One month childminding and already putting off paperwork!

[unalindura77]

I've been doing dd for lo's but not started yet on LJ's as I am not clear as to what to be doing with them, also I am waiting for my camera to come to put in photos.

How often should I be filling in LJ's? Every day?

I've had some good idea's as to what to put in to them but they're a bit of a mystery to me at the moment!

Lo's are 17 months and 7 months.

I even struggle to find time to fill out the DD's and remember at what time every single nappy change was!

I'll get there in the end....

[Zoomie]

In daily diaries, I just write a summary of where we went, what mood child was in, toys they favoured today, food eaten and length of nap and only if requested, whether they did a soiled nappy or not. I never put down the time.

For the learning journal, I try to do 2-3 observations per week (for a full time child), but some weeks I do 3 obs in one day and then none for a week. An observation is just something you have noticed the child do. When a child first joins there are lots of obs because I am noticing lots about the child. About once a month I print off photos and add them to the LJ, and do the development matter links and this feeds into my planning for the following month.

You just need to try a way of doing them, and if that works, then do it. If it doesn't work for you, then make changes.

In 4 years of childminding I seem to tweak the way I do things every six months or so. I am forever trying to reduce my paperwork workload.

[unalindura77]

Thanks so much Zoomie

I will start off by what you've suggested, 2-3 times per week (have part timers so maybe once or twice)and see if I feel confident enough to tweak next month

[dette]

Once you have your baseline assessments in place (recommended they are done by 6 weeks of starting )then your observations are basically every time they do a "first" for you or a parent tells you that they have achieved something.I make a note about it in the daily diary then I can refer back if I get behind in writing up my LJ's

[unalindura77]

Ah that's a relief, so I still have a couple of weeks to complete the baseline assessments.

Thanks so much

[Glitter]

I find it helps to fill in the daily diary as the day goes on.

For example, during morning snack time I write a few lines about what the child has done so far and what they are having for a snack, after lunch time I do the same, and again about an hour before the child is due to go home. I find this helps me to remember what we have been doing.
I only put in nappy changes if it was an unusual one.

I also do learning journals on the computer now. I check my emails most evenings and update the lj's at the same time. It only takes me about five minutes as I just insert a photo in to a word document and add few lines about it. On Friday evenings I get out Development Matters and sort out area of learning etc.
It has taken me six months to become this organised, but it is worth it as I never have a huge pile of work I am trying to avoid.

If only I could be so organised with the housework!

[unalindura77]

Hi Glitter, thanks for that..so when you do the LJ's on the comp did you compile it yourself? Do you print it off or send it to the parents every day?

[Glitter]

I just use a word document for LJ's and just update and print of each page when it is full. I then give it to parents every couple of months to take home (but because I have a working copy on my computer I can keep updating it while parents have the paper copy).

If parents had access to email I would like to send it to the once a month, but I would still have to print off a copy as Ofsted like you to have paper copies of everything.