Arrgh! Tribal called I haven't been minding for 6 months yet!! Help!!

[unalindura77]

I'm in a state of shock!

I was told that my inspection would be March/April as I was registered in September

Tribal just called me to ask what days I care for children!!!!!!!! I nearly fainted! She just asked and then said thank you bye

What does this mean>??? Is my inspection imminent?

OMG thought I had at least Feb to prepare! Oh no, what if they just turn up?

Has anyone had experience of this? Or advice...

I need to calm down I'm nearly hyperventilating

[KaicosMummy]

I started minding In the january and got inspected in the april, I think it is that you are inspected within six months, not at six months. Just prepare yourself as could be any day now x

[Emra81]

I was registered in September as well and also had a call from Tribal this afternoon but I didn't let her off the phone until I'd bled her dry of any information she could give me! Lol! It was probably the same woman!

So, she said that she was calling to update their system and that they aim to inspect you within 7 months of you registering but she couldn't swear to that as they're very busy. I asked if she could be any more specific, would it be in the next few weeks? She asked when I registered and then said she couldn't say for sure but she would imagine it would be around March time although I would get a call from the inspector closer to the time anyway to check that nothing has changed.

So, don't panic too much....my grand plan is that I'm going to chip away at the last few things I want to document/tick off over the next few weeks and start thinking about which activities I want to showcase to the inspector and what suits which kids best etc then its just a case of keeping everything ticking over and playing the waiting game! Eeek!

Hope that helps x

[unalindura77]

Oh my lord Kaicos Mummy! Poor you!

Emra are you in London? I am! Your conversation sounds exactly the same as mine as I then did 1471 and rang the lady straight back! I'm sure she said her name was Sam May?

Argghhh I have SO much to do, I know I won't have it ready by next week!

I'll have to start doing as much as I can now....

[rickysmiths]

The first call is usually from the office to check you are minding and you have early years children. You should get a call from the inspector who will introduce them self as the inspector.

[Emra81]

No I'm in Milton Keynes, not that far from London though!

Did she say someone would come next week?! Might step up my time frame for getting up to date, just incase!

[Kaybeaa]

I have been registered since end of August and been minding EYFS children for just 3 weeks. I had the call last Wednesday and I was in a state of shock too as was told the inspection would be march! They just asked for details and said the inspector had to come between 27th jan and 27th Feb! Which means I've got either a few days or just a month to prepare! Just get as much done as you can x

[Rick]

You probably have another 3 or 4 weeks until the 'call' and then another week before they inspect. So I guess this should be treated as a wake up call to get everything up together :D

[unalindura77]

Wake up call received!!!!

I am not going to sleep....I have to do much more work on LJ's, print photos and rearrange front room

Hope I do have at least a month or else I will be very flustered..

Hopefully I will be calm & collected by then because at the moment I am like a mad woman, I'm pulling my sofa and dining chair around the lounge and deciding where to put what

[unalindura77]

Emra - no she just said that someone would be in touch..let's see when that happens. As soon as I get the call I'll post about it xxx

[AliceK]

I was registered in the September and I had my first inspection in the December :panic:

xxxx

[unalindura77]

Right - definitely not sleeping this weekend!

If that's the case I could be visited within a week and what if they don't even ring me? I've read this has happened to some? That's my worse nightmare

[unalindura77]

Did you have everything in place Alice? They didn't give you much time..

[AliceK]

Did you have everything in place Alice? They didn't give you much time..

No, not really. I think I had been minding for 10 weeks. My LJ's let me down even though my DO (who didn't actually come out until after my inspection!!) said they were fine. I certainly wasn't ready mentally for it. Try not to worry too much, just make sure all your paperwork is up to date and show the inspector how well you know your children. They are very keen now to see how you "teach" the children. Make sure you give a running commentary to her / him as to what you are doing and why.

xxx

[Simona]

Wake up call received!!!!

I am not going to sleep....I have to do much more work on LJ's, print photos and rearrange front room

Hope I do have at least a month or else I will be very flustered..

Hopefully I will be calm & collected by then because at the moment I am like a mad woman, I'm pulling my sofa and dining chair around the lounge and deciding where to put what

While I understand your need to put your paperwork in place ...I don't think it is a requirement that you should rearrange the furniture for
mrs O?? :rolleyes:

Jokes apart....Relax! Do not panic!

[unalindura77]

Thanks Alice - running commentary oh you betcha, I probably will doing a running commentary on absolutely everything, (just kidding) really appreciate your tips, 'teaching' the children is the part I'm most worried about as I tend to freeze when someone is observing me....

