Just had Food Safety spot check

[Angela234]

I just got home from the library with 2 mindee's and saw a lady with folder walking down my steps introduced herself as from the council food safety i did ask for ID.

I registered last year got inspected 3 months after all was fine just had to get aprons wasn't expecting another one well not so soon anyway SO BE PREPARED EVERYONE.

It all went well asked what i cooked, served, ages, checked my cupboards, fridge, freezer.

She gave me a childminders written system and daily check forms less complex than the safer food pack.

She did ask me to get a food probe.

Just thought i'd warn others that they come without warning

Angela

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Thanks for the information.

We registered 2 years ago, had a telephone interview and that was it

[sue m]

I don't understand this, I rang my local council and said I am told I have to register as a food premises cos I'm a childminder so the woman said she would send a form. A few weeks later nothing had come so I rang again and got the form, filled it in and sent it back but have heard nothing. So will someone come round unexpectedly and inspect my kitchen and fridge? I have my 2 mindees for 6 hours a day and they just have fruit and a sandwich with me in that time. I've realized now that I need to do a multicultural menu for my portfolio. Anyone know of any snacky things that I can put down on it please? My two are really picky eaters anyway, one has jam and bread most days (3 days a week which parents are quite happy with cos they have fruit and yoghurt) and the other one picks at bits of cheese and bread! Thank you.

[Wendy Woo]

Am i missing something

I am not aware of having to register with anyone other than ofsted

Please fill me in someone x x

[Pipsqueak]

Wendy, we have to register with local environmental health as well.

Contact the food standards agency and get the pack
Safer food better business for caterers 0845 606 0667 (make sure you ask for Caterers pack).

Then reg with your local envir.health.

[Tatia]

You have to register as a food business if you are preparing food for children. Ridiculous if you ask me but there ya go. Not sure if it's widespread yet. They're not inspecting in SOuthend yet but I'm sure it will happen eventually.

I dread to think what they about the state of my kitchen at the moment!:eek:

[Pipsqueak]

I don't understand this, I rang my local council and said I am told I have to register as a food premises cos I'm a childminder so the woman said she would send a form. A few weeks later nothing had come so I rang again and got the form, filled it in and sent it back but have heard nothing. So will someone come round unexpectedly and inspect my kitchen and fridge? I have my 2 mindees for 6 hours a day and they just have fruit and a sandwich with me in that time. I've realized now that I need to do a multicultural menu for my portfolio. Anyone know of any snacky things that I can put down on it please? My two are really picky eaters anyway, one has jam and bread most days (3 days a week which parents are quite happy with cos they have fruit and yoghurt) and the other one picks at bits of cheese and bread! Thank you.

Each local authority is different in the way the deal with registration - ours have said that if we reg with them voluntarily then they will give us the courtesy of booking an initial appointment with us or doing a telephone interview. But after that they will just drop by as and when.

as for multi cultural - how about pitta breads, tortillias, pasta, ermmm my brain has just gone blank....

[Mrs.L.C]

Can I just check that if we only provide snacks like a sandwich or fruit, do we need to register? I always thought it was if we catered for more than 10 we had to register

[kiddiwinks]

Am i missing something

I am not aware of having to register with anyone other than ofsted

Please fill me in someone x x


I never knew of this either

[Wendy Woo]

As far as i was aware we had not had that confirmed down here yet!!!

Might give childcare advisor a ring 2moro and see wots wot!!!

[madasahatter]

I only recently registered with the local environmental health. The lady on the end of the phone said it was just a formality, that they just keep our details in a special childminders file they have (don't even computerise it she said), purely in case there is ever a complaint or case of food poisoning that might be attributable to the setting. She said they don't consider a childminder to be a 'food business' as such (or words to that effect). So hopefully I won't be in a position to get inspected.

[Mrs.L.C]

As far as i was aware we had not had that confirmed down here yet!!!

Might give childcare advisor a ring 2moro and see wots wot!!!

Will be interesting to see what they say. Please let us know

[sarah707]

Can I just check that if we only provide snacks like a sandwich or fruit, do we need to register? I always thought it was if we catered for more than 10 we had to register

You have to try to register... if they don't want you get it in a letter and put it in your file.

Then Ofsted will know you have tried :D

[sue m]

Thanks everyone. Flippin' eck! I'm not swearing Pauline! :D

I think I'll give my local council a ring tomorrow and see what they say about the form I sent in. Why is everything so hard!!!! :mad:

[Pipsqueak]

Can I just check that if we only provide snacks like a sandwich or fruit, do we need to register? I always thought it was if we catered for more than 10 we had to register

Yes - even if you are just providing a glass of water or storing food sent by parents.

[Pipsqueak]

I only recently registered with the local environmental health. The lady on the end of the phone said it was just a formality, that they just keep our details in a special childminders file they have (don't even computerise it she said), purely in case there is ever a complaint or case of food poisoning that might be attributable to the setting. She said they don't consider a childminder to be a 'food business' as such (or words to that effect). So hopefully I won't be in a position to get inspected.

Some LA's are treating childminders as just a "formality" and that is up to them but under an act passed in 2002 (can't remember which one - think its a european one) all places serving food should have to register. Also I think there is something in EYFS that says about it too

[Pipsqueak]

http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/foodindustry/regulation/

EYFS stat guidance - Page 27 Food and drink
Stat guidance to which we should have regard
Providers should be aware of their responsibilities under food hygiene legislation including registration with the relevant LA Environmental Health Dept

As I say some LA's are applying the legislation full force to childminders and in varying degrees after that.

Even if you get the pack from the Food Standards Agency you are showing "best practice" and would be ahead of the game in your area

[kindredspirits]

whoops another thing i have to try and sort out!!!

