Anyone requested permission to increase child ratios?

[newishminder]

I have contacted OFSTED today asking if I can I have a extra child over my ratios. It will be in the 5-8 yr range.
I have asked them how long the whole process takes and they have said they dont have an guidelines on the amount of time it takes.
I need to know quite urgently and I have told them this
Does anyone has any experience of this and if so how long it took to find out?
Thanks
ps the care is for school holiday time only

If your certificate says you're allowed 6 mindees in total and you already have 3 under 5's, I'm pretty sure they WON'T allow you to have 4 5-8 yr olds as the max without an assistant is 6.

If you have 6 on your cert but you only have say 2 under 5's then you are allowed 4 over 5's (you could have all 6 as over 5's if you wanted).

Not 100% sure on what you are wanting on your certificate? If you say what your cert says, how many of your own children you have and how many of what age you want, we'll have a better idea

What looney said - your certificate will say your max under 8s and if it already says 6, you will not get any more.

I phoned ofsted today for this reason. I was told my request had to be put in writing and it would take about 2 weeks from when they get it.
HTH

Well if they tell you to put in writing for MORE than 6 without an assistant, they are not being fair wasting your time as I'm pretty sure this is a no no regardless of the reason. I'm going to be allowed 7 shortly but this is only because I'll be working with an assistant on those days.

I have done this before and marked it as urgent and I got an answer within the week. Is this for a child that you already mind at other times or just an extra child that you want to take on? They will only say yes if it means continuity of care for that child, or they have a sibling already being cared for by you.

Just to clarify... I'm not asking for more than 6 in total.
I am currently registered for 3. I have two LO's of my own... totalling 5. I am requesting to get registered for 4, totalling 6.
I intially was only registered for 3 as that seemed more than enough at the time and so that is what i asked for.
Also child number 4 is a sibbling.

Oh right, in that case I'm sure they'll say yes, especially as for a sibling. It depends mostly on floor space imo so unless you have a tiny place, I'm sure they'll be fine. I was the same, was registered for 3 and had 1 of my own (when I first started) and I felt that was plenty but of course later down the line, it didn't seem that many at all. When I moved house I got them to change it to 5 mindees + my son but then again, this place is quite a bit bigger than my old place.

Good luck. If it was new business I wouldn't be SO sure (again depending on your house) but they are pretty good with continuity of care and siblings.

When you say you contacted them today, did you email them? What I usually do is email (they need to see your signature either a scanned copy of it or if you can draw one with email signature strip or something, they take that for me ) and mark it urgent and if I've not heard back within a week, I call up and tell them the parents have been nagging me (the parents know I say this).

Good luck

Hello
thanks for your replies everyone!
Sorry I didnt make it clear.Ill have 2 under 5's and 4 aged 5-8.4 of these children are all siblings. Ill have the youngest of the siblings every week and its 3 siblings in the school holidays.
nm

well if ones already 8, i thought they dnt count in the ratio anyway?

well if ones already 8, i thought they dnt count in the ratio anyway?

As looney says, put your request in writing asap if you haven't already. Email [email protected] with a scanned signature. If you can't scan, post a letter first class. Make sure you put in the letter the date you want to start childminding under the full ratios. Might be worth referring to the page in EYFS about space per child and confirming your property is large enough to provide this. I would also include why you were registered for fewer than the norm in the first place (so they can see a previous inspector didn't decide your property was too small for the full ratio) eg that you wanted to start off small because you were new to childminding but now you're confident in your ability to take the full number permissable under EYFS.

As its not a temporary variation (where you get permission for 2 under ones or 4 under fives) it should be automatic approval unless they want to come out and satisfy themselves re the space requirements. For my temporary variations, I have received a new certificate within 48 hours and also spent 4 weeks asking for acknowledgement of my request. Inconsistency is Ofsted's speciality!

Hi Ayla99
I have written them a letter with my signature on it and scanned it in and emailed it first thing yesterday morning.
Im not sure how it all works. In the letter I stated the ages and that I would go over my ratios in the age range of 5-8 yrs. Ill have (this is after nov so dec school hols) 2x 1 yr olds,2x 5 yr olds and 2x 7 yr olds.
My certificate states 4 children as I have my own 2 children and Ive put this in the letter.
Some days of the week I wont be over as its over different days. It all gets very complicated doesnt it!Im fine now as ages go but not when my child turns 5.
Lets hope OFSTED get back to me soon.
Thanks for everyones help and advice
Nm

Sorry I'm confused (it happens easily)

How old are your children and are they included in the 2x 1 yr olds,2x 5 yr olds and 2x 7 yr olds?

I'm also confused now. If you certificate says 4 children and you have 2 of your own and they are under 8 then that's 6 in total and therefore you won't be allowed more. Or have I also misunderstood?