home schooled mindee

[loocyloo]

I've just been talking to a prospective mum, and LO is 2, but she is already thinking about not sending LO to school, but home schooling.

I know there have been threads about this, but i can't find them! Can anyone remember, or does anyone know about minding a home schooled child? I'm assuming that they stay in your EY numbers until 5, or is it the end of august after the child is 5?
Mum has already said she wouldn't expect me to do any teaching etc, but she comes from a country that doesn't send children to school until they are 7. I'm not sure i want to go down that route as i think it could/would curtail visits to toddler groups etc, but I'd like to know where i would stand.

Thanks

[Maza]

I don't know where you stand with EY numbers, sorry. The mum may change her mind. When your baby is two it is incomprehensible to some mums that you could be putting them in the big, bad system in a couple of years time. However, when the time comes and the child needs a bit more than mum can offer, she may start to feel differently - plus schooling is free and will give her some independence back. We considered it when DD was two and changed our minds once she was at school nursery age. Of course this mum might not change her mind. How many days would you be having him?

I wouldn't be totally put off yet, as by the time he is school age they might have moved home and not need you. If they were still around I would see how it goes and if you don't think it is working have mum in for a chat. My DD comes along to playgroups/toddlers in the holidays and has a nice time, but it doesn't challenge her or meet her needs. If I didn't have any toddlers I wouldn't take her to the playgroups, we would obviously do something more geared towards six year olds. Mum would need to understand this - we are not miracle workers and can't be in two places at once.

[Dominique]

It makes no difference to you whatsoever for paperwork, EYFS or ratios. It is just a normal 2 yo and everything that you know and do now applies. Should she stay with you long enough, she would leave the under 5 ratio in the September after her 5th birthday, no rising 5 there. When she is older, all sorts of things can happen. The parents can change their mind, or they may chose to leave her with you (should you want to) as an "older" child along with your little ones or they may want to look for someone who has older children about. There are childminders who home educate their own children and have minded children as well. All of that is a long way off. For now, she is only a 2 yo like any other. x

[loocyloo]

thanks, :D

I'm more than happy to care for child now, and 'wait & see' what happens when he gets older ... it would be 1-2 days now .... I know it's a couple of years away and anything could happen in that time!

I just wasn't sure how it worked number wise in regards to 5th birthdays! as child is a September birthday, and so could theoretically be in my EY numbers until almost 6 ! I've never had a minded child who wasn't already at fulltime school when they turned 5, and therefore, were out of my EY numbers! :D ( although I was pretty sure it was EY until the September after turning 5! )

[Dominique]

The parents may decide to look elsewhere by then - or not! - as clearly baby and toddler groups would no longer be appropriate. A 5 yo does need more stimulation than that but it will be up to the parents to decide what they think is suitable for her. Regarding EYFS, it goes as far as 60 months old. Just for information, when the child is school age, the parents are responsible for the child's education, not the childminder.