Dogs and Ofsted

[JumpingJacks]

Hi all hoping someone can help :) I'm due to pick up a dog on Sunday from the dogs trust and just wanted to check a few things.

1. Do I need to inform Ofsted? Or will a RA and policy/permissions suffice?

2. What are the rules regarding kitchens and dogs? Do they have to stay out?

3. Can I claim for fencing to separate the mindees from the dog? Wouldn't do this with my own children.

Thanks all

Jac x

[Louise0208]

i have a dog, he is RA but ofsted were not notified....he lives in the kitchen & has his cage under the stairs which is part of the kitchen. i claimed for a stair gate & small picket fence to barrier the dog area in the garden :)

its the health people that get there knickers in a twist about dogs in kitchens :rolleyes:

my kids are more likely to spread desieses (never could spell that) & bite people than my dog :p

[JumpingJacks]

i have a dog, he is RA but ofsted were not notified....he lives in the kitchen & has his cage under the stairs which is part of the kitchen. i claimed for a stair gate & small picket fence to barrier the dog area in the garden :)

its the health people that get there knickers in a twist about dogs in kitchens :rolleyes:

my kids are more likely to spread desieses (never could spell that) & bite people than my dog :p

I'm making a space for his cage under the stairs in the hall, but the kitchen is the only way to access the garden, may the environmental health are the people i need to ask then!

Thanks for your help :)

[VINASOL]

i have a dog, he is RA but ofsted were not notified....he lives in the kitchen & has his cage under the stairs which is part of the kitchen. i claimed for a stair gate & small picket fence to barrier the dog area in the garden :)

its the health people that get there knickers in a twist about dogs in kitchens :rolleyes:

my kids are more likely to spread desieses (never could spell that) & bite people than my dog :p

I'm getting my new puppy on 22 July and I also wondered if I needed to tell Ofsted..?.my problem is that I only have a small garden so what does one do when the puppy is no longer a puppy and needs more space? i don't want to reduce the space the kids have, but want them to be able to play freely (both of them). I do like the idea of fencing a small area for the puppy when she is small - do you let them poo in this area too?

Do you have to mention what diseases children might catch (from faeces etc) on your risk assessment? I haven't written on yet and not sure what to write!

[Louise0208]

my dog has free reign of the very small garden but does all his business in his woodchipped fenced off 'square meter' (see below) he was toilet trained here & will not go anywhere else....even out on a walk.

The littlies are obviously not allowed there

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb154/louise0208/Childminding/untitled.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb154/louise0208/Childminding/childmining2050.jpg

[BuggsieMoo]

I have 2 dogs, one prior to registration and one recently (October).

I asked my LA re the puppy and they said Ofsted needed to be advised. I emailed them and they wrote me a letter back to say that it had been added to my file that I had a dog and that I had appropriate RA's in place.

Diseases were not stated as being needed on the RA but things like dog mess in garden, children's access to dog, parent's permission for child to interact with dog (i.e. stroke, walks, pet), where the dog and its bedding will be kept - can kids access this, where its food and water bowls are kept - again can kids (particularly small children) access this.

Also, if you have pet insurance you must tell them you work as a childminder and how you keep the dog/children safe together otherwise your insurance is invalid (at least thats what PetPlan told me and I now have it listed on the back of my certificates).

Lisa

[BuggsieMoo]

my dog has free reign of the very small garden but does all his business in his woodchipped fenced off 'square meter' (see below) he was toilet trained here & will not go anywhere else....even out on a walk.

The littlies are obviously not allowed there

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb154/louise0208/Childminding/untitled.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb154/louise0208/Childminding/childmining2050.jpg

Same as my dogs, we have a fenced off area at back of garden where they do their business. Will go out on walks, but will only go there in garden. All kids know not to go there and its cleaned twice daily (at least) anyway. x

[JumpingJacks]

my dog has free reign of the very small garden but does all his business in his woodchipped fenced off 'square meter' (see below) he was toilet trained here & will not go anywhere else....even out on a walk.

The littlies are obviously not allowed there

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb154/louise0208/Childminding/untitled.jpg

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb154/louise0208/Childminding/childmining2050.jpg

Love this idea. I have a really long garden so can spare space for him to have a run at the bottom. Whilst it will be good for the dog to mix with the mindees, with parents permission, I think it would be wise to have a space just for him too. My own DD can be over affectionate sometimes)Then at least I don't have to stop mindees going out and vice versa if any of them (dog and mindees) need their own space :)

[miss mopple]

Also, if you have pet insurance you must tell them you work as a childminder and how you keep the dog/children safe together otherwise your insurance is invalid (at least thats what PetPlan told me and I now have it listed on the back of my certificates).

Really? My pet insurance is with More Than and it never even occurred to me to tell them and they certainly never asked. What about our public liabilty ins- should we inform them too?

[BuggsieMoo]

Really? My pet insurance is with More Than and it never even occurred to me to tell them and they certainly never asked. What about our public liabilty ins- should we inform them too?

They know, but as long as I have signed permission from parents then I am covered. Mindees are never left with dogs anyway, they are kept in a secure location during all working hours and do not use the garden at the same time as mindees - just to be safe. Free roam outside of all minding hours. PetPlan asked what I worked as when I got the new puppy and when I told them they added it cos if not, and my dog hurt a mindee then my 3rd party part of the insurance was invalid. x Lisa

[BuggsieMoo]

Really? My pet insurance is with More Than and it never even occurred to me to tell them and they certainly never asked. What about our public liabilty ins- should we inform them too?

sorry for another post - but off the top of my head, it was to do with the fact that the dogs are kept on a 'business premise' during the day and a 'home' premise at other times iyswim? x Its worth checking with your insurance. x

[miss mopple]

Thanks for that- will give them a call on Monday to clarify :thumbsup:

Also hadn't occurred to me to get signed permission for the kids to have contact with the dogs (have verbal) so will get onto that as well

[TheBTeam]

I phoned ofsted and they said that dont need to be informed, i wrote to them anyway and they wrote back and said all okay as long as it wasnt on the dda and i had risk assessments in place.

I do not have any separate area in my garden, just part on my risk assessment that any soiling is dealt with immediately and the areas disinfected regularly.

[JumpingJacks]

Thanks for all of the replies. Busy couple of days now sorting everything out. Will be using pet plan insurance as thats what the rehoming centre recommend. Have phoned Ofsted just to get it noted down :)

[MaryMary]

Thanks for that- will give them a call on Monday to clarify :thumbsup:

Also hadn't occurred to me to get signed permission for the kids to have contact with the dogs (have verbal) so will get onto that as well

I have permission to be in contact with animals included on my permissions form. This includes my pets (as stated in my pets policy), but also other pets & animals we may come into contact with (e..g. at parks or zoos, etc). Just trying to cover all bases :thumbsup: