Co minding - question for those doing EYP

[minsky]

Hi,

I have my business and wanted to expand with an assistant. Spoke with ofsted who said that I could not work with a childminder as an assistant as I could then only leave them for up to 2 hr max per day. I am wanting to have one day a week off and so would need someone capable of looking after mindees in my absence. I was told that I would have to make her a co minder.

I am looking for advice.

- If you find the children, pay for food, nappies, outings etc. How do you work out what to pay the other person (we are in London)
- If the assistant/co minder has a child do you make deductions as that child is taking a space you could get money from and they are using resources and costing when you go on outings etc.
- I am really not sure what to suggest and I don't want to bankrupt myself paying someone more than what I have coming in. If that person was working on their own they wouldn't make that amount of money (because they would have to find food, nappies etc for their mindee).

Desperate and appreciative of your thoughts and experience

Minsky

[sarah707]

Do you need to leave someone for more than 2 hours a day? Wouldn't you be working together anyway?

[minsky]

I really would like an answer to my questions as the situation is quite pressing. I didn't think I needed to justify the arrangement but I am studying for EYP and there are a lot of local authority training courses that we are both booked between now and July 2013. We both believe in continuous development and want to take advantage of training opportunities and work experience outside of our setting.

We also want to gain skills in the age group that are not currently at the setting. I can get cover but I want a constant person that the children know and are attached to. This person has to be a co minder and cannot be a fully qualified childminder who is my assistant. If she is on my registration as an assistant she can only be left for 2 hrs despite being capable and trained to look after children on her own. A childminder assistant, therefore, doesn't work for training days, work experience days, sick cover etc. The training will directly affect the children at the setting positively and we need to allow time for training.

If you can assist in the questions I asked I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Minsky

[sarah707]

I am not an expert. I have changed the title of your thread slightly because there are a few members of the forum doing EYP / have done EYP who I am sure will be able to help you

[minsky]

Hi Sarah,

I don't want the thread of my post changed as this has got nothing to do with EYP. It is to do with working out the arrangements of working with an assistant and with an assistant who has a child/children coming to the setting and using a space that you could use to generate an income. How do you fairly work out what she should be paid.

For example, I believe if you work in a nursery with your own children you can claim tax credit, if you are eligible, as the setting is a business and you are taking up a space. The nursery will charge you for a space, possibly give you some staff discount but you do need to pay.

If you are a childminder's assistant you cannot claim tax credit, even if you are eligible, because you are looking after your own children. Or can you? Definitely, if you are called a co childminder the government will see it as looking after your own children. Effectively the assistant or co minder would be paid £x per day but then using up a space which is worth £y per day. Effectively earning £x+y per day which is a significant loss to the lead childminder whose business it is.

Again, I didn't think I needed to explain why I wanted someone to be at the setting for more than two hours and the change in title takes the post along another angle which isn't important.

It is a co minding question only and asking how people work out what the assistant gets paid if it is the lead childminders business, has been approved by ofsted to work with assistants, has been told by ofsted the person needs to be a co minder (due to the 2 hr rule) and how to fairly pay that person based on the person bringing a child to the setting and taking up a space that the lead child minder could use to generate an income. To tell the assistant NOT to bring the child to the setting is not an option as we are mothers trying to stay with our children during these early years but still want to earn a living.

Thanks,
Minsky.