View Full Version : Back up childminder's exceeding ratios
LucyatMCM
27-01-2011, 10:11 PM
I sent Ofsted an email today:
"Please can you tell me what the official guidance is regarding childminders giving each other back up? I haven't started minding yet and want to be clear.
In order to have back up or offer back up to a fellow childminder in the event that one of us is ill it's likely that we would have to exceed our registered number of children. I am sure I was told at my introductory course that this was acceptable but that we should telephone Ofsted to inform them of the situation. I just want to check that that is correct."
Their reply:
In response to your enquiry if you wish to have a back up childminder you will need to have an agreement with another childminder for this in your area, obtain the parents consent before hand (who may also wish to sign a contract for the time spend with the other childminder as well) and have enough spaces to care for the child/children. If a childminder needs to exceed the amount of children they care for or change any of their conditions of registration please see the criteria for this below... goes onto explain the ratios as I already understood"
Clear as mud. Anyone care to translate?
Mouse
27-01-2011, 10:18 PM
I understand it as follows:
if you have a back up childminder for holiday cover, days off etc they will only be able to have your children if they have space in accordance with their registered numbers. If you had time off on holiday, or were ill one morning & said you weren't working, you back up minder could only have your children if they had the necessary spaces.
if there was an emergency, or you were taking ill during the day you could call upon your back up childminder to take your children, but this is on the understanding that parents have been phoned and asked to collect their children asap. It would be OK for the back up childminder to go over their numbers for this limited time, buut they would have to phone Ofsted asap to tell them.
i read it as ... as long as back up child minder does not go over his/her numbers then its fine but if they are full they can not take yours on.. i think i hope someone will be able to help if i read it wrong
Mookins
27-01-2011, 10:21 PM
doesnt seem that you can have a back up minder unless they have the space for your mindees...:rolleyes:
xxx
LucyatMCM
27-01-2011, 10:28 PM
Thanks guys, that's what I thought. It's contrary to what I was told on my introductory course though and I wonder therefore how reliably childminder's can cover each other. I intend to be as full as possible so therefore I couldn't agree to cover anyone. Therefore no one is likely to want to set up a reciprocal arrangment. Hmmm...
if im ill im ill and there is nothing i can do about it so i would close and ring parents, if a child has accident and i have to take to hospital my husband is down as my emergency contact it was my ofsted inspector who suggested this at my inspection when going though my paperwork. and all my parents sign to say they agree children can be left with him in case of emergency, he then rings all parents and asks them to pick up as soon as possible or waits till i get back from hospital once parents of injured child have arrived..
Mouse
27-01-2011, 10:36 PM
I have 3 back up minders for emergency cover. I could call on them if an emergency arose and they would take my children. It would very likely put them over their numbers, but that would be OK for the amount of time it would take parents to get to them. I would do the same if they had an emergency - take their children until parents could arrive.
For holiday cover I have to ask round as most of the minders I know are pretty full. I am having a week off soon and have managed to arrange care for one of my mindees. I'm struggling with another one. From the outset I tell parents that I will TRY to help them find alternative care if I have time off, but ultimately it is up to them to sort something out.
rickysmiths
27-01-2011, 11:03 PM
Thanks guys, that's what I thought. It's contrary to what I was told on my introductory course though and I wonder therefore how reliably childminder's can cover each other. I intend to be as full as possible so therefore I couldn't agree to cover anyone. Therefore no one is likely to want to set up a reciprocal arrangment. Hmmm...
It can be tough. I go to a local NCMA (though open to all cms even if they are not members of NCMA) cm drop in. On the odd occassions I need emergency care I ring roung to see who has space. I have had to split my mindees between two minders but the advantage is that the children know all the minders even if the parents don't, but the parents feel confident because you are finding the cover and the children know the minder. (sorry that was a bit long winded its been a long evening!)
The minder does have to have space. I had to call on a friend last year with a few days notice but an emergency, she rang ofsted to see if they would allow her one over numbers in the circumstances to take siblings and the answer was a resounding NO.
Bridey
28-01-2011, 09:08 AM
I think there is a difference between back-up care and emergency care. A few day's notice isn't an emergency. An emergency is an instant life or death situation in which you can pass the children to another childminder who will then call their parents for immediate pick-up.
rickysmiths
28-01-2011, 09:19 AM
I think there is a difference between back-up care and emergency care. A few day's notice isn't an emergency. An emergency is an instant life or death situation in which you can pass the children to another childminder who will then call their parents for immediate pick-up.
This is true and I have an Emergeny Proceedue and actually not all those nominated as emergency carers are cms because in the kind of emergency you refer to you can leave the children with a 'responsible' adult.
The OP is asking about cover for her possible illness which is also emergency cover . It is for this kind of cover which you might be contacting fellow minders at 7.15am like I had to a few weeks ago because I had no water or heating. I needed to find alternative care very fast for my parents but the first couple of friends i rang were full and in these circumstances could/should not go over their numbers.
Bridey
28-01-2011, 09:30 AM
This is true and I have an Emergeny Proceedue and actually not all those nominated as emergency carers are cms because in the kind of emergency you refer to you can leave the children with a 'responsible' adult.
The OP is asking about cover for her possible illness which is also emergency cover . It is for this kind of cover which you might be contacting fellow minders at 7.15am like I had to a few weeks ago because I had no water or heating. I needed to find alternative care very fast for my parents but the first couple of friends i rang were full and in these circumstances could/should not go over their numbers.
I would define 'emergency' if the children were already in my care (ie I suddenly became very ill whilst working) but 'back-up' if the children are in the parent's care at that point whereupon the legal responsibility for their children lies with them - as inconvenient as it may be. I know we all do our best to find them cover under these circumstances but I can see why Ofsted won't allow other cm's to go over their numbers to help out.
I agree that emergency care doesn't have to be a cm but can be a responsible adult.