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Spangles
09-01-2008, 10:20 PM
I have just popped on for five mins to ask this question before I'm off to bed - I'm exhausted!

Anyway, what it is is this ....

I have a lady coming to see me on Friday afternoon about looking after her 4 month old baby from end Feb when she goes back to work. It would basically be full-time.

I am registered for 2 under 5's of which 1 can be under 1 and at the moment I have a 10 mth old who will be 1 on 10th March and he clashes for half an hour on a Thursday with a 1 year old so for that half an hour I am full! (woohoo!)

I have explained to her that this little boy isn't 1 until 10th March and it that I can't have 2 under ones at the same time but she still wants to come and see me so I'm assuming she can manage until 10th March somehow.

Trouble is the half hour I have two children! If she's keen for me to have her baby and I phone Ofsted would they be able to help do you think? I've only been registered since end August last year and haven't been inspected yet.

Does any of that make sense at all?

Monkey1
09-01-2008, 10:23 PM
If you can word it as 'continuity of care' and things like that they might be ok. See what she says on Friday and then worry about it then. If you have already mentioned the dilema to her she may of already taken that into account.
Good luck babe x

sarah707
09-01-2008, 10:27 PM
Oh gosh ... for half an hour... :eek:

If she seems keen I would def ring O and ask... good luck on Friday! x

angeldelight
09-01-2008, 10:28 PM
Hi Lorri

I would wait and see what she says first

Then call Ofsted if things go well

Did you have that little chinese boy today with his mom? How did it go?

Angel xx

Spangles
09-01-2008, 10:32 PM
I know I'm gutted - half an hour that's all! And the little girl who is the crossover one started this week and is only 2.5 hours per week with her brother another day at 2.5 per week! They could potentially stop me getting a full-timer! Gutted!

Yes, the little Chinese boy popped in today with his mum and he seemed happy but I don't think he will be okay on Friday when she leaves! He's going to be hard work bless him because he's a 'flitter' as well! He gets something out and plays with it for literally ten seconds then he's off and tips something else up all over the floor and does the same again over and over! Plus, he doesn't listen to you when you speak to him either so I'm going to have to be really active in keep going up to him and getting his attention at his level which I do anyway but not to the degree he needs. He's such a cutie though! It will be a challenge and I'm quite looking forward to it, just hopes he settles okay. I think on Friday I will wait until he calms down then pop him and Benjamin in the buggy and take a walk down through the village and get them out of the house!

Hey, you asked a simple question and got a novel in reply! Ha ha!

angeldelight
09-01-2008, 10:35 PM
Hahaha god and I thought I could talk !!!!
Oh he does sound the type of child that is going to get bored easy

Yes a walk sounds very very good

Good luck on Friday

Angel xx

Spangles
09-01-2008, 10:38 PM
A very, very, loooooooon walk! Five hours worth maybe? Think of the calories if I just keep taking him out for walks! Fab!

angeldelight
09-01-2008, 10:42 PM
Hope it does not rain !

xx

Spangles
09-01-2008, 10:47 PM
It's bound to be snow, sleet, ice and gale force winds!

sarah707
09-01-2008, 10:49 PM
I go for walks in all weathers, I really don't care... if it stops the baby from screaming I walk and walk!

I keep thinking of how much good it must be doing me! :D

oakie dokie
10-01-2008, 07:04 AM
for half hour, i would do it, what if parents late say, you would not have a chioce. just pretend shes late every day. what ofsted said to me was that they could not do a short term variation for the 5 weeks i had 2 under 1s, they had to change my reg so i now can look after 2 under1s. and its only for 2 days not everyday is it ?

hazelx

mrsbumbles
10-01-2008, 08:01 AM
I have a variation to mind 4 under 4s because i have an over lapping period of two hours a day, three days a week, I found them very helpful,after recieving your request, they will phone and ask you questions about your curcumstances during the overlapping period, so just be prepared.Its worth asking them after all they can only say no, you have nothing to loose really. It took Ofsred two weeks from receiving my requet to granting it.I faxed my request through to get a quick response.

cherry
10-01-2008, 09:08 AM
Hi Lorri

I was in the same situation as you last year. It was for two days a week and overlapping half an hour.

