Childminder says she can't provide hot dinner as needs hygiene inspection

[blithedance]

Or something like that? She used to do dinners but has been told she can't any more because kitchen isn't catering standard 2 sinks etc.

It's becoming a pain trying to make dinners to send along with DS to be heated up (he's getting bored of pasta!)

Is this really likely to be the case, I thought most CM's are happy to provide hot meals and usually do lovely ones?

Yes there are some areas of England where CM have to be reigstered as a food business and meet all kinds of regulations. Lots of CM are stopping providing food as a result which is a shame.
Why can't you just make a bit extra each night and package that up for your DS the next day?

wtf?! really

god i would so hate to be a CM right now all the extra stuff coming in and what you can / cannot do ,must make life / work so hard

its supposed to be a "home from home" childcare setting,and they are trying to turn them into mini nurseries grrrr!

yup

actually I should have said it's all of England, not sure about Wales/NI/Scotland though - but it's rolling out at different times in different areas and some councils are more stringent in the registering than others.

Here we were not told we were a commercial kitchen, although we do get a environmental health inspection.

I still provide hot meals.

Yes we have to do it in Wales too. I was told even if I'm just giving mindees their food brought from home I would have to register as a food provider because I'm storing the food in my kitchen!

I had to fill in a questionnaire to see if I was High Risk.....apparently I'm not so I can carry on as before

Consistency, consistency, doncha just love it?

I do usually try to save a bit from the night before, but often it's something he didn't touch, or that wouldn't store/reheat well (sausage and mash, or chicken). I think I'm just feeling the frustration of hoping the CM would take care of all that. I am tempted to switch to a nursery but hope that won't hurt her feelings.

Interested in your questionnaire Katymac. Are you in England, then? Perhaps it varies by local authority.

Yes, I had to go on Food Hygeine course, all day one saturday, and pay for the priviledge! I have had to register as a food premisis, with the food standards agency, I am waiting to see if they will want to come to inspect. I had to do the level that food managers of resturants do, not basic level. We were told that even if you are just serving drinks/pre made sandwiches you have to register as a food premisis as you are "serving food to the general public" Also , that ideally we should have two sinks as someone else said, stainless steel couter tops, ideally no artex or textured plastering, deep clean kitchen regularly (ie take out all food from cupboards, date all food, pull out all appliences and clean to industrial standards) keep pets out of the kitchen at all times (or ideally not have any), wear overalls and hats while preparing food, oh and the classic KEEP ANY CHILDREN OUT OF THE KITCHEN! lol
Actually, I find it hard to LOL about my job at the moment. Apparently ncma are wrangling with food standards to try to get them to relax the guidelies for childminders a bit.....

I think it all depends where you are. I'm in Wokingham and have done a food hygiene couse and heard after completing it that it's not compulsary.

Yes, I have heard that we need to be registered quite honestly I have not done so yet.
Hopefully the NCMA will be able to help us out.

geraldine

will they let you have a whole new kitchen tax free then as it has to be updated to stainless steel worktops etc?

Its something to do with EU law, which has resulted in Childminders no longer being opted-out of being classed as a 'food business'.
What next do you think... will nannies be classed as a 'food business'?

I have had an inspection, as I had to register as a good business. A very nice lady came out, had a look at my kitchen a quick glance in the fridge, asked to see my food hygiene level 2 certificate (which is a one day course and very easy) and that was it!

No realy hassel at all

Be a shame to take a child out of a childminders ( where I presume everything else is a-ok?) and change to nursery for the sake of a meal you could easily knock up or buy

Katymac it's totally ridiculous isn't it, the differences between some authorities, they all need to be doing the same thing, hopefully the NMCA can get it sorted out anyway.

How is it a food business if you are not charging for food?

I got a cup of coffee and biscuits while visiting health visitor at the GP surgery. Maybe I should call up Environmental health?

It would be a shame MaryP, but in the end I need a service and providing a nutritious main meal at a suitable time for the child to eat it, is part of it. Yes I can portion up bits, and have been trying that for the last few months, but it's turning out to be much harder logistically than I expected, at a time when I'm trying to simplify life, not make it more complicated. As for buy a meal, not sure what you mean. (We are talking a 3yo so it would be a Happy Meal not Cow&Gate!).

Actually you have given me an idea- M&S Simply Food - those ready meals are only enough for a toddler!

It would be a shame MaryP, but in the end I need a service and providing a nutritious main meal at a suitable time for the child to eat it, is part of it. Yes I can portion up bits, and have been trying that for the last few months, but it's turning out to be much harder logistically than I expected, at a time when I'm trying to simplify life, not make it more complicated. As for buy a meal, not sure what you mean. (We are talking a 3yo so it would be a Happy Meal not Cow&Gate!).

Actually you have given me an idea- M&S Simply Food - those ready meals are only enough for a toddler!

oops

I'm in the middle of registering as a new CM and have had the council out to inspect last week. I had to fill in some forms, he looked at everything in the kitchen but said that it was fine, they don't expect everything to be swabbed everyday, pets are fine. Also said that although they are EU guidleines, they are trying to be as flexible as possibible as CMs are already so heavily regulated. It wasn't too bad at all, but it does vary from county to county so if her council is more stringent, it could be an issue for her. Good tip - get some fridge thermomenters from Lakeland - v cheap but shows willing!

It was me who told Saz it's not longer necessary and yes, they confirmed it's our council which are doing it as a questionnaire like katymac's by the sounds of it.

I can see why my child minder has de-registered and am glad she has to be honest.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks - have you found good alternative care?

Not an alternative - still use the same childminder, she's just not a registered childminder anymore. So no rules, ofsted inspections, etc.

I mean, how on earth did kids survive before ofsted??

Gulp

Do be careful - both you & she are breaking the law; both you and she can be prosecuted; she can be fined, your potential consequences can be more serious

I hope she has your children for less than 2hrs or they are over 8 - in which case you would be OK