Leaving children in room with suitable person?
Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  20
Dislikes Dislikes:  0
Results 1 to 12 of 12
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    By the sea
    Posts
    9,334
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Leaving children in room with suitable person?

    What is your understanding of family who have a DBS check and a letter of suitability from Ofsted being left alone with children?

    Do you leave your family members in the room while you're not there or do you make sure they leave the room, or do you take the children with you? I mean if you're still in the house, so going to the toilet, going to another room to collect something, taking a child to the door at home time etc, not if you're leaving the house.

    At our group last week we had a discussion about how we interpret it. I've always happily left my family in the room with minded children if I go to the toilet, to the door etc. The children are still in hearing distance at all times. Other childminders were saying they get their family to leave the room if they do, not leaving their husband, for example, alone with the children. I thought it was OK as long as they had a letter of suitability but now I'm not so sure.

    WHat about if you have an apprentice or assistant? Can they be left in the room with children if they have a DBS and letter of suitability, or do they have to have a First Aid Certificate to even be alone in the room with children?

    The more I think about it the more confused I make myself!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Posts
    341
    Registered Childminder since
    Dec 87
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mouse View Post
    What is your understanding of family who have a DBS check and a letter of suitability from Ofsted being left alone with children?

    Do you leave your family members in the room while you're not there or do you make sure they leave the room, or do you take the children with you? I mean if you're still in the house, so going to the toilet, going to another room to collect something, taking a child to the door at home time etc, not if you're leaving the house.

    At our group last week we had a discussion about how we interpret it. I've always happily left my family in the room with minded children if I go to the toilet, to the door etc. The children are still in hearing distance at all times. Other childminders were saying they get their family to leave the room if they do, not leaving their husband, for example, alone with the children. I thought it was OK as long as they had a letter of suitability but now I'm not so sure.

    WHat about if you have an apprentice or assistant? Can they be left in the room with children if they have a DBS and letter of suitability, or do they have to have a First Aid Certificate to even be alone in the room with children?

    The more I think about it the more confused I make myself!
    Assistants must have their First Aid and it be up to date, to be left alone with the children for up to 2 hours. As for leaving them with family members I do and they are within hearing or even sight all the time, I never thought it wasn't the right thing to do and can just imagine what my family would have said if they had to leave the room just because I went to the toilet or answered the door!

  3. Likes Dragonfly, Mouse, loocyloo liked this post
  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    In the middle
    Posts
    1,049
    Registered Childminder since
    Feb 06
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I have left them in the room with family members when I go to the door or toilet or another room to collect something. But I don't close any doors behind me, I even leave the toilet door slightly ajar so I can hear everything.

  5. Likes Mouse, loocyloo liked this post
  6. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    2,868
    Registered Childminder since
    Nov 10
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    No problem to have them in the same room as family member without you in the same room- that is what DBS is for, IMO. Always in your own hearing or sight.
    Would be bonkers to have your own family having to leave the room for you to have a wee! My whole ground floor is open plan so they'd have to stand in the garden! which shows how mad that idea is!
    It is even safer, I'd say, to have a family member still there watching mindee while I pop to loo, rather than leave mindee completely alone.

  7. Likes Dragonfly, Mouse, loocyloo liked this post
  8. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,978
    Registered Childminder since
    Nov 13
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default

    When I was last inspected and I was on high alert to do everything completely right so no grey areas to have to discuss with inspector, a LO walked away from me into the kitchen, out of sight. All doors were open so technically I could say in earshot ( though my hearing might not have detected anything! ) but it was a distance through the house.
    I was left washing other18 months hands in a bowl after craft, at the craft table, older LO wanted to show DH her picture..so off she went.
    I had an internal thought about him being on his own with her...a fair way from me in a different room and the inspector was in the corner of my room writing notes. This thought blew up in my ‘being inspected, so everything has to be an issue’ mind.....but I took a deep breath and completed my task...I then took younger child into kitchen with her picture and also showed it to DH. Inspector followed . DH was bent down discussing how she could improve her picture ( ever the design and technology teacher, treating a 4 year old like a 16 year old.)
    Outside later when the LO’s were absorbed in play she chatted with me as I stepped back from them and watched. She asked if the LO going into the kitchen to see DH often happened....it was such a loaded question ( or so I thought).
    Was she implying she shouldn’t be in the kitchen or with DH ( who obviously showed he wasn’t attune to responding to a 4 year olds craft activity ) or because she was with someone else not in my sight or earshot ? He wasn’t my registered assistant but has up to date paediatric first aid as he did volunteer wood working with a local primary Pru...I was about to defend...when she said “ I think it is so good that she feels safe and secure with your husband, it is obvious by the way they talk to each other that she is relaxed and happy in his company”. I breathed out.

