Vistors book

[Sandym3g]

Hi there.

Realised that we need a vistors book. I know I can do one via excel but what do you have in it? Is it date, name, crb, in, out. Is that sufficiant?
Also who should sign it? Do parents have to sign it or is it only for workmen etc?

When I had my inspection in May, my inspector commented that she did not think a visitors book was necessary! I had always had one but she said for an individual minder with no one else working in the house, I did not need a visitors book - no doubt at the next inspection, they will be looking for the visitors book!!!

She did remark that if I wished to use one, the entries in it should definitely be made by me and not the visitor (not sure why??).

The information I would include would be time in, time out, name, (company if applicable), purpose of visit.

My inspector (also in May) told me a visitor's book was unnecessary too.

I don't have a VB, my inspector (inspected in JUne this year) did not query it

& I was picked up because although I have a visitors book; I have no record of when DH was in the house

Consistency.....always consistency

There is no obligation to have a visitor's book, there's nothing in EYFS to say you must have one. It does mention one, but the wording is such that it is down to each individual setting to decide whether to have one. For a nursery or preschool or larger childminding setting they could be useful in case of fire/emergency in checking who is in the building. There is a chance one member of staff could admit a visitor and other members of staff might not know they're in the building so can be helpful in maintaining safety standards and minimising risk. A childminder working alone would always know who is in the building but if (s)was injured in an emergency a visitors book (if visible and easily spotted) would show rescue people who is in the building.

But some consider them an invasion of privacy and not in keeping with the parent's right to confidentiality. Some people live very complicated lives - concerns I've received have been mainly from prospective parents who felt that they didn't want a soon-to-be ex husband and a prospective rival for the same job to know they had been visiting me. Another concern was that if a parent had visited regularly it might indicate to others that their child had issues that needed discussion. Some people only use them to record visits from tradesmen & Ofsted.

Think about WHY you want or don't want a visitors book. Its good practice to keep some sort of record of who has been in the property while you are childminding, in case of any complaint or child protection issue. Meter reader, tradesmen, your relatives/neighbours, your partner/husband and children, your children's friends etc.

I don't have one and have no intention of starting one.
I tend not to make appointments for people to come to the house while i'm minding but if I do its usually written on the calender, thats enough for me.