Trampoline Advice

[daytimedolly]

Hi, sorry if this is in the wrong place, I thought being as Ive only been childminding for under a year Id come under the Starting Childminding section :)

Could I have your advice please. My daughter is due to get a trampoline within the next few weeks. I was told my another childminder that the trampoline is not covered under my insurance and even if the parents gave permission, it would still not stand up in court if anything nasty happened.

I called my insurance company who said the equipment IS covered under my insurance but disclaimers very rarely stand up in court. So basically what do I do? Get permission from parents or just write a letter saying that their kiddies cannot go in it, which will be hard when my daughter is bouncing around on it during the day?

[singlewiththree]

I let children who are old enough to go on it go on it, with parents permission. I don't let younger children on the trampoline. I did have one parent who insisted her younger child aged 4 but in full time school go on it so I got them to sign it was ok and a disclaimer that I wasn't responsible if they hurt themselves.

It depends on what you want to do, I didn't want to stop my own children going on after school but I did stop them in the day if I had young children and it was inservice day/hols etc.

[Pipsqueak]

NCMA and Insurance advice says:

tampoline is covered providing you are using it in accordance with the manufacturers guidelines (to the letter)

so if it says: eg/

no under 6's then if you allow an under 6 on then the insurance is invalidated.
no stunts - if you allow 'stunts' - ie flips - insurance is invalidated
adult supervision - if you are no supervising then the insurance will be invalidated.
have an enclosure

Get written parental permission - give them a copy of the trampoline policy and work the permission like this for example:

in accordance with the trampoline policy **childminder** has shown me, I give my permission for ***child**** to use the trampoline.

signed:
dated:

explain to the children what they can and can't do blah blah.....

I do not allow under 6's on - they have a mini-bouncy castle instead and over 6's aren't allowed on.

[RachelE]

I dont let under 6's on ours. - even if the parents say that they can - its just not worth it.

My children dont go on it as much now anyway.

Theres plenty of other toys for the children.

I've never had a problem telling them that they cant.

Rachel x

[naomiesian]

When I had my pre-reg visit, mrs O said no children on the trampoline ever!!!
So I sold it because my children didn`t use it much,it took up a lot of space in my garden and it wasn`t fair trying to explain to mindees that they couldn`t use it.
I have just had my first grading visit, different Mrs O, I asked her if what I had been told previously was correct and she said `Each inspector has a different view on things, she personally would have been happy for me to have used it providing I had covered it in a RA and had permission from parents.
Not sure about insurance wise as I never looked into it because of what I had been told on pre-reg visit.

[Pipsqueak]

When I had my pre-reg visit, mrs O said no children on the trampoline ever!!!
So I sold it because my children didn`t use it much,it took up a lot of space in my garden and it wasn`t fair trying to explain to mindees that they couldn`t use it.
I have just had my first grading visit, different Mrs O, I asked her if what I had been told previously was correct and she said `Each inspector has a different view on things, she personally would have been happy for me to have used it providing I had covered it in a RA and had permission from parents.
Not sure about insurance wise as I never looked into it because of what I had been told on pre-reg visit.

Ofsted aren't renowed for their consistency and if it ain't in the EYFS or other legislation then Ofsted's word is 'gospel' - its advisory. Your first Mrs O would have got short shrift from me!
Insurance stands as I have explained in my previous post

[Chatterbox Childcare]

NCMA cover me I am told as long as I have parental permission and I keep to the manufacturers guidelines - i.e. 1 on at a time and note the age/height restrictions