In the process of becoming a Childminder...please help!

[sophie.k90]

Hello everybody :)
I attended an Information Session regarding becoming a Childminder in December 2010 but due to giving birth a few weeks later, I decided to leave it a while before I looked into it again. I have now filled in my Ofsted forms which will be getting sent off at the beginning of next week. My First Aid course is booked for the 16th July and I also have my Safeguarding Children course on the 12th July. I was told by my local Early Years Service that if I send my Ofsted forms off, I have to let them know and I will get booked onto the Pre-registration course...but I'm not sure what happens when I send the forms off! :S Will somebody contact me or come round to the house? I am still in the process of redecorating my house, will this put Ofsted off from registering me? I also have nothing prepared, because to be honest, I don't have a clue what to do!!

[Asti]

Hi,
All areas seem to be different but this is what I was told: Get your health declaration to your doctors and collect it yourself so you know when it has been sent. Send it with your forms. When Ofsted receive them they call you to say they have received them. Then they will send you your CRB forms which you fill in and return.(keep the number off the CRB form so you can track it online, I didnt know this so never did it) In the meanwhile get on your paediatric first aid course, and IHP course(safeguarding is included in this course). It was approx 6weeks from sending my forms off to getting my pre-reg visit, but each area is different. You should have a copy of the welfare requirements which you need to read, as it tells you what you have to have in place, e.g policies procedures, permissions, then any extra you feel you need. there is lots of help on the forum. I just did lots of reading to get my head around everything, but slowly but surely everything will fall into place. Oh and dont forget to get your NCMA pack aswell if you intend of going with them, as the kit provides some of the important paperwork you will need, and your public liability insurance. Good luck with your journey, it only took 3.5 mths from start to finish for me.:jump for joy:
Maxine

[Jiorjiina]

When I sent my forms in on line, I got a letter from Ofsted confirming my application and sending me an invoice for my registration fee.

Once I paid the fee, they sent me my CRB forms, which I filled in and sent off for processing. I downloaded my Health Declaration booklet and to it to my GP myself (this then took ages to fill out due my records getting lost).

Now I am waiting to hear about arranging a pre-reg visit at my house, providing the health declaration checks out (I know no reason why it shouldn't).

I wouldn't have thought that your house being redecorated will be a problem, as long as you are done by the time children are going to be attending, or at least have done a risk assessment on it. (I'm sure someone else will correct me if I am wrong on this!)

There are numerous threads on the forum about what you need to have ready for an Ofsted visit, just do a search for them.

You've already booked onto a safeguarding and first aid course, when you let your early years team know you've sent off the application form you said they will book you onto your intro course. All good.

You will need to download and familiarise yourself with the EYFS (just google it for a copy), find some public liability insurance (usually NCMA or Morton Michel), and produce some policies and procedures (lists of them on the forum, examples for download if you google for Bromley Childminding Assoc), as well as a risk assessment for your house and garden (if you're going to use it).

Also, have a look at Food Hygiene Stuff (there is a download pack called Safer Food Better Business For Childminders), and Fire Safety (another download pack from the Chief Fire Officer which is specifically for childminders).