Childcare - How many of us does THIS affect??

harissa

I've just been reading this article and am horrified.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1216220/Mothers-banned-looking-children.html

This sentence leapt out:
"This was because little-known rules say friends cannot gain a 'reward' by looking after a child for more than two hours outside the child's home without agreeing to a number of checks including one from the Criminal Records Bureau." Eek! When did that come in??? Does it affect children's sleep-overs??

The article explains that the women did not pay each other but that as their arrangement enabled them to go to work, going to work was the "reward".

Now, when my children were younger, quite a few of the single parents I knew, including myself, used similar arrangements with no fuss made. Registered childminders were thin on the ground in my area and a third of those resigned when the government brought in new rules which would have required them to remodel their homes and be ofsted inspected.

Is there any online information about what these rules say we can and cannot do?

I'm off to hunt for that online petition next.

Posted on: September 26, 2009 - 12:34pm

harissa

More on the story
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/6231866/Adults-must-register-with-Ofsted-to-look-after-children.html
and
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article6850342.ece

Still haven't found the online petition but have come across lots of other interesting ones.

Posted on: September 26, 2009 - 1:27pm

harissa

Here is the link to the petition
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/reciprocalcc/

It reads:
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to submit a change in the law regarding reciprocal childcare.
More details from petition creator
Imagine this:

Two women from the same company give birth at similar times. When their children reach one year old both women wish to return to work on a part time basis. They decide to job share and undertake reciprocal childcare in order to minimise their outgoings and enable themselves to return to work. The children are very good friends and have grown up together as sisters and the two women are very good friends and trust each other to look after their child.

However, after a visit from Ofsted they have now been stopped from doing this. The reason? Apparently due to the law concerning childcare, this is illegal due to the fact that they get a reward for looking after the child (i.e. reward = childcare when they go to work!)

They have now been forced to put their children into childcare meaning they can't work as they wished due to the elevated costs. In a day and age when the Government want women to return to work, why is it made so difficult for people?

We are asking the Prime Minister to review the meaning of reward in the Children's Act to money and gifts so reciprocal childcare would be allowed.

If you agree, please sign the petition to show your support."

Posted on: September 26, 2009 - 4:45pm

sparklinglime

I feel this whole thing is going too far. What was such an excellent idea has almost got out of hand.

With the Scouts, parents can help out so long as they are in the prescence of an appointed leader or assistant leader, without the need for a CRB.

No one calls, no one checks up on us (well not yet, anyway), it's our principles that make sure we do things correctly.

As for going on sleepover's, I wonder how things like this are going to be policed anyway.

I have to say :? that I've not had a good read of the articles yet, as I've just come in from next door :shock: I figured I really should feed the children (who have been eating various things, healthy and unhealthy all day) :roll: I'll read them after tea...

Posted on: September 26, 2009 - 5:41pm

Louise

Parenting specialist

There has been a lot of publicity about this chnage in the law and there was such an outcry earlier in the week that the Government have had to backtrack somewhat. I am not really clear on the details yet. It certainly is ridiculous if it affects parents helping each other out, and smacks of a "1984" mentality.

Posted on: September 26, 2009 - 5:47pm

harissa

Some links with more on this story
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090927/tuk-parents-warned-over-childminding-6323e80.html
and
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1216370/Leanne-Shepherd-policewoman-branded-illegal-childminder--looking-colleagues-toddler.html

The mothers live in my area, as it turns out, so my local papers are likely to expand on the story.

Sensible parenting has been legislated into becoming a subversive act these days I fear :o(

Posted on: September 27, 2009 - 11:58am

sparklinglime

They're doing very well for signatures (mine included).

There's quite a number of articles about it now. It's awful when it can mean the difference between working and not working.

Posted on: September 27, 2009 - 10:44pm

harissa

Wow, you're right! It is up to 5,874 yet was under 2000 when I signed.

It was on the news last night but as my hearing is impaired I couldn't make sense of all the details. Apparently the legislation doesn't affect evenings (babysitting presumably) so people on late shifts will still be able to have a reciprocal childcare arrangement??

Posted on: September 28, 2009 - 9:16am

Louise

Parenting specialist

It does not affect "close" family members (grandparents etc) and also does not apply to people looking after the child in the child's own home, therefore babysitters seem to be exempt.

It seems ironic that my lovely and very trustworthy neighbour could not look after my child after school for me once a week and yet children like Baby P can perish because of lack of interference. :shock:

Posted on: September 28, 2009 - 5:10pm

sparklinglime

This was on breakfast tele this morning, so I didn't listen to it properly. However, it seems that sleepovers would be affected as the exempt period is 6pm to 2am!

Posted on: September 28, 2009 - 6:38pm

Louise

Parenting specialist

Good heavens! :o

I heard this morning that they are thinking of recinding this as there has been such an outcry. Hope so.

Posted on: September 29, 2009 - 9:44am

Anna

Parenting specialist

Just to let you know that the petition figures are up to 15,620!

Posted on: September 30, 2009 - 1:21pm

harissa

Here is the official Government response to the petition which apparently is still running and has reached 19,929 signatures.

"The Childcare Act 2006 requires anyone providing ‘childcare for reward’ to register with Ofsted, with the aim of ensuring every child in a commercial childcare service is safe and well cared for. Parents would expect no less. However, our intention has always been that friends and families caring for children through informal arrangements should be exempt from having to register and we believed that was what always happened. In the light of this recent case we are talking to Ofsted about how we can make sure there’s a shared understanding with Ofsted, and with parents, of what the law means and how it should interpreted.

Since 1997 we have invested £25bn in childcare and early years services, doubling the number of childcare places available for children under 8 to support working families and providing more support than ever before with childcare costs, with over £3.8 million a day going directly into parents hands to help pay for childcare through tax credits."

Posted on: October 9, 2009 - 5:11pm

Louise

Parenting specialist

Reading between the lines, that sounds like a retraction! :D

Posted on: October 9, 2009 - 6:18pm

sparklinglime

Could do with a few more of those.

That was madness though.

Posted on: October 10, 2009 - 12:00pm

Louise

Parenting specialist

It was on GMTV this morning that the petition has got up to 20,000 and they have definitely done a U-turn. YEY! :D

Posted on: October 13, 2009 - 11:05am

Anna

Parenting specialist

The Children’s Minister announced on 18 March that, following a positive response to the recent public consultation, she has laid an Order before Parliament to amend the law [the Childcare (Exemptions from Registration) Order 2008] to ensure that all childcare arrangements between friends which are not for monetary payment are exempt from the registration and inspection process. The press notice confirming this announcement can be found at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2010_0069 .

The amendment to the Order will be supported by revised Ofsted guidance which will highlight where and when childcare arrangements are considered to be formal and within their inspection remit The results of the consultation can be found on the DCSF’s consultation website at www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations. The changes are expected to take effect from 8 April 2010.

Posted on: March 29, 2010 - 12:23pm