CM Club - lets have a list of the crazy things Ofsted expect when then inspect............

[looneytune]

I heard about the jug of water to be freely available for children UNDER 2 years old to HELP THEMSELVES to at any time (imo a health and safety issue!)

Then I just read that someone was expected to have a bin in each room and a box of tissues for EACH mindee. (imo it's a load of bollox, my lot are too young to know which box of tissues are theirs, if they wiped themselves they'd end up with it in their eyes and probably get conjunctivitis and as for the bin....yeah....they'd LOVE finding a way of emptying a little bin they could actually reach!! )

I'm now PMSL and wondering what other things they expect these days. I reckon they must get really bored sometimes and sit round a table inventing crazy TARGETS for these babies and toddlers etc!!!

So, come on.....there must be a whole load of other stuff. The towels thing has been around for years but what else?????

I agree about the fruit bowl. I only have one mindee who is old enough to ask first etc but I have a 10 month old who is into everything and if it wasn't up high then she would have it all out

Not a ridiculous demand, but on her first Ofsted inspection about 8 years ago, my wife was asked by the inspector (who was stood next to the kitchen sink at the time and by the kettle) and with a completely straight face "Do you have access to running water?".

Also, this year, when explaining her emergency evacuation drill (ie: exit by the front door, but if we can't do that we will exit by the rear door and if we can't do either of those I will open the living room window and carefully drop the children onto the front lawn and I will then follow them) she was asked "and do you practice this on a regular basis with the children?" by which we think the inspector was expecting my wife to actually drop them out of the window.

I have heard a CM being told that her black doll was not realistic enough because the eyes were blue.

Another inspector said that the special needs figures another CM had were not realistic enough because the calipers / wheelchair/ crutches could not be detached from the doll.

In that case, my toy kitchen is not realistic enough so I will pop out today and get a gas canister so that the children can light the gas stove. And of course I will have matches lying around so that they can have free access to resources.

what a load of utter b=ll=cks.

My black doll smells like vanilla - I dread to think what message that is giving to the children!!

The hand dryers my dh got from screw fix (no they aren't the dyson ones - tried to get ds3 to use one of these at chessington and he was so scared!!), I think they were about £25, but I justified this by less washing, confusion over towels/flannels etc

I also don't have the fruit bowl out - as the little ones just think they are balls

HI there

Sorry to gate-crash your thread.

I am not a childminder but I would like the opinion of childminders like yourselves...

My has been at my childminder for 4 years and I love her. SHe is great. I am due a second baby in April 09 and as soon as I knew the pregnancy was proceeding I told her and verbally organised the space for baby with her for January 2010.

She has the under 1 space and wants baby to go to her. She too wants baby and my DS to be together.

Problem is, there is a 4 month gap between her having an empty space and baby starting. Up till now I just accepted i would have to pay a retainer fee. End of story. And I was happy to do this to gurantee the space.

However yesterday she got all guilty about taking money for 4 months and is wanting to take on another child over that period and apply for an extra place to enable baby to go to her in January.

I had a sleepless night worrying that OFSTED might actually turn around and say no and by then she will have agreed to take on another child and therefore baby will have lost it's space.

What are your experience with applying for extra spaces and how would you handle the situation?

In 2010 all her minded children will be age 5 upwards ( after school ) bar one who will be 3. So she isn't over-burdened with small children to care for.

did you mean 25 or 250 mums, cant find anything for £25!

Size 12, look here this is the one that I have, sorry looks like c=screw fix no longer do them

DG - She may want to fill the space with a temp contract and if she can do that great if not then she may have no choice but to take the retainer money so I would save for it just incase she can't fill the place with a temp child. I wouldn't worry yourself I'm sure even if OFSTED do say no she will still want to care for your children becauyse as you say she cares for your eldest and will want them to form a bond and relationship.

I had this type of situation, but we hadn't planned for baby to come to me but it has worked out and I've now got brother and sister and it's going really well. Things usually work out wether i worry or not I'm starting to find!

Thanks Lovemygirls

I know it will probably be ok...I am being the typical worried/paranoid crazy pregnant lady at the moment and the thought of Baby and DS not being together is just too much!!!

Thanks for your take on it...calmed me a little.

Also I called OFSTED to ask when minder could apply for the variation if she wanted to considering baby wouldn't go to her until Jan 2010 and they said she can apply whenever!

So I may ask her to apply early to put my mind to rest!

fab thanks. think i will get one, will save sooooo much agro.

Message withdrawn

i WAS considering becoming a childminder but all this is scaring me!!!

hi does anyone have a copy of ofsted inspection checklist as i have my inspection very soon.

thank you.

ive got my inspection either tom or monday and if its not ready well tuff ive a foulder full polocies for how to use the tv...next it will be for how to wipe a babys bum...lol.as long as my kids r happy and i can still be registered im happy as last time i got all worked up as i got inadiquet even tho i was on mat leave and had a pot on my leg ,i got done for all my file not being upto date i mean who does paper work when on mat leave blahhhhhhh...the\ funniest thing i was told was having to take all mindees up to the toilet with u ...and we go to our groups 2 much even tho each one is different and we dont go each day

Marston, there isn't one love, that is why we have this thread, it seems that different Inspectors have different agendas!

Im just PSL at all this especially NumberFours, gas cannister for kitchen
Due my inspection next month so this thread is very helpful

I don't use a cm but I thought the "rules" were made up by DCFS and Ofsted just regulate them.

Have any of you ever complained about your inspector? I believe any complaints are looked at independently and inspectors are retrained if there is a problem.

I think that even if you ring Ofsted helpline then any questions asked are logged and any advice given is recorded in case the same questions are coming up about info given by an inspector.

I agree that some of what you have been asked is crazy but as there is no definitive list how are you meant to know the things you should provide?

Hahahahah phone the Ofsted Helpline

Phone them for advise, and depending who you talk to you can be told totally different things. Even the Inspectors tell you to get it in writing, because the Helpline operators often don't know the answers!

I have complained before and was told that the Inspector was right, even tho another Inspector told me the opposite thing, asked who was right then and was told it depended on circumstances!

And how are we suppose to know what we should have and do???

Buggered if I know.

After a truly awful inspection a year ago I think the most important thing is probably to show huge respect for the inspector and her status and going of what a teacher told me TRY to look very impressed if they sugest something however ridiculous it sounds to you .Unfortunately I am not that cool

Omg, thought it was just me thinking Ofsted were going OTT! Was feeling really fed up after a poop day with mindees - but haven't laughed so much in ages, going through this thread!! Keep it coming girls (or boys!). My inspection due anytime so will prob be making my own posting before 2 long. Watch this space...........