Inspections

[toddlers896]

A few people in my area have had their inspections recently and each one has had a call on the actual day or just turned up on the door. One had no children on the day and the other one had her grandchildren. Both had full inspections but were not graded. They were told they passed the requirements but can't be graded. Ime sure you already know this but ime surprised to hear more and more of this happening.
Also heard yesterday that our development officer is not able to do home visits anymore due to lack of funding. Where does our support come from then? If we are expected to follow guidelines then surely we should have some kind of support

[hectors house]

Unannounced inspections - sounds like a good reason to get a CCTV camera fitted showing who is at front door, taking batteries out of door bell and keeping the vertical blinds shut all day - bit like caller display on my phone "with held numbers, unavailable and weird looking numbers " - don't get answered!

We haven't got a DO anymore our county made them all redundant last Summer. Without this forum I would be completely lost.

[Simona]

CMs can be inspected if they have no children on roll....or if no cared for children are present at the time
they will not be graded but told if they meet requirements
This means they can continue to be registered and care for children

This factsheet is still current and p4 explains clearly what happens including that the inspection needs to go ahead

https://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/inspecting-registered-providers-no-children-roll-or-no-children-present-time-of-inspection

‘No children on roll’/’no children present’ inspection
Before the inspection
4. Where the inspection is of a childminder or a holiday playscheme , the normal practice is to make a telephone call to the provider in the week before the inspection to check the days on which the provider will be operating.
It may become clear in this telephone call that the provider does not currently have any children on roll. Where this happens, the inspector should explain that the inspection must still go ahead. This is because Ofsted is under a legal duty to carry out the inspection of every provider within a given cycle.
We cannot defer the inspection to a later date because:
in most cases, there is no guarantee that a provider will be caring for children at a later date, even if the inspection was deferred providers who remain registered with Ofsted must make themselves available for inspection at any time during their registration.



In this recent publication 'Conducting EY inspections' there is further clarification of what Ofsted do on p5

Ofsted | Conducting early years inspections (http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/conducting-early-years-inspections)

Little or no notice of inspection
7. Group providers normally receive no notice of the inspection. Childminders or group providers that do not operate regularly, such as summer play schemes, will usually receive a call no more than five days before the inspection to check which days they are operating and whether there are children on roll and present.
The inspector must not specify the date of the inspection but should indicate the time by which the inspection will start. This will allow the childminder to leave the house if the inspector has not arrived by that time. If there are no children on roll or present, the inspection will be rescheduled unless there are good reasons why it must go ahead; for example, because it is close to the end of the inspection cycle.
8. Ofsted will normally carry out inspections without notice where inspections are prioritised because of concerns. Having no children on roll or present on the day is unlikely to lead to these inspections being deferred.

A bit contradictory I know...so if cms are not sure they can always ring Ofsted when the inspector arrives and get this checked

The practice of arriving unannounced for scheduled inspections should not happen as it was never in any Ofsted expectations for this to be so
If it is still happening then it needs to be reported by CMs so Ofsted can get it checked with Tribal or Prospects

[KateA]

I had one of these no children on my role visits and personally think it was the kiss of death for my business. I did get a "met" but enquiries have been very quite since. I registered in Dec and they would not delay my inspection until later in the year or when I had children on my role yet local childminders have not been graded in over 6 years! seems strange they are keen to re test me so soon and this inspection is basically like your pre reg visit when others have not been inspected in years.

[Simona]

I had one of these no children on my role visits and personally think it was the kiss of death for my business. I did get a "met" but enquiries have been very quite since. I registered in Dec and they would not delay my inspection until later in the year or when I had children on my role yet local childminders have not been graded in over 6 years! seems strange they are keen to re test me so soon and this inspection is basically like your pre reg visit when others have not been inspected in years.

Thank you for sharing this KateA
I have added this on my OBC list as a matter to raise with them

Were you told you would be re inspected when you had children? do you have to inform Ofsted when so?
It is worrying if you feel this has affected your business when we know places can be at a premium in some areas
Some CMs have not had their first inspection after years ...not months... so there is no continuity here

sorry about the questions...it would help when put it to Ofsted...no names mentioned of course

[KateA]

Hi, In Norwich first inspections do seem to happen within 6-7 months of registration it does seem these are prioritized over childminders who have been working for some time.

I was advised inspection had to go ahead if you had children on your role or not and could not be delayed. I also will not not be inspected again until next wave of inspections which I think she said starts again in 2016.

As a side note I had emailed ofsted advising I had no children on role at advice of local childminding matters to try and delay my inspection and within weeks got the phone call! Could just been coincidence but bit strange they change policy in April and in May this happens.

x



Thank you for sharing this KateA
I have added this on my OBC list as a matter to raise with them

Were you told you would be re inspected when you had children? do you have to inform Ofsted when so?
It is worrying if you feel this has affected your business when we know places can be at a premium in some areas
Some CMs have not had their first inspection after years ...not months... so there is no continuity here

sorry about the questions...it would help when put it to Ofsted...no names mentioned of course

[Simona]

Hi, In Norwich first inspections do seem to happen within 6-7 months of registration it does seem these are prioritized over childminders who have been working for some time.

I was advised inspection had to go ahead if you had children on your role or not and could not be delayed. I also will not not be inspected again until next wave of inspections which I think she said starts again in 2016.

As a side note I had emailed ofsted advising I had no children on role at advice of local childminding matters to try and delay my inspection and within weeks got the phone call! Could just been coincidence but bit strange they change policy in April and in May this happens.

x

6-7 months is correct which means CMs can then apply to draw funding...mind you I have read some LAs allow non graded cms to do so
The system is a real mess and what Ofsted do is very contradictory as in their factsheets which I will also raise at OBC

Is your FIS advertising you even if not graded? can you draw funding?
if you have a website ...or any other means of marketing your setting...you could explain the reason why you have no grade?

Thank you for the information...I do hope you find children very soon

[KateA]

Hi
Yes my local FIS advertise me still and have link to me inspection report. No I am unable to offer any funding. I have have not thought of putting a link from my website to the report and and explanation can you do this? how to you think parents would view this.


6-7 months is correct which means CMs can then apply to draw funding...mind you I have read some LAs allow non graded cms to do so
The system is a real mess and what Ofsted do is very contradictory as in their factsheets which I will also raise at OBC

Is your FIS advertising you even if not graded? can you draw funding?
if you have a website ...or any other means of marketing your setting...you could explain the reason why you have no grade?

Thank you for the information...I do hope you find children very soon

[Simona]

Hi
Yes my local FIS advertise me still and have link to me inspection report. No I am unable to offer any funding. I have have not thought of putting a link from my website to the report and and explanation can you do this? how to you think parents would view this.

I would just say the reason for not having a grade is because you had no children on roll...due to ... you can say: because you have just registered etc...or say nothing and explain when parents visit you
You met the requirements so you are competent and able to care for children...hope you have children now?

Not being able to draw funding is so counterproductive and so sad really...ask your LA what they think about it...I know some cms are able to do so while waiting for 1st inspection and LAs are different

Good luck with that and keep us posted

PS: I have just made a note for OBC that no grade means no funding ...I will feedback to you