I still can't get my head round the numbers of children OFSTED allow CM's to have

[Saltire]

when compared with the Care Commission when I was a CM.
I have just heard my neighobur telling a new woman on teh street that she has 10 children in the morning, including her own 3. of these 10, 3 aare under 5.
When I was a CM in Scotland, I was able to ahve 6 children under the age of 16! that figure included my own 2. How can a CM give quality time to 10 children
(although knowing what I do of my CM she gives no quality time at all)

why do you send you r chldren to a cm who doesnt have any time for them?

I don't send my children to her, mine are at school. She's my neighbour. My assumption of how little time she gives to her mindees is based on things I ahve seen

Have jsut realsied I put "my CM" when it should have said "my neighbour" Blame no sleep for 4 nights

oh right!

the way i see it, those are the limits. it doesnt mean you HAVE to have that amount of children (obv) and if you are a professional, caring sensible cm you would judge for yourself how many children you think you should/would have

Normally:
1 under 1
3 under 5
6 under 8
The only way she could have 10 children is if at least 4 of them are over 8. Over 8s numbers are not limited as long as they do not affect the care of the younger children.

Hope this makes sense

Some childminders can get permission from OFSTED for 2 under 1, or 4 under 5 where they take on twin babies, or a sibling, etc, but this is rare and NEVER more than 6 under 8.

6 under 8 is definately the maximum -0 even if you get a variation to have 4 under 5 or 2 under 1 they still won't let you go over your 6 under 8 limit.

Admitedly our insurance will insure us for up to 16 children in total - so technically if we were super woman we could have 10 over 8 and 6 under 8........

I agree its excessive but the government ALWAYS air on the side of caution verging on ridiculous wiht these things so they must have proved someone along the lint that this is a feasbile number of children to deal with=- although I would love to meet the CMs they tested it out on!!!

Teachers often have sole charge of 30-35 children......again too many but thats the law.....

Teachers do, but they often have access to classroom assistants and they are based in a school with lots of other adults around and the children in the class are roughly the same age.

I used to be a teacher and couldn't imagine having 10 children to look after in my own home. I would feel very vulnerable. Even going to the loo I would be leaving them on their own, what if one was ill, who looks after the others? And how can you truly care for so many children of different ages with different needs?

I have 4 under 5s and can look after 1 over 5 and as many over 8s as I want... but my home would just be madness then (plus I don't feel is big enough), and I would feel more like a nursery than I am already... plus the little ones are all so close in age and we have such a good thing going with them... to bring a much older child in just wouldnt feel right at the mo.

Yes I would make more money, but I started childminding (changed career totally) for a better quality of life and an army a big group of kids wouldn't give me that tbh (not without a helper anyway)... 3 or 4 mindees at a time are just fine for me... and I give them a great amount of individual care, they are little ones and need it.

But each to their own - if OFSTED are happy with the regulated number then it's the CMs choice.

i have never understood why cm's cant have more than 3 under 5 and a nanny can?

a nanny can techinally have as many as they like but if insured with mm then think they only will insure 7 and no more than 2 famillies a day

can anyone explain this to me?

I'm CC and can have upto 4 under 16 and that's it. When I have been operating 2 yrs they said can up it to 6 in all under 16, but I doubt I will. I feel 4 is plenty.

Scottish CM are far more limited in earnings potential than English due to this, but that's not the be all and end all, as Jennipenni states, job satisfaction matters too ( although more money would be nice!)

I do think the CC limits are far more sensible than Ofsted's tbf. Mind you I think in general the CC has it's heid screwed on the right way in most matters, unlike Ofsted!

Saltire - what sort of things have you seen? Maybe you should be report her to OFSTED?

Surely the parents of all these children know that she couldn't possibly care for 10 at a time if that's the case?