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vix84
09-09-2009, 12:25 PM
Hi, we are moving house in a few weeks time I expect, and have just a read a post that says you need to send in a risk ass. and ideally floor plans, and they may come out to visit you or have an in-depth conversation on the phone.
Which does sound the right thing to do .... but I presumed I could just send in a risk assesment, move house on the friday and start work on the Monday!! Didnt even think Id have to wait for the new certificate before I started ... let alone having Ofsted out! The parents will have to find cover if I can work due to waiting for paperwork!

If for instance we move on the 29th, should I send in risk assesment on the 19th and ask for certificate to be sent to the new address?

In the new house there is: a greenhouse which will be moved down to the end of the garden and fenced off.
No ponds or anything, fully fenced in.
Gas fires which we have never had - oh said we could just turn the gas off to them. Is that enough? Or do I need to get a surround to go all the way around the fireplace, or just over the front?
The stairs are a pain as there is about 3 steps before the pillar to the banister starts so the stair gate would be 3 steps up - so I expect I will have to get one of those extending stair gates to go all accross the botom step and to the hall wall - then keep the kitchen door closed so they dont sneak around the other way and sneak up the stairs!

So thinking about it now, Im not sure we would get the house ready over 1 weekend! Maybe I should warn the parents I may need 3 days off to get it ready - it says in the contract I aim to take 4 weeks hols, I think I have 2 days left to take with 1 family, and my other is term time only and Ive not taken any time off with them.


This moving house isnt as simple as I first thought!:panic:

vix84
09-09-2009, 12:42 PM
PS - for anyone that takes paid holidays each year - how do you work it out?

I take up to 4 weeks paid holiday and paid bank holidays on top - although until I had my son, I hardly took any holiday, but now he comes first.

1 mindee is a son of good friends, which makes things a bit tricky, I tend to deal with the dad for contract issues and making up time etc. That mindee is term time only - all my holidays have been in the school holidays, so I have taken no holiday with them this year.

The other mindee is monday to thursday, all year, and I would have taken 4 weeks holiday this year (including the week over Christmas which Im sure they'd have taken off anyway).

They both recieve the same holiday dates sheet - and I even classed a friday as holiday even though child b isnt in on fridays and the other child wasnt in anyway as it was school holidays! Its confusing me!

It just seems unfair that 1 family have had to find alternative care, and the other hasnt at all. So 1 family is effectively paying for 4 weeks hols for me, and the other gets away with not. This year I took 2 days unpaid as my son was sick - maybe next year/contract I should say that I have the option as taking this as paid holiday, particularly for the term time only. (I actually made up the time for that family instead of taking unpaid)

sarah707
09-09-2009, 05:34 PM
Changes to certificates are taking up to 6 weeks at the moment, so you need to be as organised as possible.

Ring O now and get a form sent out so you can start filling it in - and ask them exactly what they need from you.

You need to show you are keeping the children safe... if you're not sure about the fireplace, put up a guard...

Hth :D

vix84
10-09-2009, 11:59 AM
Changes to certificates are taking up to 6 weeks at the moment, so you need to be as organised as possible.

Ring O now and get a form sent out so you can start filling it in - and ask them exactly what they need from you.

You need to show you are keeping the children safe... if you're not sure about the fireplace, put up a guard...

Hth :D

Wow 6 weeks?!! So are you allowed to work untill you recieve it? The parents wont be happy if I had to have 6 weeks off.

I think the fireplace has a guard over the front bit, but its the actual surround that I wasnt sure about - although that is in the lounge so I could also just close the doors.

I have another problem - the stairs. The stairs have 3 steps or so before the wall starts, so I could only put a stair gate 3 steps up. I was thinking of getting one of those stair gates that roll out to wide gaps and doing it from the botom step to the hall wall, but my friend tried that for hers but it wouldnt fit, and I think ours is wider. Anyone have this problem?

RachelE
10-09-2009, 12:09 PM
I actually dont have a stair gate and have done a RA to cover this.

I was insected in July and she didnt comment on it.

- I dont have a fireguard either and pointed out in the RA that I cant even turn the fire on, so a child wouldnt be able to!

I have never hd a problem not having a gate (3 yr dd, 2yr mindee and 18 month mindee) The only time I've had a problem is when Mum has collected 2 yr old and she ran off up them!

