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Is this OK?

12 replies

crouchingtigeress · 18/11/2011 20:29

Went to visit a cminder this week. While we met in one room, she left two children to play (one 15months, the other 2 yrs was watching a DVD) in the other room, out of sight. We stayed in the other room for about 15mins. Do you reckon this is OK? Interested to hear from other cminders or parents.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
hellhasnofury · 18/11/2011 20:33

No, I don't think it is ok. It wouldn't be acceptable in a nursery so it shouldn't be acceptable for a childminder.

rubyslippers · 18/11/2011 20:35

No it's not

An0therName · 18/11/2011 20:41

really - I would be fine with it and presumably she has to go the loo and the kitchen so has to leave them some point - I assume she did it so you could talk - of course if she did it all the time I wouldn't be happy

looneytune · 18/11/2011 20:43

I'm a CM and no, I don't think this is acceptable at all.

TheOriginalFAB · 18/11/2011 20:45

No, she shouldn't have done that. Surely she realises that prespective parents want to see her in action apart from the fact the children should be always watched.

south345 · 18/11/2011 20:45

Did she have the door open so she could hear them or was she sat so she could look through the door? They must be within sight/sound at all times.

Flisspaps · 18/11/2011 20:46

Ofsted are perfectly happy for children to be left in a room unattended provided the room has been risk assessed before they are left (a quick visual check to make sure nothing dangerous has been left out)

I leave an 18mo mindee and 20mo DD alone downstairs when I go to the loo, or alone in the living room while I pop off to make dinner and the inspector who came to visit me was well aware of this. I'd sooner leave them in there than have them wandering around the kitchen or bathroom, so certainly being in another room with them within earshot wouldn't be an issue for me personally - I'd be perfectly happy if someone else was looking after DD and did this too.

I never arrange first meetings (or contract signing meetings) with prospective parents during working hours though as that would mean I wouldn't be able to talk to them properly with children around. If you need to go off for 15 minutes and have an in-depth conversation with someone then the time to do that is not when you're minding. Far better to come for a second meeting during working hours so you can see how the CM interacts with the children without having to go through all the paperwork etc.

anewyear · 19/11/2011 11:18

Heres my story
in July i had cause for a Ofsted inspector to come and visit me.
She basically told me I had to have the children within sight at all times!

(I did question her on how I could do this, especialy as Ofsted had registered me to use all of the down stairs of my house, and what happened when I need to go to the toilet, make snacks etc? she basically told me that it was up to me to implement said action!!)
She told me I would receive a letter from her, which I had to reply to, as to how I was going to do this, within 14 days of receiving said letter.

Two weeks (of being upset and worried about what had happened in the first place for me to make the call to Ofsted with re to the 'incident' and how I was going to implement the action) later,
I rang Ofsted and told them I still had'nt received said letter!! when would it arrive as I was worried.
I also asked them, where in the Statutory Frame work, it says That I had to keep the children within sight at all times, at that point, the question couldnt be answered and was told someone would call me back.

Same inspector who visted me and gave said action, called Me back and said in rectrospect she wouldnt be giving me the action because of some the things we had spoken about that day, me showing how, what had happened bettween 2 of the children, wouldnt happen again.
That there was a letter in the pipe line due to come out to me explaining this.
Im afraidI told her in no uncertain terms what I thought of my treatment, and to give her her due, she was very apologetic after that.

so no, I dont belive that you have to keep them within sight at all times, dont think its totally possible.

Sorry for the essay, this is just my experience.
.

RitaMorgan · 19/11/2011 12:52

So long as the room is safe and she is listening out for them I don't really see a problem. Do you never let your children out of sight at home?

redglow · 19/11/2011 13:04

I think 15 mins is a long time not to check on a 15 month old. Still a baby anything could happen. Yopu can pop to the toilet as this would not be 15 minutes.

crouchingtigeress · 19/11/2011 13:20

I am usually over pedantic when it comes to childcarers, so it is really good to have other opinions. The children were out of sight but within earshot. From my perspective going to the toilet cannot be avoided, but myself when meeting a parent, as a childminder (or parent) I would probably have brought some toys with us or even just met in the living room were the children were.

Thank you for your views.

OP posts:
anewyear · 19/11/2011 13:29

I think best practice would be to keep popping in and out, a bit of a pain prehaps tho when trying to talk to a potential client?
Which is why when I did have LOs, I have potential parents come on a Saturday morning, peace and quiet then..lol
Then come for a visit when the Minded children are here, to see how they interact with me and myself with them.

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