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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Inspection in the morning - house not ready!

18 replies

artyjoe · 10/08/2005 14:08

Got the inspection in the morning and the house isn't completed, the builders are still building decking and putting down skirting boards and finishing the kitchen...I have an awful feeling the inspector is a dragon as she specifically said 'if it is not ready by Thursday you will have to withdraw your application'.

Lets just hope what is done is going to impress her enough to pass us. I just hope we don't get an 'inadequate' just on the strength of skirting boards not being finished!

Wish me luck - Joe

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

katymac · 10/08/2005 14:17

Don't worry I didn't have electric(extension leads everywhere) no flooring and only part of a roof,and I got throu'

HellyBelly · 10/08/2005 15:16

Is this a first inspection for becoming a minder? If so, they don't grade you at this point.

Original poster

artyjoe · 10/08/2005 22:51

This is my first inspection, and I thought we would be graded now. When do we get graded then?

Still panicking!

OP posts:

katymac · 11/08/2005 07:32

They will give you a grade when they have seen you minding (usually within 6 months)

They can't judge your minding until they have seen you do some.

You will be fine, do lots of lists....
"what I will do when...."
"what my policies will be"
"what multicultural toys I will buy/borrow"
"where I will keep my confidential documntation"

etc
Have you a first aid box? - show her
Have you started on your policies (or just decided what they will be) - show her

Keep calm, make her a cup of tea (and ask her to keep it out of the reach of your own children) and remember she isn't trying to catch you out

HellyBelly · 11/08/2005 07:55

GOOD LUCK!!

feelingold · 11/08/2005 08:42

It's not as daunting as you may think, I was really nervous but my inspectors have been really nice so far for both visits.
Good luck and be confident, you can do it!!

Original poster

artyjoe · 11/08/2005 14:40

Quick update!

She's been here 4.5 hours so far! My interview with her was 3 hours long! My partner went in at 2pm for his and then we come together at the end and chat some more...is this normal?

After my interview she said she was surprised by how much thought and effort we had obviously put into what we were doing and thinks my attitude and knowledge are to be commended...really really excellent and a beautiful surrounding Lets hope she has the same to say about DP!

Joe

OP posts:

HellyBelly · 11/08/2005 17:34

Great, well done! Not sure if it's normal but mine inspection certainly didn't last that long! She didn't meet dh but he wasn't registering.

lunavix · 11/08/2005 17:53

Well done

katymac · 11/08/2005 20:01

to register a new room took nearly 3 hrs for me so you are doing well

Lots of luck - hope it went well

Original poster

artyjoe · 11/08/2005 20:22

Finally all finished! She's fine to support the numbers we want and basically said we were fab!

It took just over 7 hours though...and in that time she never went to the loo... she's like a camel!

The only thing she could pick up on was the decking wasn't finished, but I had two carpenters working on it at the time! Very relieved. Wish I could have a drink now but I'm absteining until January - damn. Thanks for all your support - Joe

OP posts:

katymac · 11/08/2005 21:11

How many are you registered for?

Original poster

artyjoe · 11/08/2005 23:05

12 under eights, with only 6 of them under five (but this ends up being 5 due to our daughter being 6 months)...she is yet to decide if we can have another under 1...but we are not pushing for this.

Having said this, we have no intention of having more than 6 at any one time, with 3 mindees under 5. We really want to keep the numbers down so as not to dilute the care we give.

Lets just hope people want us now! x

OP posts:

bambi06 · 11/08/2005 23:10

7 hrs blimey, i think i would have hit the gin bottle the minute she left!!

katymac · 12/08/2005 07:55

Good for you that's close to how we started, we now have 9 under 5's

But you find as you do it longer you can cope with more, it will start off with an afternoon with an extra one for an hour and within a year you will be up to your limit. It's hard to turn them away when you have capacity

Loads of luck

HellyBelly · 12/08/2005 08:12

Well done, sounds great!

Presuming that the extra numbers are because both you and dh are being registered?

Out of interest, if my dh wants to register so that he's allowed to look after mindee's if I needed to pop out etc, does this involve attending the same course etc as I did (ICP)? Just wondered as this may be something we want to do in the future.

(sorry to hijack!)

Original poster

artyjoe · 12/08/2005 08:50

Hiya, he will need to do the ICP and the paediatric first aid course.

Both myself and my DP will be fully registered but we'll also have a childminding assistant.

Got a headache this morning, think those 7 hours have taken their toll!

OP posts:

HellyBelly · 12/08/2005 09:33

Cheers artyjoe, that confirms what I thought! Will keep that in mind for when we get a bigger house one day!

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