I wrote to Osfted (which they do require it in writing) explained the situation and how I would cope with the children during that half hour, I had to do a school pickup so I explained how one child would be in a buggy and the other would walk with me holding onto the buggy (as it was an older child) I made sure I covered every situation and had no problems.

They sent me a new certificate to cover the overlap, it did take them 2 months to send it though.
Hope this helps?

Best of luck.

Cherry

Spangles
10-01-2008, 09:36 AM
Thank you everyone - sounds like there is hope! I will see how Friday goes with the mum and ask her to let me know quite quickly if she wants me to look after her baby as I'll have a lot of organising to do!

Thanks again for the advice.

Lou
10-01-2008, 11:31 AM
I agree with whats been said Lorri.

I would NOT turn away a full timer for the sake of half an hour.

If she wants you put it in writing to Ofsted and chase them up lots.

I would word it as continuation of care though as someone has already said. So instead of saying you want to take on a new child but there will be an overlap, say you have already taken on new child and now existing child needs different hours. Does that make sense?

Spangles
10-01-2008, 03:24 PM
Would that work? Won't they check up on it and find out I'm lying? I really hate lying, I never do it! Hubby thinks it's weird that I won't lie ever, gets quite frustrated when I refuse to cover for him for things like about being late in to work and stuff, I just say I'll ignore the phone!

Lou
10-01-2008, 03:28 PM
its just a little fib!!

i dont know to be honest, its just that in my experience (i have had a couple of variations in the past) it needs to be for continuation of care, so im just saying think carefully about how you word it,

Spangles
10-01-2008, 03:37 PM
What about if I say the parent is desperate for me to look after their child but they don't want to split the child between more than one setting to ensure they're kept with the same person? Which, assuming she even wants me, would be the truth????

Lou
10-01-2008, 03:49 PM
You can say whatever you feel comfortable with Lorri, but like i say in my experience Ofsted normally only grant a variaton for continuation of care, so i would just say that you have agreed to take new child on but exsisting childs parents have asked you for an extra half hour that will overlap.

Thats just what i would do, but you are clearly a more honest person than me!!!

ajs
10-01-2008, 03:59 PM
and me
they are not going to check on whta you're saying lorri they will believe what you tell them within reason but i do agree they prefer continuation of care then say a new child taking a full tiem place

Spangles
10-01-2008, 07:42 PM
Okay thank you, I'll see what happens tomorrow and then go from there!

Thanks again.

deeb66
12-01-2008, 04:17 PM
How did this go Lorri?

Spangles
12-01-2008, 06:32 PM
Thanks for asking Dee.

She called at lunch time on Friday and cancelled as something unexpected had come up, said she'd call next week to rearrange.

deeb66
12-01-2008, 06:37 PM
I hope all goes well next week

Don't forget to let us know the outcome

susi513
15-01-2008, 11:08 AM
I wouldn't want to lie either Lorri. But there are different ways of telling the truth iyswim. Your letter can include the names & dates of births of each child without stating if any of them don't have contracts with you.

Would it be truthful to say something like:

From [date] in order to meet all of the parent's requirements there would be an overlap on [date/time]. Under my current registration I will be unable to provide continuity of care for these children as without a variation certificate one of these families will have to find a new childcarer for [day].

List names & dates of birth of children

I have discussed the proposed arrangement with all the parents concerned, all of whom are happy with the proposal. I am confident in my ability to manage the proposed arrangement without compromising the care of any child present. {add any extra positive info here}

????

You could also offer a free or low charge 1-2 hour session to new client now, so your attendance records will show that the new child has already started. So the child is not new at the time of your request ifswim.

Spangles
15-01-2008, 03:22 PM
That's brilliant Susi! I can do that!

I'm still waiting for the mother to call me back at the moment so the problem may not arise this time but I'm sure it will come up again and your suggestion sounds fab!

I really can't lie, I know it sounds stupid but I just can't do it even if it doesn't hurt anyone and it benefits me I still can't do it! Ha ha!