Exceptions / Ofsted advice confusing- opinions please!

[Bluebell]

Hi

My friend is coming back off maternity leave - her baby is about 6 months. She has turned away a customer because the child was under 1 and she already has her own baby.

I advised her that she can make exceptions when the one under one is your own - as in EYFS requirements section 3 welfare requirements 3.40 page 21
'exceptions can be made to the usual ratios when childminders are caring for sibling babies, or when caring for their own baby.'

so she phones Ofsted and she said 'they told me that they can't STOP me having two under 1 BUT if I am inspected they may frown upon it. Hmm. So I can do it but I'll get told off?!! As usual they were very vague.'

This is just ridiculous! Either we can do i or we can't do it - I'm really confused? Parents are so desperate for childcare in this area it seems such a shame to turn them away if we can help them!

Can I please have some advice on this - I am taking on twins - sibling babies - will I be 'frowned upon'?!

[lisbet]

I thought the 'own baby' bit meant that if you already had a mindee under one and then had another baby of your own, you could still keep caring for the mindee???

A new mindee under one in addition to a minder's own baby under one would count as 'new business', wouldn't it? So a variation would not be applicable?

Twins I understood as different because they come as a package, lol. The inspector was fine with the variation I had written for caring for twins under one.

[FussyElmo]

I thought the 'own baby' bit meant that if you already had a mindee under one and then had another baby of your own, you could still keep caring for the mindee???

A new mindee under one in addition to a minder's own baby under one would count as 'new business', wouldn't it? So a variation would not be applicable?

Twins I understood as different because they come as a package, lol. The inspector was fine with the variation I had written for caring for twins under one.

I agree its new business so she would br in the wrong :-D

[shortstuff]

Agreed x its new business. The other exception would be if the baby was a younger sibling to one already in the setting?

[sarah707]

As well as agreeing with the above posts ^^ we are finding that some (not all) cms who have variations - even ones that are carefully thought through - are getting slated at inspection.

Inspectors are saying that they cannot possibly deliver high quality learning to all the children when they are different ages and they are finding fault with their planned activities - all sorts of things...

So if you are going to do it, we are advising caution and watertight evidence :D

[Bluebell]

wow - seems a bit unfair - especially as before Ofsted quite happily handed out lots of variations!

I've taken that on board and will be careful what I advise my colleagues from now on! I've got an exception myself on one day so will have to make sure I can demonstrate everything adequately! Plus I'm taking on the twins - eek!

Thanks for everyone's advice.