Childminders Ratios Anyone has authorisation for slight overlap of children

[Diddle]

I have been in touch with ofsted to see if I can become authorised to have 4 children under 5 for 20 mins 2 days a week. Rather than my registered 3 under 5's. I was wondering what you lovely people would do in my situation. Has anyone had the same sort of problem and been authorised, or does it without authorisation.
I don't know what to do. I've said yes to the parent already so my fingers are crossed that Ofsted agree its ok.

I guess it may depend on how much of a stickler your inspector is for the rules.
I did once ask for a similar variation, but it was for 2 half days, and this was refused because it was new children (siblings) that caused the problem. The inspector said had it been a child I'd previously looked after and then a new sibling of that child they would have OKed it for continuity of care.
But I was asking for much longer periods of time.
I would hope that they would ignore 20 mins so fingers crossed for you.

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I am also registered for 4 under 5's (actually 2 under 1, a 1y and a 2y). I had no problem with OFSTED doing this (had to do what Alibubbles describes re letters, plans etc.). Both my new babies (4m and 5m) are siblings of other minded children, so it came under continuity of care. Not sure if they would have been so obliging for new families or not. They may have been ok if it was only for a short overlap time - in my case it's until the oldest is 5. I think it's definately worth asking OFSTED.

Hi

I was refused for overlap as it was for new family.

I had support from childminding network etc. I do know that it depends strict rules are that it is only granted for continuity of care or siblings. However, i do know of another childminder who was allowed extra and the response letter was suitably vague so she could use it for a long time not just for present children.

Luck of the draw!!

Good luck

I've been refused my overlap... I wanted to have all my mindees (one 13 months and twins of 21 months) for 4 hours on 2 days a week, plus my ds (13 months).

The reason was it's not continuity of care (twins are new mindees) and the woman on the phone from ofsted was really really rude to me too :/

did you have to wait long to hear from them? i have emailed my timetable to someone in Oftsed the week before last and still haven't heard from them.
I hope they don't refuse me. It is for a child i have had since he was 4 months and i'd hate to lose him, he's 2 now almost 3.

it was a week or two. Having said that a few weeks before that I applied for a simple change of conditions as ds is over one, (so i can have another under 1 now) but have heard nothing. Might try appealing with inspector this week!

I had my registration for 4 unders fives until recently, but one the children named moved away so I have now reverted to 3 under 5's.
I was allowed it as I was asked to taker on the baby sibling of one of my older mindies (6 yr old) & it was only for 2 days a week 9-4. The children invloved were 4, 2x3 & the baby, so had no problem proving ability to care as all the older three walk well & I didn't even need to use my double buggy!

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OFSTED appear to be clamping down on allowing any deviations from the normal ratios. I know of several childminders who have recently requested a variation of their registration with existing minded children (parents changing days/hours of work for instance) and have been refused, despite the childminders being able to provide all necessary info as others here have already said. When I made a request a year ago for having "overlapping" children, it was granted within a couple of weeks with no "checking" on anything I'd stated. Great for me, but not for those more recently. The grapevine gossip are that minders are now making so many requests that they will just say "no"!! U can appeal against their decision and it will go to a panel to be discussed further. Have u heard anything back yet for yourself?

Not that new a policy change?

At least 2, possibly 4 or 5 (I have noted down the names and dates somewhere) local childminders who asked for me were refused by Osted last year. Apparently Ofsted expected me to have my 3 children at 3 different places during the day, or to drive up to 20 miles away (and not necessarily anywhere near my workplace) to find childcare so that at least the 2 children under school age could be kept together.

Am always astonished by chmrs on mn saying how easy it is to get variations...

I really don't think I would call it "easy" to get a registration variation - I'm a very very elderly childminder (!) and have my fingers in lots of pies, so am "well-known" (in a positive way, I hope) to some of the people at OFSTED, Social Services etc. I still had to put a very good case forward to being allowed to overlap the children, and prove that I was capable of doing it (as alibbubbles has already stated). Unfortunately, I know that some minders are abusing the system and trying to get variations to enable them to take on new business, which has resulted in OFSTED taking a firmer line and turning everybody down!!

Veryanon - if the minders u approached about having your children were going to be taking u on as "new business", I think OFSTED will basically think "tough". Definitely not fair though.

Heard anything back diddle?