Continuity of care

[gemma659353]

I have just been reading the EYFS regarding a different matter and I can't find any reference to continuity of care and I'm concerned !!

Occasionally I am over my 3 EY children for 2 hours because an existing mindee changed his hours to start earlier than originally agreed after he had started and was settled. I risk assessed it, got parents permission etc and as far as I was aware this was then fine but where in writing is this I back it up?!

[bunyip]

There is no direct reference to "continuity of care" in EYFS and you'll 'Ctrl+F' in vain for the term across all versions of EYFS. It's one of those terms which has developed common currency without ever exactly being defined (like "rising 5s").

The rules for CMs on ratios are contained within sections 3.41-3.43. "Continuity of care" is based on the "exceptions" referred to in section 3.42. In fact, the actual wording of 3.42 only permits exceptions to be made for a "baby" (widely accepted to mean "under 1yo" as per The Childcare Act.)

It is common practice for CMs and inspectors alike to stretch this to include young children as well as babies, in the same way nurseries do, and in line with the general principle of "exceptional circumstances". I've no evidence of this happening, but the actual wording of the regulations would, strictly speaking, give an inspector every right to disallow the argument of "continuity of care" for any child other than a baby.

[Simona]

I have just been reading the EYFS regarding a different matter and I can't find any reference to continuity of care and I'm concerned !!

Occasionally I am over my 3 EY children for 2 hours because an existing mindee changed his hours to start earlier than originally agreed after he had started and was settled. I risk assessed it, got parents permission etc and as far as I was aware this was then fine but where in writing is this I back it up?!

Check the Foundation Years website where 4Children have put a FAQs to cover CMs ratios.

[Simona]

I have just been reading the EYFS regarding a different matter and I can't find any reference to continuity of care and I'm concerned !!

Occasionally I am over my 3 EY children for 2 hours because an existing mindee changed his hours to start earlier than originally agreed after he had started and was settled. I risk assessed it, got parents permission etc and as far as I was aware this was then fine but where in writing is this I back it up?!

Please look at the thread on CMs ratios in the Independent CMs section
I have posted a message from Ofsted regarding the ratio issue which they clarified at the Pacey conference...continuity of care is addressed in that message.