Simona har har har! :laughing::laughing: It's a weird reaction I had I must say, pulling your sofa to the other side of the room.. my dh and daughter were staring at me and giving each other knowing looks..yep she's gone!

I will try relax and after all that mania I just took a bubble bath and promised myself not to read any more EYFS stuff tonight

Myy daughter called me in to her room and hid under the duvet and played a video of herself telling her sad story of a childminding Mum is no fun tonight as she found out 'Oxford' were coming! She was really sad as I had barely spoke to her this evening in my mania, looking for folders, papers, pulling furniture around.

So we had a nice evening after that....helped me put things in to perspective :blush:

[Simona]

Thanks Alice - running commentary oh you betcha, I probably will doing a running commentary on absolutely everything, (just kidding) really appreciate your tips, 'teaching' the children is the part I'm most worried about as I tend to freeze when someone is observing me....

Simona har har har! :laughing::laughing: It's a weird reaction I had I must say, pulling your sofa to the other side of the room.. my dh and daughter were staring at me and giving each other knowing looks..yep she's gone!

I will try relax and after all that mania I just took a bubble bath and promised myself not to read any more EYFS stuff tonight

Myy daughter called me in to her room and hid under the duvet and played a video of herself telling her sad story of a childminding Mum is no fun tonight as she found out 'Oxford' were coming! She was really sad as I had barely spoke to her this evening in my mania, looking for folders, papers, pulling furniture around.

So we had a nice evening after that....helped me put things in to perspective :blush:

'Oxford' indeed!! that's a gem!
I had a feeling you were looking for paperwork behind your sofa! Try looking in your EYFS portfolio for your papers...have a good night sleep and no nightmares...I am sure Mrs O won't be on your door in the morning!

[unalindura77]

She better not be as I'll just hide!

[unalindura77]

Found some really good stuff behind the sofa too!

[Kiddleywinks]

Myy daughter called me in to her room and hid under the duvet and played a video of herself telling her sad story of a childminding Mum is no fun tonight as she found out 'Oxford' were coming! She was really sad as I had barely spoke to her this evening in my mania, looking for folders, papers, pulling furniture around.


Don't you have a lovely daughter?! Want to swop?

Mine threatened to hide in the loft, and 30 mins after Mrs O arrived, start tapping on the loft hatch saying, in a trembling voice:
Is it ok to come out now?
Mum, I'm hungry, I've not eaten in 2 days, please feed me :eek:
I promise I'll be good, honest.....

My DS then joined in, and said he'd do the same but in the downstairs cupboard!

This then prompted two weeks of hilarity for them, and I was a nervous wreck, running around the house checking they HAD gone to college/school every day :laughing:

[unalindura77]

Don't you have a lovely daughter?! Want to swop?

Mine threatened to hide in the loft, and 30 mins after Mrs O arrived, start tapping on the loft hatch saying, in a trembling voice:
Is it ok to come out now?
Mum, I'm hungry, I've not eaten in 2 days, please feed me :eek:
I promise I'll be good, honest.....

My DS then joined in, and said he'd do the same but in the downstairs cupboard!

This then prompted two weeks of hilarity for them, and I was a nervous wreck, running around the house checking they HAD gone to college/school every day :laughing:


Aren't they terrible?? :laughing::laughing:

I did ask my daughter what we do in a fire evacuation and she said 'I'll say I don't know what that is' ... yah very funny missy! Then she asks will the lady from Oxford ask me any questions and I say yes maybe, she says 'Oh good' with an evil look in her eye!

[Emra81]

Hee hee....cheeky monkeys! Luckily my dd is only 21 months so the worst I can expect from her is that she'll tell the inspector she's done a poo poo! Although I'd put money on her instigating an argument over a toy just to show me up!

[Kiddleywinks]

Just goes to show that kids of ALL ages know just which buttons to press :D

(problem with mine, 16 & 13, is they have a wicked sense of humour, so I could actually see one of them doing it :eeeek:)

[unalindura77]

It's good to see I'm not alone!

Even yesterday, as soon as I got off the phone I was completely stressed and all of a sudden lo I was minding wouldn't let me put him down and decided to cry and become clingy! It was amazing as he had been really calm and happy before that, they can sense how you're feeling and seem to play on it.

[Emra81]

Unalindura....is it just me or are you having a mini nervous breakdown every time the phone rings now aswell?! Got so many things I still need to double check and get ticked off and tweak......aaaaarrrrgh!

