Because my first aid cert is out of date, I am nnow being graded inadequate in several areas, and inadequate overall.

This means I have n overall grading of indeqaute - and am stuck with it for at least six months!

(My first aid course was booked and I missed it due to illness, and am rebooked on another one)

I am feeling very upset and on the edge right now. A parent came to pick mindee up just after I got off the phone and was very angry on my behalf, and very consoling.

surely youcan't be graded as inadequate just for having some lapsed paper work?

Is this going to cause you problems recruiting mindees? Because I'm sure your existing parents will understand, if you explain the reasons.
You know you are not inadequate.

Isn't the point of OFSTED to report on educational standards?

I'm sorry, but who cares! I appreciate that the grading can be important for new parents, but as long as your existing parents know why, and it doesn't seem to affect your ability to look after the children, just treat it as a paper exercise!

And you'll know for next time.

Not worth worrying about. Really!

Inadequate is a hurtful word though, it must be very demoralising

Get the paperwork up to date and try to move forward - as others say, this this is just hoop-jumping, you know whether you're offering a good level of childcare or not.

oh god what a nightmare you poor thing. Can imagine how you feel. It doesn't help that these courses are so difficult to get places on and are so expensive.
Mine lapsed in the summer, I called ofsted to tell them that I would bewithout a valid cert. for three months and they said it was fine. I thinkthis sounds very unfair. You have made every reasonable effort to renew it, both by booking on one in the first place and then by rebooking when you couldnt do the first one. Very unfair, very for you. Do you feel up to ringing them tomorrow and pointing this out? Would you feel up to appealing? I think this would be fair enough if you just hadn't bothered to renew but in your circs. it seems very harsh. I understand why you feel gutted, it's a bloody hard job at the moment as it is,without this type of thing knocking your confidence as well.

Is it worth appealing? Not sure on that one, as they inspected, found the paperwork out of date, thus you didn't meet the criteria. You had an excuse and have rebooked the course, but as it stands at the time of inspection the paperwork wasn't correct.
It's a pain but Ofsted did their job and applied the rules. If the inspector had accepted an out-of-date certificate, then we would be moaning about that, wouldn't we.
Probably best to move forward get the course done and try to get Ofsted to reinspect again at a later date.

Aw Sammy, that's a bummer. I think I'd try to appeal to. I know when I was minding and inspected, I had something out of place, but they put a recommendation on my record and as soon as it was done, it was removed, iyswim. I can't even remember what it was now. Surely, since you have first aid training and have shown that we are booked on another course, they should be slightly more accommodating. Its not as if you have no knowledge at all.

I also agree with others. As long as your current parents are happy with the service and you don't need to recruit new mindees, you'll be fine.

I had a 'satisfactory' grading once and I could give a flying fig. I was full for 12 years, with most mindees coming from recommendations. I can understand that your grading is slightly more damaging. To your self confidence, if nothing else. Speak to your parents, I'm sure they'll all be fine about it and at the end of the day, they are the ones that count. Do give an appeal a go though.

Bloody hell! You poor thing!

Here is another story of OFSTED's contrariness: a friend CM was called for inspection. She was given WEEKS and WEEKS notice. While she was getting ready she discovered her FA certificate had expired so she called the inspector who delayed her inspectio so she could attend the FA course. Had she not done so she would have been graded inadequate.

I tend to agree with Nannynick but you have all my sympath. What bad luck.

Oh sammy you must feel really really cross.

I am shocked that they can just change the grading like that.

Sorry for you SammyK

Poor you sammy. Mine had lapsed too when i had my last inspection as I hadn't been minding for quite some time. I had booked myself on a new course but it wasn't for several months. My inspector was lovely - she explained that she wanted to give me a good overall but might not be able to as my certificate had run out. The she rang me to say she had explained my situation to her boss and was allowed to give me a good overall as she was happy with everything else.

