Indoor/Outdoor space & heating??

[KatyMac]

OK - I'll be honest - I struggle with this one as a childminder & I don't know how I am going to deal with it as a nursery owner/manager

But I truly believe that indoor/outdoor is right & all the children I care for get lots of outdoor time

I also believe that opening & closing doors constantly is dangerous/potentially dangerous

But how do you meet the requirements and provide a heated indoor space with a door either open or opening & closing

& how do I reconsile this with my green/eco leanings?

The rules are so complicated

Did you get your cat?

No no cat - had child with allergy so couldnt do. They do have fish, two rabbits and one very soppy golden retreiver who mainly stays in office but pokes her head in to see children occasionaly - as long as parents are okay with this of course!!

To be honest we have found that the rules change with each and every inspector - this Ofsted inspector was completely against advice from previous one, EY advisors and social services - resulting in only a satisfactory outcome. We have been told to appeal but are still waiting official report (Ofsted was only in Feb?).

Are still trying to decide best way of handling matter!!

That's a shame

I have just heard my mezzanine floor will be costing me about £12,000 which is absolutely fabulous

Bloody Nora KatyMac.

Guess you will have to keep nursery door shut after all to keep fuel bills low and make that up

How are plans with nursery going - Is chapel in sight ? - I take it that it will be Freehold property considering work to be done.

When we first bought nursery we had loads to do to it to be allowed to keep nursery running (this included decorating outside of nursery to keep snobby neighbours happy!) - this cost a bomb but we were in a good position as we had bought nursery out and kept on exsisting children. Do you have a lot of interest for nursery spaces? - I guess you will be taking children with you from chilminding anyway?

That is cheap

It enables us to have 4 extra children (I think) which makes it worth it IMO

Slowly....very very slowly

No leasehold but hopefully on a Loooong lease (20 years?)

No interest at all - but I can't talk about it until it is all sorted

I hope CM children will stay here & only go to Nursery for sessional care

Thanks for asking I have been feeling a bit down about it tbh

& I can't fit the staircase in grrr

Why are you feeling down - There is plenty of time for that when nursey is up and running and you have your wonderful staff to deal with

No seriously now - what is worrying you?

Unfortunately I dont have experience of starting from scratch as we bought the nursery as a going concern. Have a friend though who has just bought a nursery - though god knows why as she has no childcare experience!!. Things are not going well - mainly because of lack of experience but she only has about 4 children on her books. She pinched recruited a nursery manager from her son's nursery and she has just left taking some of the children with her!

I know it is very difficult not being able to talk about plans - couldnt tell anyone what we were doing until it had all gone through. Turned up to nursery on Monday morning as new owner and previous owner did not turn up for handover - was very embarrasing.

I imagine you are very familiar with ofsted due to CMing.

Sod the staircase - fit a lift!!

Do you have support of EY advisor through CMing that you could talk to for advice/support?

I guess because nothing is happening

Can't afford a lift

Umm - I will have a development worker - my current one is retiring and not really interested - my new one used to be my network co-ordinator so I know her well (unfortunately that means she knows me too)

If I can get the staircase next to the baby room I can put the baby room loo underneath it & save space....but it won't fit

I have advertised on MN for an architect

Can see why you feel down when it seems like nothing is happening - though it is better to go slowly and make sure everything is done properly than rushing the job and regretting it.

Any news on the architect yet - hopefully they will have some good ideas for fitting in stairs/loos.

We have recently had a new baby changing unit fitted in the baby room - was very expensive as it was shipped in from France - very hard to find in this country - but great space saver as they have small hand washing tap built in and some models have bath under pull out changing mat. We also had pull out stairs - which is great when you have heavy babies needing changing. They come with a nappy bin built under cupboard too but to be honest bin is too small for our nappies from 12 plus nappies a day!!

Anyway next time you are feeling down just remember why you are doing this (Why are you doing this by the way ? ).

It is a great thing that you are planning, especially for the little ones - which is why we are all in this job - just think about all those happy,smiling faces greeting you every morning.

Mostly our staff open up and we take our 3 to school in the morning - we live quite away from work. It is the best part of my day when I walk through the door and the children are all calling my name and rushing for hugs etc.

Yeah....why am I doing it?

I know what you mean though

Can I see the website where you got your changing unit?

Sorry - last week was a very hard, long week!!

Website is www.loxos.fr

We are extremely pleased with changing unit - excellent quality - looks like it is made to last.

Any news on plans yet?

Which one did you get?

Not much news yet

Hi KM

Sorry did not notice last message

How is everything at mo?

Will find out which unit we bought and let you know - did you check out website?

Yes - but it was very foreign

The nursery is 'off' atm

The bank won't leand in the current economic climate