What NOT to do...

[OrlandoBelle]

I have been reading some threads on here today about ofsted inspections and what some people have been told - that we are not allowed to help children to put on their coats, grapes must be cut in half, we can't draw an elephant for a child to copy, etc... and I thought it would be a good idea if everyone who has been told anything similar could write their experiences here.

It seems Ofsted only give out memos to nurseries and not childminder's...so any advice that you have heard of...put it here so everyone will know what NOT to do in their settings...or at least for the inspection:laughing:

[taiwallis]

oh yes please i would like to know this too.... i was told this morning that someone left their keys in the door, even though it was locked and bolted (out of reach of children) and they got marked down for this...... btw - the keys were inside the door - not outside -

[wendywu]

What not to do.. Be in or answer the door.:laughing:

I dont think that you can cover every aspect, as some inspectors will mark you down because they dont like the colour of your wallpaper. You cannot please all of the inspectors all of the time.:panic:

[sarah707]

oh yes please i would like to know this too.... i was told this morning that someone left their keys in the door, even though it was locked and bolted (out of reach of children) and they got marked down for this...... btw - the keys were inside the door - not outside -

Yes this is a biggie. You need to find a place for keys which is immediately accessible to you in case of emergency, does not involve them going on a hook as you are then not insured (and this is not recommended by the police) and so they are not left in the door - even if out of reach of children Ofsted say a child could get a chair, reach up, take the keys, put them in a toy box etc ... and then you would not be able to get out in an emergency... so you are not safeguarding children.

Mine are in a risk assessed pot at the front door. It is checked every day. My back (main) door keys are now in my pocket on a chain. I feel like a jailer :laughing:

Another tip... don't let the inspector in without checking ID :eek:

[singlewiththree]

So we aren't allowed to put them on a hook? my local and ofsted pre-inspection lady both said this was fine? I went out and got hooks, hammered them into my lovely newly plastered and painted wall! sigh. The hook near the front door is on a recess and cant be seen by the door and the letter box is the other side (far side) and you wouldn't be able to get to them by fishing. The backdoor ones are again on a recess. Is this ok?

[Mollymop]

Ofsted like to see the little ones, like 1 year old, feeding themselves which they do here anyway. She loved to see all the yogurt going all my mindees face and in her hair. ha

[RedDragon]

I read somewhere that it may impress inspector if you mentioned the fire escape routes to them when they arrive (as you do every visitor to your home) :rolleyes:

[sarah707]

So we aren't allowed to put them on a hook? my local and ofsted pre-inspection lady both said this was fine? I went out and got hooks, hammered them into my lovely newly plastered and painted wall! sigh. The hook near the front door is on a recess and cant be seen by the door and the letter box is the other side (far side) and you wouldn't be able to get to them by fishing. The backdoor ones are again on a recess. Is this ok?

That is what my insurance and local police told me when I asked their advice about where to put my keys.

I did a long thread on it a while ago.

Their answer was nothing to do with Ofsted's requirements.

Here it is! :D

http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4019&highlight=keys

[tinkerbelle]

Yes this is a biggie. You need to find a place for keys which is immediately accessible to you in case of emergency, does not involve them going on a hook as you are then not insured (and this is not recommended by the police) and so they are not left in the door - even if out of reach of children Ofsted say a child could get a chair, reach up, take the keys, put them in a toy box etc ... and then you would not be able to get out in an emergency... so you are not safeguarding children.

Mine are in a risk assessed pot at the front door. It is checked every day. My back (main) door keys are now in my pocket on a chain. I feel like a jailer :laughing:

Another tip... don't let the inspector in without checking ID :eek:

my keys go in my back pocket inspector ok'd this as they were with me at all times
check id and get her/ them to sign guest book :thumbsup:

[OrlandoBelle]

My bunch of keys are so big...they'd never fit in my pocket! I keep my keys on a table just inside the kitchen door which is near to the front door and easily accessible in an emergency. However, up until now my door has been kept unlocked. The handle is so stiff, i struggle with it, let alone a child. However Ofsted will no noubt mark me down for that, and thinking about it...people from the outside could still get in which is not good from a safeguarding point of view...

Would a bolt at the very top of the door be ok, or will Ofsted also say that a child could get a stool, reach up and unbolt it (really....like anyone would let them out of their sight long enough to do that! I NEVER let the children out of my sight and are always in the same room as me!)

Failing that, I think i'll get another key cut and keep it on me at all times.

[rickysmiths]

I'm so glad that I have an old fashioned wooden front door and I would never have any other. I remember years ago my sil changing her door to a upvc one and regreting it because sshe had to keep it locked and have the keys somewhere safe! She realised after one of her two had escaped that the children could open the door:eek: :eek:

With a wooden door and good locks there are none of these problems.:clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :jump for joy: :jump for joy:

[Winnie]

I was wondering what you were all going on about:( then i realised its because i have an old wooden door & you have modern doors :laughing: I never lock my door:D ....but dont panic, it can not be opened from the outside.....i do bolt it and there is a door between it and the playroom...no chairs for mindees to climb and unbolt it......and r-e-l-a-x....

[marion]

Had my inspection last Friday. Unlocked the door, checked her id, asked her to sign in, relocked door put keys back on hook by kitchen door and she said well done. No two Inspectors inspect the same.

[Bananabrain]

Winnie is that your house in the picture?

It's beautiful, I hate you:laughing:

I also have front door keys on a hook and back door,shed etc on a high shelf in the kitchen.

I thought I was doing the right thing.

I think I'm going to cry again.

