Ofsted policy on Socket Covers

[CarolinesDad]

I posted an update on socket covers five weeks ago, and in answer to one of the responses I said that I would ask Ofsted to confirm that their revised policy of not requiring socket covers, which they introduced in December 2008, was still in effect. Because of changes in the Ofsted organisation it has taken a long time to get a reply, but this has now arrived and they have assured me that the position remains the same, which is that Ofsted "neither recommend nor criticise the use of socket covers by childcare providers, only that the environment in which they provide childcare is safe and meets legal requirements." They also told me that if Ofsted inspectors are showing disapproval when socket covers are not in use they would like to hear about it and will follow it up with the inspectors concerned.

I would like to ask anyone who experiences resistance from an Ofsted inspector to their non-use of socket covers to kindly contact me, providing details of when this is happening.

You may wish to include a routine check of your socket?s shutters as part of your Risk Assessment. If you use MK sockets (which require that a real plug is inserted to open the shutters, not just the earth pin) then it is also worth noting in your RA the additional protection that they give.

Many thanks, David Peacock, Co-founder of FatallyFlawed

Excellent idea. Thanks. It's in my risk assessment now (not sure why it wasn't before),

I would like to update this topic.

Last year Ofsted published clear instructions to inspectors that they must not call for socket covers to be fitted, and must not mention socket covers in their reports. You can see these instructions on page 11 of this document:
www.ofsted.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/other-publications/e/Early%20years%20September%202011.pdf

Please sign this government e-petition: epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/36699 The petition calls for the regulation of socket covers to ensure that they do not reduce the safety of UK mains sockets.

Thanks www.fatallyflawed.org.uk

Thanks CarolinesDad; have signed the petition.

I had an Ofsted inspection in January. I have the Fatally Flawed factsheet in my risk assessment file. I saw the inspector look at it, and she made no comment then or later

Thank you for all your work on this. It makes me shudder to think that we were actually putting children at risk by following the official guidelines and, but for you, we would still be doing so.

signed and shared on FB .

Will also reshare the fatallyflawed vid too.

Would just like to resurrect this thread as the e-petition hasn't got many signatures so far. It's amazing that we don't regulate the things we stick into eletrical sockets!

Very interesting, I called Ofsted on this issue and was told they had no info either way. I wanted to check if it would be reported negatively.