Visitors Book

[Fairydust]

Just wanted to ask if any of you had a visitors book? A friend who is also a Childminder was told she had to get one after her recent inspection. She is not sure if parents dropping off and picking up should sign it or if its just for visitors e.g. another Childminder visiting. A bit confused as to whether or not I should rush out and buy one before my pending inspection. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks.

[sarah707]

You must have a visitors book and you need to get the inspector to sign in when s/he comes...

You can either use a book or a sheet of paper - mine is paper, it wasn't a problem at my inspection.

I try to be sensible about people signing in... if parents walk through the door, pick up their child and have a very quick chat, that's fine... if they come in and want to sit down, they must sign in.

It's for insurance and for fire regs ... plus parents have a right to see who has been in contact with their child :D

[Fairydust]

Thankyou. I have been a registered Childminder in Scotland for 8 years and this has never been mentioned before. Do you get the visitor to write down the reason for their visit or just the date, their name etc.

[sarah707]

Ah, I don't know whether it's the same in Scotland... but I imagine so if your friend told you about her inspector saying she needed one...

I have spaces for - date, time in, name, reason for visit, time out and a bit about why they need to sign. :D

[Lou]

I have the same as Sarah.

Mine is just a cheap excersise book, and i get any visitors to fill it in and sign.

If parents are just doing normal pick ups and drop offs then they dont sign it as they sign attendance register. If they want a chat about child etc then they sign it.

[mum2three]

I have a cheap exercise book aswell, I have written time in /time out and date any visitors put the time on arrival then time out and sign when leaving.
Parents dropping and collecting don't sign unless they are staying and I have other mindees here.

:)

[Fairydust]

Thankyou everyone! Each Inspector gives different advice and its so confusing and frustrating. A friend had her inspection last week and it lasted 5 hrs!!! Another Childminder had a different inspector & they stayed one hour - how is that fair? As you can tell I am in a grumpy mood and so glad its Friday tomorrow and a Bank Holiday Monday - and I am off!!!!

[Rach30]

Sorry but not having one . :D

[Fairydust]

My husband laughed when I told him I was going to buy a book for visitors!:D

[ajs]

i am in a very argumentative mood tonight
i do have a visitors book but always fill it in retrospectively and i have absolutely no intention of writing in when the children's parents are here to talk to me whether it is for 2 minutes or 2 hours
sorry

[sarah707]

Oooo! You rebel!! :laughing:

[ajs]

i am playing devil's advoate tonight on the latex glove post as well

it's all a load of codswallop and i don't mind telling ofsted that too

[Fairydust]

I am so glad I am not the only one that feels bogged down with paperwork, new rules, guidelines and inconsistent inspections. I know I do a good job & tha the children and parents are happy with the service I provide but sometimes feel that I am hitting my head against a brickwall. I spend more time worrying about risk assessments, ensuring paperwork up to date, the correct posters are on display etc. and I should be spending my free time with my own family instead! Oooooh ...... I think I must have a cuppa and a chocolate biscuit before I stick my head in the oven! Mmmmm.... obviously I would do a risk assessment first!

[ajs]

i am pretty sure we are allowed to eat chocolate biscuits without assessing the risks first. xxx

[wendywu]

Just get one for your inspection and then throw it in the back of the cupboard and forget about it.:panic:

I have got one a lovely light blue leather one, with vistors book written in fancy gold letters on the front. The only reason i got it was i found it when i was helping to set up and sort the local scouts jumble. I thought it was a bit of a p**s take and i would be right over the top. It has only got two british gas fitters signed in it ( in the comments section i put "husband present") and my Ofsted inspector. NO BODY LOVES ME sob sob:(

I was tempted to sign in loads of film stars and pop stars :laughing: Oh yes i mind for Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise didnt i mention it, to say nothing about Madonna. :thumbsup:

[disney]

i have one & when i had my inspection she was well impressed but on a funny side it was great handing out my rules to her i really enjoyed it :laughing: i said you cant come in without your id , oh you must sign the visitors book , oh yer please take your shoes off (her face she looked at me well strange )


i dont get parents to sign when they drop off & pick up as they are only at the door . i just get any one to sign in should i have a visitor . i suppose you may know someone well but if they havnt had a crb then you never know .x

[Rasharoon]

I don't have a visitors book because I don't have any visitors. :( How sad do I look.
I suppose because I do before and after school, nobody is likely to drop by as I'm out at work during the day.
If I was to use a sheet of paper, could I make up a few to make it look good? :rolleyes:

[sarah707]

If I was to use a sheet of paper, could I make up a few to make it look good? :rolleyes:

:laughing: Who were you thinking of?? Best be realistic! :laughing:

[wendywu]

I could always lend you Brad Pitt:laughing:

[Rasharoon]

Adam Ant - my hero and yes, I'm old.
I was thinking of adding the plumbers (where I've had my bathroom done), and the double glazers. Not reams of people, just a couple. Doesn't hurt I suppose - as long as I leave off Matthew McConaughey and that gorgeous doctor Byrne (the young one) from Holby City. xx

[wendywu]

You floozy, i must pop round for a coffee.:laughing:

[disney]

i usually have johnny depp around ( sorry not telling lies ) just having a fantasy moment ;) x

[deeb66]

i usually have johnny depp around ( sorry not telling lies ) just having a fantasy moment ;) x

Can I join in with your fantasy moment!

I like Johnny Depp too :D

[wendywu]

I will pop round for him as well, something about a man in eyeliner and black boots. :)

[crazybones]

You can all keep him. Not my idea of a man at all. Now give me George and thats a different story. Might have to fight Mandy for him - I think she has him locked in the cellar.

[wendywu]

What with the vistors book:)

[ajs]

You can all keep him. Not my idea of a man at all. Now give me George and thats a different story. Might have to fight Mandy for him - I think she has him locked in the cellar.

ooohhh i wish

Now that's a real man annie and i don't fight for him as he's mine all mine
i've been on here a lot longer than you and i bagsed him first :)

:clapping: xxxxx

[JazzyL]

George as in George, Bungle and Zippy???


(only joking) :ROFL1:

[buildingblocks]

You must have a visitors book and you need to get the inspector to sign in when s/he comes... You can either use a book or a sheet of paper - mine is paper, it wasn't a problem at my inspection. I try to be sensible about people signing in... if parents walk through the door, pick up their child and have a very quick chat, that's fine... if they come in and want to sit down, they must sign in. It's for insurance and for fire regs ... plus parents have a right to see who has been in contact with their child :D

I agree with Sarah mine is a sheet - one for each week and everybody signs in if they enter my house even my mother. If a parent stays for longer than a couple of minutes they sign in (one parent often stays when dropping off at 8.30 with her older son before taking him to school about 20 min later she signs L and herself in and out) another settles her little boy in and she doesn't as she is gone within 5 mins.

In theory I don't need to do a register as this is the same with exact times on but i also have registers which I transfer the info from the signing in sheet at the end of each day

[miffy]

Mine is just a sheet too

I sign people in and out - don't ask them to do it - because it's easier that way.

miffy xx

[buildingblocks]

Oh and the parents sign the children in on it (which is why it could replace the registers if needed) sorry should have made that clear

[bubbly]

At my EYFS meeting last night, we were told it's not a legal requirement to have a visitors' book. I have one and think I'll continue with it as it's good practice and not exactly a hardship keeping it up-to-date.

[son77]

I have a sheet for my visitors log with names, reason for visit & time in & out but never sign it, my inspector never said this was a problem.