, and EYFS and tracking child development aside, providing a safe environment and safe people to provide care is more important than parental choice.

Question: If Ofsted have been notified about illegal childcare and not done anything, then wouldn't they be equally responsible in the event of an accident? (Or, god forbid, worse)

I have just spoken to social worker, she is so helpful. It has been decided I dont need a full inspection just a review, which is good news. I think she is well aware I do everything by the book and wouldnt put children at risk in anyway.

I mentioned it makes me cross to see unregistered minders in village and she suggested I give her names and addresses but I just couldnt do it. I am such a believer in karma that I cant do it. At least I can sleep soundly in my bed at night knowing I am doing things 'right'.

Feel better now, thanks for listening lol

Mouse
05-09-2013, 01:32 PM
Just want to say first off that I personally don't agree with reporting unregistered care, as I think it absolutely should be parental choice who they want to care for their infant child.

However, even if a parent is paying in cash the tax man can and will and does investigate and can and will and do prove when there is regular payments being made. They go through years of both parties financial records, looking for regular withdrawals from the parents accounts, and any other irregularities. It is the tax man who you need to be reporting to for undeclared earnings, then ofsted will involve themselves, when it is all laid out for them on a plate.

I understand what you're saying and do partly agree. I do think parents should be able to pay a trusted friend or someone they know well to look after their child if they want to. I have friends who I have known for years. I would trust them completely with my child and should I ever have needed childcare, they'd have been my first choice over a complete stranger. But I do think that is different to having just anyone look after your child. If you were sending them to a complete stranger, shouldn't the child's safety come before parental choice? What if a parent decides to send their child to a 'woman down the road who looks after children'? You could say that that's the parents' choice, but what if parents don't know this woman? Isn't it irresponsible when there have been no checks at all carried out on the house, the woman, or her family?

As for the taxman investigating an unregistered childminder, I have ever heard of it happening. Even if they did see regular cash withdrawals from a parent's account, how could they prove that went to an unregistered childminder? I really don't believe HMRC would go to such lengths over relatively small amounts of money and certainly not for every report of a unregistered childminder. I'd love to be wrong and find out they do do it though :D

singingcactus
05-09-2013, 03:14 PM
As for the taxman investigating an unregistered childminder, I have ever heard of it happening. Even if they did see regular cash withdrawals from a parent's account, how could they prove that went to an unregistered childminder? I really don't believe HMRC would go to such lengths over relatively small amounts of money and certainly not for every report of a unregistered childminder. I'd love to be wrong and find out they do do it though :D


They do. They have investigated a few people here. It was not a lot of fun for them. They were trusted friends of the families involved.
It was trusted friends I was talking about. Registered child care providers should be there for when there is no trusted friend.

Bekypadley
06-09-2013, 03:54 PM
They could possibly be only watching them for the 2 hour limit mayb but as a unregistered childminder who is still awaiting ofsted to come out after 4 month of waiting i feel frustrated knowing their are people out there just doing it anyway :( before they have even become registered