Trampoline Permission Forms????

[Love2bake]

I just found out that we need to have permission from parents for children in our care to go on the trampoline.

Does anyone else have this already? Anyone know where I can download a form?

bromley childminding association has one. we have a trampoline but dont let any mindees on it. not prepared to take risk and my own have to have some things that are just theirs.

ncma have one too

I dont have one as in trampoline!

I'm like jillyj, the trampoline is DD's. It's nice to have somethings that are just for your children. Plus I mind under 3's and can't really put them on it.

I made my own permissioin forms up for the trampoline (along the same lines as the NCMA one) and all parents have signed it.

DD loves going on it with mindees!

Will get onto then!

Cant beleive it's more paperwork and permission forms......it's never ending!!!

Can anyone tell me which part of The Childcare Act 2006 tells you you need to have signed permission for various activities? When my wife was inspected by Ofsted it sounded like they were making it up as they went along and simply using it as a way of finding fault and dropping the grading a notch. She was pulled up on no written permision to appply suncream to or take photographs of the children. These are, of course, the same children whose bottoms she has been applying cream to when changing nappies without written permission and Ofsted didn't complain about that so where's the difference? My wife also regularly gives copies of photographs she has taken to the parents and sometimes she has even given CDs full of photographs to them and all, so far, without complaint. And having written permission doesn't stop someone from then taking dodgy photographs, does it? But Ofsted will have been happy because the correct paperwork was in place. Ofsted might think they are protecting the children, but I really think they aren't.

Sometimes you really do need permission forms eg. written permission to seek emergency medical treatment. Othertimes it's just useful to know where you stand.

I'm sure lots of childminders have really good, open relationships with their parents and discuss things like suncream and trampolines, right from the start or just when an issue arises. It's still useful to "cover yourself" legally in this day and age, should the worst happen. But other people might be more hesitant to launch into a really long conversation on the first day where they get verbal permission for everything right from the start, and it's useful to have a form where parents can sign that they agree to X, Y and Z but not A and B. You don't need 10 pages - just one or two sheets with a list of things like "I agree to let Billy on the trampoline under supervision - yes" and "I agree to photos being taken of Billy for Mrs S's website - no".

If you haven't got permission or haven't discussed these things, you might only find out it's an issue when little Johnny bangs his head falling off the trampoline and it turns out his mum is seriously against the things and would never let him on one in a million years! Or it's a hot day and you slather Sally in suncream only to find out she's allergic or has to have a special senstive skin brand. Parents won't always remember to tell you these things straight off and having to agree in writing makes them stop and think!

Yes, but any CM who doesn't ask about any known allergies etc before they start minding isn't doing their job properly. Also, there is an implied agreement between you and the parent that you will do your best not to let a child come to harm just by taking on the responsibility of caring for a child and signing a contract to that effect. As a self employed person it should be between you and your insurer just how much risk you expose yourself to and if the insurance company aren't asking for permission in writing for various activities why should Ofsted? The only written permission form that should really be required is for emergency medical treatment because you would have to prove in an emergency that you have permission to act on behalf of the parent.

Well I just had my Ofsted inspection and she saw the trampoline and didn't mention anything about it. The world's gone mad.

This is exactly my point. One Ofsted inspector will expect you to have A and B in place while another will expect X and Y. There is no consistency and in that way you are always caught on the back foot. And who inspects the inspectors? CMs and nurseries don't get the chance to grade the inspector, do they?