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caza
09-05-2008, 06:58 PM
I was just wondering how far do you go when childproofing your house? Thing is since we had dd we have never been ones for locking up toiletries/cleaning stuff and generally putting things out of reach. We have always been very clear with dd about what she can touch and what she cant, what can be dangerous and whats not etc. We have never a problem doing things this way with dd but obviously childminding is a whole different kettle of fish and I cant imagine Ofsted being very impressed with that attitude :rolleyes:

Anyway I have been thinking about what I need to do to make the bungalow more child friendly but I'm not sure where I need to draw the line. I know all the obvious like putting medication/cleaning stuff/alcohol etc out of harms reach but I think I'm looking for too much. I know it might sound stupid but do things like soaps in the bathroom, toothpastes, shampoo etc have to be locked away even though they will probably be supervised when in there? And what about things like ornaments etc. I guess I'm just worried that if I keep thinking the way I am at the moment there will be nothing left in our house because it will all be locked away in a cupboard somewhere!

Sorry didn't mean to make this an essay :blush: Would just like some idea where to draw the line.

Caroline

Jinx
09-05-2008, 07:08 PM
I agree with you. If you put everything out of reach, the children will never learn that somethings are off limits.
Anything 'dangerous', ie, shampoo, toothpaste etc is now out of reach in my house. BUT, I have a cupboard and some drawers in the lounge which don't have locks on and that the mindees are NOt allowed to touch. There is nothing in these areas that would harm a child, but I don't want them touched!!!! All my mindees accepted from day 1 that these things couldn't be touched and I haven't had a problem. Even though the little one was 6mths old when he started.
More to the point, I told my Ofsted inspector my reasons and she was quite happy with it.

Sorry, I've had a glass, (or 2) and I'm waffleing!! lol :laughing: :laughing:

Jinx x

disney
09-05-2008, 07:30 PM
yes better safe than sorry . :)

caza
09-05-2008, 07:42 PM
So what about things like ornaments, clocks etc? I know that if I dont put them out of harms way then I run the risk of getting them broken which naturally would be my own fault but do they expect all these things to be put away?

Sorry for all the questions I just want to know what to expect when it comes to making our house suitable :D

Caroline

crazybones
09-05-2008, 08:54 PM
I would say that no matter what you teach the children about not touching, accidents happen so if you have something precious or expensive I wouldnt have it anywhere it could be broken. I must admit I dont do ornaments -they need dusting and I avoid that too :laughing: . The few that I had have had to make way for toys and books anyway.

Spangles
09-05-2008, 09:04 PM
In the bathroom I've got handsoap and toothpaste on the sink and shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, bubble bath around the bath. I just haven't got anywhere else I can put them. There's no space for locked up drawers or cupboards (not that I could put one up anyway as it's army housing).

Am I supposed to put all these things away in my bedroom and keep getting them out every five minutes and putting them back? My husband will go nuts!

At the moment, and for the foreseeable future, I've only got littlies that don't go in there and even when the eldest is toilet training he won't be in there on his own so surely I can leave them there?

(I'm awaiting an inspection - can you tell? Ha ha!)

miffy
09-05-2008, 09:10 PM
I don't move my ornaments ( haven't got many) but I teach the children not to touch them

That said you do have to accept there may be the odd breakage but I always think if everything is locked away how are children ever expected to learn what they can and cannot touch.

miffy xx

angeldelight
09-05-2008, 09:55 PM
I agree with Miffy

I never moved anything for my own children when they were little things like ornaments stay firmly in their place

Angel xx

Spangles
09-05-2008, 10:00 PM
What about all of your shampoo and stuff though? Are your bathrooms all bare?

ma7ie
09-05-2008, 10:01 PM
All my toiletries are kept in a cupboard in the bathroom (not locked) and things like razors are in a caddy which sticks to the shower screen out of the reach of the children.

At my recent inspection the inspector was happy with this and didn't expect me to lock anything away.

All my cleaning products are kept in the kitchen cupboards locked away.

Ornaments stay exactly where they are, not got many though. I always have a vase of flowers on a low table and the children never touch.

sarah707
09-05-2008, 10:07 PM
Ofsted look for anything that is dangerous or poisonous to be out of sight and reach ...

In the kitchen, that means locked away... in the bathroom, well even toothpaste is a poison if taken in large enough quantities, so they want to know how you safeguard children's health and keep them safe.

That might mean risk assessing and putting up a gate or supervising all the time. That should be fine and accepted, so long as you have it written down, but of course it depends on the inspector.

As for ornaments... if you don't want them to get broken, move them when you are working... accidents happen :(

Spangles
09-05-2008, 10:10 PM
Thanks Sarah, I'll do a risk assessment - my husband will go bonkers if I've got to take everything out of the bathroom!

miffy
11-05-2008, 07:38 AM
What about all of your shampoo and stuff though? Are your bathrooms all bare?

No not completely - most are in a wall cabinet out of reach

Everyday stuff is out but children are not allowed in my bathroom on their own

Mindees use another toilet which has hand towels, soap and toilet roll only

HTH

miffy xx

Spangles
11-05-2008, 08:44 AM
I've just left my stuff where it is.

