View Full Version : Questions!
I keep thinking of things I want to ask you guys so hope you don't mind!
First, how soon after sending paperwork to Ofsted do they normally come and do pre-reg visit? Am starting my ICP course in May but don't want to start childminding until new school year in September as I would like the summer holidays with my own children and a chance to get everything ready (am also on maternity leave until October - albeit last 3 months unpaid :( ). Roughly when would you suggest I send the paperwork off cos obviously I will need to start advertising in the summer but assume I can't do that until I am registered?
Also, when you get enquiries and parents want to visit you is it best to arrange for a time when you have no mindees so that you can chat freely or is it better for them to come and see you with minded children, but then you wouldn't be able to give them full attention if you are going through policies etc. with a prospective parent.
A final question for now! Would I be able to occasionally take minded children over to my mums house? She is approximately 5 miles away but I have a 7 seater that would have business insurance so no probs there. She has a nice garden with some toys and a play area a couple of hundred yards down the road. Thought it would be an occasional change for us all. My mum and dad visit my house fairly frequently so I would already have a CRB check for them both and obviously I wouldn't leave them unattended whilst they were there. Are you going to tell me there would be loads of paperwork and risk assessments involved in this idea? :panic:
sarah707
23-04-2008, 09:27 AM
I keep thinking of things I want to ask you guys so hope you don't mind!
First, how soon after sending paperwork to Ofsted do they normally come and do pre-reg visit? Am starting my ICP course in May but don't want to start childminding until new school year in September as I would like the summer holidays with my own children and a chance to get everything ready (am also on maternity leave until October - albeit last 3 months unpaid :( ). Roughly when would you suggest I send the paperwork off cos obviously I will need to start advertising in the summer but assume I can't do that until I am registered?
They come out fairly fast depending on where you live... but CRBs can take months!
Also, when you get enquiries and parents want to visit you is it best to arrange for a time when you have no mindees so that you can chat freely or is it better for them to come and see you with minded children, but then you wouldn't be able to give them full attention if you are going through policies etc. with a prospective parent.
They usually like to see you with children. I try and do that way once and again in an evening or when I'm quiet for paperwork.
A final question for now! Would I be able to occasionally take minded children over to my mums house? She is approximately 5 miles away but I have a 7 seater that would have business insurance so no probs there. She has a nice garden with some toys and a play area a couple of hundred yards down the road. Thought it would be an occasional change for us all. My mum and dad visit my house fairly frequently so I would already have a CRB check for them both and obviously I wouldn't leave them unattended whilst they were there. Are you going to tell me there would be loads of paperwork and risk assessments involved in this idea? :panic:
Just get permission from parents. I had a problem last year where i was taking a mindee for a picnic at a friend's place of work. The place of work put in a malicious complaint about me (long story) and I had to prove to Ofsted that I had specific permission from parents to be there. I fought it and won on appeal but from then onwards I have covered my back on absolutely everything I do and everywhere I go... including, yes, sorry, risk assessments!
Hope this helps! :D
Fandangles
23-04-2008, 09:33 AM
I Are you going to tell me there would be loads of paperwork and risk assessments involved in this idea? :panic:
Given that you need a policy and risk assessment to fart these days, I'm guessing the answer is yes!
Thanks Sarah.
Presumably the CRB forms go off with the Ofsted form so there is no way of speeding that side up then? At what point can I start advertising - can I do it if I have had my pre-reg but not got my CRB's back?
Sorry to hear you had problems last year - I would hope that my mum and dad wouldn't make any malicious complaints about me!
Given that you need a policy and risk assessment to fart these days, I'm guessing the answer is yes!
:laughing: :laughing: Hadn't thought about that!
berkschick
23-04-2008, 09:50 AM
Ofsted came out to me within 2 weeks of receiving my paperwork. They filled the CRB forms in while here and they then took about 8 weeks to come back to me.
I advertised before I was registered and had 2 mindees lined up. I am getting lots of enquiries for September and have even had one for January 2009 so it is definately worth advertising ASAP. But you can not mind until you have your certificate, insurance, etc.
I would go for it now. It wont matter if you are registered before September, you can choose when you start work.
Thanks for that Debbie. How did you word your advertising before you were registered? Also, did you find enquiries were wary as they were the first? I wonder if when you start out it could go against you because you haven't had any mindees yet, although someone has to be the first! I have a 4 month old myself so I suppose they will be able to see I have experience. I can also get a reference from a friend whose 2 children I looked after for about 6 months on my 2 days off.
How are you finding things as a new childminder? I must admit I feel a bit overwhelmed about everything as I am getting so much information from this forum. I knew that there were policies etc but since I orginally made enquiries 18 months ago there seem to be so many changes! I am excited about a new career though.
My children are all at school now, so when I started minding I had no kids at home to show of my 'skills'!:laughing:
One of my first telephone enquiries was for a 10mth old. As I wasn't minding yet the mum wanted to know the ages of my kids. So I told her, at the time they were 6, 11, 13 and 15. She turned round and said " oh, you haven't had any experience with babies then!" :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Errrr, what planted was she ringing from?
I do a first interview with mindees here, then if they decide to go ahead, I get them to come back one evening. That way the paperwork can be done without getting something spilt on it or it being chewed!
Jinx x
That makes sense to do the two visits from prospective parents, then they can see how you handle squabbles over toys etc but you also have a chance to chat at a later date (I assume confidentiality has to come into anyway so paperwork would be best done when not minding). Thanks.