    So, from that I would say there is no problem with LO’s being alone with a family member who has been checked.
    Last edited by FloraDora; 16-01-2018 at 06:03 PM.

  9. Likes moggy, Mouse, BallyH, loocyloo liked this post
  10. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    in the never never land fighting off fae
    Posts
    7,026
    Registered Childminder since
    july05
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    9

    Default

    I got ds's suitability letter this week and it says

    I am pleased to tell you that fussyelmo junior is suitable to:
    Have regular contact with children
    At
    Fussyelmo
    Sesame st
    Florida
    USA.

    So that to me means I can leave him in a room if I need to pop out to another. In fairness most of the time he disappears to his room and only appears for food.
    When someone tells you nothing is impossible, tell them to go slam a revolving door

  11. Likes Mouse, loocyloo, Maza liked this post
  12. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    By the sea
    Posts
    9,334
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by moggy View Post
    No problem to have them in the same room as family member without you in the same room- that is what DBS is for, IMO. Always in your own hearing or sight.
    Would be bonkers to have your own family having to leave the room for you to have a wee! My whole ground floor is open plan so they'd have to stand in the garden! which shows how mad that idea is!
    It is even safer, I'd say, to have a family member still there watching mindee while I pop to loo, rather than leave mindee completely alone.
    That's my view exactly. It just surprised me that a couple of childminders don't leave their own family alone in a room with mindees. I would much rather leave a family member watching them than leaving them alone.

  13. Likes Dragonfly, loocyloo, Maza liked this post
  14. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    By the sea
    Posts
    9,334
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Thanks everyone.

    I've always thought it was OK to leave family members with minded children as long as they have a DBS (or whatever) and have been judged suitable by Ofsted.

    My family knows the rules - no photos, nothing unsuitable on TV or phones etc. I've been minding for so long it's second nature to them so I know they're ok with the children for the short time I'm out of the room.

  15. Likes loocyloo liked this post
  16. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Somerset
    Posts
    4,247
    Registered Childminder since
    may 05
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    I was sure you could leave them in a room with family members who have CRB/DBS but just couldn't leave them with family members who popped in occasionally or friends who don't have a check.

  17. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    suffolk
    Posts
    1,696
    Registered Childminder since
    June 95
    Latest Inspection Grade
    Good
    Non childminder member
    childminder
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    That’s how I see it Hectors house

  18. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    8,358
    Registered Childminder since
    oct 02
    Latest Inspection Grade
    outstanding
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mouse View Post
    Thanks everyone.

    I've always thought it was OK to leave family members with minded children as long as they have a DBS (or whatever) and have been judged suitable by Ofsted.

    My family knows the rules - no photos, nothing unsuitable on TV or phones etc. I've been minding for so long it's second nature to them so I know they're ok with the children for the short time I'm out of the room.
    same here, and that's what i do!

  19. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    190
    Registered Childminder since
    Jun 06
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mouse View Post
    That's my view exactly. It just surprised me that a couple of childminders don't leave their own family alone in a room with mindees. I would much rather leave a family member watching them than leaving them alone.
    So they won’t leave mindees with other family members. But happy to leave mindees with other mindees?!!! This is classic non existent use of common sense!!

  20. Likes Maza liked this post
 

 

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Quick Links and Advertisements

Important Information Links
Some Useful Quick Links
Advertisements

 

You can also find us on:
Leaving children in room with suitable person? Leaving children in room with suitable person? Leaving children in room with suitable person?

We use cookies to make this site as useful as possible. They are small text files placed in your browser to track usage of our site but they don’t tell us who you are.
By continuing to use this site you are consenting to cookies being placed on your computer. Find out more here: Cookies in Use

Childminding Help and the Childminding Forum are part of Childcare.co.uk