just a quick one

[jayne.x]

i'm hoping to start childminding in the new year, i only have a toilet upstairs will this be a problem?, i'm planning on getting a downstairs toilet but not stright away.xx

[jumping j]

wasn't a problem for me, as long as you risk assess it!

[jayne.x]

do you take all your mindess up stairs with you when one wants to go to the toilet?

[markys]

We also have an upstairs toilet and it isn't a problem. When taking one mindee to the toilet, the rest of the children stay downstairs. We have made the whole downstairs area so child proof that it isn't a problem to leave children there for a few minutes and we can still hear them from upstairs. The older kids usually keep on playing, and we put the little ones in a playpen so we know they are safe.

[jayne.x]

thats sounds like a really good idea, thanks. i know this sounds like a silly question but when you say your whole downstairs is childproof what kinda things do you mean.xxx

[jumping j]

I tend to leave the older ones, 3 and 4, downstairs but the lo's like to come up with me, the 20 month old and 22 month old sit on the spare potty, they're toilet training at home, while the 2 year old uses the toilet or other potty. If they don't come up with me they usually stand at the bottom stairgate shouting for me until I come back down!:laughing:
My other half witnessed this the other day and couldn't stop laughing!!!:laughing:

[Maza]

Many houses are like this, not a problem at all, as long as you risk assess.

[buildingblocks]

I agree with Maza risk assess and you will be fine. I have been registered 8 years and have only an upstairs toilet. My whole downstairs is risk assessed and child friendly. Safety gate across kitchen means they can't access this. If I take one upstairs children play in front room with door to playroom shut (can't hear them in there if upstairs). If I have tinies in (or ones that could cause mischief) I have a travel cot in front room and place them in that to make sure they are safe. Other ones left to play in front room or sat on bottom step of stairs depending on child. Once they are using my toilet I try to get them to use it as quickly as possible on their own but I am lucky as toilet at top of my stairs and I stand at bottom and keep an eye one them (so they don't go anywhere else upstairs). This has always been fine with Ofsted.

[markys]

thats sounds like a really good idea, thanks. i know this sounds like a silly question but when you say your whole downstairs is childproof what kinda things do you mean.xxx

We have gone crazy with safety equipment - most cupboards have child locks (the only ones unlocked are the ones with toys which are all safe for the under 2 years olds), we have safety gate for the kitchen so children can't get there, safety gate between playroom and dining room so can even separate children (came in useful when we had a biter), we even have a safety gate on our disconnected fire place as children liked to climb in and ended up looking like chimney sweeps. We also have foam floor mats on the whole playroom floor, which has prevented lots of bumps. We have only ever looked after children 4 years old and younger though, but all we've got in place has worked really well for us.