dreadful ofsted inspection

[africanprincess]

Hi all,
New on this discussion board, so please bear with me!. I have been childminding now for 5 years. At my first inspection, i received a good (which was then the highest grade). I have since gained great experience by being part of the local network, running a weekly drop in, training and looking after different children/families.Last week monday (after my dd had spent 4 hours in hospital after falling), I received a phonecall from inspector at 5pm to say she will be visiting over the next 3 days (either tues, weds or thurs). I finished the drop in on tues to find her waiting for me (less than 24hrs notice). To cut a long story short at the end of her stay she gave me a satisfactory for nit picky stuff such as "putting 2 babies in a travel cot together, as one of the baby sleeps there (in a sleeping bag), they can cross infect! another was that i should have plasters in first aid box (on our course we were told no plasters). I am looking to contest her decision, can i do so, any one had any experience?

Hey star,
I do believe that it all depends on the inspector you get..some are hot on multicultural provision, disability, activites etc. Have your car insurance and driver license to hand - if you use your car, all your consent forms (pictures, outings, emergency medical consent etc), pictures as evidence, demonstrate good hygeine practises and dont forget to tell her what you do as they dont ask anymore. I thouht cm were people who provided good quality care in their family homes. The children are happy and parents are happy, yet we are being turned into nurseries! Teachers, I have the upmost respect for you...I certainly wont want to be one in this day Thank you for all your comments as it's all been useful to me

NannyNick, do you know if we have to have registers signed by parents, I was told I had to, some others have been told not to, can you find the legals for us.

Being worried about our inspections is something even those hardened-minders (like me!!) get worried about. I know I do a good job, my minding parents know I do a good job, and I don't need some naff report available for people to look at which has picked holes in something minor which another inspector wouldn't have had a problem with.

It is the inconsistency which is so intensely irritating, which is why we don't stand a chance of ever being really ready for our inspection.

I was told by my last inspector that we need to keep attendance records, but parents do not need to sign. Therefore I keep it all on my pc.
Inspections are supposed to be every 3 years, aren't they? Has anyone had one a lot sooner than that, without explanation?

2004 Childminding Guidance under Standard 14 says:
"a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises, their hours of attendance and the names of the persons who looked after them"

Got to dash to work, will see if I find anything else mentioned about attendance registers later.

I mnetioned that i had fallen out with an Inspector when i first started CM'ing in England, not long after the changeover from Social Services to OFSTED. It was about mulit-cultural provisions, and she was all set to fail me on my inspection.

african princess, i agree with what your saying - they are trying to turn us into nurseries. I know there are a lot of regualtions that need to be adhered to when it comes to childcare, but i think a lot of the things that they (they being OFSTED or the CAre Commission) want us to implement are just getting ridiculous.
One of my mindees goes to a playgroup. The floor space in the room he goes to is chock a block with toys, equipment etc. It's all things they have been told by the Care Commission that they must have. now they have been told that the actaul availiable floor space isn't big enough!

I was told on my inspection that if you wanted to achieve the 'outstanding' grade that Ofsted looks for things like getting your register signed by the parents.

My inspection nearly 2 yrs ago didn't go too well, I gave mindee's a snack, washed there hands and then 10 mins later they wanted some more fruit so sat them at the table and gave them some more, Ofsted pulled me up on not washing there hands again saying I should have!!!

I got outstanding and I don't ask parents to sign.
Parents have enough to do when they come in and out, and if Ofsted trust me to care for children they had better blimmin well trust me to fill in my register properly too.
The tax office does.

saz, I read that as ' gave mindies a SMACK!!'

I too got outstanding and don't get parents to sign child in and out. I was told it was not necessary.

One childminder who deoes, got crtiticised for not putting the exact time!
i

alibubbles I would get your eyes tested

If I get same inspector next time think I will fall out with her. She was very negative, must have got her on a bad day.

Well guys, my "lovely" inspector gave me an action for not signing one of the children who was still settling in, in my register, even though the child's parent came in when the inspector was there, with our printed out sheet of the settling hours..she said the signing of registers is a REGULATION and it does not matter if the child is with you for half an hour (without parents) they still need to be signed in for child protection and health and safety reasons.

Saz, who was your inspector? I hated mine too and reckon we'll fall out next time too! Just wondered if it was the same lady? Can email it if don't want to post here

It does seem to vary a bit from inspector to inspector.

Unique Reference Number: 116374 Inspection date: 18 September 2006 Inspector: Margaret Moffat Type of inspection: Childcare Type of care: Childminding
"The childminder has all the relevant documentation in place to ensure children's safety and welfare. However, she does not ask parents to sign the attendance register to confirm the record accurately reflects when children attend."
Was put as a recommendation:
"ensure parents sign attendance record to accurately reflect when children attend."

Another inspection report said:
Unique Reference Number: 144838 Inspection date: 18 August 2005 Inspector: Nikki Whinton Type of inspection: Childcare Type of care: Childminding
"There is no longer a requirement for parents to sign the attendance register."

Wonder when Ofsted will actually make up their mind. Anyone found anything official from Ofsted which says that registers no longer need to be signed by parents?

Hi looneytune, mine was a lady called Carol willet, she was soooooo fussy. Told me that on first inspections you will not be graded above satisfactory. Friend 200 mtrs away got graded good on first inspection and we do nothing different!!!!

Do you really need to have a top grade report? My Ofsed was done during the summer holidays last year and the day she came I didn't have any kids, so she said she could only give me satisfactory. TBO my families are more than happy with me and I get so much work through word of mouth from them. They all look after me as much as I look after them and get some wonderful gifts from them, xmas & birthday. My biggest reward is a 14yr girl who I used to mind still pops in and refers to me as her auntie now!