As the others say though I doubt that will matter much to the parents of your current mindees. I don't know if its worth appealing but good luck if you decide to go down that route.

Sammy, so and for you. I agree that as long as your current parents don't mind then don't panic.

Personnally, I have never had a parent ask to see my inspection report let alone ask for my grading.

Thanks everyone for replying, my next lot of mindees came and left, then we popped straight out to asda!

I don't know if I have the strength to appeal, although knowing that there are different rules for different minders is annoying - inspector pretty much told me her hands were tied and her boss was telling her to change the gradings.

I am so relieved my books are full, if was trying to fill vacancies I would find this even more upsetting. All my parents are more than happy with the care I provide, argh.

Glad you sound like you feel a little bit better about this now. It is very annoying, hope you get it sorted as soon as you get the new first aid cert.

Do that many parents look at the Ofsted ratings? We've been using CMs for about the last 16 years - and still a few more to go. I know OFSTED / EFYS is quite new but don't most parents go on word of mouth recommendations? I find many of the examples of OFSTED stuff funny in many ways but very sad - should really focus on making sure kids are happy and thriving - stuff like different hand towels washed each day - WTF - what happens when they go out into the real world??????? I know our CM hates the paperwork but is a fab and caring minder - luckily she is part of a small group that help each other out and organise trips, craft making stuff (no cooking now cos its banned .

Cooking - banned - why? WTF is OFSTED doing to our profession? They are making our lives helll by bringing utterly stupid rules.

ie separate hand towels for the children, I am NOT a nursery which has the room to put these towels and I am not running my washing machine all day long for a couple of towels either. When they go to nursery and primary they get paper towels and half the time they are soggy or have run out.

Its a good job I booked to attend a First Aid course, now 12 hours (4x3 hour long sessions). Went to my first one on Tuesday and the place which was holding it offered us bloody coffee and tea, no biccies and I was starving after having just finished work hald an hour earlier at 5.30! I had to buy something on the way home. I think I'll be complaining, they could at least have sandwiches or summat.

No cooking? My (fab) childminder still makes cakes and biscuits etc

Mum2Luke - If you haven't got room for different hand towels can they not just use paper towels or kitchen towel?

I wash my towels regularly anyway, they are in the wash more than out of it! I am not starting buying more and more things as I am seriously thinking of giving up next year.

My electricity bill (and water)has shot up because of these rules, would OFSTED like to pay it?

I do all my paperwork, have policies etc for them to grade me, the children's parents are pleased with me so they (OFSTED) can take a running jump! I help run a Childminder Network group and I take photos of everything I do which again costs me a small fortune in printing inks.

oh no sammy ((HUGS))

hope you get it sorted

When I was childminding each mindee had their own flannel/facecloth as their own towel. They don't take up much room in the wash and are perfect for little hands. Ikea used to do 10 for £1.

that's a good idea

Sorry to hear it. When I looked for a CM or nanny I knew about OFSTED registration but didnt know they actually graded you. When I was a teacher I remember my lessons being graded satisfactory and some of them were really good lessons that I put my heart and soul into. I actually cracked up after an OFSTED at school.

Will it have financial implications for the parents, though? What I mean is, can they still claim back tax credits if youre graded inadequate? Are you regarded as still being registered? Sorry to raise these points, but you never know.

They do have fairly stringent things that they look for when making judgements and need to be able to back them up with observations.

Did you agree with the feedback you were given immediately following your inspection?

The power of these people is frightening (imho). Most people involved in education will take any ruling with a pinch of salt.

Hmm Ofsted are there to ensure that a seeting offers a safe and stimulating environment for children- how can that be a bad thing?

They assess how strong your policies and procedures are for...say health and hygiene, will ascertain how good your knowledge of child protection procedures are- those are two examples of the 'staying safe' part of Every Child Matters. Lack of first aid would be a concern as you need to have up-to-date training in the event of a child having an accident. Further to that you would not have been insured to give first aid either.

