Daily Diaries

[bubbly]

Hope you don't mind me asking more questions < everyone shrieks "oh no, not HER again!" :D >

I've noticed quite a bit of my paperwork being duplicated and wanted to ask your advice. I keep fairly detailed daily diaries, where I include any observations that I think the parents may be interested in. I keep a copy for myself (in my file) and send a copy home for parents.

Is it necessary for me to write what is basically the same observations in a seperate obs. book? Would just the daily diaries be evidence enough for Ofsted? I can understand keeping a seperate book if the diaries are brief but mine seem to be more detailed. I know the other option would be to keep the diaries brief and have a seperate obs. book but the system I have seems to work best for me.

Thanks for any advice :)

[sarah707]

I keep diaries for day-to-day eating, drinking, sleeping and the odd comment, then I share the obs books with parents every month or so... it's all written up then with maybe a picture or a photo added and we sit and go through them together so I can record parent's comments...

This makes it easy - I'm totally against writing too much twice as well!

Otherwise, do you have a photocopier on your printer? That would save time writing it out twice...:D

[bubbly]

Thanks for your reply Sarah :)

I have the kind of parents who aren't really interested in adding comments to the diaries. I used to sit down and go through with them but didn't get any feedback except a nod of the head now and again :D . All they're interested in is dropping off / picking up and knowing the kids have been well looked after. They don't really care about my paperwork and I don't blame them :D . Now I send the diaries home so they can digest and add any comments at their leisure. I also keep a copy for myself. Unfortunately I've had no feedback whatsoever. If I were to get feedback, I'd take a photocopy and return the original to the parents.

It just seems daft having obs. in the diaries AND in seperate obs. books. I'd prefer just to do obs. in the diaries but I'm not sure if Ofsted would accept this.

[sarah707]

When the children leave, they will presumably take the diaries with them... and you do stand a chance of them losing or forgetting them, then all your hard work is gone!

As for parents making comments - I know exactly what you mean! I write comments in different coloured pen... when parents say eg. we went to the park yesterday... in it goes, as a comment, child might show an interest in the slide as he went to the park with his mum yesterday... OR mum says he said 'mumumumum' last night ... again, in it goes... watch out for more verbalisation, baby 'talked' last night at home...

Shows a sort of home-childminder liason and the best we can do if the parents are not forthcoming! :D

[charleyfarley]

I send the daily diary home after filling it in each day, have even put in front of book and told parents to feel free to add, write anything they wish for me to do or change.

It's took them over 2 months to tell me they want him to have a longer sleep, didn't put it in book though.

I know they read it but I just wish they would have an input in it

Must get my photos printed off, perhaps they'ld be interested in those

Carol xx

[Rubybubbles]

I have daily diary, seperate obs, and my own book of obs. As I only tend to keep mindies for 12-18 months (RAF so moves ect!) I would hate to have nothing left to show all the hard work we do