what do you all honestly do when..

[Jessymax]

you go to the toilet or answer the door or one of your children need the toilet and you have 3/4/5 or 6 children there. I am asking this mainly to be clear for when I am inspected I live in an upside down house but parents and children use steps on outside of house that come down to my conservatory (entrance for business use) and general other people and postman etc use upstairs 'front door' that is at top of insdie stairs I have a baby gate on bottom of stairs only as I have risk assessed and do not want to turn my home into a crèche. I will be honest if I need to nip for a wee and there is a baby I ALWAYS take her/him with me I lay her on carpet on hallyway right outside bathroom door so they can see me on the toilet (nice eh) But if I have older one who I know I can trust and still hear I leave him down unless he needs a wee. What would ofsted say in this scenario? and obviously if they were here and I took baby and left 3 year old downstairs what would they say would I get unsatisfactory or isit all based on how well you know the children and trust them? x sorry for rambling!

[Simona]

Sorry to ask but what did your inspector say when you were recently visited to be registered?

I think I understand the type of house you have and see no problem with having different doors for business or otherwise....as I am sure you have it all covered and RA.... but it is your question that I am puzzled with and trying to imagine how to deal with a child left downstairs and a baby with you...is he within hearing and sight? can you trust him ?

[mama2three]

I pop upstairs for a wee , leaving mindees alone for a minute or two. I leave doors open so i can hear them . i know the children and the risks and minimise wherever possible but we arent robots ! If I had a riskier situation...a volatile mindee or higher risk resources out then maybe then Id have to reassess , maybe take them with me or remove certain things before I went......

[Jessymax]

I mean I always take the baby upstairs as I onl have bathroom upstairs and lay him/her on floor outside bathroom on carpet on hallway and leave door open I wouldn't leave baby downstairs even though I trust older kids due to her being ery clingy when im out of sight and gets herself in a right state ! I mean when ofsted come and say I have a baby and 1 or 2 older children is it ok to take baby with me and leave older downstairs OR what if one of older ones need toilet?! do u take them all?! STRESSFUL or atleast I find it such a worry just for that one day when I will be inspected even though it could be a year away!

[Simona]

Got you!

Have you 'considered' putting the baby in a playpen while you take the toddlers to the loo?
Playpens can be used to keep babies safe when changing nappies...as an example....they may cry but if they can hear you they know you have not disappeared and will be back....worth giving it a try?

Just a suggestion...I have seen cms going upstairs will all the children...it can be stressful

[AliceK]

I have a toilet downstairs on the same floor that I mind from but I do nip upstairs quite a lot throughout the day. So if for instance I nip up there to put a LO down for a sleep in one of the bedrooms then yes I do leave the other children playing downstairs. I know all the children very well. I know who I can trust and how. I know if for instance one of them is going through eg a hitting stage/climbing phase etc and I will RA as necessary. When I'm upstairs I can hear every word of whats going on downstairs and if I call someone they can hear me too. I honestly don't see the problem. Just keep RA'ing each child. I wouldn't worry too much.

xxx

[Mouse]

With the current 3 & 4 year olds I leave them playing if I need the toilet, go to the door or put the babies for a sleep. If they need the toilet they go up by themselves and I hover at the bottom of the stairs to remind them to flush the toilet and wash their hands.

With the 15 month old it depends what sort of mood he's in. I'll either leave him playing, or put him in the buggy while I nip upstairs.

With the 5 month old I put him in the buggy or baby car seat, but in the hall or lounge, away from the other children.

I think it does all depend on how well you know the children.

During an inspection I have always done the same. I have explained to the inspector why I will leave the children in the same room as them (my reasoning now would be that they are DBS checked, I have checked their ID and their mobile phone has been left at the front door.) I explain what my normal procedure is and ask if they're OK with that - they always have been.

[BallyH]

Whatever you do on inspection day you have to look to be in total control and confident. Take the baby if that eases you. I've had a baby on my toilet floor many times with 2 lo's standing outside chatting to me with the door ajar. Whatever you decide to do write it in a risk assessment saying why you do it and that it works and that you will review regularly with the different stages of development. Ofsted want to see you taking no risks that you could have prevented. I've taken everyone into public toilets with me before - what a squeeze. Practice it and see how it works, if not tweak it to make it work for you all. Don't do anything different on your inspection day to your normal routine as the inspector will see immediately through the children. You can't be stressing about wee's on your inspection day as there will be a few other things to worry about. Best of luck.

[greenfaerie]

Like others have said I do an immediate RA of the children I have. If I have my more active mindee there (16 months) then I will put them in the playpen (that's filled with nice age appropriate resources) and leave all of the doors open so I can hear them. If I have my 11 month more emotional mindee then I take them with me and put them outside the open bathroom door, though they usually crawl to me or away to explore. (My landing is safe and RA'd anyway and they can't get in the rooms)

However if I have my mischievous after schooler then I'd rather hold it!! It's just not worth the hassle of leaving them unsupervised even for a second, even if I can hear them. (Since they've perfected sneaky silence and can get up to mischief literally behind my back) If I need something upstairs that's reachable I ask my own 3 yr old to go and get it for me! Since she's reliable with that, and I can trust her not to get up to mischief for the most part.

[mumofone]

I thought the rule was they must be within sight and/or hearing at all times?

[Mouse]

I thought the rule was they must be within sight and/or hearing at all times?

I leave the doors open so I can still hear them when I'm upstairs...and I know them so well I know exactly what they're up to when I'm not in the room!

[Jelly Baby]

Hi,
We rent and for some reason we have always lived in upside down houses apart from 1! I dont like them for this reason but have always coped (been CM for 11+ years)

This house now is and the same, the bathroom is on the level we walk in but the playroom is down a few stairs. I panic about Ofsted as the children freely go up and down unless they are babies and a gate is on but it works fine.

On my last inspection I didn't got to the toilet!!! The children all go with me for nappies etc and like others have said you know your children well enough usually to deal with each situation!

[hectors house]

I think I would put a note on the front door telling people to use the downstairs door like the parents do - on Wednesday whilst trying to give children lunch I had one knock at the door from post lady wanting me take in parcel for neighbours and then 10 mins later the neighbour coming to collect the parcel - that was inconvenient enough as it was without having to run upstairs to open the door.

I do leave my mindees while I put baby upstairs for a sleep or go to check on them - I know the ones I can trust to carry on playing without taking the opportunity to run around or jump on the sofa, or I am aware of their moods - if they seem a little distracted or hyperactive them I quickly pop the TV on for 5 mins of CBeebies.

[Simona]

We have so many variations here on how to keep children safe and in our sight and hearing.
Jessymax...at the moment you take the baby with you ...the baby lies still on the floor while you deal with the toddler?...is that correct?

Lets move forward to when this baby starts to crawl...you maybe wiping a little bottom and the baby has rolled down the stairs...so what works now will be reviewed as the baby grows up?

If the baby was used to being put in a playpen...or such like...safely the baby will soon become used to it while you relax and attend to other children's needs....tending to those needs is also part of teaching about hygiene and independence
An inspector on this occasion may want to follow a cm upstairs to observe.....while some children are left downstairs? that is a question you need to consider.

I personally have always used a safe playpen which all parents did know was used to sleep but also to keep a baby safe in these circumstances for a few minutes.

Hope you get it sorted soon :thumbsup: