No more variations for childminders?????

[childmindermk]

I was at childminders group today and one of the other childminders was saying that she had recently had a variation put in place but told that ot would be her last as OFSTED are not giving ANY variation from September 2012 regardless of whether they are for continuity of care for siblings or whatever!

I have heard nothing of the sort and actually plan to ask for a variation for the sibling of a currently minded child to start september when mum returns to work from maternity leave!

Has anyone else have any knowledge about this?

Any information would be great!

TIA
childmindermk

My understanding is that instead of Ofsted granting the variation they will refer the CM to the revised EYFS to see if this permits what they are requesting & it will be up to the CM to assess if they have enough space, the right equipment, meets the variation criteria & they can still meet the individual needs of all the children, and if so the CM grants themselves the variation...

I will be able to grant myself a variation ... gotta love this government!

thanks for the reply...that sounds all a bit too good to be true to me although great if its correct!

Does anyone else know anything?

Was about to get very annoyed but if it means granting them ourselves then GREAT as I find their forms incredibly annoying!!!

Surely not does anyone have a link to any where to confirm this?!

i can't seem to find any info about it anywhere which is why i came on here to ask!

All i can find is that the new revised EYFS will be released in the spring 2012, and will be in place from September 2012, but nothing specifying any details about it yet!

I have heard the same thing regarding self variation. As long as you are within your numbers for under 8's and do not have more than 4 under 5's then we can grant them ourselves.

Hi, I usually lurk but as this consulation is only open til April 6th 2012 and my early years worker sent me a copy of it this afternoon, Regulation of Providers on the Early Years Register Ref No 110152 - hope my link works
www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/ofsted-seeks-views-regulation-of-early-years-and-childcare-providers?news=18349

Hi,

Thank you Cheescake4me the link works.
I had my 1st OFSTED inspection in Feb and was told I should apply for variation as my mum is also a childminder. So now I'm thinking do I go ahead with the variation form of 20 pages or do I wait till Sept 2012. ...

Would it be naive to think OFSTED would tell us if we rang them? I also need a variation in September for a sibling. This change would be great. I only mind preschool age, so would rather have 4 and no others!

Bigpaws, the revised EYFS is not yet finalised, so OFSTED would not be able to tell you what the end result would be. It is likely, in my opinion, that most of the proposals would be followed.

If OFSTED do not give you a final answer it is because they do not have it yet.

Hi bigpaws...that is exactly the same for me...although i work with another childminder and we only have pre-schoolers but can have 6 at a time although we currently have a variation in place which allows us to have 7 as i had a baby myself when we were full, then again to accomodate the sibling of a currently minded child and will need the same again in September for a sibling....it will still mean that it will be to allow us to have 7 at any one time between us, the same as it has done the last 2 times we have needed it!
We dont have any older children, in fact the eldest we have at mo is 3 years.

Thanks for all the replies. Mumsnet is great for information like this that seems impossible to find elsewhere!

I'm new to mumsnet, but I love it too! Especially great when you can join a discussion with people experiencing the same as you.

I am also new but so please to hear this news, need a variation in september so will wait and do it myself. what next i wonder, will we be inspecting ourselves??

I reckon they'll have us inspecting each other!

I'll volunteer to inspect KatyMac - I'd love to have a nose around her setting