Nursery / Child-Minders

[Grey M@a]

Thank you Grey M@a. I thought that's what you meant, just making sure lol Maybe the TA training your Mum had is more recent or vice versa, I know the TA training have just had a big overhaul, plus they may not be aware of the EYFS if they are in year 1 ( stops at the end of reception ) Yes my training included knowledge of the EYFS, and the new standards that were implemented last year, I did my training in the year before last, well before the September changes, as my setting was one of the settings that were lucky enough to pilot it. I like how it's gone back to the old standards, where it's all child led lol, I always said it should never of been changed.

Moby, can't comment on their definition of "ill" you may well be right, again you need to see the sickness policy, it's finding a balance, knowing the children you look after and using common sense to make informed decisions about when to contact the parents. Grey M@a is right, a lot of places, us included have 48 hour exclusion policy, if a child is infectious, but again its going back to common sense and knowing the children you care for ( lol we child carers like our policies we know, but they are there to safegaurd you and us )

Indeed as you have some children who won't be ill for years then one day they projectile vomit all over the shop or you have those children that always seem to have a sniffle etc. No good saying they coughed so send em home or they are sneezing all afternoon etc.

Moby/angeleys I would say if you have the slightest concern then it's always wise to talk to the childminder. She could get defensive about it, but if she is a good childminder then you should find they are more than happy to go over any concerns

As for going back to being more child led in the new rules and regs, this is how it should always be, the nursery/childminder/school is there for the sole purpose of caring for and nurturing your child and all the children in their car and guidance.

For someone in IT why do I need to know all this xD

It comes from the time when I was at Uni and I hit that magical 18 years of age and I had to have a crimial record check done on me as I was in the house and I had to know the rules and regs myself as to not over step the line whilst there were children in the house etc. These days I have my own son so I am on the other end of the stick and the rules and regs make a lot more sense now that I can see them from both sides of the fence.

[Moby-Dick]

I'm anticipating a level of defensiveness

[angeleyes]

Her policy is if the child is infectious, has prolonged "runny poo" or is running a temperature then we are to not take the child to the child minder. 9 times out of 10 she has caught the "cold" from one of the other children there and they are still able to attend as they are by her own admission "easier to deal with when they are ill cos they just sit on the sofa watching CBeebies rather than wanting to be carried around all the time". If i feel for any reason that my child is too ill for the childminders i keep her at home. She is teething at the moment and has had a constant case of the sniffles or a very mild cold since the begining of October. 2 of the children she looks after have had suspected Swine Flu and she has still looked after them. Mine needs cuddles all day and i get called to pick her up.

[angeleyes]

I'm anticipating a level of defensiveness

I would say it's going to be quite a high level as well!

[Grey M@a]

I'm anticipating a level of defensiveness

That's always the problem though as some people might see it as someone trying to tell them how to do their job but only yourself know if it's worth bringing the problem to a head.

[Grey M@a]

Her policy is if the child is infectious, has prolonged "runny poo" or is running a temperature then we are to not take the child to the child minder. 9 times out of 10 she has caught the "cold" from one of the other children there and they are still able to attend as they are by her own admission "easier to deal with when they are ill cos they just sit on the sofa watching CBeebies rather than wanting to be carried around all the time". If i feel for any reason that my child is too ill for the childminders i keep her at home. She is teething at the moment and has had a constant case of the sniffles or a very mild cold since the begining of October. 2 of the children she looks after have had suspected Swine Flu and she has still looked after them. Mine needs cuddles all day and i get called to pick her up.

Swine flu is a real problem for nurseries and childminders. Myself, Brother and Mother all caught it off one of the children. Which his mum admitted after we all got it that this child had it and she "forgot" to tell us xD

Mind with swine flu, any flu or cold, the infectious period is always before it shows signs anyway so the infectious period is generally undetectable so you catch it anyway and then get the symptoms a few days down the line.

[angeleyes]

That's always the problem though as some people might see it as someone trying to tell them how to do their job but only yourself know if it's worth bringing the problem to a head.

My sister is intending to bring her issue with her to a head, which i anticipate will cause problems for us. Without going into too much detail the issue that my sister has is quite a serious one. Serious enough for her to immediately pull her children out and for us to now be looking for alternative child care arrangements.

All the other stuff that we have mentioned. The calling me with illnesses, feeding her junk food, always making it my decision whether to take Louise across to her are small problems that add up to quite a large one.

Not to mention the fact that i get a text message after i have dropped Louise off on every payday since she's been there to make sure i am giving her her wages, even though i've never missed a month and have paid her early in one instance. However she keeps "forgetting" to give me her bank details so i can set up a standing order as she prefers to be paid in cash.

[Grey M@a]

My sister is intending to bring her issue with her to a head, which i anticipate will cause problems for us. Without going into too much detail the issue that my sister has is quite a serious one. Serious enough for her to immediately pull her children out and for us to now be looking for alternative child care arrangements.

All the other stuff that we have mentioned. The calling me with illnesses, feeding her junk food, always making it my decision whether to take Louise across to her are small problems that add up to quite a large one.