[LisaH]

better make a phone call tomoz just to check!! I have done food hygiene course but am not registered with LHA

[Rubybubbles]

when I was in bedfordshire I was reg, I phoned them when I moved to Lincolnshire and they said well because your a childminder the stuff childminders send hasn;t even been filed as your not that important:rolleyes: I sent this off in the Feb 07 (they sent me the stuff!!!) and I left in Aug 08

[busylizzie]

I had an inspection earlier this year.She stayed for about half an hour. Asked me loads of questions and I had to fill in a form.She checked the kitchen over and said we had to do this even if we only offered snacks.

I then got a certificate through the post with a star rating, same as resturaunts/takeaways etc,and a letter to say i was a registered food premises. She said eventually all childminders will be graded this way thay are just catching up!

[angeldelight]

I had an inspection earlier this year.She stayed for about half an hour. Asked me loads of questions and I had to fill in a form.She checked the kitchen over and said we had to do this even if we only offered snacks.

I then got a certificate through the post with a star rating, same as resturaunts/takeaways etc,and a letter to say i was a registered food premises. She said eventually all childminders will be graded this way thay are just catching up!


Great !!!

We had to register in our area almost 2 years ago no one has ever come out

Think we should all be treated the same though so everyone knows what is what

Angel xx

[littlestar]

so let me clear this up i dont provide food parents do and i serve it at lunch all children have evening meals at home im in northamptonshire will i have to register i have the book safer food better practice or what its called but dont recall registering just emailing for the book and it came

[mjw]

I contacted my council(Woking) and they are not interested in childminders. I got an e mail from them and put it in my portfolio. However a friend just up the road but in another borough was inspected and gave me a form to complete which I sent to my council. They phoned to acknowledge receipt of it and said I would be contacted when the inspector returned from holiday but I have heard no more.
Mary

[singlewiththree]

I've just applied for the catering pack :) she was very helpful said it should be here within 3-5 working days. She asked me where I heard about it I said here :laughing:

PaulaW

[brillminder]

the new childminders pack is out now order on line or ring up food safety agency - we do have to register

[Ripeberry]

They look in your cupboards! :eek: :eek: All food for mindees is bought as I go along. Most of the stuff in cupboards is sauces, stock cubes, tins, dry goods, that kind of thing.
How bad would your cupboards have to be for them to close you down :panic: Not saying that mine are that bad :o

[Twinkle]

I registered years ago - never had a form to fill in, phone call or inspection!

[patevans]

I registered years ago - never had a form to fill in, phone call or inspection!

Me either......YET!!!

[Joannechildmind]

i was inspected last year (basildon council) after a phone call to arrange a convienent time (only time she had was 12pm lunchtime) luckily she turned up early or kitchen would have been a mess lol
The lady was lovely she says i will be inspected every 3 years. She cHecked my fridge AND fridge temps, asked what food i prepered, asked to see my chopping boards (different colour for meat or fresh foods ) and where i prepared food. She was happy with my Daily checks (didnt asked for a phone probe, but them i dont prepare a dinner just snacks/ lunches)

[georgie456]

Thanks for the information.

We registered 2 years ago, had a telephone interview and that was it

Me too - I registered almost 4 years ago and had a telephone interview about a year after. Not heard anything since.

[janminder]

I registered with them earlier this year, could get an unexpected call then.

[Lady Haha]

I remember filling in a form about a year ago and then I got a letter a couple of months ago to say they were behind but were catching up and they would be in touch soon. Didn't realise they might just turn up!:panic:

I will have to get it sorted! I have all the stuff, fridge/freezer thermometers etc, but I must admit when I get back from shopping it goes in the fridge where it will fit at the moment!!! Must change that!!!

[youarewhatyoueat]

Yes - even if you are just providing a glass of water or storing food sent by parents.

That bits not correct it is only for cooked food not for packed lunches, I will find the paperwork but its not on an email i'll try to track it down I remember posting it ages ago.

[youarewhatyoueat]

Ok found it http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/regchildcarersadvice.pdf#page=1


If you provide no more than the following levels of food service as part of your normal business, you should not be required to register as a food business operator.
a. Provision of mains drinking water.
b. Provision of crockery and cutlery for use by children to eat their own packed lunches.
c. Provision of chilled storage for packed lunches that belong to the children.

Please read it all hopefully that should make it clearer.

If its out of date can someone let me know that its changed in the last 6 months as I haven't been told!!! as usual, we don't get told anything round here, we have to find out everything ourselves.

[singingcactus]

I registered years and years ago in Oxfordshire. When i moved to Lincs 2 years ago I registered here. I got a visit here nearly two years ago now. The woman was lovely. So long as you understand basic food hygiene and follow sensible precautions there will be no problems really. The intelligent inspectors understand the different between a family home and a single use restarunt.
Just prove that you are keeping food safe, have basic food hygiene certificate and retain your receipts etc. then you will be fine - really no big deal.

[It's a small world]

OMG...I didnt know we had to register...it was never mentioned on any courses...guess what I will be doing tomorrow .....:eek:

[singlewiththree]

Our local council have arranged so we don't have to register. I had already rang and got the pack but the childminding officers said that we don't have to be inspected or registered they have arranged it.

[miffy]

Our local council have arranged so we don't have to register. I had already rang and got the pack but the childminding officers said that we don't have to be inspected or registered they have arranged it.

I don't understand how your local council can arrange this - it's the law - you have to register if you are preparing and serving food.

http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/enforceessential/startingup/childminders/

Miffy xx

[Mouse]

Up until now we've not had to register here, but we've recently had letters sent out saying that it is now going to be a requirement to register.

We've been told that Environmental Health will send us questionnaires to find out what sort of services childminders will be providing & will take it from there.