My mindees are all under 3. Three are babies and one is 3 in about 4 months so none of them go to my bathroom.

I've done a risk assessment so an inspector can see I'm aware of the dangers but that no-one goes in there and that if I get older mindees I will move the things out.

Do you think that's okay? I can't see the point of moving things when the room's not used and my son is always accompanied in there.

miffy
11-05-2008, 05:22 PM
I've just left my stuff where it is.

My mindees are all under 3. Three are babies and one is 3 in about 4 months so none of them go to my bathroom.

I've done a risk assessment so an inspector can see I'm aware of the dangers but that no-one goes in there and that if I get older mindees I will move the things out.

Do you think that's okay? I can't see the point of moving things when the room's not used and my son is always accompanied in there.

I think that's fine Lorri :)

miffy xx

Spangles
11-05-2008, 05:31 PM
Thanks Miffy.

flora
11-05-2008, 05:40 PM
What about all of your shampoo and stuff though? Are your bathrooms all bare?

mY inspector pulled me up on the fact that I had shampoo on the far corner of the bath ( way way out of reach) and wrote that I had unsuitable substances for under 8's in the bathroom. Conjures up allsorts of neg images :angry: .

She said I had to put it up on a high shelf/ cabinet. The kids do not use the bathroom unsupervised. But she was most insistant:(

Hoping to god I don't get her this year:eek:

caza
11-05-2008, 06:11 PM
Seems to me it more luck than judgement. What is perfectly acceptable to one inspector will be completely unacceptable to another. I guess I will just have to do as much as I feel is right and hope that the nice inspector agrees with me :rolleyes:

Caroline

miffy
11-05-2008, 06:21 PM
mY inspector pulled me up on the fact that I had shampoo on the far corner of the bath ( way way out of reach) and wrote that I had unsuitable substances for under 8's in the bathroom. Conjures up allsorts of neg images :angry: .

She said I had to put it up on a high shelf/ cabinet. The kids do not use the bathroom unsupervised. But she was most insistant:(

Hoping to god I don't get her this year:eek:

So under 8's should never have their hair shampooed then? :rolleyes:

You can't eliminate every risk - how are children ever supposed to learn what they can and can't touch or make decisions for themselves if we present them with a world where everything is done for them.

But yes it does come down to the individual inspector at the end of the day.
So Caroline, as you say, do what you think is right then be prepared to stand your ground if you don't get the nice inspector

Good luck

miffy xx

flora
11-05-2008, 06:27 PM
My inspector was bit of a stickler, and on somethings I think she may have had a point, but she was not for moving on this one. I said that the kids were never left alone etc etc but she seemed to live in " worse case senario land"

She kept asking what if ??? what if?????

I came back with good anwers, but she was still def a belt and braces girl and didnt like the fact that I thinkg kids should learn NOT to touch some things or go in some places.

Of course you never take silly risks espc with minded kids but I'm not sure mollycoddling kids like we do now is the way to go either :panic:

caza
11-05-2008, 07:32 PM
My inspector was bit of a stickler, and on somethings I think she may have had a point, but she was not for moving on this one. I said that the kids were never left alone etc etc but she seemed to live in " worse case senario land"

She kept asking what if ??? what if?????

I came back with good anwers, but she was still def a belt and braces girl and didnt like the fact that I thinkg kids should learn NOT to touch some things or go in some places.

Of course you never take silly risks espc with minded kids but I'm not sure mollycoddling kids like we do now is the way to go either :panic:

I agree. we have never mollycoddled our dd and now she is very sensible and has a good head on her shoulders and even thought she is only 4 she is very clear on what is good/ dangerous for her and what isn't. She wouldn't have any of these qualities had we hidden everything away from her and wrapped her up in cotton wool

Caroline

ajs
11-05-2008, 08:00 PM
mY inspector pulled me up on the fact that I had shampoo on the far corner of the bath ( way way out of reach) and wrote that I had unsuitable substances for under 8's in the bathroom. Conjures up allsorts of neg images :angry: .

She said I had to put it up on a high shelf/ cabinet. The kids do not use the bathroom unsupervised. But she was most insistant:(

Hoping to god I don't get her this year:eek:

my friend was picked up on exactly the same thing this year in her inspection.

i do not have stair gates never have and even argued with the inspector that i have never had one on my stairs
she was sure that when she did her unannounced visit that i had a stair gate and didn't believe me when i told her i have never had one so it couldn't have been in place when she visited but she argued with me so i just backed down said oh maybe i was wrong and i had put one up on the offchance that she was going to visit me unannounced:p

breezy
11-05-2008, 08:19 PM
mY inspector pulled me up on the fact that I had shampoo on the far corner of the bath ( way way out of reach) and wrote that I had unsuitable substances for under 8's in the bathroom. Conjures up allsorts of neg images :angry: .

She said I had to put it up on a high shelf/ cabinet. The kids do not use the bathroom unsupervised. But she was most insistant:(

Hoping to god I don't get her this year:eek:

I got pulled up on that too, despite the fact the kids couldnt reach it:(