Child doing small hours and paperwork

[Miss freckles]

I have an 18 mth old in my care who only comes once a week for two and a half hours. It is purely for mum to have time to herself, do odd jobs and in her words to prepare him for nursery in September.

So I only have him two and a half hours a week until sept, he's off on holiday for two weeks in May and I'm off for two weeks in July, and I'm stuck on what paperwork I should do. It's only his 4th week and this is the first week he's settled. Really struggling with any paperwork.

[moggy]

Mmm, I have a minimum of 12-hours a week for this very reason. I guess you just have to look at stripping down to the bare minimum paperwork...?

[Sammy Jo T]

I have a child who only does one day a week at the moment and I've been told by other childminders in the area that they do the same stuff for their "one day" mindees as they do the others. Observations, planning etc so I'm trying the same approach but its not easy. Not sure what Ofsted expect from us though.

[tess1981]

We don't have to do the same paper work as you do but remember as long as you prove to ofsted you are doing your best by the child in the time you have them that should count. Observe and record and plan what next shows you are trying to meet their needs

[hectors house]

You can't really achieve much in such a short space of time so don't try to spend time "ticking" off EYFS statements - just jot down things you haven't seen him do before, ask his mum what he is currently interested in (at this age it can change week to week) and let him learn to socialize with the other children, even small things like sitting up to the table for snack or lining up to wash hands are all going to prepare him for routines at Nursery. So I would make your "Next Steps" be towards routines to help him settle at Nursery.

I have just started to tell new parents making enquiries that their child has to come 2 days minimum (7 hours a day) as it can take as much time to do planning, observations, 2 year checks, nursery reviews etc for a child who only comes one day a week as it does for a child who comes 5 days. So well done you for slotting this lo into your routine to give the mum a break. :thumbsup: