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Spangles
13-05-2008, 10:25 AM
Another thread has just reminded me of this question!

I got told by another childminder a few weeks ago that I should take down my safety gate into my kitchen to allow free access from the hall and lounge into the kitchen and out into the back garden. They said that Ofsted expect this and I'll get marked down if not.

Well, I don't want children just wandering or crawling into my kitchen plus I keep my back door closed and locked when we're inside for safety reasons i.e. to stop intruders.

Surely I don't need the gate and door open? I don't want them open!

Mollymop
13-05-2008, 10:29 AM
You know I am new to all this but surely this can not be true? I keep my back door locked at all times unless we are going into the garden together, I would never let a child wonder off on their own into the garden whenever they felt like it.
Like to know what others think as well.

Kelly
13-05-2008, 10:43 AM
I have a stair gate across my back door to stop the children wandering off outside if I keep the back door open (which I have with all this lovely weather!) although I want them to have access to the garden I cannot have children wandering around unsupervised.

Kelly

sarah707
13-05-2008, 11:17 AM
My front and side doors are alarmed... my garden door is locked until I am free to monitor children outside.

I am all for children having free access to the outside, but as there is only me and I cannot be in 2 places at once, I will not put their safety at risk... either from intruders or when out playing.

I know different trainers are saying different things already and causing confusion as everyone reads the standards differently.

I suggest you do what is right for you... risk assess it... and be confident in explaining to Ofsted why you are doing it in that way. I have found in my dealings with Ofsted that they respond well to a reasoned argument. :D

Wendy Woo
13-05-2008, 11:41 AM
i have just had ofsted in and she didnt say anythin bout my stair gate spliting the kitchen and lounge. I shut this gate after me wen we move rooms as it stops the children gettin into the kitchen/garden if we r playin in the lounge and it stops them gettin past the kitchen if we r in the garden or kitchen. I find it really useful if we are gettin messy in the litchen aswell as it stops little painted hands gettin into the rest of my house!!!

crazybones
13-05-2008, 12:26 PM
I have a portable stair gate that gets used all over the downstairs depending on different things. It is even used to keep them in the garden out of the kitchen if I am cooking whilst they are outside and the oven is hot. It is also used to keep them out of the playroom when the older ones have made lego models before school and will still want them intact when they come out of school. I am sorry but I will not allow the little ones in the garden until I am ready to stay out with them.

Rubybubbles
13-05-2008, 01:04 PM
Another thread has just reminded me of this question!

I got told by another childminder a few weeks ago that I should take down my safety gate into my kitchen to allow free access from the hall and lounge into the kitchen and out into the back garden. They said that Ofsted expect this and I'll get marked down if not.

Well, I don't want children just wandering or crawling into my kitchen plus I keep my back door closed and locked when we're inside for safety reasons i.e. to stop intruders.

Surely I don't need the gate and door open? I don't want them open!


I do excatly the same lorri, I would not take my stair gate off either, the pets water bowl is in there and I remember my own kids tiping it over:rolleyes: , what a load of croak, in my opinion of course:laughing: , I have to direct supervision in the garden so this would be against my regs