[bubbly]

What not to do.. Be in or answer the door.:laughing:
I like your way of thinking :laughing: :laughing: :D

[childmind04]

Got to admint my keys are on a hook in the kitchen, but i have a envelope on the back of the 2 doors with all my emergency contact numbers and a key so i just get the children, envelope and i am out, the envelope i blank and white and blu tacked at the top corner of the door and no one ever notices but i know its there :)

[Mummits]

Keys! I have a UPVC front door and I lock it and put the keys on a hook to the side of the door and in an alcove, so not visible from outside. But the reason I don't leave the key in the lock is not because children could get out but to allow me or someone else to get in that way, using the spare keys, if there were a fire, gas explosion or whatever and there might be someone cut off and unable to get out the back way.

[PixiePetal]

When I had my new UPVC windows and doors fitted, I asked the fitter ( a neighbour) to put a window lock - attached to frame and slides up to stop door opening - at the top of the door so I don't have to leave the keys in the door or lock it. It is high up and too stiff for mindees even if they did manage to stand on a chair.
Patio door keys are on a hook in a cupboard next to door.

If that's not ok then tough, can't think of anything safer :angry:

[TheBTeam]

I was told by ofsted inspector that it is fine to leave my front door unlocked and use my sliding bolt on the top of my living room door to stop mindees from getting to the front door. When I explained that I do not like to leave my front door locked so that I can get us out quickly but use the bolt so that I am not needing keys she was quite happy with this. I showed her my back door keys which are on a hook high up next to the back door she also didn't have a problem with this.

I too have a photo book by the back and front door (also in my first aid kit) ready to pick up in an emergency if we leave the house in a hurry. She liked this too.

[HomefromHome]

So we aren't allowed to put them on a hook? my local and ofsted pre-inspection lady both said this was fine? I went out and got hooks, hammered them into my lovely newly plastered and painted wall! sigh. The hook near the front door is on a recess and cant be seen by the door and the letter box is the other side (far side) and you wouldn't be able to get to them by fishing. The backdoor ones are again on a recess. Is this ok?

i think whats meant by this is only use a hook during minding hours - the police recommend that keys are not left in the door/on hooks/or in sight of your letter box as they can be nabbed (crooks are very enterprising now).
i normall keep mine in the door, door locked, but will put a hook up to use during minding hours. i think its a bit ridiculous in some cases (those with only a couple of kids?) as you are constantly with the kids and mine have never tried to go out the lounge door, never mind unlock a pvc door! i know the chance is there for older ones but my 3 (inc dd) are 3, nearly 2, and 1. i think it should depend on your numbers and ages at the time and ofsted should ask 'if you had such and such would you leave the keys in the door?' type of question.
hope this makes sense - rambled a bit then!!:)

[Daftbat]

[QUOTE=sarah707;334609]Yes this is a biggie. You need to find a place for keys which is immediately accessible to you in case of emergency, does not involve them going on a hook as you are then not insured (and this is not recommended by the police) and so they are not left in the door - even if out of reach of children Ofsted say a child could get a chair, reach up, take the keys, put them in a toy box etc ... and then you would not be able to get out in an emergency... so you are not safeguarding children.End of Quote


I have decided to put a bolt on my back door rather than using keys. The bolt will be within reach of older children in an emergency but out of reach of children under about 9 years. The door leads out to the front of my property via the garage which is often open and a route we use to gain entry to the house especially in bad weather. At least i won't have to worry about keeping keys on me or children messing with the keys if they are inadvertently left anywhere.

[Sarahbelle]

Yes this is a biggie. You need to find a place for keys which is immediately accessible to you in case of emergency, does not involve them going on a hook as you are then not insured (and this is not recommended by the police) and so they are not left in the door - even if out of reach of children Ofsted say a child could get a chair, reach up, take the keys, put them in a toy box etc ... and then you would not be able to get out in an emergency... so you are not safeguarding children.

Mine are in a risk assessed pot at the front door. It is checked every day. My back (main) door keys are now in my pocket on a chain. I feel like a jailer :laughing:

Another tip... don't let the inspector in without checking ID :eek:

Ok, I am very confused by this. I have just had my inspection and my front door key is kept on a hook in the hallway after I have locked the door and my back door key the same. The inspector came in and watched me lock the door and then hang it on the hook. She never said a word and I got outstanding for safeguarding children!

[Angela234]

I have mine up on hooks and window keys my inspecter was happy with that
(18 months ago)

I do have 2 keys in my pocket as well ,front and back door.

I'm not taking mine off the hooks

Angela

[littletreasures]

This is confusing me because I thought we had to let the kids have the freeflow in and out of the garden!!!!

I have a wooden front door which I don't lock and an inner door that is not locked either. You have to just pull it to open it and the kids are not strong enough to do it. Most adults don't know how to get out of my house once they're in.

The back door is kept unlocked but is stiff to open. The kids can't open it on their own (even the older ones). The patio door is locked but I do leave the key in it. Perhaps I should remove the key and put a spare one on my front door keyring that I keep on me.

[desiderata]

My inspector never mentioned keys xx

[Chanelle]

I plan on having keys on a hook near my front and back door out of view from people outside ...they will be out of reach from the children and I will keep the doors lock to the front of the house ... as for the back door .. I have 2 gates that go toward the front of the house. The gate at the front is bolted again with the bolt high out of children reach....

I think this depends on each persons home ... I dont have a hallway to keep them in a pot ....

You have to decide what is best for yourself and the children ....If unsure just keep them in your pocket ! ;)

[Ripeberry]

I keep the front key on a chain in my pocket and the back door key is on a hook near the door and the kitchen is not accessible to children anyway.
My Upvc door automatically locks itself so no-one outside can get in but i can still open it from the inside. I have to use the key to actually lock it to stop it being opened from the inside.
That is the main reason i started to wear my front door key at all times was because the door would slam itself shut and lock me out!
I also have a key safe on the outside wall for the spare key, so it theory it should be impossible for me to lock myself out of the house :)