childminder problem PLEASE HELP

**mandy1971** · 07-09-2012, 12:47 PM

Hi i worked for a childminder who was rated outstanding by ofsted, my daughter came to work with me. when my daughter left for school things got bad at work after a year of this i quit beginning aug 2012 i have had to chase my old boss for my p45 and also my daughters learning log i got it today over a year after my daughter started school. i opened it to read through and there is a big pile of observations and photos in an envelope and looking back at the last one in the file it reads 07/07/2010 yes 2010. what should i do?

**Twinkles** · 07-09-2012, 01:24 PM

Not sure there's much you can do. From what you have written your daughter left the child minders in 2011 ?
So there seems to be a years Obs and photos missing.
Why was the LJ not passed on to the school when she started there ?

Did you see the childminder taking pictures and doing OBS ?
Have you pointed out to the minder there seems to be some missing ?

**The Juggler** · 07-09-2012, 01:55 PM

i would let it lie hon. life is too short. keep the obs and photos you do have for memories and make sure you get any pay and paperwork for you.

Time to move on. Are you continuing minding? Go and be a better minder than her - that will show her

moogster1a · 07-09-2012, 01:58 PM

I don't understand. Were you working as the childminder's assistant and your daughter was attending the setting as well? In which case why didn't you ask at the time how many assessments were being done? Or do them yourself?
I note she left the CM a year ago. There is no obligation for CM's to keep assessments/ LJ's/ observations etc. Indeed, there is no legal obligation to write it down at all! I hand mine to parents / bin them / keep a copy so I can reuse bits and use as inspiration for future planning etc.
Is there money involved somewhere along the line per chance???!!

**pinkbutterfly** · 07-09-2012, 01:59 PM

I personally would not be doing obs for assistant's child if the child is with me only when the assistant is present. I would treat her/him just as I do my own children for whom I do not get any payment. They still participate in all activities etc but I have no time and see no point in tracking it all.

**hectors house** · 07-09-2012, 02:16 PM

Afraid as others have said, observations can be done visually they don't all have to be written up - I had nearly a year where I had to abandon doing written observations as with 8 part time children over a week I was over whelmed with trying to write them up and then I had a shoulder operation and couldn't hold a pen to write anyway.

I hope the parents of the children I have writing up observations aren't going to have a go at me for gaps in their LJ's but they were aware that I was struggling and were very supportive.

I would be surprised if the school were interested anyway, from posts on here over the last few weeks, it would seem that they are too busy to read 30 learning journals and thats if the parents can be bothered to take them in!

If you continued working with this childminder until August why couldn't you just take your daughters folder? Sorry to hear you resigned from your job, but hopefully the experience you gained will help you find something else soon.

**mandy1971** · 07-09-2012, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by hectors house

Afraid as others have said, observations can be done visually they don't all have to be written up - I had nearly a year where I had to abandon doing written observations as with 8 part time children over a week I was over whelmed with trying to write them up and then I had a shoulder operation and couldn't hold a pen to write anyway.

I hope the parents of the children I have writing up observations aren't going to have a go at me for gaps in their LJ's but they were aware that I was struggling and were very supportive.

I would be surprised if the school were interested anyway, from posts on here over the last few weeks, it would seem that they are too busy to read 30 learning journals and thats if the parents can be bothered to take them in!

If you continued working with this childminder until August why couldn't you just take your daughters folder? Sorry to hear you resigned from your job, but hopefully the experience you gained will help you find something else soon.

thankyou i enjoyed my job so much i am becoming a childminder my self xxx

**mandy1971** · 07-09-2012, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by pinkbutterfly

I personally would not be doing obs for assistant's child if the child is with me only when the assistant is present. I would treat her/him just as I do my own children for whom I do not get any payment. They still participate in all activities etc but I have no time and see no point in tracking it all.

i had to pay for my child to be there as she took up a place

**mandy1971** · 07-09-2012, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by The Juggler

i would let it lie hon. life is too short. keep the obs and photos you do have for memories and make sure you get any pay and paperwork for you.

Time to move on. Are you continuing minding? Go and be a better minder than her - that will show her

thanyou x i am just about to start my CYPOP5 course. x

**mandy1971** · 07-09-2012, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by moogster1a

I don't understand. Were you working as the childminder's assistant and your daughter was attending the setting as well? In which case why didn't you ask at the time how many assessments were being done? Or do them yourself?
I note she left the CM a year ago. There is no obligation for CM's to keep assessments/ LJ's/ observations etc. Indeed, there is no legal obligation to write it down at all! I hand mine to parents / bin them / keep a copy so I can reuse bits and use as inspiration for future planning etc.
Is there money involved somewhere along the line per chance???!!

NO there is no money "ALONG THE LINE" i just thought that i was ment to be treated as a parent the same as all the other parents whose children attend the setting

**blue bear** · 07-09-2012, 05:11 PM

Not a lot you an do really, was this norm for lj's, I know childminders who only do them when inspection is impending, totally wrong but it takes alsorts I suppose.

**wendywu** · 07-09-2012, 05:33 PM

[Q

UOTE=blue bear;1154603]Not a lot you an do really, was this norm for lj's, I know childminders who only do them when inspection is impending, totally wrong but it takes alsorts I suppose.

[/QUOTE]

How can you get away with this as the inspector can see by the contracts the date the child started with you. How would you explain away only just having started a LJ

**KarenM** · 07-09-2012, 07:04 PM

Scarily some minders are like that. When I started a couple of years ago I overheard my 'support mentor' tell another minder she had an inspection due and had better start making up some obs.