CM CLUB - Another WWYD thread from LMG - Any Idea's, could I get a variation?

[LoveMyGirls]

After really struggling for the past 2 years I think I'm finally in demand, a bit too much in demand but it's nice to be wanted and it is what i've worked hard to achieve so I'm really happy but just wondering what I can do about this potential situation in october......

I'm currently caring for

My dd2 (will be 3 and due to start nursery 2 afternoons per week in oct then 5 sessions from jan)
FT 13 month old (will be 17mths old by oct)
PT 22 mth old (does 3 days and will be just over 2 by oct)
Plus PT mindee's siblings (ages 9 and 10) which I look after holidays only.
My dd1 age almost 9.
(also have another 2 mindees who are ad-hoc one comes for a few hours per week and one comes odd days during hols)

It's all great, I'm really happy etc however a mindee who left due to mum being on mat leave has been to see me, her mum has asked if I can take mindee (after school) and sibling (ft under 5) in october, I've said I will definitely take old mindee back and can offer her 2 days per week for her new baby but she really needs FT.

What are my chances of being able to get a variation for 4 under 5, 3 days a week? (ages 3, 2, 18mths and 7mth old baby, bearing in mind 3yr old will be going to nursery some of the time)

I've got enough cots, car seats, space etc and the 3 under 5's i'm currently caring for are all in a brilliant routine, they all sleep at the same time for 2 hours per day and I'm sure the parents would be happy to write a letter to OFSTED.

The 2 mindee's I have that are ad-hoc I could still offer mon and fri to after schooler and under 5 could come every other friday afternoon or I could arrange another childminder to have her if I really needed to.

Thanks for reading this far! So anyone got any idea's/ advice?

TIA

Hi LMG, i would send a detailed letter to OFSTED, i would say that a current mindee's sibling needs to now come and will require full time whihc means 3 out of 7(sounds better than saying5!) days you would be over your current ratios..mention about your own going to nursery and although dd WILL still be calssed as full time as it were, she WONT actually BE THERE for 2/12 hours which is when you plan to settle babies/take to groups and so on(make it sound like a carefully oiled machine), they are meant to help out for siblings so if you say elder one is 'current' mindee they may be lenient??

Good luck

I know two childminders that are registered for 4 under 5's, due to having siblings.

Just see what Ofsted say.

Could you take on the after-schooler sooner? Then apply to Ofsted for 4 under 5's based on sibling continuity (or whatever they call it).
Perhaps you could take on older child, on paper only (if you see what I mean).
With the application, send in detailed sheet showing when each child is attending, so Ofsted can see where variation is required for (if only needed for certain days).

LMG's London11 has a really good spread sheet that you can fill out with all you mindees to show who you have and when that she used to send to Ofsted for her variation, would you like me to ask her for it?

LMGs - I'll reply via MSN and tell you what I did in a similar situation (and got it granted). I'll also send you copy of my template letter and the spreadsheet Ofsted like to be with it.

i had mindee for 6mths before mum went on mat leave, mum will be going back to work in oct so will need me to have both dc's by then, i thought i could start both dc's 2 days per week (perhaps do short days say 12 til 6pm) by end of september then hopefully have them both (AS and ft) in october if OFSTED grant it, the thing is if they don't grant it mum will be stuck and will need time to get baby into a nursery so if they won't let me she'll use a nursery on the days i can't do until I have a space but it seems a shame for her to have to do that when my dd will be at nursery some of the time anyway.

When do you think I should write to OFSTED? Now so it can be sorted in time or leave it later and hope i don't have to let mindee's mum down if they say no?

I'd do it now tbh