looking after friends baby

bkca1230

hi im a housewife and my best friend is having a baby, if she goes back to work can i look after the baby or are there rules and regulations for this. i will do this voluntary and not get paid.any help please.

fawd1

No is the simple answer. See link below for do's and dont's and remember that they can be very strict if someone chooses to report it. In theory, not only can you not be paid, but you also can't receive payment in kind. So, if she offers to babysit for you as a way of saying thanks, that technically breaks the rules. Not sure how anyone would find any of this out anyway though.

http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/pages/i-provide-childcare-for-my-relativefriends-children.html

Nicki

I think you can provided you aren't being paid. Or you can be paid if you look after the child in their own home not yours.

Best thing to do would be to speak to the Children's Services department in your area and describe exactly what you want to do and ask them what rules if any apply to your plan.

tyllwyd

There is another article here
http://www.netmums.com/work-childcare/childcare-swaps-the-rules

System

would registering as a child-minder be an option? What sort of criteria would the OP have to meet?

Mojisola

bkca1230 wrote: »

hi im a housewife and my best friend is having a baby, if she goes back to work can i look after the baby or are there rules and regulations for this. i will do this voluntary and not get paid.any help please.

If you want to stay as best friends, be very sure what you're taking on!

How easy-going is the Mum? Will she let you look after the baby in a way that suits you or will there be lots of rules? How would she react if the baby had a fall or got sick - would you get blamed?

What arrangements will be in place if you aren't well or want to go on holiday?

And that's just for starters....

Tupperware_Queen

my sister's friend offered to look after her baby when she went back to work...let's just say things have not turned out how either of them expected. My sister works unsocial hours, her friend expects my sister to pick up the baby at 2 am in the morning when she finishes work, meaning the baby gets woken at silly o'clock, which you can imagine is not great. This is just one of many many similar hiccups, all of which mean that their friendship is at breaking point, and my sister is frequently left with no childcare with minimal notice.

She is now trying to find a local nursery who can provide professional child care, and is hoping the friendship will recover when the stress of childcare is removed

Be careful what you take on

lolly_896

As others have said becareful what you take on...

I didn't realise it could be a problem - i've looked after my friends little boy on numerous occasions. Once for 4 nights whilst she was in hospital?

MarilynMonroe_2

Have you had much experience with babies before?

I'd make sure you know what you're taking on before you make her a promise, no offence to my daughter, but it wasnt what I was expecting lol I'd WANT to be paid x

bkca1230

thank you for all the replies, im 38 my friend is 37 we have been friends for about 20 years. i have already got 2 teenage children and this is her 1st baby. i just suggested to her that i could look after baby as she cant afford to not go back to work. will consider all options thank you

fluffnutter

fawd1 wrote: »

No is the simple answer. See link below for do's and dont's and remember that they can be very strict if someone chooses to report it. In theory, not only can you not be paid, but you also can't receive payment in kind. So, if she offers to babysit for you as a way of saying thanks, that technically breaks the rules. Not sure how anyone would find any of this out anyway though.

http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk/pages/i-provide-childcare-for-my-relativefriends-children.html

I've read the link and I'm not sure that it prohibits your looking after your friend's children. The sentence below has 'ands' in it, not 'ors'. Therefore, provided you're not being paid, you can look after your friends' kids without having to register. This makes sense to me; why shouldn't you ask anyone you like to look after your kids? Provided it's not a 'job' it's no business of the authorities.

You are required by law to be registered and inspected by Ofsted in England or CSSIW in Wales if:

you intend to regularly look after her child in your home; and
her child is aged under 8; and
the care is for more than 2 hours per day; and
you will be receiving payment from her for it.

(My emphasis on the 'ands').