Food Hygiene Help!
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    BICESTER
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    Default Food Hygiene Help!

    Hi All
    I'm really confused I am at the end of my pre reg and still awaiting my inspection this has taken well over 12 weeks!

    I have had so many people ask me about serving and preparing food if I looked after their child. When I registered I was not going to do food but just give the children what their parents gave them.

    Now I feel this may have been the wrong decision I spoke to ofsted who haven't been very helpful as I wanted to know how to go about this as I had already registered etc.

    Can anybody give me any pointers or advice on this is it a good idea to serve food or not and how do I go about this.

    Thankyou Kirsty

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/defaul...nders-pack.pdf

    This is the pack- go throught it. Try to do a food hygiene course- there are free/low cost online ones (there is no particular statutory food hygiene course, although your local authority may suggest one).
    Ofsted register you automatically with your local Env Health when you register- not sure if you can 'opt out' as you need to be registered with Env Health even if you just reheat and cut up food provided by a parent. I'd wait until you have your Ofsted certificate and then just phone your local Env Health to check you are registered. Some Env Health come out to see CM settings, some do not.

    Advantages of providing food-
    You have control- healthy good food. No kids turning up with a lunch box of just sweets and crisps. You can make sure babies are progressing with weaning (some parents struggle with giving children lumps etc and can end up providing unsuitable food).
    It is better for the children to have a fresh home cooked meal rather than a reheated, processed pouch or jar of goo every meal for what could be 5-days a week.
    No lunch box envy- everyone has the same.
    You have control over allergens- if a child has an allergy you want to be able to have control of the food they eat and what is around them as children can grab/share food before we can stop them sometimes.
    It is a big selling point, parents want to come home after a long day at work to some relaxing playtime with their little one, rather than 30 mins in the kitchen with a hungry grizzling child. They want to have an easy morning to get out the door without having to prepare and pack lunches and dinners.
    No reheating/cooking/serving 3+ different meals.
    If you have 3 EYFS children with all meals brought by parents you have to store all that in your fridge- 9 meals potentially with breakfast, lunch and dinner- would you have space?
    If you can feed the mindees and yourself and your family all at the same time it saves a lot of time in the evening!

    There are downsides too, but I have always been happy to serve food and sell it as a big bonus to parents.

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  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
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    Default

    Thankyou so much that's very helpful.

    I think I opted out of the food bit on my registration with ofsted so I'm slightly worried is this going to cause problems with my application if I decide I want to do it after all.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by kirstywrey View Post
    Thankyou so much that's very helpful.

    I think I opted out of the food bit on my registration with ofsted so I'm slightly worried is this going to cause problems with my application if I decide I want to do it after all.
    No, I am sure it won't make any difference, is is such a minor thing. Just mention it to your inspector at pre-reg visit if you are worried, and check with Env Health after you are fully Ofsted registered.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Cheshire
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    Default

    You can register yourself at any time - it doesn't matter whether Ofsted do it for you or not - they will to save you admin but it's your choice.

    Some Las require a course and others don't so you need to check locally

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