Can I be downgraded

[mum67]

Hi everybody, just a little thing niggling me about meals. If I don't provide lunche/tea could I be downgraded for it?
Not had 1st inspection yet but the meal thing has always had me in tipsy turvy land, should I shouldn't I, if you know what I mean.
Does it come under working with parents the fact you serve a meal and save them the mither of packed lunch?

[Mouse]

Whether you provide meals or not is a contract issue, so not something Ofsted are interested in.

What they are interested in is how you ensure the children have a healthy diet while they are in your care. So if parents provide a packed lunch you will need to say how you make sure it's healthy - tell parents what you expect in a packed lunch, point them in the direction of information etc etc. I do provide lunch, although some parents choose to send a packed lunch. Luckily the ones who provide food tend to do it because they want an ultra- healthy meal, so it's not a problem!

I don't provide an evening meal at all.

[Simona]

Hi everybody, just a little thing niggling me about meals. If I don't provide lunche/tea could I be downgraded for it?
Not had 1st inspection yet but the meal thing has always had me in tipsy turvy land, should I shouldn't I, if you know what I mean.
Does it come under working with parents the fact you serve a meal and save them the mither of packed lunch?

Agree with Mouse...meals are a contractual agreement between you and parents so Ofsted have no interest in that
But she will want to observe children have access to water all day and if you offer snacks they are healthy

If you do offer some meals all that you need to do is make sure they are healthy...there is no indication in any of the Ofsted factsheets that not offering meals means a downgrade....thousands nurseries and preschools ask for packed lunches but still get high grades

[mrs robbie williams]

I've just stopped doing lunches and parents now supply packed meal I do eve meal for extra pound per child with pudding I'm finding myself out of pocket with snacks drinks outings etc

[mum67]

THANK YOU ALL for the replies, I am thinking of revising my fees and looking at what to cut that I include. Like you say mrs robbie williams it is easy to be out of pocket with all the extra's.

September is the big start for me, I have had my break now and it's time to get cracking but like I said on another post my fees seemed too high but then they include everything.

Thanks again

[rickysmiths]

Its very interesting reading all the threads about food. I have always provided all food, it never occurred to me to do it any other way. It has never been a bother and I can include the cost in my expenses.

I have always preferred to have full control over what food I have, where it is bought and how it is stored. The thought of having potentially 9 separate meals to store fills me with horror!! Also all the arguments from the children eating different things and monitoring if they are healthy meals. Much easier to do it myself!

[mum67]

Yes rickysmiths that's what my friend who is a childminder said to me when I started up. She said you are better doing your own food because you know where, when it was bought, how it has been stored and cooked. Where as with a packed lunch you don't know any of this and yet you still have to store it so the parents can blame you if child gets upset tummy for not warming it enough or keeping at right temp in fridge.

Swings and roundabouts springs to mind.