Vetting and interviewing childminders

Shelli

I'm currently looking for a childminder, and it's proving difficult....very difficult. I've had lots of replies, some looked very promising and were "very interested" in the position, until I sent them my list of questions, which I got from www.childcare.ie, and low and behold I hear nothing back from them!!

Maybe I'm being too intrusive, but this person will have my childs safety in their hands.....I dont think I'm asking too much. What do you think?

Also, I've had lots of replies from foriegn nationals, which I would have no problem with, except would the recommended Garda vetting be of any use if they are not Irish? Or spent their life in Ireland? Can the Garda do background checks in other countries?

Any suggestions?

deisemum

I'm a notified childminder and it's been recommended that we get Garda clearance. Barnardos are the body who've been given the job of organising the vetting.

So I go to the bother of contacting the named person only to be told that they don't know how they'll organise this and that if anyone asks then I just tell them I've been on to them. As far as I know the gardai can only do vetting in Ireland and I cannot get garda clearance until Barnardos figure out what they're going to do. I cannot go directly to the Gardai for this clearance. It would have been so much handier if I could.

Shelli you're not asking for too much. You need to feel as comfortable as possible with the person you'll hand your child over too. It's a responsible job and you need a responsible person. I don't know why people haven't replied to you.

Now from a childminder's point of view I like parents to ask questions so they can get a better insight into what sort of person I am, know my qualifications, what service I provide and it's better for everyone to have things sorted especially fees, holidays, days off etc.

From experience I've found most parents are only concerned about fees and if they have to pay for holidays, sick days etc. and only a minority are interested in what courses I've done, what food or activities I provide.

I provide a list of referees yet the majority of parents don't even bother to check me out. I don't know if it's down to the fact that I looked after a garda's children for a number of years, or a relation of one of the inspectors but it amazes me.


Now I don't know anything about you so this isn't aimed at you. I do know that childminders are now asking potential families for references if they've already used childcare because childminders are now trying to avoid potential problem families who may be continuously late collecting their child/ren, late paying or some other problem.

A lot of childminders know each other and if we're full and someone makes an enquiry we often ring around to see who's got a vacancy. It does happen on occasion that a number of childminders will have already had a negative experience with a particular family.

You local City or County Childcare Committee have a Childminding Advisor and they usually have a bigger list of childminders. They're very helpful.

Shelli

Great thanks, I'll contact them.

This will be the first time I've used a minder, my first baby and I've just gone back to work, so I wouldn't have references from other minders, but I'd have no problem with them asking me anything.

At the end of the day, the better the relationship between minder and parent the better it is for the child.

Fees are the last thing on my mind, I just want to find the right minder.

I have seen a few childminders advertising themselves as "Garda Vetted", they were too far away from me so I didn't contact them, but it would be interesting to see if they actually had been vetted, going on what you say above.

deisemum

I think a small minority managed to get garda clearance before Barnardos got the job of organising it.

No matter what references you get and check out as much as possible trust your gut instinct a well and even then you can never be 100% about someone.

SarahMc

Garda vetting is only for Ireland at the moment. Also remember Garda vetting will only list convictions, it will not lst arrests or "soft" information. Do not rely on it too much. Also as Denisemum says, there are big delays at present, so many great committed and professional minders do not have it yet.

You MUST check out a couple of references, if you go for a notified Childminder (through our County Committee), they will have done the work for you, i.e. visited the house, made sure it was safe, checked out policies and procedures, ensured CM had first aid training etc.

You may have to pay a small premium for a notified or registered Childminder, but imo its worth it.