Is this true? (Overlaps)

[Schnakes]

I was talking (okay...gossiping!!) with a minder friend of mine the other day and she was saying that you have 15 minutes leeway between drop off and arrivals..what I mean to say is - if you had child A picked up at 3pm and child B dropped off at 3pm you had a 15 minute window where they might be together but it didnt matter. Is that true? Doesnt sound right to me?

Sx

[crazybones]

I havent heard of this and have just sent a letter of variation for a 30 minute overlap. Not heard anything yet but as inspection is in 12 or 13 days maybe they will deal with it then.

Annie x

[Monkey1]

Thats faulse info!

[avril]

New one to me too!!:(

Avril x

[berkschick]

I overheard some minders at school talking about this this afternoon as it goes ( maybe its a Berkshire thing!) but they were saying we have an hour overlap time. Ive never heard of it though!

[Lou]

ive never heard of this before x

[Schnakes]

An hour?!! 15 mins was hard enough to belive!!!

Sx

[wendywu]

Oh here in surrey we have a week overlap time:laughing:

I dont think this is true, but you know the way to check phone Ofsted and get at least 6 different answers. I would not risk doing it without permission.:panic:

[Banana]

New one on me!

Arent you supposed to allow a time window between contract times so dont have one finishing at 1.30 and one starting at 1.30 incase of late pick up etc

x

[Schnakes]

Dunno Banana - shes had a complaint against her from another minder cos one of her kids was picked up late, she had to do the school run so was over her numbers etc...She was saying she had the 15 mins leeway, so didnt see what the problem was, but I was just like :huh:

Sx

[wendywu]

No banana the window is what you watch out of in pure panic just in case Ofsted walk up the path when some lax parent has put you over numbers.:laughing:

[Schnakes]

LOL WendyWu!!!

[Lou]

If she has had a complaint against her then surely this question will be answered when ofsted come out to investigate???????????????????????

[Banana]

:D :D

that too

but for that reason i wouldnt take on someone who would be arriving when someone was due to leave

xx

[wendywu]

Some people just have to poke their nose into other peoples business dont they. I always think if you see someone over numbers once in a blue moon you dont know the reason. How would you feel if you complained and something terrible had happened. Like a nasty car accident and a person was killed and a parent was down the morgue identitfying their parteners body.

Sorry to be so dramatic but you know what i mean, you are there to support parents and sometimes extreme circumstances arise. Some people are just busy bodies.

Now i will go and put my soap box away:blush:

[Schnakes]

Thre is A LOT of rivalry in my area, and between certain people it has got nasty. Sad but true.

I went over once - one of my mums who commutes missed the last train back, dad asked if I could have baby till she got back. Took her to the toddler group anyway, even though I was over - was petrified that someone would report me. Luckily they didnt. I know I shouldnt have done it, but he was in a tight spot and it was only an hour. Like you say - we are here to help.

As it goes, with my friend - there WAS a crash (not that the parent was involved, but was caught up in the trafficjam) so my friend agreed to pick the child up from school. They werent supposed to be there, but my friend couldnt really go "no, sorry, little lad is just going to have to sit there and worry till mum gets there".

I know its not right as far as Ofsted go, but for goodness sake!

I guess we'll find out soon enough what comes of the complaint!

Sx

[Lou]

i think in that case its exceptional cercumstances and ofsted should sureely understand??

[Schnakes]

Thats what we think. Just got me wondering about the 15 mins thing,cos certainly, I had never heard of it!!!

Sx

[Angela234]

I have never heard of it either. i once had 4 under 5 without ofsted knowing it was when we had all that snow Nov 06 pick up were held up as parents couldn't get to me one time, that was extreme circumstances. I make sure contract times allow 15 mins over for late pick ups.

Angela

[wendywu]

But when it is something like the London bombings people would be many hours late collecting, and all the mobiles did not work so no one could get in tough.:panic:

[Blaze]

Thre is A LOT of rivalry in my area, and between certain people it has got nasty. Sad but true.

