Childminders going underground

[clorogue]

Do you hear of any childminders going underground? I heard of one today and I was really shocked! One of my advisors said to me that it was happening. It is the implications of it all - quite worrying!

[sophiestars]

It doesn't surprise me considering what is expected of us but I think it is naive of the parents to go with someone who is not insured, inspected, CRB checked etc etc

Makes me mad that so many get away with it though - no inpections, paying tax etc :angry:

[Deb]

not suprised tbh, seems that most parents just want the job done and cheap.

[clorogue]

My husband and I were talking about it tonight - I wonder how they would be penalised if they were found it. Obviously the childcare would stop, I guess tax office investigation.

[Trouble]

there is one round the corner from me she calls herself a nanny now but walks past my house with 5 kids everynight:eek:

i dont know the difference between a nanny and childminder all i know that she is not a nanny but a childminder who doesnt do paperwork:angry: :angry: :angry:

[ajs]

not suprised tbh, seems that most parents just want the job done and cheap.

a very good friend of mine uses an untrained unregistered uninsured minder, when i told her it is illegal she said that who was to know that she was if anyone asked her she would just tell them she wasn't paying her.

but she did tell me that she hadn't known that it was illegal.

and you're right she uses her unregistered minder because she's cheap

[clorogue]

Yes - true - how do you prove that money is changing hands.....

[John]

Yes - true - how do you prove that money is changing hands.....

Get one of your own children to go and then you will know if any money is changing hands lol (but no1 will do it as your child might might not be safe:panic: , but yes we have a few around my area but the child care information as a hot line regarding this issue and all reg childminders are requested to report them.

John.

[venus89]

I think more awareness needs to be raised that youdo need tobe registered. There's the cnahce that soe of these 'childminders' actually don't know that they are meant to be registered, although not looking up what you need to do to do the job shows a pretty sloppy attitude. Also, how many parents know it's illegal?

If there's a government campaign to raise awareness of the importance of getting professional registered childcare so people know what they should be getting. That would help the plight of decent monders too as people would recognise that we're not just glorified babysitters but professionals who train, plan and work very hard.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think that these people are taking a big chance as they are:

breaking the law and could be prosecuted because of not being registered
commiting fraud by not delcaring income and will definately be taken to court and large fines given
have no insurance which means in the case of an accident could potentially loose their house and belongings and leave them on the streets

ok so they don't have to do paperwork but how does that help the child?
doesn't get paid as much (cheap cheap) so why would they want to do that?

I think these people can do the job they just cannot be bothered or are confused and don't want to ask for help (this wasn't added to cause friction).

I would rather be who I am - A professional person delivering a professional standard of care with children reaping the rewards knowing that I have the full force of Ofsted and NCMA behind me and not the government potentially taking me to court and giving me a criminal record.

[rickysmiths]

I think that these people are taking a big chance as they are:

breaking the law and could be prosecuted because of not being registered
commiting fraud by not delcaring income and will definately be taken to court and large fines given
have no insurance which means in the case of an accident could potentially loose their house and belongings and leave them on the streets

ok so they don't have to do paperwork but how does that help the child?
doesn't get paid as much (cheap cheap) so why would they want to do that?

I think these people can do the job they just cannot be bothered or are confused and don't want to ask for help (this wasn't added to cause friction).

I would rather be who I am - A professional person delivering a professional standard of care with children reaping the rewards knowing that I have the full force of Ofsted and NCMA behind me and not the government potentially taking me to court and giving me a criminal record.


I agree with Debbie
We are not aware of any in our area though there are cms who we know are not doing the paperwork, they will be pulled up short at their next inspection.

My mum used a good saying, 'Pay peanuts, get a monkey!'
(no reference to our Monkey so please don't take offence:blush: )

[venus89]

I guess if you're not registered then you can do it on the sly - not pay tax, claim benefits......

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I guess if you're not registered then you can do it on the sly - not pay tax, claim benefits......

I have known a few people who were reported to Ofsted. Ofsted wrote to them and explained that they were breaking the law and told them to stop or register. This was all pre EYFS and they are all now childminders.

There is money to be made in this profession so I do not understand why people under value themselves.

[rickysmiths]

I have known a few people who were reported to Ofsted. Ofsted wrote to them and explained that they were breaking the law and told them to stop or register. This was all pre EYFS and they are all now childminders.

There is money to be made in this profession so I do not understand why people under value themselves.


I absolutly agree. I know is can depend on where you live and we all have our ups and downs but I'm sure you would always make more by being properly registered etc. and the peace of mind. I couldn't live if my family and the home, that I have worked hard to buy, was at constant risk-how daft is that?

