childminder letting kids play xbox 18+

bigmomma051204

Loz01 wrote: »

Sorry OP to hijack the thread but I have a quick question - my niece is 11, in Year 7 and their teacher made them watch The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas because they were learning about the holocaust. Just checked and its a 12 rating, does this mean the school were supposed to contact the parents to check? My niece isn't 12 until June but obv some of her classmates already are. I asked her how it was and she said half the class were in floods of tears lol which isn't surprising.

I can answer that for you Taken from the British Board of Film Classification policy on schools showing films which are rated a certain age classification to children UNDER that age ....

"The age rating decision indicates that the film contains material that we believe is unsuitable for children younger than the age specified. However, there are some cases where it might be reasonable to show a film in a specific educational context where it is properly discussed, presented and orchestrated. For example, some AS and A2 Media or Film Studies exam syllabuses include 18 rated films.
Schools should seek parental consent prior to the screening. We would also recommend obtaining the approval of the Head Teacher and Governors. It is also important to make sure that any children watching are not likely to suffer any ill effects"

carmina_piranha

onlyroz wrote: »

I think that the issue is that the children were allowed unsupervised into a private area of the house for an extended period of time. I'd want to know whether this was normal or a one-off oversight.

Did the childminder apologise and say it will never happen again? What did she say about the nature of these games, was she unaware, or does she think it's okay?

If she thinks it's okay then I think other people's children need protecting from this childminder.

carmina_piranha

Loz01 wrote: »

Sorry OP to hijack the thread but I have a quick question - my niece is 11, in Year 7 and their teacher made them watch The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas because they were learning about the holocaust. Just checked and its a 12 rating, does this mean the school were supposed to contact the parents to check? My niece isn't 12 until June but obv some of her classmates already are. I asked her how it was and she said half the class were in floods of tears lol which isn't surprising.

Oh no, my son was 17 when he described that film to me and I cried :eek: He said he'd cried on the coach full of teenagers on their way to visit a concentration camp.

When he first went abroad with school they asked in the parents meeting if anyone would still be 11, and because there were some, my son included, they said no 12 rated films allowed on the coach.

Then again they watched Blackadder in a history lesson and that's a 15. Maybe it depends on the teacher, I don't know if the teachers being in loco parentis means they can make that decision?

Even if they can, I don't think a childcare setting should be able to make the decision on 18 rated material.

Spendless

Loz01 wrote: »

Sorry OP to hijack the thread but I have a quick question - my niece is 11, in Year 7 and their teacher made them watch The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas because they were learning about the holocaust. Just checked and its a 12 rating, does this mean the school were supposed to contact the parents to check? My niece isn't 12 until June but obv some of her classmates already are. I asked her how it was and she said half the class were in floods of tears lol which isn't surprising.

A film at the cinema is 12A, which means an under 12 IS allowed to watch it there, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. When it goes to dvd format it becomes just a 12 (without the A), this is so the children can't buy it and watch it without an adult being aware that they have it.

When my eldest went into yr7, the English department sent a letter home saying they were studying Hamlet and wanted to show them a dvd of it, but their preferred choice was one that had a 15 rating, so asked us for permission. So, yes the school should have asked permission as already explained by a prior poster.

FBaby

That is neither here nor there though is it? A LOT of child minders become so because they have a child of their own and it suits them better to stay at home, become a childminder and make money. And they are perfectly adequate/good childminders. Its a JOB, at the end of the day! Its not a "calling"... childminders are not NUNS!

Well from my perspective as a mum, spending a lot of money on childcare, I did want a childminder who went into it because she happened to love looking after babies and children and therefore chose this job because it made them happy.

Of course, it is totally possible to be a mum and still love to look after other people's children and many do so very well, but when I was looking for a childminder for my baby, I had heard to many stories about such mums giving preferential treatment to their own children and/or offering very little structure or stimulation because they didn't really care to do, or worse, were too exhausted looking after too many children, that since I had a choice, I opted for one who had been a mum, but whose children were in college.

I don't know how much this childminder charges for her services, but the fact that she wasn't aware that the children were playing on the xbox innapriopriately, let alone that she thought it ok to allow her own son to play it speaks volume about her dedication to being a childminder.

Loz01

Thanks everyone, that was as I thought! Im not surprised half the class were crying tho, Ive seen the film and I was upset and Im 28!! :rotfl: but it IS a bit bad of the school not to check, I know they are nearly 12 but still. Hope none of them were of a nervous disposition!

onlyroz

bigmomma051204 wrote: »

I disagree. That is NOT the issue. Because if that was the only issue, then it would not be a massive safeguarding concern. A couple of children heading off upstairs when childminders busy with toddlers/babies - with the invitation of the childminders son, is no "Biggie"... Okay, so she might need to have a talk with them and moan that they shouldnt be going into her private home areas, but actually that is more to do with HER privacy, rather than their safety unless there are identified hazards in those areas.

