What to do if your assistant is sick

Last updated: April 2026

Having an assistant is a brilliant way to grow your setting and care for more children. But it does bring extra planning and responsibility. One of the most common questions we hear from childminders who work with assistants is; what happens if my assistant calls in sick? This article walks you through exactly what to do, what your options are, and how to prepare so you're never caught off guard.

When your assistant is sick, the most important thing to understand is this. You cannot care for more children than your registration allows as a solo childminder.

Your assistant's registration allows them to be counted in your child-to-adult ratios. If they're not present, those extra places aren't available. There's no automatic right to continue caring for additional children in their absence, however short-notice the situation is or however long the children have been with you.

The standard EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) ratios for a solo childminder are:

If you were caring for children above those numbers because your assistant was in ratio, you'll need to act quickly when they're unavailable.

As soon as you know your assistant won't be coming in, work out how many children are due that day and compare that to what you can manage safely alone. Ask yourself:

If yes, you're within your standard ratios and there's no ratio issue. Your day can continue as normal, minus your assistant's support. Just make sure you're still able to meet the needs of all the children safely.

If no, you have children booked in that you cannot legally care for alone. Move to the next steps.

If an assistant calling in sick puts you over ratio, call the tiney safeguarding line as soon as possible. Don't wait and hope for the best. Acting quickly gives us the best chance of helping you find a solution.

Every situation is different, and tiney will work through the options with you in real time. In some circumstances, we may be able to support an emergency ratio variation to allow children to remain in your care. But this is assessed case by case and is not guaranteed. It depends on the ages of the children, their individual needs, whether the setting can safely accommodate them, and whether an appropriate risk assessment can be put in place quickly.

If you can't accommodate all the children booked in on that day (either because tiney cannot approve an emergency variation, or because you've assessed it as unsafe) you'll need to contact affected families as early as possible to arrange alternative care.

This is an understandably difficult conversation. Be honest, apologetic, and as practical as you can. Helping families find alternative childminders in your area, where possible, is a kind thing to do.

Any emergency situation in your setting, including one where you've been placed over ratio through no fault of your own, should be notified to tiney as a significant event. You can do this through the tiney app or by messaging us directly.

This isn't about getting into trouble. It's about keeping a clear record and making sure the safeguarding team can support you if any follow-up is needed.

This is something childminders, particularly those with multiple assistants, sometimes ask about. A pre-approved ratio variation specifically for staff sickness is not something tiney normally grants. Ratio variations are intended to reflect specific, planned circumstances (for example, caring for siblings, or maintaining continuity of care), not as a blanket emergency cover arrangement.

The better approach is to plan your setting in a way that minimises the risk. See the section on planning ahead below.

The best time to think about what happens when an assistant is sick is before it happens.

Think through the scenarios and write them down as part of your risk assessment. What would you do if your assistant called in sick? Who would you contact first? How would you notify parents? Having this documented means you can act quickly and calmly, rather than scrambling in the moment.

Your contracts should be clear that care is provided based on the staffing available on any given day, and that in the event of staff illness, spaces may not always be available. This helps manage expectations and avoids difficult conversations further down the line.

If your setting depends heavily on one assistant being present to stay within ratios, the risk of a sickness absence is high. Childminders who employ two or more assistants on a rota basis often have more flexibility. If one is sick, another may be able to step in. It's worth thinking carefully about how your rota works and whether you're fully covered.

If you have a ratio variation in place, make sure you have a thorough, up-to-date risk assessment that reflects your setting. A template is available in the resources section of the tiney app to help you structure this.

If your assistant becomes unwell while children are in your care, the same principles apply. Act quickly, assess your numbers, and call tiney if you're at risk of going over ratio.

In an urgent situation where it isn't safe or practical to send children home immediately, tiney can provide real-time advice on your options. In some cases, and where it is safe to do so, an emergency ratio variation may be granted for a short period to allow children to be collected safely. Keeping parents' contact details readily accessible and being able to reach them quickly is really important in situations like this.

Your assistant can only be counted in your ratios once they've been fully registered and approved by tiney, and their suitability letter has been issued. If an assistant is currently going through the registration process, even if they're working with you informally, they cannot be included in your ratios. This applies even if they're physically present in the setting.

If you have any questions about ratios, assistant sickness, or emergency variations, reach out to us via the tiney app or call the safeguarding line. We're always here to help. The sooner you call, the more we can do.