Child Minding Laws

[robotics]

I am so made I could scream,

I do not know how I ended up doing this but, for the last couple of months I have been picking up from school my neighbors children...........(not thro choice, get to that bit later) on a Thursday and Friday and they are picked up around 6.30 ish more is than 6.30................

I also work during the day and I was finding this arrangement to difficult so I told there mum, that I could no longer pick them up and also I had booked my children into the after school club..........

The reason I have booked my kids in to after school club because I no longer want to look after the other kids........I here you shout "well tell the parents then"..........They are an Indian family and the mother I find to be very intimidating, to the point when she asks me to do something I do it

anyway tonight when I picked up my kids from after school club, one of the children says we are coming home with you, I knew nothing about it, so I rang the mother to ask what was going on, to be told she thought I would be ok picking them up.

I have tried to tell her that I do not want to be held responsible for her kids, what if something was to happen to them

anyway sorry for the ramble

Is there any laws about looking after other children, should I be CRB checked.........any information that I could use............I have not even got liability insurance

[Batterseadog]

Poor you! I cannot give you the legal advice but having been in a very similar situation, I sympathise and can, with experience tell you that the only solution is for you to be clear and plain and make the woman understand that you do not want to take care of her children. This is your right and you should not need to make excuses to anyone for something you do not want to do. Practise what you need to say, remain calm and stick to the point. Do not be sidetracked by all her valid reasons why she needs help. That is not your problem or your responsibility. If you cannot speak in person, then write a letter. Do not get wrapped into how sorry you are, or why you cant. You owe nobody any explanation, you have your rights and she is abusing them. Be firm but polite and oh so very clear. ' I am sorry, I do not want to take care of your children, you will have to make other arrangements, I cannot help you.' Good luck

[froggequene]

I agree with Batterseadog, gather your courage & tell her plainly you are not a childminder, you have no wish to look after her children.

If she ignores this, or you feel you can't tell her, either present her with an invoice for childminding services (don't forget to include expenses for any food or additional expenditures incurred by having to look after kids, also point out if she intends to continue to use you as a childminder you'll have to be CRB checked & register with the Local Authority - expenses you expect her to pick up) OR next time it happens, inform the afterschool club there is no agreement for you to pick up & care for these children and tell them to call the kids mother.

[Postdog]

There are regulations. I know a fair amount of childminders, and you have to be OFSTED registered and regulated and CRB checks apply to all members of any family home they stay at. Oh yeah, and insured.

[Batterseadog]

Hello again, if this woman is as manipulating as my 'friend' was then she will likely ask you to forget about the legal side and that you can do this without any authority needing to know. Again, you have to prepare for that and be very clear that you will not enter into any unofficial agreement, get back to the fact that you do not want to be responsible for anyone else's children, ever. Stop worrying about what she might think of you, she is certainly not bothered what you think of her and thats why she has the gall to push for what she wants, regardless of others. Let us know how you get on, its always good to hear back.

[holly3smith]

You have to do a local authority course on childminding including child protection and first aid, your home must be inspected for safety purposes,you must be OFSTED registered,you can only have a limited number of children within specified age groups depending on the size of your home and you must have insurance also you and any occupants of your house over the age of 16 have to be CRB, checked if you look after children in your home for more than two hours - (you didnt say if this was a paid arrangement ). under any circumstances looking after some one elses children is a huge responsibility which 'bits you on the bum' if something goes wrong and you shouldn't do anything you don't want to do.

People like this are hard to shake off and it sounds like you want to be tactful - maybe you could tell a little fib and say the local authority called round as they received a report that you were running an unregistered childminding business ?????

[Mamjet]

Say "I am not picking up your kids any more." to her. This shouldnt take long.