Childminder

Refer to your contract first about what was agreed to be provided and paid for.

You should always search them and check om council website they are registered I doubt she will refund as still looked after your child and you should of checked before hand of registered and asker for proof etc you could also report her x

Ring Ofsted..you should have checked her ofsted report before sending your child but this is a serious offence and should be reported.

You probably won’t get your money back but you do need to report her to Ofsted immediately.

I went through the list of registered childminder for my kids, so worth doing as they get regular check and have to submit things they do with the children in their care. ( in Scotland ). We struck gold with our childminder. She has remained the core of their childhood and all the kids loved her. She did so many activities daily with them, very little tv, only whilst having lunch, took them on walks to farm, to the beach, made cookie. Amazing. Recommend going with the council list of registered childminder 💯

She isnt a childminder childminders are registered,

She ha broken the law I'd be taking it further and definitely would try a small claims court for the money back. But to be honest you should of checked her ofsted registration before leaving your child with her so you may not get any thing back bur you definitely need to report her because she is giving real childminders a bad name and putting children at risk. She shouldn't be caring for children for more then 2 hours in her home for payment at all. I'd say you should have a good case against her but a judge may say she's in the wrong but you didn't check. Definitely take it futher for both her not being registered and for paying her when she shoukdnt of been paid did she give you a contract ? If she did how did she feel it out ? Cos it needs your ofsted registration on there

Aslo if she's being paid cash she probably isn't declaring it esp if she isn't registered. So go to hmrc and report her too.

Ask for your money back or you will report her to the authorities. She might give you your money back hoping you won’t report her. It’s a possibility. Whether she does give it back or not report her anyway.

How did you find this out?

She did the job so no right to ask for it back but questions need answers

hi I used to be a registered childminder you have to be registered with the national registrar it also comes under your council child welfare anyone can contact them and if they are not legally registered report them child welfare are good about helping mums with what to do and how if you can claim your money back ask any childminder for the phone number for national registrar good luck

Why are you so worried? Has anything happened to any of the children in her care? I understand it’s preferable to have a registered childminder for claiming childcare hours, to know their activities are regulated etc, BUT if your child was happy there and well looked after, there’s no need to panic.

Maybe there was a hold up with your childminder being checked and registered but they had everything in place ready to go and really needed the money and couldn’t afford to wait. Maybe she’s been registered before and was awaiting re-registration. Maybe she lives in a rented home and her landlord wouldn’t allow her to childmind so she had to do it without the landlord finding out. Maybe she’s got something on her criminal record not related to children (eg; a driving offence, bankruptcy etc) that she was worried would prevent her from being able to register. There are so many non-sinister reasons she’s not registered.

As she’s looked after your child, in my opinion she’s entitled to the money you’ve paid.

The only reason I would pursue a financial claim is if you feel she has not provided a safe, stimulating and caring environment for your child. But that’s less to do with her being registered, and more to do with whether she is providing the expected standard of care.

My personal opinion is that regulating childminders has lead to guidelines and policies that reduce childminders’ ability to provide differing services and reduce parent’s right to choose, and I think that’s a real shame. It has lead to the loss and lack of good childminders due to those who have been put off by the statutory hoops to jump through. It annoys me that as a parent I cannot choose for example, a childminder who doesn’t do any formal teaching of numbers and letters with my child.

The lack of registration is more of a moral and legal issue between her and the local authority than a financial one between you and her. We don’t expect babysitters to work for free just because they’re not registered.

She isn't a childminder unless she is registered and also she shouldn't be doing and paid for childcare in her home. In regards to getting your money back you can try but if it was cash in hand it will effectively be your word against hers. When you visit a childcare setting they should be giving you there ofsted reference number, first aid and all the other certificates as well as having insaurance to care for children.

I wouldn't ask for the money back from the care she's already provided but I would demand and deposit and if you pay in advance any unused hours and threaten to report her if she doesnt.

I would then report to ofsted.

As for a previous poster saying whats the proplem. Well the problem is she has no insurance to anything happens to your child in her care, shes not insured... if she's not registered she most likely doesn't have a DBS, or any of relevant training like first aid and safeguarding, or a basic childcare course.

Yes it's a pain, having to go through it all and actually get your training and get ofsteded (first interview was over 5 hours long!!!!) But this is to protect children and all the rest of us go through it and childmind within the law! (Ex- childminder here)