Parents forced to turn to 'illegal' childminders as costs keep rising for hardpressed families

County Derry parents are being pushed towards 'illegal, unqualified and unchecked' childminders by rising costs while registered childminders struggle to get by according to one local provider.

As parents and childminders across the North feel the weight of the cost of living crisis, a Unite poll found seven out of ten childminders are considering closing due to high costs.

Vicky Seviour of Vicky’s VIPS childminders in Maghera has been providing the service for seven years. She says rising costs and capacity limits have been forcing legal providers to raise their prices.

Last year she had to raise to her fee for the first time since she opened in 2016 to keep up with rapidly increasing costs.

“I started childminding in 2016, charging £30 per day, and had to increase that to £35 in September. This is still below the NICMA [Northern Ireland Childminding Association] suggestion of £40, but I don't want to burden parents more when they are already feeling the pinch,” she said.

“Rising rates, mortgages, electricity etc. mean that money is tighter for everyone. My families send packed lunches so rising food costs haven't affected us too much, but certainly I have to think more carefully about excursions.

“During February half term we went more to places that were free, like parks or forests, rather than fun farms or museums. We also attend a mums and tots group most mornings, to reduce the heating bill.”

Vicky says she is fortunate that her two assistants are family volunteers as it would be impossible for her to pay minimum wage. This is not an option for most registered providers.

“It isn't viable for me to pay for an assistant with the minimum wage increasing, and I doubt that I actually earn the rate for the amount of hours I do. But for most of us, it gives flexibility to spend time with our own children, and do a job we enjoy and can be proud of.

During the pandemic childminders were left without enough support Ms Seviour says. Parents were not sending their children during lockdown and out of lockdown many providers were wary of taking children into their homes so their income was severely reduced.

Another issue for providers is the limits restricting registered childminders' capacity. If a provider is unregistered they are able to take on as many children as they like.

“I'm proud to be a member of Unite Childminders NI, who are calling for greater flexibility with our ratios.

“A limit of three children under school age is effectively an income cap, and some of these children may be at preschool until late morning. In other parts of the UK, childminders can use continuity of care or their own discretion to look after up to six children under the age of eight.”

“No registered childminder would take on more children than they are able to adequately care and provide for, but I've had to turn away a family that's been with me for years when they had a new sibling.

“Yet illegal 'childminders' are subject to no limits, taking the families we are forced to turn away, not declaring income, not paying for resources, insurance or training, and reducing the professionalism of the early years sector.”

Ms Seviour says she would like to see a reestablished Northern Ireland Executive take action to address the issue as the recent UK budget did not do enough.

“More and more people are turning to illegal, unqualified, unchecked minders thinking that they are cheaper.

“I hope the government here will consider more practical and urgent ways to implement change here to raise standards, support families and treat us as professional early years educators.

“Finally implementing the overdue childcare strategy would go a long way, giving consideration to the fact that home from home settings are needed for young and more sensitive children, rather than push them into larger, more expensive school-like environments.”

Ms Seviour says she would like to see the tax free childcare scheme enhanced and childcare payments paid directly to registered providers only to ‘reduce fraudulent claims and support the professional industry’.

Meanwhile, a Unite survey revealed that 69% of the union’s registered childminder members are considering leaving the profession

The union is seeking a meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to address the ‘growing child care crisis’ in the province.

Unite has called on Chris Heaton-Harris to clarify which elements, if any, of the additional childcare funding announced in the recent Budget have been earmarked for the province.

Addressing the issue of ratio reform as an increasing number of Northern Ireland childminders choose to flee the sector, Unite’s Susan Fitzgerald expressed concern that ‘public policy is failing’ working parents and women working as childminders.

Susan explained: “Parents working outside the home depend on other workers – predominantly women – caring for children inside their own home. Yet public policy is failing both sets of workers.

“Unite is aware of 10 registered childminders who de-registered just last week amidst a continuing cost-of-living crisis which has seen childminders’ heating and lighting bills double.

“Northern Ireland is facing a growing childcare crisis, but it is unclear how much, if any, of the new Budget 2023 childcare funding will be available to Northern Ireland.