- you know 'your' children and if you think it wont be a problem not having one, then I wouldnt.
I actually thoought it'd be worse having one as I know my 3 and 7 yr olds would have ended up tripping up over it - and we have stairs similar to you.

I moved last April and think my certificate took about 4 weeks, but I was waiting for new children so it wasnt an issue.

Good luck with the move and hope the cert comes quickly!

vix84
10-09-2009, 12:22 PM
[QUOTE=RachelE;523173]I actually dont have a stair gate and have done a RA to cover this.

I was insected in July and she didnt comment on it.

- I dont have a fireguard either and pointed out in the RA that I cant even turn the fire on, so a child wouldnt be able to!

I have never hd a problem not having a gate (3 yr dd, 2yr mindee and 18 month mindee) The only time I've had a problem is when Mum has collected 2 yr old and she ran off up them!

- you know 'your' children and if you think it wont be a problem not having one, then I wouldnt.
I actually thoought it'd be worse having one as I know my 3 and 7 yr olds would have ended up tripping up over it - and we have stairs similar to you.

I moved last April and think my certificate took about 4 weeks, but I was waiting for new children so it wasnt an issue.

Good luck with the move and hope the cert comes quickly![/QUOTE
Y'know sometimes I feel like saying '*** it' I am not going to have a check list for this and this and that - I know I am keeping the children safe and risk assesing everytime we go out the door etc. all this paperwork floating around and I could just be making it up anyway!
But then you could get an inspector who likes to see everything documented to give an outstanding, or you could get an inspector like yours who takes your word that you are keeping them safe because you have to and want to, and not just so you can put an extra policy in to say you have a stairgate etc.

All inspectors should have there own blimmin check list, if I knew I wasnt going to get an inspector that wanted stairgates, then I would just not have one and make sure the hall isnt accessible!

I just get so cross that I dont know exactly what an inspector wants because each inspector wants different things!

I will ring Ofsted later once the boys are awake, as knowing my luck they will wake as Im on the phone:)

vix84
10-09-2009, 12:54 PM
Just spoke to Ofsted, I am to send in a risk assesment, an this will be the decider on if ofsted need to come out or not. (any tips on making a risk assesment as in depth and good as possible?) Does anyone have a link to a good risk ass, form I can use? Mine are from when I registered so not sure if there are beter ones out there or not?

He said about the certificate - it will have the date of move on, so hopefully if I get risk ass. in I can then apply fir the new certificate and it should arrive early, but cannot be used untill the date on it, and i can still use my current certificate up untill then.
or ..... I can either only work 2 hours a day, or for free!

PixiePetal
10-09-2009, 01:35 PM
Send it recorded delivery. Ofsted said they had not received mine then after lots of phone calls it was (in Ofsted employees words) under a pile of post on someones desk. :angry: :angry:

Someone on the forum sent me a copy of hers, PM me your email and, if you like, I will try and send you mine which will need to be adapted of course( Not everyone has a well in the front garden and is living on a farm!!)

vix84
10-09-2009, 01:39 PM
Send it recorded delivery. Ofsted said they had not received mine then after lots of phone calls it was (in Ofsted employees words) under a pile of post on someones desk. :angry: :angry:

Someone on the forum sent me a copy of hers, PM me your email and, if you like, I will try and send you mine which will need to be adapted of course( Not everyone has a well in the front garden and is living on a farm!!)

Thanks for that, will def. send it recorded delivery then!

Will pm you :)

vix84
14-09-2009, 07:30 PM
My risk assesment is almost complete and ready to go - I dont know my move date but I have guessed a rough date, guess I have to ring up and tell them if it changes.

The new house doesnt have main connected smoke detectors, so how often should you check the batteries and change them? (I will change them on moving in)

vix84
14-09-2009, 07:44 PM
My risk assesment is almost complete and ready to go - I dont know my move date but I have guessed a rough date, guess I have to ring up and tell them if it changes.

The new house doesnt have main connected smoke detectors, so how often should you check the batteries and change them? (I will change them on moving in)

PPS - do we have to shampoo our carpets monthly? And the new house mainly has laminate flooring, if I get some big rugs, do I need to fit some non slip backing or just see if they actually move around or not?

michellethegooner
10-11-2009, 11:01 AM
Hi hope ur move went ok.

Could any1 please pm me a risk assesement they used as I am moving in 3 weeks, I have been soooo busy lately, hence not being on here and I need to get a move on so I can be working from our new house.. Too much going on at the moment, wish it was all done :rolleyes: