CM - sent off my ofsted forms but now what?

[Nicadooby]

Hi lovely ladies,

Well ive sent off my ofsted forms to become a childminder but i'm REALY worrided about what i need to have in place by the time they come to visit.

How am i ment to write a policy on things i know nothing about ie safe guarding, how on earth do i write a risk assesment?

does anyone know of any on line examples at all?

I am a bit lost

I'm currently in the process too, our Early years team will come out and visit first to make sure we are ready - will yours do the same? Sort of a practice run :)

there are sample policies on the bromley childminding website www.bromleycma.org.uk/ although it is better to write your own but they are good as a guide

We had to write our policies as part of our training but there are plenty of examples on www.bromleycma.org.uk/ but be aware that some are out of date so check the 'Acts' and acronyms as you write them (we got pulled up on those! lol)

lol - X post :)

I've had my visit from the ncma already as they won't give you the ofsted forms until the've been around to check things over.

I'm just confussed on what needs to be in place before ofsted actually come out, I remember I need to write a fire escape plan, something on safe guarding but not sure what else? Maybe something on equal ops

Any ideas on when to buy/join the stuff from ncma?

When the ncma lady came out she said the we no longer get funding for any thing anymore although we were told we would at the pre reg meeting, and they were all under the impression that they were all going to be losing there jobs due to the goverment cut backs, so there not going to be around to help us.

It seems different in different Counties, ours was all through the Council nothing to do with ncma. We went to a briefing then started a course for £25 which lasted 7 weeks then £40 for 2 weeks first aid then a visit from early years where you get to choose out of 2 packs (ncma or Morton michel) which include membership, a years insurance and the books etc.. I know that there used to be a lot more funding and our Council has cut back loads which is crazy as they are desperate for cm's here.

We had to write our policies, risk assessments and emergency plan as part of our cache course including safeguarding, equal ops, behaviour, accident/incident, medicine, lost child... what course did they do where you are?

We are on a waiting list to do I cpop (or something like that) but we've been told the wait is so long for it that we might not even get on by the 6 month mark when ofsted will come to give you a grading inspection.

We've been told to say we are on the waiting list and will do it as soon as possible but it is out if our control.

It amazes me that we are ment to just know all this stuff where other get told about it on the course.

It's CYPOP5 that you'll be waiting to do - the introductory childminding course. Plus presumably your first aid.

Tbh they shouldn't be letting you start the process without the course being available because it really does explain everything. Is there ant chance you could self-fund the course or do you have to do it through your local area?

What a nightmare! I'd be lost without the course, they wouldn't give us the reg forms until we'd done it either - this CYPOP5 is the one we did I wonder if you could do it online?