Trying to fill in my pre-reg booklet!

[Miriam]

Hi All

Having another lovely day working on the childminding booklet - did everyone's take them FOREVER or is it just me?? :(

I am a bit stuck - firstly does everyone have a written behaviour management policy? I just wanted to talk to parents about it and have things like reward charts and emphasise things like consistent behaviour and positive reinforcement and clear boundaries etc. But I have read in the Welfare requirements that we must have "an effective behaviour managment policy" so does that mean it has to be written?

Secondly - I don't really understand the difference between question 14 in the section about children's behaviour which asks "What do you regard as a significant event which you would need to inform Ofsted? How would you contact us?" and question 18 which asks "What events, if any, do you need to inform us about and how would you do this?" which is int he suitable people section. Obviously you would need to inform them about allegations of abuse, suspected child protection issues, outbreaks of food poisoning, any serious accidents/incidents/ any notifiable diseases/ any changes to the setting which affects space ratio, but I don't understand what goes where?:o

Sorry to be so thick, feel like I have been doing this forever and will never be ready to even send off my forms let alone panic about the actual visit. :ohdear:

Any help greatly appreciated!!

Anyway better get back to it.

[Zoomie]

Hiya

Firstly you don't need to fill in this booklet before you send off your application form. I believe it is really only helpful for when Ofsted come and do your pre-reg inspection, as these will be the questions you are asked, (and of course then you have some idea of what kind of answers you need to give).

Re the behaviour policy - yes I have a written one - Bromely and NCMA website give you some guidance.

Anyhow, I sent my application form off 2 weeks ago and I have my pre-reg on Tues, and I am still not finished the booklet, ...

But this is what I have put down as my answers:
Q14 - allegation of harm abuse by anyone from your home, serious accident, illness, injury or death and case of 2+ children getting food poisoning. You can contact OFsted by phone, but do a follow up in writing too.
Q18 - change of premises address, changes of hours (ie doing overnight), significant event affecting cm suitablity, change of my name or address, change of anyone 16+ living at premises and change of telephone numbers.

HTHs

And whilst you are on this subject could anyone assist me with these questions, please?

Q26 - What resources and equipment do you know you will need to meet the individual needs of children?
* I have put eg lego, being different sizes for different ages / abilities, and playing alongside children who may struggle, but it just doesn't seem right ????

Q41 - How will you evaluate the success of the activities you plan for the children ?
* Success based on whether they are happy / excited / proud doing activity ?? Just doesn't seem right ????

Q42 What sources of evidence might you have to record children's progr and be able to show parents what their child has achieved during their time with you ?
* I just don't know - perhaps the 13 assessment scales ?

Q43 - How will you know that children are progessing in their learning and development and how will you use this knowledge to plan for their further development ?
* ????

[Miriam]

Hiya

Thanks for the reply. I know I don't have to have it all filled in before I send off my forms, but I still have work to do on the house and want to finish a few more things like parent info pack etc. It is difficult to get the balance of sending of the forms and actually being ready if Ofsted call. You said you only waited two weeks - I think if Ofsted came to me in two weeks I wouldn't pass the inspection! Whaereabouts are you?

But thanks for your answers, in response to your questions:

Q26 - What resources and equipment do you know you will need to meet the individual needs of children?
* I have put eg lego, being different sizes for different ages / abilities, and playing alongside children who may struggle, but it just doesn't seem right ????

*** Currently a bit stuck on that one as well! I was going to put things about multi-cultural toys ie dolls and jigsaws and books and stuff from around the world and introducing different cultures. May also need to think about equipment for children with special needs - but only if have a child coming to the setting with special needs! Also was going to put age appropriate toys, and equipment like stair gates/fire guards etc. But again depends on whetehr need them, and the question says what do you KNOW you will need so I am really not sure.


Q41 - How will you evaluate the success of the activities you plan for the children ?
* Success based on whether they are happy / excited / proud doing activity ?? Just doesn't seem right ????
*** Not sure about this one myself.


Q42 What sources of evidence might you have to record children's progr and be able to show parents what their child has achieved during their time with you ?
* I just don't know - perhaps the 13 assessment scales ?
*** What about doing a learning journey based on the six areas of learning showing observations a regular stages and putting in pictures (with parental consent) and paintings etc. Then give it to the childs parents when they leave.