[Velleity]

I started minding at the end of September and got inspected at the beginning of January x

[Simona]

Unalindura....is it just me or are you having a mini nervous breakdown every time the phone rings now aswell?! Got so many things I still need to double check and get ticked off and tweak......aaaaarrrrgh!

I am interested in how the furniture rearranging is going?

[unalindura77]

Emra & Simona!

A fellow childminder was here today and the mobile rang while we were chatting away, I stood in the middle of my newly rearranged lounge and froze as I stared down at the screen which read 'Private Number' well....I wasn't able to answer it, just stood there with what must have been a funny expression as my friend found it hilarious! When I listened to the voicemail, it was a completely unrelated matter....and breeeeathe

This morning at 9:30am there was a loud knock on the door, I almost jumped right out of my skin, I took a sneaky look out of the curtains and there the man who had come to check my windows and give me a quotation for new ones (I had forgotten he was coming).

This is horrible...I really can't wait until this bit is over

Simona, my daugher hates the new arrangement of the front room! She says it feels awkward, I say, it looks more spacious and gives little ones more space...so of course I win. I did promise her we could move it back once they've been!

[Simona]

Emra & Simona!

A fellow childminder was here today and the mobile rang while we were chatting away, I stood in the middle of my newly rearranged lounge and froze as I stared down at the screen which read 'Private Number' well....I wasn't able to answer it, just stood there with what must have been a funny expression as my friend found it hilarious! When I listened to the voicemail, it was a completely unrelated matter....and breeeeathe

This morning at 9:30am there was a loud knock on the door, I almost jumped right out of my skin, I took a sneaky look out of the curtains and there the man who had come to check my windows and give me a quotation for new ones (I had forgotten he was coming).

This is horrible...I really can't wait until this bit is over

Simona, my daugher hates the new arrangement of the front room! She says it feels awkward, I say, it looks more spacious and gives little ones more space...so of course I win. I did promise her we could move it back once they've been!

I couldn't stop laughing as you described your call and knock on the door.....keep us posted ...I hope your nerves hold until the day she actually comes!
may I suggest a glass of wine tonight while you sit in your rearranged sitting room! ??? Cheers

[Emra81]

I feel your pain Unalindura! I lost it with dh today when he phoned me 3 times from the supermarket! In his defence he does pretty much every big shop and is normally great but by the third call I was absolutely convinced it was 'the call' and ripped his head off! Poor man!

Velleity -did you start minding as soon as you registered or did you register before the end of September?

[Minstrel]

I've had a blocked call on home phone and mobile (one after the other) which I'm convinced is them. I didn't answer and no message left :(

[Emra81]

Brings on a special kind of palpitation/perspiration doesn't it Minstrel! For once I'll say, fingers crossed for you it was a cold call from a double glazing company!

[Emra81]

Ah, just re-read and registered that it was one call after another on home phone and mobile....child still be a cold call!

[unalindura77]

I started minding at the end of September and got inspected at the beginning of January x

Velleity I bet you're soo relieved you have it over and done with :) and feel pity on us poor souls :panic::panic:

[unalindura77]

I feel your pain Unalindura! I lost it with dh today when he phoned me 3 times from the supermarket! In his defence he does pretty much every big shop and is normally great but by the third call I was absolutely convinced it was 'the call' and ripped his head off! Poor man!

Velleity -did you start minding as soon as you registered or did you register before the end of September?


You've heard of bridezilla's right? This is Ofstedzilla's...:angry::jump for joy::mad::blush:

Our poor poor families!

[unalindura77]

I couldn't stop laughing as you described your call and knock on the door.....keep us posted ...I hope your nerves hold until the day she actually comes!
may I suggest a glass of wine tonight while you sit in your rearranged sitting room! ??? Cheers


Simona if you had have been there you would have laughed even more to see how lo stopped what she was doing and looked so scared to see me jump that way! Poor lovey...

At the moment I think a glass of wine or baileys is in order and I'll probably be an alcoholic by the time Mrs.O comes...

I have some left over valium from a back injury, might pop a few of those on the day ;):eek:

[unalindura77]

I've had a blocked call on home phone and mobile (one after the other) which I'm convinced is them. I didn't answer and no message left :(


You and I have exactly the same style! I've got a ladder to the attic I will be going up with LO's if they come on a bad day...

[Kaybeaa]

I'm so glad it's not just me who is going out of my mind with panic!! I don't think I'll ever be ready for this inspection!!