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onceinabluemoon
29-03-2011, 05:52 PM
After a chance comment by one of my parents today I phoned Ofsted to find out if my cleaner needed to be CRBd as she would be here once a week for 2 hours whilst the children were here - but NOT in the same rooms or in contact with the children at any time.

The answer was yes, CRB is necessary, so I cannot have my cleaner. I was so looking forward to having somebody lighten the load and took on doing the L3 diploma as I thought I was going to have less to do. NO idea how I'm going to manage now but I'm sure I'll find a way. :blush:

Just wondering how the rest of you managed with CRBing your cleaners? Or do they come at weekends or when you're not working?

JCrakers
29-03-2011, 05:58 PM
Seems a bit daft to me...I had my boiler serviced on Monday and I dont suppose he was crb checked :laughing:

My cleaner used to come fridays on my day off so cant help.

I would have thought as long as you dont leave the children unattended with the cleaner then it would be fine??....grrrr at Ofsted :angry:

Becky x

LOOPYLISA
29-03-2011, 05:59 PM
Seems a bit daft to me...I had my boiler serviced on Monday and I dont suppose he was crb checked :laughing:

My cleaner used to come fridays on my day off so cant help.

I would have thought as long as you dont leave the children unattended with the cleaner then it would be fine??....grrrr at Ofsted :angry:

Becky x

Yes heating engineers have to be if they are doing council or housing association :thumbsup:

nic t
29-03-2011, 06:00 PM
How about if you go out for the 2 hours?

onceinabluemoon
29-03-2011, 06:02 PM
How about if you go out for the 2 hours?

I did think of that and it would be fine in the good weather but I live in a small town and there isn't a lot to do when the weather is bad

nic t
29-03-2011, 06:05 PM
I did think of that and it would be fine in the good weather but I live in a small town and there isn't a lot to do when the weather is bad

That's a shame.

I wonder if the cleaner would be willing to have a CRB check?

Alibali
29-03-2011, 06:07 PM
When I had mine she came on the mornings we went to cm group which we did in any weather.

Roseolivia
29-03-2011, 06:26 PM
I was told my cleaner didn't need one even though she was here for 3hrs as she'd never be left alone with the children.

AliceK
29-03-2011, 06:27 PM
I had a cleaner come to my old house for 2hrs one day a week. I didn't go out whilst she was cleaning and I don't think she was CRB checked. She mostly cleaned upstairs only the hall floor downstairs. I would never have left the mindees on their own with her so I wasn't aware it could be a problem. Seems a bit silly I think :rolleyes:

xxxx

Chatterbox Childcare
29-03-2011, 06:31 PM
Mine comes in and we have that day as our soft play week but regardless of this I think Ofsted have given wrong advice.

Why would they need a CRB when they are not being left alone with any child? No different to any other visitor in my eyes

mr man
29-03-2011, 06:33 PM
I was told my cleaner didn't need one even though she was here for 3hrs as she'd never be left alone with the children.

i was also told this with regard to my sister bf coming to visit for a few days. Sister live with us while uniis closer to here. anyway it was EY team thats said - and she re-read the statuory guidlines out and from the words in that as long as they are nover left unsupervised then its not a problem she told me to write up a RA about it, and that was that.

but difference in a bf staying over for a few days and probably again soon than a cleaner coming for 2 hours each wk.
he has said i can do a CRB, so if it gets more frequent i will be doing. but for now i ahve been told the above is fine.

onceinabluemoon
29-03-2011, 06:37 PM
The bloke said that anybody living or working in my home when the children were there would need crb, (and then applied it to a cleaner coming in) he took ages looking it all up.

Katiekoo
29-03-2011, 06:39 PM
I don't use a cleaner but I did notice that one of the larger local cleaning businesses state on their website that all cleaners are crb checked. Might be worth looking online?

onceinabluemoon
29-03-2011, 06:42 PM
I don't use a cleaner but I did notice that one of the larger local cleaning businesses state on their website that all cleaners are crb checked. Might be worth looking online?

Yep, but what are the chances they are crb'd by ofsted? Bloke said it had to be done by ofsted and even if they were crb'd by another company it wasn't good enough...

sorry not trying to be awkward just going on what he said.

Chatterbox Childcare
29-03-2011, 06:48 PM
The bloke said that anybody living or working in my home when the children were there would need crb, (and then applied it to a cleaner coming in) he took ages looking it all up.

Says it all really - no common sense :laughing:

rickysmiths
29-03-2011, 06:48 PM
If Ofsted require a CRB they will do it and if they say your cleaner needs one then they would pay for it. However why on earth do they need it if they are never left alone with the children? I would email them and ask for an answer I think, it does seem to depend on who you speak to and their take on it.

sarah707
29-03-2011, 06:49 PM
I would give it a couple of days and ring again.

Explain that your cleaner will not be left unsupervised etc...