That's just one part of ECM though.
They would also have looked at how stimulating the activities are that the children are offered, and how strong partnerships with parents are too.

All of that aside- you should have had the opportunity at your feedback session to have queried or clarified any of the inspector's concerns- did they offer you that?

Knowing the way that Ofsted work, If my childminder was graded inadequate in several areas I would worry- sorry.

OMG sammyK sorry haven't time to read thread just wanted to say i'm sorry to hear this .

My inspector said I had lots of positive things to my setting, and that her heart sank when she realised my first aid cert was out of date. I am absolutely gutted about it, at my last inspection I was graded good in every area, and do so much more now three years on, my first aid cert fell by the wayside in terms of rebooking it as I had a relationship crisis, followed by the realisation DS was on the autistic spectrum, I then booked one and was ill. I have had a very crappy year, I hadn't not renewed it due to lack of concern or arrogance, I take pride in my work and all the families I mind for are happy with me.

"If my childminder was graded inadequate in several areas I would worry- sorry."



I was not graded inadequate in several areas, until insectors boss told her I had to be due to my first aid being out of date (even though I know of other minders who hav been booked on a course and that has been fine).

ShinyPinkShoes, inspector was happy with my policies, activities, amazed at my 22m old mindee speaking in sentences, the changing facilties I had, feedback from school aged kids, kids art work on all the walls, detaile daily diaries, etc.

I am a good child minder - I know I am am, as do the parents I mind for thankfully.
All my work comes from recommendations from parents or the local primary school who I work closely with.

It is because I put so much into this job that I am so sad at the result of the grading - I do understand about my first aid, and realise why I need it.

I am now concerned about the implications of my grading - I will have to look into this as I don''t want it to cause problems for the parents I mind for.

Will you be able to get on a FA course asap and then are you allowed to get your grading changed, or do you have to go into a kind of specila measures type thing? or wait 3 years as inadequate before you can be inspected again?

The inspector said I will be inspected aain within 6-12 months, and then the inadequate will be lifted. I asked if I got on a more immediate first aid course booking, would they reinspect me sooner, and she said I wold have to call the Ofsted regional office and ask, but she couldn't say that they would.

Obviously they have a certain amount of cms an other settings to inspect, so have their limits which I understand.

I still don't have my written inspection report yet, when I get it I may appeal. I have a lot going on with DS at the moment and don't know if I can summon the energy.

Chin up - people who know how these things work will NOT be concerned, especially if you explain why you got 'inadequate'. Believe in yourself. Bureaucracy has a lot to answer for. The things that make a really good childminder cannot be measured.

Chin up - people who know how these things work will NOT be concerned, especially if you explain why you got 'inadequate'. Believe in yourself. Bureaucracy has a lot to answer for. The things that make a really good childminder cannot be measured.

If the lack of a first aid cert was the only thing outstanding then you may well have been graded as inadequate in 'staying safe' and/or 'being healthy' but not both - and certainly not an inadequate overall.

If that is the case I'd say appeal.

Hi there, sorry to hear about your latest grading, i too as a childminder would be gutted.
I Live in London and have been told all the first aid classes untill April 09 have been booked up and no chance of getting on them as waiting lists are just as huge.

In all honesty though, i have never had a parent ask me what grade i got or to see my inspection report and hope you can take some comfort that same goes for a lot of minders.

Will only really be those who got OUTSTANDING who are really going to shout out 'I got outstanding on my latest perport' as opose to parents expecting it.

OFSTED Definatly put the depressive factor into childminding, as we hear on the news school teachers have the same worries over them, half the time they dig to find something not perfect to be able to give you a recomendation to say they have done something.

Please put in an appeal and try to get your first aid done, and hopefully you will have comfort in seeing a change in your grade.

Overall though hun keep up the good work, whether you got unsatisfactory or outstanding, a parent will know if you are genuine when they visit you and they know if they take to you or not, whatever the grade. You will be fine.