Inspections triggered by complaints or safeguarding issues

[Simona]

I have received this very useful info from my LA and I thought it good to share with you

''Unfortunately we are seeing an increase in inspections triggered by complaints or safeguarding issues. When the inspector arrives they must refer to any concerns that have led to the inspection being brought forward or prioritised
It would be very useful if you could inform the local authority if this is the case in order for us to monitor this.

At this inspection Ofsted will look at the providers historical records and using the document below prioritise inspections.'' (end)

It is useful to know that inspectors MUST refer to any concerns and look at the history of the provider...so if this happens to any of us we must remember to ask where the complaint has originated from
it is, however, unacceptable these cases are on the rise...who is making the complaints? why now?

Hope this prepares you...if prepared is the word to use in this instance

[sarah707]

When that knock on the door happens most of us are completely incoherent and panic stricken! Ofsted won't tell you who made the complaint - and most of them seem to be anonymous from what I am hearing

It's this whole thing of doing a complete inspection that gets most people. They are simply not at their best after a knock on the door has disrupted their plans so how does Ofsted expect to get the best out of them?

It would be a joke if it was in the slightest bit funny

[Simona]

When that knock on the door happens most of us are completely incoherent and panic stricken! Ofsted won't tell you who made the complaint - and most of them seem to be anonymous from what I am hearing

It's this whole thing of doing a complete inspection that gets most people. They are simply not at their best after a knock on the door has disrupted their plans so how does Ofsted expect to get the best out of them?

It would be a joke if it was in the slightest bit funny

I will try to find out from my LA why they say the inspector has to tell you the origin of the complaint/concern...they must have got that from somewhere??

I know that sudden inspections will cause panic but we need to 'ASSUME' it can happen to anyone and we need to be ready... I too have to be ready although I have no reason to believe anyone would complain

This is what we are trying to find out...why the increase, what is the agenda?
Support and reassurance is vital here

[jax clinch]

I have had 2 on the spot inspections after 2 anonymous complaints ( I know who it is though) and it is awful. Both ladies were as lovely as they could be but not something I would wish upon anyone. One of the inspectors was sat outside my house at 11.30 when I got back from shopping, don't know how long she had been sat there! The first thing they say is why they are there and what complaint has been made.

[CLL]

I think the rise is just due to the economic climate. Parents want out of contract so they make a complaint, other cm wanting their business, more people not working/at home around during the day. Also more people these days know who to complain to and that it is anonymous, makes it a lot easier to make a false statement. I do not think there is a group if 'government agents' conspiring against us!!

[Simona]

I have had 2 on the spot inspections after 2 anonymous complaints ( I know who it is though) and it is awful. Both ladies were as lovely as they could be but not something I would wish upon anyone. One of the inspectors was sat outside my house at 11.30 when I got back from shopping, don't know how long she had been sat there! The first thing they say is why they are there and what complaint has been made.

Thank you for sharing this
I find the 'sitting outside' bit very disturbing

Can you clarify if the complaint was upheld by Ofsted or did they find no cause of concern? I will understand if you do not want to say

Good to hear they DO give a reason....

CLL...if parents want to get out of a contract the professional way to do it is to give the required notice as agreed on the contract...I would find it worrying if they resorted to malicious complaint....

If all this is going on with Ofsted and cms are being inspected on the issue of 'rising' complaint' has anyone approached their representing association?

I am now going to write a few short emails including my LA...what are they doing to support cms?

[jax clinch]

Thank you for sharing this
I find the 'sitting outside' bit very disturbing

Can you clarify if the complaint was upheld by Ofsted or did they find no cause of concern? I will understand if you do not want to say

Good to hear they DO give a reason....

CLL...if parents want to get out of a contract the professional way to do it is to give the required notice as agreed on the contract...I would find it worrying if they resorted to malicious complaint....

If all this is going on with Ofsted and cms are being inspected on the issue of 'rising' complaint' has anyone approached their representing association?

I am now going to write a few short emails including my LA...what are they doing to support cms?

Unfortunately I was at fault but innocently. I picked 5 pre schoolers up from pre school.. 1 just for half an hour because her mum was running late, all my mindees so no one new all continuity of care, which ofsted didn't have a problem with. I could prove how I catered for them all. It was when they took my own children into the equation. I really didn't realise that both my boys under 8 counted in my numbers whilst at school taking to me 7 under 8s!! I was downgraded from good to inadequate! Devastated isn't the word. Apparently they come back in a year to re inspect and that is due first week back at school.... Wonder if they will come? I will be chasing it up if they don't because I want my grading back up!

[Simona]

Unfortunately I was at fault but innocently. I picked 5 pre schoolers up from pre school.. 1 just for half an hour because her mum was running late, all my mindees so no one new all continuity of care, which ofsted didn't have a problem with. I could prove how I catered for them all. It was when they took my own children into the equation. I really didn't realise that both my boys under 8 counted in my numbers whilst at school taking to me 7 under 8s!! I was downgraded from good to inadequate! Devastated isn't the word. Apparently they come back in a year to re inspect and that is due first week back at school.... Wonder if they will come? I will be chasing it up if they don't because I want my grading back up!

Thank you ...did I get it right you had 5 under 5 but your children were at school in the meantime so not with you?
Do they not count only when physically present in your setting?
I could understand lowering your grade to Good but not to inadequate but then we don't know how they work these things out do we?

My God... now I know why concerns are being raised and why we need to get this sorted...do find out when you are to be reinspected and good luck

[jax clinch]

Simona... No if they are under 8 they count in your under 8's even when they are at school. They work on the assumption that if for some reason you need to collect them because of illness, school closure etc you still have space for them!! Found that out too late for me!

