policy regarding variaitions 2012

[mushpea]

has anyone written a policy regarding the new variations from sept 2012 yet? My cdo visited the other day and said that I need a policy in place for if and when I need to do a self variation, she said if I put it in with my ususal policys then when a parent needs an extra day which takes me over my numbers I will already have the paperwork in place and would have informed parents this may happen which is what I though we would need, anyhow I am just wondering what information to put in it really

[sarah707]

from my reading of the guidelines and after taking advice from Ofsted I do not feel the info you have been given is appropriate.

It is important to remember that every single request to vary conditions of registration must be considered individually depending on the children in the provision at the time, your resources and equipment, your daily routines, speaking to the parents etc etc.

You cannot have a blanket 'I might do this or that' in place because that's not following the EYFS which says a variance can only be done in 'exceptional circumstances'.

Does that make sense? :D

[mushpea]

it does make sense thanks but as we have to inform parents this policy would be to let parents know that in the future I may need to have 4 children under 5 due to continuity of care. this way parents are prepared when it does happen. I dont really see why we need to inform parents of every time we do a variation as I know that I am capable of having that many children , I also cant see anywhere in ofsteds document it says we have to inform the parents, its in the examples but surley this is just what the example childminder has done and it dosent mean we have to.
what happens if the other parents say no,, our buisness decisions are then being left to the parents of the children in our care and the parent who needs the extra days/hours cant access them because of the other parents, it dosent feel proffesional to say to a parent you cant have the hours as the other parents arent happy, it feels more proffesioanl to just say to the parents as of monday I will be having childx aswell as mum has needed to increase hours .
do you see what I mean with the above paragraph? when they say we have to inform parents do we just verbaly tell them this is whats happening or do we need them to sign a letter or do we actutaly have to seek the other parents permsision?

[sarah707]

There is some helpful info from Ofsted in Penny's thread here :D

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=103009