Has anyone used Baby's days?

[HiccupHaddockHorrendous]

My friend has just signed up to this and is raving about it but after she'd spent ages telling me how great it is, I discovered how much it costs!

I expected a one-off payment so was a bit when I saw how much it was.

Does anyone use it? Is it suitable for CSSIW cms? Is there a cheaper alternative?

I wouldn't touch that site with a barge pole! The guy who runs it has been in some spectacular slanging matches on internet forums when people have asked reasonable questions about his product after he's come on trying to promote it.

What is it you feel you need from a site like this? Is there an element of planning or record-keeping you're struggling with?

I'm happy to recommend an alternative by PM if you're interested but you should probably look into whether you really need something like this for a childminding setting in the first place.

Interesting. I had a feeling I'd heard something about it before.

I was interested in the online diary sharing, the online and having everything in one place.

The way I do things at the moment is fine, I thought it might make everything look a bit more professional but then again, I'm not sure I need to look more professional .

Maybe i'd be better off with a website and have a parents area to share diaries/photos etc.

Take a look at orbit, I use it. It's fab and free and even has an iPhone app.

Ooh, great thanks! I'll have a look later

You just need to think carefully about where the children's information is stored. Is it will be on someone else's server it is your responsibility to ensure that it is stored securely, especially if you're including photos, dates of birth, addresses, etc. How would you go about doing that? How do you ensure that the people running any of these sites have current CRBs, won't share the information with third parties, etc? I'm not saying that anybody would, just that you need to be able to show that you are keeping the children in your care safe.

I know that a lot of people got their fingers burnt with the Sparklebox fiasco and that was a site which just put cookies on your own PC AFAIK, nobody actively sent them information.

The new EYFS should mean that inspections are less focussed on paperwork and more on your interaction with and knowledge of the children. I'd be spending time working out how I showed that I linked the children's learning with established skills and next steps, establish secure relationships, provide good access to flexible resources, etc if I were you.

I think it's absolutely great. we find it's worth every penny. It keeps everything organised and with the new EYFS they have updated it recently and put in new features. Including a simple way to do the 2 year progress check. I would say give it a trial and if you don't like it after that withdraw. As with all these things I would advise you have to make your own mind about these things. Don't let mine or others opinions be the reason you join or not.

I love it ive had it for 3yrs now
The parents love looking at the photos each night and all the childrens info is together and up to date