Visitors book

[mumofone]

What does everyone use for these? Do you use sheets of paper or just a notebook? What kind of information do you record and in reality who would you have fill it in and do visitors or you sign it?

[moggy]

What does everyone use for these? Do you use sheets of paper or just a notebook? What kind of information do you record and in reality who would you have fill it in and do visitors or you sign it?

It is not a requirement at all. I record visitors in my personal diary so if there is ever an accusation or so query I can say who was here when.

[sarah707]

I write visitors in my diary as well :D

[FloraDora]

I have a lovely red leather visitors book that someone bought me as a gift before I started - I love nice books and notebooks, it has 3 signatures in it! But it looks nice.

[Mouse]

I record visitors in my register. That way I can see exactly which children were here when there were any visitors.

[mumofone]

I record visitors in my register. That way I can see exactly which children were here when there were any visitors.

Is your register self made mouse? Or was it bought?

[k1rstie]

I used to have a monthly visitors log sheet, but have gone over to a yearly sheet. I rarely have visitors!!!!


At the top of my sheet, there is a little introduction, and I inform visitors about my mobile phone policy.

[Mouse]

Is your register self made mouse? Or was it bought?


For years I used a A5 notebook, but I recently switched to this one which I really like. There's space at the bottom of the page for me to log any visitors. I just write they're name, where they're from and the times they were here. I don't get them to sign in or out:

https://www.nurseryresources.org/child-attendance-record.php

[Simona]

What does everyone use for these? Do you use sheets of paper or just a notebook? What kind of information do you record and in reality who would you have fill it in and do visitors or you sign it?

Is there anything in the EYFS that makes you feel we need a visitors' book?
Schools and nurseries have one because of the deployment of staff etc etc....but I am not sure if cms are required to have a book? or is it something cms do 'just in case' Ofsted ask?

EYFS p28 3.62 says we must take steps to prevent unauthorised persons entering the premises...we would then not allow anyone who knocks on the door to come in....say a street vendor....and back this up with a good Risk Assessment

If we have visitors such as other parents, cms and their children for playtime, even a well known plumber for emergency work that would be RA in advance

A diary would serve the purpose...a week at a view or any other...jot anything down and at the end of the year store away in your loft with other documents

Again we all differ but it this another piece of paperwork that is not required and adds to the burden?

[lollipop kid]

What does everyone use for these? Do you use sheets of paper or just a notebook? What kind of information do you record and in reality who would you have fill it in and do visitors or you sign it?

I use an A4 spiral bound book that I picked up some years ago in Tesco. It has a clear plastic cover and an elastic band around it lengthways that you use to keep all of the pages together.

On the first page (visible through the plastic), it reads "Visitors to (xxx setting name) Please show ID - thanks!"

Front side:

I've then split each lined page into columns for:

Visitor name
ID (narrow column that I just tick)
Address
Contact Number
Reason for Visit
Date
Time in
Time Out

I don't have many visitors, so the first signature is a parent visit when I first started. (I don't do new parent meetings - i.e. new business - during the times that I'm childminding - I prefer to do these at the weekends instead.) I get the visitor to fill it in (which means that I know their contact details will be correct).

It is really useful if I have to get any emergency repairs done to the house during childminding hours. I have three rooms downstairs, so it's easy to keep the children with me should I need to have anyone in - it doesn't happen very often as I try to get this stuff done at weekends, but I do have a flat roof on one room, which leaked last year, so I had to get it sorted quickly!

I keep it near my front door on a little locked cabinet (where I store my contracts/important paperwork about each of the children). I love making Ofsted use it to sign in and make a point of ticking myself that I've seen their ID (I don't let anyone tick this box except me). I particularly enjoy reminding Ofsted to sign out when they leave! (I had one inspector drive off then come back to sign out) :laughing:


Other side:

I have also designed it so I can flip it over. On the other side, under the plastic, it says "Complaints/Comments/Compliments re. xxx (Setting name)"

In this side, I staple in all my thank you cards from the children (they love seeing these on the occasions that I get it out to show them). I also staple in notes or comments from Parents (they've taken the time to write something lovely for me, and it's nice to be able to show these to prospective new parents). It also has hand-drawn thank you cards in there from some of the older school-age children who have left since I started childminding.

This side has cards/comments in it from the parents of the very first child I looked after, right up to any from those that I look after currently - even where they've written a thank you type note in Christmas cards, or for gifts that I've given the children.

I haven't had any complaints yet, but the parents know that if they have one, this is where it would go.

I love it. I made it up myself and it's still going strong. It's only hand-written, but is perfectly adequate.

I've put all this detail in just in case anyone would like to copy the format. :D

PS: I think I started doing this after reading "Are you ready for your inspection?" (Ofsted guide) Granted it was some years ago, but I've just kept going with it.