Q43 - How will you know that children are progessing in their learning and development and how will you use this knowledge to plan for their further development ?
*** Again I was going to talk about observations based on the six areas of learning and how they progress in their learning and development and use it to plan future activities to show how they are progressing. So take a base line observation when they first start with you, then carry on planning ways to develop that area of learning, and put it all in their learning journey and carry on planning from it.

I hope that makes sense, not sure I have the answers right, especially as I havent done my ICP course yet as the local authority cancelled mine. Have you done one? Does it make the process any easier do you think? I still feel like I have loads to do before I even send off my forms, but my friend who is a childminder says I should just get them in the post!!!

Good luck for Tuesday - let us know how it goes! :)

[Zoomie]

Thanks for your replies, they seem to be on the right track to me :thumbsup: , so I'll use them and expand from there.

I started icp in sept, first aid in oct, icp exam in dec, and have only just got my house into a state ready for inspection (but don't look at my garden), the works done, but it has suffered.

the icp course helped me to put together my policies etc (was before I found this site though), but was very little help on the L&D side of things. I think my biggest hurdle is that I am not a 'professional' and struggle with the whole planning / ob, big picture side of things. Hopefully in a few months time, once I am registered and have attended a few other courses, I will know the difference between my elbow and arm :) .

I am a bit nervous about my inspection. I have to work the night before, and my DD has been sick on and off since Wed, so the time that I thought I would have to do things, has been in short lived episodes and I m so addicted to this site, I can't seem to be doing the things I should be (like being in bed right now).

Hopefully I will be able to talk my way through things, so long as I don't make a complete boob of the inspectors name when I greet her :eek: .

What needs doing in your house ?

[Miriam]

Hi

I am sure you will be fine for the inspection, although I totally know what you mean about only being able to work in short bursts. It seems to me that I just sit down to do some childminding stuff and then I have to go and pick one of my children up, or help their dad with them etc - and its not even as if they are that little - 8 and 6! So my work suffers and that is why it is taking a while to get ready to be registered.

I don't really have that much left to do, I reckoned when I started to think about it in bed last night. I want to organise my playroom better, and clear out things like the kitchen cupboards so that I can move things like the alcohol into the high cupboards. Our utility room is a bit of a death trap with bags and wires from the burglar alarm all over it so that needs sorting out as the children will be going through there to get to the garden. Then there are wires in the front hallway that either need boxing in or we will have to buy a little cupboard to put in front of them - I have lots of little things to do.

Also have to write a behaviour management policy, equal opps policy and write a risk assessment. I have done an emergency evacuation policy, safeguarding children, allegations of abuse, menu plan and info re healthy eating (but may do again as it isnt so good), and about me page. Also want to do some sort of learning journey diary thing to show what I am planning to do. And I need to buy a first aid kit! Hopefully that is about it - not sure if it is too much or too little - It is quite hard to gauge what I need to do without having done my ICP course.

Anyway, hope it all goes well, I am sure you will remember her name and it will be fine. Good luck and let me know!!! :) :)

[It's a small world]

Hi All

Having another lovely day working on the childminding booklet - did everyone's take them FOREVER or is it just me?? :(

I am a bit stuck - firstly does everyone have a written behaviour management policy? I just wanted to talk to parents about it and have things like reward charts and emphasise things like consistent behaviour and positive reinforcement and clear boundaries etc. But I have read in the Welfare requirements that we must have "an effective behaviour managment policy" so does that mean it has to be written?

Secondly - I don't really understand the difference between question 14 in the section about children's behaviour which asks "What do you regard as a significant event which you would need to inform Ofsted? How would you contact us?" and question 18 which asks "What events, if any, do you need to inform us about and how would you do this?" which is int he suitable people section. Obviously you would need to inform them about allegations of abuse, suspected child protection issues, outbreaks of food poisoning, any serious accidents/incidents/ any notifiable diseases/ any changes to the setting which affects space ratio, but I don't understand what goes where?:o

Sorry to be so thick, feel like I have been doing this forever and will never be ready to even send off my forms let alone panic about the actual visit. :ohdear:

Any help greatly appreciated!!

Anyway better get back to it.

Hi
I'm completing my pre reg booklet too and feel like I have been doing it forever.I do have a written behaviour policy outlining how I expect the child to behave, reward charts etc. I will also ask the parents how they deal with behaviour and how would they like me to deal with it (the same as in their home)
As for question 18 I have just put see question 14 as they are pratically the same question with a very slight word alteration. Otherwise you would just be repeating yourself. Hope this helps. Good look with the rest of it.