Otherwise find a cleaner who will come in the evening or at the weekend.

Now I have one I don't know where I would be without her... actually yes I do and it's not a good place :panic:

Good luck! :D

TheBTeam
29-03-2011, 06:49 PM
I was given the advice that anyone attending the house regularly had to be crb checked, and crb check or not they should not be left unattended with the children anyway.

Noomie
29-03-2011, 06:54 PM
I think it depends what advisor you get.

When my mum stayed in my house for a while (she was over from Aus) she didn't need to be CRB'd. I asked the registration inspector and she said no. But did say other inspectors would say yes.

If a cleaner is not left unsupervised with the children, I have been advised by an Ofsted advisor that they do not need CRB check.

It drives me mad how inconsistent they are.

maisiemog
29-03-2011, 06:56 PM
Get her CRB'd then. If you have to then tell a little white lie to ofsted....she's a friend who visits a lot!!!

Saying that I'm getting a cleaner and whether I am meant to or not I got her to fill in the form to be crb's by ofsted. if they tell me they wont do it then I'll figure something else out!

But I know I have plenty of people who aren't crb'd by ofsted in my house at some point or another. I mean I'm sure the man who came to fix our virgin box last week wasnt, same with the window cleaner who although never comes in the house is in the garden at the same time as the kids!

onceinabluemoon
29-03-2011, 07:00 PM
I would give it a couple of days and ring again.

Explain that your cleaner will not be left unsupervised etc...

Otherwise find a cleaner who will come in the evening or at the weekend.

Now I have one I don't know where I would be without her... actually yes I do and it's not a good place :panic:

Good luck! :D

I wondered about emailing them but it may be simpler just to get up at half past four instead of half past five and clean then, lol

The agency does not have cleaners working evenings or weekends :(

Hebs
29-03-2011, 07:11 PM
what a load of tosh :panic:

my assistant is working with me full time currently without a CRB, as Ofsted told me as long as she isnt left unattended then she can work while waiting for her CRB

I have a cleaner and i dont think she is CRB checked but again i never leave her alone with the kids,

i know a childminder who has family that stay over for a week at a time every now and then and they are not CRB checked again told by ofsted it didnt need to be done

stupid ofsted

alwaysright
29-03-2011, 07:45 PM
can i ask what was the chance comment mnade by the parent?? was she directly questioning whether or not the cleaner had a crb check?? a few years ago i had a whole extension done that took 6 months and i worked through it all!! i rang ofsted to see if i was allowed to work and the said of course as long as i risk assessed!! obviously the children were never left alone with the builders and i doubt they had crb checks but i never asked as they werent alone!! sounds a bit ridiculous if you ask me!! i mean were does it stop.....you take the children out to the post office or somewere and i doubt the person next to you in the queue has a crb but who cares the children arent alone with them :angry: :angry: rant over just gets on my nerves when there is no continuity :angry: hope i spelt that right :blush:

Twinkles
29-03-2011, 07:53 PM
hmmm I posted this very question a couple of weeks ago.

Let us know if you get a different answer.

lfishwick
29-03-2011, 07:55 PM
At my pre reg course we were told any regular visitor ( even if just for 1/2 hour every fortnight) had to be CRB'd and if a family member came to stay - even if not near children but in the house and only once or twice a year- they had to have a crb too!!

So doesnt surprise me about the cleaner....:rolleyes:

rickysmiths
29-03-2011, 08:06 PM
can i ask what was the chance comment mnade by the parent?? was she directly questioning whether or not the cleaner had a crb check?? a few years ago i had a whole extension done that took 6 months and i worked through it all!! i rang ofsted to see if i was allowed to work and the said of course as long as i risk assessed!! obviously the children were never left alone with the builders and i doubt they had crb checks but i never asked as they werent alone!! sounds a bit ridiculous if you ask me!! i mean were does it stop.....you take the children out to the post office or somewere and i doubt the person next to you in the queue has a crb but who cares the children arent alone with them :angry: :angry: rant over just gets on my nerves when there is no continuity :angry: hope i spelt that right :blush:

Yes I have had exactly the same. Last year and I was told to Risk Assess which I did and I worked the whole time with no problem. My Dad has come to stay a few times over the years and I'm sorry but I wouldn't deam of having him CRB checked, he is never alone with the children, same with my MIL.

ajs
29-03-2011, 08:15 PM
oiabm it's not often i disagree with you and sarah but ( in hebs' words) tosh

i have always had a cleaner and ofsted saw her name in my visitor book and never asked if she was crbd

i do go out while she is here as i don't think it's fair to expect her to work around me and 3 little ones but even so

MaryMary
29-03-2011, 08:21 PM
But I know I have plenty of people who aren't crb'd by ofsted in my house at some point or another. I mean I'm sure the man who came to fix our virgin box last week wasnt, same with the window cleaner who although never comes in the house is in the garden at the same time as the kids!