[Blackhorse]

so before eyfs when a person was minding without being registered the only thing that happened was they were told to register? or to stop?
not penalties at all?
so ofsted were happy to register people that were breaking the law? I thought that would have been a big no-no

and what about parents that send children to unregistered minders? Do they face any legal prosecution or penalties?
Is it illegal to send your child to an unregistered minder? I would think so if it is already illegal to mind without registration...

I like the saying if you pay peanuts you get a monkey!
maybe I should put that somewhere into my payment policy!!!:D

[clorogue]

Yes I am interested what would really happen to them now - especially after all the hard work we all put into being registered and abiding by the rules!

[margimum]

I've just heard of 1 in my area. Was legit but now going underground 'cos of paperwork. However parents won't be able to claim 80% from WFTC so her wages will be almost nothing!! Who does that help?

[FizzysFriends]

I've just heard of 1 in my area. Was legit but now going underground 'cos of paperwork. However parents won't be able to claim 80% from WFTC so her wages will be almost nothing!! Who does that help?

May be she will take on parents that don't get 80% paid.

[margimum]

In this area she will wait a long time for 1 of them!! We have many lone parents and it is mainly minimum wages.

[Blackhorse]

maybe she will just take on loads of kids..
if she is not registered I guess she will not stick to number limits either...:mad:

[Bananabrain]

When I read 'going underground' I thought you were talking about taking mindees on the tube in London:laughing:

We've been discussing ideas for the hols,and wondering if it's feasible for a group of us to go on the tube together.

Sorry,very tired today. Went on a really exciting course last night.............Not.

[sunnysmile]

I know of one who is on CC website as inactive must contact CC before resuming care for children yet a friend of a friend is going to see her today about taking on her baby :rolleyes:
I was discussing this with another minder who said someone called CC about same thing before and they said it was difficult to prove they were being paid, makes me wonder why I sit up to all hours working at paperwork etc.

[Mouse]

I know of a couple of childminders who said they were giving up, gave up their registration etc, but just carried on minding!

I don't think Ofsted are interested as they just deal with minders who are registered. I was told that a member of the Early Years team could write to them & go and visit the house, but if the person won't let them in there's nothing they can do. It would be very difficult to prove they were charging money.

Confession time - I actually started off as unregistered! A friend asked me to look after her little boy while she went to work & she paid me £10 a day (this is going back 13 years). It wasn't till I was talking to a Registerd childminder at school that she told me I had to be registered. I had honestly thought it was OK to do it for a friend. I registered after that & have never looked back!

[TheBTeam]

We have had people in our area and i am sure some still do it, i know of one mum who was paying as much for unregistered care as she could have done for registered care, and she would also have got the childcare benefit paid to, but it still did not stop her going the unregistered route!:angry: :panic:

[clorogue]

So what's really stopping more and more people going down that route! The particular childminder I heard about went on the course to be registered and then chose the unregistered route - so she was fully aware that it was illlegal I'm sure. I guess more and more people may go this way because they find the paperwork too much to deal with.

[Helen79]

there's a few round here, who also charge more than a registered cm :eek:

If you only have over 8's though do you still need to be registered?

[FussyElmo]

Report them to the benefits agency - they will take it very seriously and investigate them because the likelihood is they are claiming benefits :)

[jibberjitz]

It doesn't surprise me tbh but it is worrying:eek: More fool the parents and the people pretending to be childminders and I hope for the sake of the children that they get looked after properly!

[sunnysmile]

Well the one I was mentioning has actually agreed to take on the baby that went to see her yesterday :rolleyes:

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I know of a couple of childminders who said they were giving up, gave up their registration etc, but just carried on minding!

I don't think Ofsted are interested as they just deal with minders who are registered. I was told that a member of the Early Years team could write to them & go and visit the house, but if the person won't let them in there's nothing they can do. It would be very difficult to prove they were charging money.

Confession time - I actually started off as unregistered! A friend asked me to look after her little boy while she went to work & she paid me £10 a day (this is going back 13 years). It wasn't till I was talking to a Registerd childminder at school that she told me I had to be registered. I had honestly thought it was OK to do it for a friend. I registered after that & have never looked back!

I know for a fact that they are interested and do take action.

Do you remember Heaven Scent putting a link on here a while back abouta company setting up "swap childcare" where by you paid £60 to register with the company and anyone who registered could have your details. This meant that children were being babysat by one parent in return for the same at another time?

Anyway enough waffle from me, I passed this information on to the Chairperson of NCMA who took it straight to the top of Ofsted and I also emailed Ofsted on numerous occasions and was told that "they had sent it to the relevant section and that a letter had been written to the company". She said due to data protection nothing else would be told to me but to be assured that the matter was being dealt with.

I know that Ofsted have been lax in the past but it is part of their jobs to follow up unregistered persons.

I urge anyone, for the sake of the children with any unregistered childminder, to speak to Ofsted and it can be done annonymously.