[littlemiss60561]

Thanks for this.
Has it been n the increase since the new ratio rules do you think? Complainers not understanding some things are allowed?
If they door knocked right now I think I'd give up minding ! As although the children are all well cared for , my paperwork isn't so I'd be down graded n that alone...

[line6]

I'm glad I read this as I have three children of my own - 2 are under 8. I only have a couple of mindees anyway but it's good to know that our own children count all the time! Thank you.

[jackie 7]

There is no change to ratios. The only change has been to allow us to put in variation.

[bunyip]

I'd be interested to know the number/proportion of inspections triggered by complaints that failed to find any evidence for the specific complaint being in any way valid. Has anyone done a Freedom of Information Request to Ofsted to obtain this data recently?

Whilst I fully accept the need to make the complaints process accessible for genuine cases, it is a scandal that so much public money is wasted on malicious complaints. Unnecessary inspections mean unnecessary disruptions for settings, so they can only be bad for the children in those settings.

I think if I could change one thing in childcare legislation it would be this. Complaints which turn out to be baseless should be publicly reported, with the fake complainant named, shamed, and charged the full cost of Ofsted's wasted time and resources.

[Simona]

I'd be interested to know the number/proportion of inspections triggered by complaints that failed to find any evidence for the specific complaint being in any way valid. Has anyone done a Freedom of Information Request to Ofsted to obtain this data recently?

Whilst I fully accept the need to make the complaints process accessible for genuine cases, it is a scandal that so much public money is wasted on malicious complaints. Unnecessary inspections mean unnecessary disruptions for settings, so they can only be bad for the children in those settings.

I think if I could change one thing in childcare legislation it would be this. Complaints which turn out to be baseless should be publicly reported, with the fake complainant named, shamed, and charged the full cost of Ofsted's wasted time and resources.

Yes Bunyip
the request has been made to Ofsted for the number of complaints 'upheld' that triggered an inspection by one of the parties interested in opening a dialogue with Ofsted on the grading these inspections are producing
If I hear more I will post the info

I agree with you...malicious complaints should be published and the responsible person charged for the fee.
I want to add this...is there any guarantee that Ofsted won't charge providers in future if they have to do such inspections??? just thinking aloud

[Gem wright]

It's surely other cm's ringing ofsted, I can't see many parents knowing how many children of what age we can look after...... It's so wrong.

[rickysmiths]

Our own children have always been included in our numbers at all times there has never been a change to that in all the time I have been minding.

I think the only rise in Complaint inspections is that a Complaint will more likely generate an inspection now and ones that were dealt with via letter are now done using inspection. This is mainly because doing it this way generates a full inspection report so the complainant can see that something has been done and comment has been made even if the Complaint is not upheld. It will also mean that a parent can see immediately if a cm has had complaints because of the number of reports and the fact that they may not be the normal 3-4 years apart.

I don't see the need for concern because the number of Complaints has prob not changed it is just that they are investigated and reported in a different way.

[rickysmiths]

It's surely other cm's ringing ofsted, I can't see many parents knowing how many children of what age we can look after...... It's so wrong.

No many parents who use cms know how many children we can have and could be concerned if they see a known cm with over that number. To be honest if a cm thinks we can have 5 or 7 under 5s even for 30mins, then they need to be pulled up and corrected.

[rickysmiths]

Yes Bunyip
the request has been made to Ofsted for the number of complaints 'upheld' that triggered an inspection by one of the parties interested in opening a dialogue with Ofsted on the grading these inspections are producing
If I hear more I will post the info

I agree with you...malicious complaints should be published and the responsible person charged for the fee.
I want to add this...is there any guarantee that Ofsted won't charge providers in future if they have to do such inspections??? just thinking aloud

Mybe the parent should be charged if the Complaint is not upheld and the cm if they are found at fault?

[jax clinch]

No many parents who use cms know how many children we can have and could be concerned if they see a known cm with over that number. To be honest if a cm thinks we can have 5 or 7 under 5s even for 30mins, then they need to be pulled up and corrected.

I disagree with this because I had 4 of my own children under 5 when my youngest was born and know from the children I mind that I am more than capable of having 5 under 5's in my care for a short period of time. The parents of the children I care for find it hard to understand why I can't have all 5 at once all the time! (Think my sanity may be the first issue!) I think in an emergency when its a case of helping a parent out for the sake of 30 minutes isn't going to bring any harm to the children.

[Simona]

Am I the only one who has read that minor complaints are to be investigated by providers themselves? in other words if a parent complains to Ofsted they refer the parent back to the provider...can someone clarify?

I also read that unannounced inspections are triggered by 'concerns over safeguarding and risk assessment only'....
the group who are raising concerns with Ofsted are saying the number of inspections have risen sharply recently...unless we are told how many are upheld or shown the statistics on the nature of the complaint we will never know....
is it possible that all of a sudden there is a flood of complaints? or indeed as June O'Sullivan asks in her blog 'is there an agenda behind this'?

Parents should know how many children we are allowed to care for....all the parents who have enquired recently about a space have, without exception, asked me 'how many children do you take'?
when talking this over they were concerned about the recent ratio issue...once informed that had been abandoned they were reassured...that makes me believe parents are informed and the complaints have another source....

I also agree that we should be allowed an 'overlap' when well risk assessed...what happened to that proposal?

If our children are at school..therefore older... and suddenly they have to be collected that should be part of an overlap and put in the risk assessment

this govt complains there isn't enough childcare then makes things more complicated when a simple solution is the answer to the problem