Not to mention the fact that i get a text message after i have dropped Louise off on every payday since she's been there to make sure i am giving her her wages, even though i've never missed a month and have paid her early in one instance. However she keeps "forgetting" to give me her bank details so i can set up a standing order as she prefers to be paid in cash.

I would say your best bet would be to see what your sister tells you in the way the childminder reacted. Then again though if she was a professional then there should be no backlash regardless if your sister leaves or not, but then you know what the childminder has done so the sense of doubt has already be planted. If you can or you feel it necessary, then look for another childminder or nursery if you fear a backlash.

It's hard to say without knowing the in's and out's but that is your business not ours on the forum. As I said, if you do get in a pickle and would like some advice I could ask my Mother and the head of child services that runs the local day centre at the end of the road to see what they could advise to you

[Zak33]

Zak Jr has been in nursery since he was one year old. Our intention was always for him to be in one day per week even if one of us wasn't working, but now Sair works (currently) 3 or 4 days per week, he's there that many days except occassionally when I can have a ful day off work.

He is dropped off between 8am and 9am and is collected between 5pm and 6pm. SO in essence the little lad has a longer "working" day than his parents! It's hard to put them into Nursery at first, cos it's not what we wanted for him permanently but he loves it and is looked after and fed well along with between 60 and 80 other kids of various ages. It's a military style regime in there and I'd hate to have such responsibility myself, but it's run brilliantly tightly and with rigorous professionalism

Cost: From this month onward, a full day is £46 per day! And it goes up to £47 in June (advanced warning of that from them in Dec)

So with Sair working 4 days per week, they get £184 per week and therefore around £750 per month. So in effect we have to earn over £1000 to pay for that and then to pay tax and NI on it.

Scary innit? But it's that or not work, and have a boy who never sees lots of other kids all day long. And he does love it.

It's deep snow here, the Nursery is close enough to walk for us, but foor the loads of staff it's hard to keep it staffed properly but he's there now.

[angeleyes]

We always intended to put the little one into a nursery once she was a year old. I think they benefit from it massively through the socialisation and the learning. They do far more at nursery that i would ever do with her if i was at home (mainly because they can afford to have more equipment as that is their job!)

It is expensive though. The difference between a childminder and a nursery is a couple of hundred pound a month.

I guess it's just something that we are going to have to find the money for though. I just can't be a stay at home mum. It would drive me nuts. I love my daughter so much, but i went brain dead when i was on maternity leave.

[Moby-Dick]

She did - never seen someone watch so much Jeremy Kyle

[Andeh13]

My girlfriend has just finished training to be Child Minder atm, give her something to whilst she looks after our little one (Sophie) and earn some money. She is looking at charging around £4-£5 per child, with a maximum of 3 childish. She is just waiting for my CRB check to get back before she can start advertising.

She is in the peterborough area if it helps?

(not had time to read the whole thread, apologies if Im off track )

[shelley bda]

My girlfriend has just finished training to be Child Minder atm, give her something to whilst she looks after our little one (Sophie) and earn some money. She is looking at charging around £4-£5 per child, with a maximum of 3 childish. She is just waiting for my CRB check to get back before she can start advertising.

She is in the peterborough area if it helps?

(not had time to read the whole thread, apologies if Im off track )

Wish her allthe luck in the world with it. Ideal if you have little ones at home yourself

I thought about childminding from home, but with my boys being older I didn't want them to feel like home was a workspace. I got into childcare when Mikey started Pre-school! wasn't happy with dropping him off and not knowing what was going on behind closed doors so to speak! so I stealthily wormed my in by volunteering twice a week. It's an eye opener because you really do see your kids in a different light in that environment. After a while was offered training then a job! and here I am 10 years later as a supervisor And being a parent myself and remembering how daunting it was to leave my child in the hands of virtual strangers, I think it's important to reassure parents, especially new parents to the setting, and give the feedback at the end of the sessions and be that open book, make the setting welcome and friendly, trouble is ( not that it bothers me ) I seem to be the one the parents turn too with their problems ( personal as well as children orientated ) which is nice because i'm showed i'm trusted, I shouldn't complain lol

Cost: From this month onward, a full day is £46 per day! And it goes up to £47 in June (advanced warning of that from them in Dec)

So with Sair working 4 days per week, they get £184 per week and therefore around £750 per month. So in effect we have to earn over £1000 to pay for that and then to pay tax and NI on it.

Zak! that's awfully steep! we'd charge £27 a day, from 7.45 till 6! how old is Zak jnr now? maybe see if you can claim some back through child tax credit ( everyone is entitled to CTC so look into it! ) and from the age of three Zak jnr is entitled to 5 free childcare sessions a week! make sure you look into that as well. Though the Nursery should give the forms out automatically. We do.

[angeleyes]

£27 a day is cheap!! That is about what i was paying with my current childminder. We are now looking at paying somewhere between £35-45 a day.

[[GSV]Trig]

We pay about £480 a month, thats Liv (22month) from 9 until 3 tue/wed/thurs then friday its 9-2, mondays its liv from 9 until 6 and Tom (7) from 3-6..