It *is* the issue because a childminder is categorically not allowed to let their charges into the private areas of the house. The childminder that my son used to go to had three rooms of the house set out for use by the children under her charge - she said that she effectively had to turn those rooms into the equivalent of a nursery, ensuring that she had all the necessary washing and cooking facilities, and all the necessary safety measures in place. The only time the children ever went into other areas of the house was to travel through them to get to the rooms at the back.

In the OPs case it sounds like the childminder didn't know that the kids were going upstairs to play the video game, but the fact that she let them out of her sight where she had no idea what they were up to is concerning.

jp1964

I am an ex childminder, and wanted to make a few points, firstly that some childminders are registered to allow children access to some bedroom areas of the house and Ofsted inspect these areas to ensure safety, especially for very young children who may be using these areas as a sleeping area away from the rest of the house.

I only allowed access to the downstairs areas of my house, and a stair gate was in place to stop anyone going upstairs.

I am appalled that the children had access to these games, even though the childminder was unaware that the children had this game, it is her duty to check that all children in her care are supervised according to their age, so she should have first of all made sure that the activity they were doing was appropriate, and if this game was in the house, it should have been locked away whilst childminded children were on the premises.

I used to do a quick visual sweep of the house to make sure that there was nothing dangerous or inappropriate before the children arrived at my house, having teenagers, they did have older age games, and these were always kept away from the younger children whilst they were there.

I do think that older children are fine to play independently, and the over 8s I cared for did, and had a wonderful time doing so, but just letting them do whatever they please and be totally unsupervised is not on.

I laid on activities for them in the holidays and after school, that is part of my job, and they also had plenty of time for more independent free play with me just checking in on them to make sure all was well. In fact, I was often roped into the games!

I know you say that you have a contract, but it should specify the notice terms on it, and you say it doesn't? Poor paperwork by the childminder in that case, and if there is no clause about notice, you can withdraw your children straight away.

I do also have to take issue with another comment, I didn't take on childminding just because I love children and enjoy their company, it was to be able to be at home for my own children and earn money at the same time, the enjoyment of children's company and liking caring for them was just who I am, but if I had not needed to earn the money I wouldn't have done it. You can be a perfectly good childminder without necessarily loving your job, just as in any job you can be aiming to provide a high standard of service and do it well.

Of course you have to like children and understand them, but to present it as some kind of saintly calling is a bit of a misrepresentation.

When I gave it up, it was a real sense of freedom, it just didn't work any more as my kids got older, I still love kids but don't need or want to do it any more.

bigmomma051204

onlyroz wrote: »

It *is* the issue because a childminder is categorically not allowed to let their charges into the private areas of the house. The childminder that my son used to go to had three rooms of the house set out for use by the children under her charge - she said that she effectively had to turn those rooms into the equivalent of a nursery, ensuring that she had all the necessary washing and cooking facilities, and all the necessary safety measures in place. The only time the children ever went into other areas of the house was to travel through them to get to the rooms at the back.

In the OPs case it sounds like the childminder didn't know that the kids were going upstairs to play the video game, but the fact that she let them out of her sight where she had no idea what they were up to is concerning.

The highlighted statement is factually INCORRECT and therefore renders the rest of your post fairly pointless, sorry :cool:

bigmomma051204

FBaby wrote: »

Well from my perspective as a mum, spending a lot of money on childcare, I did want a childminder who went into it because she happened to love looking after babies and children and therefore chose this job because it made them happy.

Of course, it is totally possible to be a mum and still love to look after other people's children and many do so very well, but when I was looking for a childminder for my baby, I had heard to many stories about such mums giving preferential treatment to their own children and/or offering very little structure or stimulation because they didn't really care to do, or worse, were too exhausted looking after too many children, that since I had a choice, I opted for one who had been a mum, but whose children were in college.

I don't know how much this childminder charges for her services, but the fact that she wasn't aware that the children were playing on the xbox innapriopriately, let alone that she thought it ok to allow her own son to play it speaks volume about her dedication to being a childminder.

The highlighted bit - it DOES speak volumes. But not about someone's "dedication" to being a childminder .... It speak volumes about her safeguarding knowledge and also possibly about her own views on age appropriate video games (and other media possibly)

Have a read of jp1964's post a little further up... she makes the point FAR better than I could hope to. But as I said previously.. childminding is a JOB, no more or less. It isn't a calling - most (lucky) people choose a career firstly to make money, and secondly because its in the field they are interested in. I have worked with families/children for a majority of my career - and some of them have been utter toe rags ... have I treated them differently or with less care than the ones who were NOT vile? Nope - because I am a professional...... Just because I chose my career, doesn't mean that I cease to have an opinion or personality! :rotfl: