thermometer

[charliegee]

hello all

just a quickie - is it a requirement to have a thermometer in our rooms used for childminding - or just good practice

I know rooms must be at a suitable temperature - but do we HAVE to have a thermometer in all rooms used?

offie coming for me and although I've got a room thermometer on my baby monitor in bedroom...haven't got on in lounge

thanks all xxx

[moogster1a]

no you don't have to. i don't think it's even regarded as best practise. weall know what a reasonably warm room feels like!

[sarah707]

It is a statutory requirement in the Eyfs to monitor indoor temperatures.

This is the Statutory (legal) wording used -

Rooms should be maintained at a temperature which ensures the comfort of the children and staff, including non-mobile children.

Best practice is to monitor temps every day so that you can show Ofsted evidence that you meet this requirement.

A simple tick on your daily safety check list is enough.

I hope this helps

[The Juggler]

I don't have any I trust my judgement that my rooms are not too hot or cold - it's always worked for me. however, if I had a very small baby I would buy one for the room where they sleep.

[buildingblocks]

i don't have any specific ones in any rooms. I did have a stick up one in the playroom but it kept falling down. It wasn't mentioned when I had my inspection in August.

As a point of interest my playroom is fairly cold in the winter months unless I have a heater on which I do every day when the children are in (floor is still cold though but parents are aware of this and advised to send slippers). but if I am to allow them free flow to the garden as is advised in the EYFS the doors will have to be open so they will not have free flow into the quieter room as I am not letting the rest of the house get freezing cold and the heater will not be on in the playroom - does that make sense.

[David Sheppard]

Fully agree with the above. There is nothing wrong with you having a room thermometer, strip type though, if you want to (we do) as long as you make some kind of record of the temperature - avoid the glass (alcohol or mercury) filled ones as these would just add to the risk in the room. You should have a roomstat somewhere in your home associated with your central heating to be able to set and monitor the overall house temperature. This is quite sufficient.

Here are a few other situations where you might expect to use a thermometer in childminding:

• Logging the temperate inside the middle of your fridge and another inside your freezer to show the temperature of chilled and frozen foods.

• Taking the child's temperature with a non-invasive thermometer like a forehead strip.

• Food probe thermometer for testing the core temperature of cooked food, especially when cooking from frozen or reheating in a microwave.

Hope this helps,

Regards,

David

[DIPPY DOUGHNUT]

I have a strip thermometer in the kitchen/dining room and one in the lounge, however i dont keep a log of the room temperture.

Surley reading the temperature on the thermometer and acting accordingly is enough?!

[sarah707]

I have a strip thermometer in the kitchen/dining room and one in the lounge, however i dont keep a log of the room temperture.

Surley reading the temperature on the thermometer and acting accordingly is enough?!

Every Ofsted inspector is different as we all know.

Some look at one thing, others seem to ignore that and look at something else.

It depends on your inspector really doesn't it?

She might not look at your temperature gauge / chart and you might wonder why you bothered.

Another inspector who came to see my friend wanted to see evidence of how she maintained the temp in her conservatory in both summer and winter...

My friend did not have a thermometer in the room and was given 'satisfactory' for keeping children safe with remarks about how her conservatory might not be a safe environment for children peppered through her report.

You have to weigh it up really... risk of being asked and having nothing in place vs time it takes to check a thermometer every day.

Hth

[Merry-Minder]

I suppose its fair enough to have a thermometer in each room, but to make a record each day is surely a little anul? I think I can guess just by being in a room whether its too hot or too cold.

[Merry-Minder]

Every Ofsted inspector is different as we all know.

Some look at one thing, others seem to ignore that and look at something else.

It depends on your inspector really doesn't it?

She might not look at your temperature gauge / chart and you might wonder why you bothered.

Another inspector who came to see my friend wanted to see evidence of how she maintained the temp in her conservatory in both summer and winter...

My friend did not have a thermometer in the room and was given 'satisfactory' for keeping children safe with remarks about how her conservatory might not be a safe environment for children peppered through her report.

You have to weigh it up really... risk of being asked and having nothing in place vs time it takes to check a thermometer every day.

Hth

I think a conservatory is different to rest of the house though because the temp is more difficult to maintain, so I could see why they would be more strict on that.

[janminder]

I have a thermometer in my living room, bedroom used for young children to sleep and the hallway, as I don't feel the cold I need to know the room is warm enough especially before they arrive and I have my fan in the kitchen where I can keep cool.

[nokidshere]

I don't have thermometers in the rooms, nor do I check the temperature.

People are either warm or cold. My children have gone to school in Polo shirts this morning with a light fleece for outside play. My mindees came in thick jumpers/tights with hats and gloves.

[Straws]

I only check fridge temp but dont record, will get one for my living room now after reading comments and start recording.

Straws xx

[donnagwynne]

If we are recording room temperatures, what temperature range should we be aiming to maintain?

Surely it is pointless unless we know that sort of temperatures to be working with.

Donna