calling all ofsted registered childminders- advice please

[taytotayto]

hi guys
i am lucky enough to have an excellent childminder who looks after my 18 month old 2 days a week. dd just loves going so when i found out i was pregnant again i worried that "lucy" our childminder might not have the place to take our new baby. i am due in april and intend to take a year off so i hope to go back to work april ish of 2012. however i would go back at 9 months if a space came available. anyway last week lucy mentioned it shouldnt be a problem getting baby no 2 in as she would ask ofsted to allow baby due to her having our dd already. i cant remember what she called it but im sure someone on her will tell me. what i want to know is what are the chances of getting it as she mentioned she is full to capasity and is taking on twins soon, and already has 2 on this special ofsted thing. im so worried she wont have a place and am already worrying. how soon could she apply for this thing from ofsted.
can anyone offer some reassurance please.

It's called a variation. It may be that one or more of her other children will have started full time school by April 2012 and be in a different age bracket. The other variations may be for different days to yours. It is probably not worth her applying now, because her circumstances will almost certainly change within the next year (mine change practically weekly at the moment). Ofsted are not normally very interested in planning far ahead in the future.

Hi, I think what you are talking about is a variation and poss could be granted for continuity of care. You say your cm already has one so if she takes your 2 and the twins how many children will she have? It is a long way ahead and things change. You may find she will have a space anyway. How about seeing how things are with her in say September. I would think she would have time to apply for the variation then or she may have a place anyway for which you may have to pay a retainer for her to hold it. Sorry I can't be of more help!

thanks for your help. she has a helper 3 days a week and i think on the days i need she seems to have about 7 toddlers between her and her helper. i dont know what ill do if we dont get the variation. she is so popular she has a huge waiting list. i know my neighbour tried to get her little boy in but she has no upcoming places. i would pay a retainer she is that good. can i ask while im her about before and after school children and do they count towards a c minders numbers. how many can a cm take.

"may care for no more than 6 children under 8; not more than 3 may be in the early years age group and of these, not more than 1 may be under 1 year at any one time (early years register, compulsary part of the childcare register)"

this what my certificate says.

They might vary the under 5's allowance as it is a sibling but they will never let a cm have more than 6 under 8 at any one time.