Advice needed pls

[clio0602]

I have just been to pick up my health form from doc and a lady was there with 9mth old baby. She is going back to work 2 days in Jan and looking for CM. These 2 days fit in really well as my DD in nursery 1.5 of them so would break me in gently to the organisation of more than my own children.

Well she approached me and was interested in looking round so we exchanged numbers.

The thing is I'm only in stage 1 of CRB check and not expecting that back before Jan, so not sure I'll be registered in time. What I was considering was if she was to like me would it be ok to offer look after the LO for free until I was registered?

Would this be unprofessional? I'd make sure contracts would be signed and deposit if thats allowed before registration? I'd, of course, explain that I'd not be insured etc yet. Really don't want to miss out on this potential mindee but don't want the parents to think I'm unprofessional.

Please help I'm in a dither and its only my first enquiry :panic:

Thanks Claire x

[lnmrobbo]

Hi there,

as far as I am aware, you can only look after a child for up to 2hrs at a time if you are not registered.

I understand the situation you are in as I am also newly registered. You don't really want to lose out on a mindee but you do have to be professional about it.

I actually lost one for the same reason, I wasn't registered in time, i explained about the 2 hr thing and that I wasn't insured etc, so the mum went to a Nursery.

The annoying thing was, my registration & insurance came through 3 days after mum had wanted me to start!

You never know, you might be registered in time. I just kept on at Ofsted, I phoned them every other day for 4 weeks for them to chase things up and keep going with my registration. If everything is ok, it should be done quickly, my Hubby was registered within 8 weeks.

I would suggest having a few meetings with mum and baby, so that she doesn't forget you, then by the time she needs you hopefully you will be registered and you can sort things out.

Apparently you can sign contracts before you are registered, thats what Ofsted told me anyway.

Hope that helps and good luck!

Lisa.

[clio0602]

Oh yes I forgot about the 2hr rule. :blush:

Just have to wait and see Thanks

[Minstrel]

You can look after a child for reward for no more than 2 hours but for free there is no limit.

Why not offer to look after the child in its own home so you can be paid till reg comes through?

Also you cant do contracts/ take deposits before you are reg'd.

[clio0602]

Think the own home option would sound better and at least I'd be getting paid. I'll keep that in mind. :thumbsup: Thanks

[naomiesian]

Hi, I was hoping to be reg back in sept but due to many problems ( doctors taking untill mon 23rd nov to complete my hdb and ofsted taking their time) Im still waiting to receive my certificate, I have been looking after 2 children since sept for free, 1 child for 3 hours and another for 2 hours, I told my ofsted inspector that I would be doing this as the parents where completly stuck for childcare and I didn`t want to lose the business once I was actually reg, she said as long as I didn`t get paid and the parents knew that I wasn`t insured this would be fine. The only difference with me is that I live in a small village so know the parents and the children very well. I also work at the local school so the parents know that I had a current crb check and as I have 2 children of my own I always have a house full of children coming to play. I think you are the only one that can decide whats best for you, ring Ofsted for advice if your unsure of what you can and cant do, they are all lovely and will give good free advice, the only thing with the arangement to look after someones child for free is how long its going to be for, when I agreed to do this I thought it would only be for a few weeks and its now been almost 3 months which I dont really mind but if I was to sit down and work out how much money I could have made and how much im out of pocket :eek:
Good luck in your decision hun Naomiesian xx

[clio0602]

Thanks for that at least I know there's a couple of routes I could go down. I will phone ofsted and check before I do anything as they have been really helpful so far :)