Slightly concerned!

**Frostysgal** · 23-06-2009, 08:30 PM

Evening all,

I have been minding since March 09 and I care for a brother(1)and sister(8). There mum is a single parent and I have had a few problems with her in the past regarding payment but nothing too serious. Recently since the 1 year old has started walking he has been coming with bruises and scratches on his face to which his mum has just said it's due to falling, which i didn't think anything of it as my daughter was the same at that age. My friend said the other day that I should be making a note when he comes with marks on him just on the off chance. Since then I have found out that the mum has been invited to a case conference as their are child protection concerns on both the brother and sister and since finding out this bit of information i'm not sure what I should do. Should I contact anyone regarding the fact that I mind them or just wait and see what happens and just keep documenting any changes in the children. They are both happy children when they are with me and I wouldnt of thought anything of it before now.

I'm really struggling as i'm a relatively new childminder and I would love some advice on what to do.

Thanks in advance

Frostysgal

**sarah707** · 24-06-2009, 06:53 AM

You must contact your local Safeguarding Children Board if you personally have any concerns at all about the children (google them, every area has one).

If everything seems fine for you then I would say carry on as normal BUT...

You must document everything. So if children arrive with signs of any accidents, just write them down and get parents to sign. This is to protect you in case parents say it happened with you.

I have a stack of 'accident at home' forms at my children's entrance and if they come in with a new bump I quickly scribble one down. It's not about watching what parents do, it's about knowing if eg the child has had a head bump last night and they are sick today you need to ring hospital or if child has had a scrape and mentions it as hurting you can say yes I know, mummy said it was sore... rather than knowing nothing.

I suggest if you are worried that you speak to your local childminding support coordinator and confidentially ask for advice.

Good luck with it all xx

**Pudding Girl** · 24-06-2009, 07:00 AM

Hi FG x glad you posted.

Sarah process re safeguarding diff up here but I have all the info if FG doesn't and can give her that.

I agree to give the development officer a call though.

**Bananabrain** · 24-06-2009, 11:49 AM

Hi Frosty, know exactly where you are coming from because my first mindee had been in care {I knew there were issues but didn't realise how serious}

Good advice given already. I agree always,always keep a written record of everything,including any comments made by children that ring alarm bells.

On the plus side, because I started with a really tricky one, I kinda thought that because I was thrown in the deep-end so to speak; anything any subsequent mindees have thrown at me is much easier to deal with!!!!

There are always people on this forum who will advise,they have helped me enormously.

Don't be a stranger. Good Luck.

**Bananabrain** · 24-06-2009, 11:54 AM

I'm pretty sure {although I may be wrong so don't quote me} that if there are already concerns that have been raised, you as a carer; should have been contacted.
In my experience Social services aren't as bad as they are made out to be on T.V...............................They're worse.
I would take advice, and don't let them fob you off with nonsense.

**tinkerbelle** · 24-06-2009, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Louise 144

I'm pretty sure {although I may be wrong so don't quote me} that if there are already concerns that have been raised, you as a carer; should have been contacted.
In my experience Social services aren't as bad as they are made out to be on T.V...............................They're worse.
I would take advice, and don't let them fob you off with nonsense.

not usually they dont unless the children are on the at risk as far as i am aware ( i set 2 kids on who had just been removed from the register and prior to me they had to use a community childminder as they were still under social services)
if they go back on it whilst still in your care then you may be contacted for your opinion on the well being of the kids and monitired with them