CM club: Ofsted coming next week to check my new house....

[JennyPenny23]

I have moved and have Ofsted coming on Tuesday to check my new house is suitable. Does anybody know how strict they will be? I tried to ask her on the phone and said that I have just moved so have loads to sort out but she wasn't very great about it. She just said "well you have 3 weeks to sort it out" and I then said I was away for 2 of them (which she knew) and she said "Well one week then but that should be enough".

Bit worried about it as although I am working my arse of to get it sorted, its not going to be perfect. I have had hardly any time, have had to sort out everything from holiday and I am on my own with a baby and a toddler.

I am really starting to panic over this now, I can't afford to not pass my inspection as I can't advertise till I have but its just impossible.

Will it be OK if it is all child friendly, but still has some boxes, behind other furniture, in a way it can't fall down? And I am planning to just add a tempory fence down the garden so I have more time to child proof it as it is awful down the bottom and its really big anyway so the kids still have plenty of space to play.

And will oftsed mind if there is messy areas - where the kids can't get to? Like in fenced off areas of the garden?

I am happy to put everything down in a detailed risk assessment, which I plan to do before she comes.

Sorry for a long post, just getting worried!

Yes I did! Sorry I haven't been online for ages as we have been so busy with the move! I am near Elm grove (don't want to put my exact rd on here). Where abouts are you again?

I just had an inspection last week as I moved home and I was really worried about it too, but it was totally fine. Took about 15 mins tin total, we just walked around and I pointed out all the usual stuff like fire exits, smoke detectors, garden fences etc.

Then as I don't use my bedroom to mind I put all the boxes we haven't unpacked yet in there. I can barely find my bed atm! I think you'll be fine fencing off the garden as it's better to have a small, safe garden than a big, dangerous one.

Good luck with the move!

They only spent about 20mins at mine - and she had traveled two hours to get to me maddness!

I am near Horsham too! If you fancy catching up with another minder let me know!

Didn't stay long at all with mine, took them 6mths to come out though.

Looked round all the rooms, outside said all was fine had a cuppa and left.

I also agree fence the bit off thats ropey, the untidy bits you mention could they not be a wilderness garden

Think the key things are safety gates where needed, smoke alarms / extinguishers / fire blanket make sure you have 1st aid box, the inspector asked me to put a plastic drain cover over a downpipe thingy.

Sorry should have said also, risk assessments, floor plan of house and fire plan.

sorted.

Thanks all. Got the playroom sorted today, except the toys the kids were playing with. Unpacked loads of boxes and it looks a whole lot better. But now got the rest of the house to sort

Does anybody know if I need to have a bathroom registered? I have the toilet downstairs that will be registered? Just thought then thats one less room to keep tidy and everything childproofed?

I would, just in case the downstairs loo is out of order at any time, also I find that my mindees always need the loo at the same time. My theory with registering rooms is do the lot, then its up to you which ones you actually use. Just because its registered for use it doesnt mean you have to be using it IYSWIM. Then if you move playrooms around it doesnt matter.

We don't have a toilet in it. Its just a bath and a sink and its downstairs next to the loo but just in a seperate room. Just thinking if I had a room that wasn't going to be registered, then I could just shove anything in there! Although it is tiny anyway

Hi Jenny, good to see you on here again. I am looking forward to meeting up with you sometime soon I hope. If you need any help just ask, you know how to contact me.

Thank you, sorry I haven't been in touch, its been so hectic here since we moved (And then went on holiday a week later ).

I meant to say earlier in my posts that yes I would be more than happy to meet up with any childminders (or Mums!) in the area once we are sorted! At the moment, I can't think past Tuesday when I have my inspection (other than my sitters interview on Wed!) but will definatly be up for meeting up with anybody after that. I have been going to the groups at the liberary, does anybody here go to them? I don't know anybody here other than FIL and his family so will be great to meet everybody

Will email you later with local childminding group & children's centre session times for childminders, on dd's laptop at present but will have access to info this evening.

Re the bathroom, if you think you might ever need to hose one of the mindees down after a particually messy event. Then I would reg it, after all mindees won't be using it anyway, but their just in case.