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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Help! Inspection due

10 replies

pokerface · 01/12/2004 17:06

Hi. I'm not currently minding but want to keep my registration and my inspection is due now. Can you tell me what the current "standards" are? I have all my bits in place and my paperwork up to date but haven't revised my "standards" fully. I don't want to give up my registration as I will probably return to minding in a few months time but as it's been a while since my last inspection they won't defer it. Can you help?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

tigerfairy · 01/12/2004 17:28

Hi Pokerface, You should have been sent a book on national standards at some point, which I basically just went through to check if i'd not forgotten anything. They are:

Suitable person, 2) organisation 3) care, learning and play 4) physical environment, 5) equipment, 6) safety 7) health 8) food and drink 9) equal ops, 10)special needs 11) behaviour management 12) partnership with parents 13) child protection 14) documentation Ofsted are obviously very hot on safety, health and hygiene, and you need to have plenty of provision for equal ops toys, books etc, and show a good knowledge of child protection. I had my inspection in October and although she was here for nearly three hours, and asked plenty of questions, it really wasn't that bad! Hope yours goes well. good luck!

Original poster

pokerface · 01/12/2004 21:32

thanks tigerfairy. sorry got a bit caught up after I posted. will make sure I've got them all covered.

OP posts:

KatieMaChristmas · 01/12/2004 22:10

Make sure you have LOADS of multicultural/equal ops toys, books & jigsaws....OFSTED are a pain about them....

KatieMaChristmas · 01/12/2004 22:12

Also unless you have a child present the highest 'grade' you can get is Satisfactory

Original poster

pokerface · 01/12/2004 22:19

Thanks katiemac. Not worried about the satisfactory as when I do work I get it word of mouth. My inspector (who has been my inspector since long before ofsted) is a jobsworth who arrived on my doorstep early and put a bad note in my file because I wasn't completely ready for her and hadn't locked an unused room. I wasn't minding at the time. I'd also not put the cooker guard on yet. However thanks for that. Just need to make sure I remember the correct words to use because she likes them. As long as my mums know that I provide a good service I'm happy. I found out, btw, that the reason your inspector needs to see you at certain times is because if they don't do enough inspections, they don't get good grades. Interesting that I thought!

OP posts:

KatieMaChristmas · 01/12/2004 22:26

Mine's lovely but she will go on about multiculturalism/equal ops and my DH is
a)Disabled
b)Jamaican
c)Prev a house husband
d)a Childminder

Good Luck

Original poster

pokerface · 01/12/2004 22:37

funny that. We have a multicultural household as well and I'm often asked how I would encourage multiculturalism. Anyway, thank you for your advice. I'm ready now.

OP posts:

Original poster

pokerface · 03/12/2004 13:09

She came, she saw, she went. 2hrs 22mins. Got a satisfactory. Not due to see her for a nice long time now. Thanks for your help. Now I can relax again and not have to worry.

OP posts:

tigerfairy · 03/12/2004 14:57

well done pokerface!

KatieMaChristmas · 03/12/2004 21:39

Congratulations.....I'm glad you got through it

KMc

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