I went over once - one of my mums who commutes missed the last train back, dad asked if I could have baby till she got back. Took her to the toddler group anyway, even though I was over - was petrified that someone would report me. Luckily they didnt. I know I shouldnt have done it, but he was in a tight spot and it was only an hour. Like you say - we are here to help.

As it goes, with my friend - there WAS a crash (not that the parent was involved, but was caught up in the trafficjam) so my friend agreed to pick the child up from school. They werent supposed to be there, but my friend couldnt really go "no, sorry, little lad is just going to have to sit there and worry till mum gets there".

I know its not right as far as Ofsted go, but for goodness sake!

I guess we'll find out soon enough what comes of the complaint!

Sx

Yeah ...know how that one goes...!:rolleyes:
Tasha:mad:

[LittleMissSparkles]

I havent heard of the 15 minute rule either and luckily up to now touch wood have never had to be over my numbers for any reason xxx

[Pauline]

I wouldn't be too worried about what Ofsted think on this I'd be more concerned how it would affect my insurance.

Might be worth checking with the insurance companies whether you would be covered if an accident occured while you were over your numbers due to matters beyond your control.

[tulip0803]

I was talking (okay...gossiping!!) with a minder friend of mine the other day and she was saying that you have 15 minutes leeway between drop off and arrivals..what I mean to say is - if you had child A picked up at 3pm and child B dropped off at 3pm you had a 15 minute window where they might be together but it didnt matter. Is that true? Doesnt sound right to me?

Sx

Do you think it's like the 5 second rule my husband has when he drops some food on the floor:rolleyes: . If it's been there less than 5 seconds there can be no germs and dirt on it?:ROFL1: :ROFL1:

I think she is possibly trying to make one up to justify cos I never heard of it. I would leave a gap in case a child isn't picked up but if it is a one off then it could be exceptional circumstances and I had to let the local Ofsted know for their records. I only had to let them know about 1 time when I ended up with 11 children in total :eek: after school, when a mother collapsed and had to be taken to hosp by ambulance - so I had her 3 plus the 2 that were supposed to be playing with hers until the parents could get there to pick up. Luckily it was sunny and I had been shopping that day.

Juliaxx

[sarah707]

I have it written in my policy for late collections that I have to stay within Ofsted ratios at all times and if parents are late that might affect me, but that obviously I would continue to care for their child.

I say that I would try to get another adult into the house to help me (CRB checked if possible obviously and not left on their own with any of the children) and that I would ring my Insurance company and Ofsted to inform them if this ever happens (to cover my back...) :D

[deeb66]

I think this has something to do with when we were regulated by Social Services.

I seem to remember that we did have a window whereby we could be over numbers in these sorts of situations.

I also believe that when we began to be regulated by Ofsted in September 2001 this all went out the window!!!

As both pauline and sarah have said the worrying factor would be your insurance.

If you were over the numbers stated on your Registration Certificate then you insurance is invalid :panic:

yes there will be times that you may be forced over your numbers by unforseen circumstances but if this should happen you are supposed to get straight on the phone to Ofsted to notify them that you are over your numbers....they are supposed to log it.

You are then supposed to contact your insurance company to notify them that you have gone over your numbers but you have notified Ofsted.

I also believe that you are supposed to call Ofstedback as soon as you are back within your numbers to let them know.

You cannot willy nilly go over your numbers without authorisation or without notifying Ofsted that an emergency situation has arisen!

[Tatia]

I was going to say that, too, that I have been told that in emergency circumstances, call OFSTED to let them know you are over and why. I'd keep a log for myself, as well, I think. Of course, this is meant to cover you in case of true emergencies and not parents at the pub having a pint or nipping to shops for milk.

The word transparency springs to mind. I'd rather be a little worried about being in trouble and ring them anyway (especially as it is not your fault) than try to hide it and hope it doesn't blow up in my face.