As i understand it, occassional visitors/workmen would not have to be CRB'd. On the odd occassion when I have had a 'man' round (e.g. central heating, Virgin) during minding hours, I have got them to sign my visitors book. I have always been led to believe that a regular visitor (eg weekly) should have a CRB check.

ChocolateChip
29-03-2011, 08:50 PM
Bluemoon, I got my cleaner crb'd through a company called TMGCRB,

0845 251 5000 www.tmgcrb.co.uk (hope I am allowed to post that)

It was free as checks for early years settings were free at the time, you basically sign up to be a client of theirs, then they send you an info pack with all the forms and stuff. Didn't take very long and then I rang Ofsted back with the details and they sent my cleaner a letter confirming she was suitable to work with children (even though we put that she wouldn't be working directly with the children :rolleyes: )
Ofsted had given me another number to ring but they wanted £50 up front, then my friend told me about tmg which is who she dealt with to get all the staff at her pre-school done.

I suppose she doesn't already have one from somewhere else? My cooking lady works in a school kitchen so they said she didn't need one as she was already known to Ofsted. (which I thought people had to had one for every setting but that's what Ofsted said so who am I to argue!)

(Have just checked the website it is still free for ey or compulsory reg. settings, for a first check by that setting of any employee)

karensmart4
29-03-2011, 09:37 PM
I was given the advice that anyone attending the house regularly had to be crb checked, and crb check or not they should not be left unattended with the children anyway.

This is the advice I was given by SS when I was fostering..... any regular visitors to the house even if it were only for a coffee and chat, had to be CRB'd.

After that friends stopped dropping by because they didn't want to go through the hassle :mad:

mushpea
30-03-2011, 06:06 AM
so can I assume then that ofsted inspectors are crb checked and that I am entittled to see it when she arrives on my door step?

I tend to arrange any visits outside of work and friends that come here are childminders anyway, but sometimes my parents will come and stay over on a friday night,, ususaly once every couple of months as they live a fair way away and I dont have them crb checked.
I thought we were allowed to have responsible adults around the children if we were there,,,

marnieb
30-03-2011, 06:55 AM
this is utter madness!!!!! :panic:

so, my pils can't pop in to see their grandkids, no next door enightbour and her kids can't pop in..anything at all like that?

really, do Ofsted think we're that stupid we'd leave the mindees with total strangers! Nice to know that they have faith in us!! :rolleyes:

onceinabluemoon
30-03-2011, 07:07 AM
The parent told me the cleaner was not crb'd when i mentioned something about double checking that she is (since I was told in ICP that she would have to be), she employs the same lady and works in education so is aware of the rules and regs and didn't want me to get into trouble.

I double checked with ofsted (since such a lot of stuff I was told on my icp was tosh...) and they told me she had to be crb'd as she 'worked in my home' even though she would not come into direct contact with the children. And it had to be by Ofsted. Since writing my original post the lady who runs the cleaning agency also rang ofsted and was told another company could do the crbs!!!! Should I be surprised that one person tells one thing and another the opposite???

It's not me saying the cleaner has to be crb'd ajs, its ofsted. I too think its tosh as she will never have access to the children alone, she used to be a nurse and has therefore been through far more stringent checking than most people have been...

nokidshere
30-03-2011, 07:13 AM
What utter rubbish!

Ofsted talk out of their arses for 99% of the time!

Hebs
30-03-2011, 07:48 AM
What utter rubbish!

Ofsted talk out of their arses for 99% of the time!

I agree and its usually decisions made on the spot

alwaysright
30-03-2011, 12:34 PM
@ onceinabluemoon, as an outstanding childminder, ofsted have obviously been more than satified with how you protect and safeguard your children so this as everyone says is tosh!!
i took a minded child to church the other week for a school service, and her mum was quite happy for me to do so, we sat with all the other mums and then went for a coffee and some toast in the cafe afterwards.......do all the other mums have crb checks?? i neither know nor care because i was in total charge of my mindee child. this is just beaurocrocy god stark raving mad!! :angry:

wendywu
30-03-2011, 03:55 PM
The best thing is to email them for an answer, then if they say that cleaners do not need to be CRB you have it in black and white. :panic:

nicoleon
30-03-2011, 05:13 PM
I was also told that they need a crb and luckily my cleaning lady volunteers in a school so has an Ofsted crb anyway, phew! We do go out on both days she comes though. When it's raining we play in the woods or go to a museum, otherwise we just get as dirty as possible in the park :thumbsup: ...and then when we come back make the house dirty again :rolleyes:

flora
30-03-2011, 07:54 PM
The bloke said that anybody living or working in my home when the children were there would need crb, (and then applied it to a cleaner coming in) he took ages looking it all up.

My inlaws come to say with me. I don't leave them with the kids but they are not crb'd.

I would be ringin back I am sure they have got this a bit wrong.