Beyond stressed!

**KimW** · 02-09-2011, 12:50 PM

We are having to move within the next 3 weeks, we currently have no new house but are hopeful we may have one. I have boxes everywhere, obv stacked up as best as i can. I am trying to continue minding as well as possible. It's a local move. Stressed is not the word......

And NOW Ofsted decide to inspect me!

But to add to my stresses, they are sending 2 inspectors, one to inspect me and one to inspect the inspector!

Tues or Wed of next week!

Have already had a good cry.....i have put so much into my inspection for it to come at totally the wrong time.

Penny1959 · 02-09-2011, 12:58 PM

Oh no - did you tell them that you are about to move?
If not I would tell them - and explain the situation - I guess you are taking the children out more due to the impact of the boxes - tell Ofsted if this is the case. They might postpone until after you have moved as a bit pointless inspecting when in 3 weeks you won't live there.

If they insist on coming anyway - plan as best you can

Try to think if anywhere you can move some of boxes to - family or friends garage - maybe just fill a bedroom with boxes and share bedrooms for next week.

Have you packed your 'not using at the moment' childminding stuff - if so do you have a list of what is packed so you can show Ofsted if they say 'lacking in resources'

I am sure others will be along with ideas - to make the most of what is a difficult situation

Penny

**KimW** · 02-09-2011, 02:00 PM

Thanks Penny, yes i did tell them i was moving but they still want to come.

Thanks for the tips.

**funemnx** · 02-09-2011, 02:05 PM

It just goes to show how different inspectors are. A childminder I know got the call and told them she hadn't done her paperwork and wasn't ready so to call her back in at least 6 weeks - they said ok! She'd been childminding for 3 years by then (got a good)

**rickysmiths** · 02-09-2011, 03:02 PM

Oh we had one of those. She told them that she needed two weeks to do her Sef and they said ok

If you are moving house ring them back and say they cann't come now.

I was inspected yesterday by Prospect. I currently heve 2 sides of A$ Complaints and still adding. Long story! Not for now.

However onre of the first things revealed yesterday afternoon by Ofsted not Prospect.

BOTH companies are under STRICT instruction from Ofsted that they must ring childminders and make......wait for it........

waiting......?

A DAY AND TME SPECIFIC appointment and also it must be made around the childminders commitments for EVERY inspection they carry out.

Both Prospect and Tribal have been reminded of this by Ofsted a few months ago.

I was astounded. I had a call two weeks ago and was told by the person who who called that I would now be required to stay in for the next 2 WEEKS

for my inspection. I just told them no I was not waiting in for two weeks they could choose one week and that was this. Narrowed it down nicell because of the BH and I don't have any children today. They said they would come 31st or the 1st and I now know this was wrong they should have booked a day.

Whichever company they are being totally unreasonable and I would ring and ask to speak to their Complaints Dept, explain your situation and ask for it to be deferred.

Penny1959 · 02-09-2011, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

Oh we had one of those. She told them that she needed two weeks to do her Sef and they said ok

If you are moving house ring them back and say they cann't come now.

I was inspected yesterday by Prospect. I currently heve 2 sides of A$ Complaints and still adding. Long story! Not for now.

However onre of the first things revealed yesterday afternoon by Ofsted not Prospect.

BOTH companies are under STRICT instruction from Ofsted that they must ring childminders and make......wait for it........

waiting......?

A DAY AND TME SPECIFIC appointment and also it must be made around the childminders commitments for EVERY inspection they carry out.

Both Prospect and Tribal have been reminded of this by Ofsted a few months ago.

I was astounded. I had a call two weeks ago and was told by the person who who called that I would now be required to stay in for the next 2 WEEKS

for my inspection. I just told them no I was not waiting in for two weeks they could choose one week and that was this. Narrowed it down nicell because of the BH and I don't have any children today. They said they would come 31st or the 1st and I now know this was wrong they should have booked a day.

Whichever company they are being totally unreasonable and I would ring and ask to speak to their Complaints Dept, explain your situation and ask for it to be deferred.

Well thank you Rickysmiths - that is very interesting - and as someone who likes to know as much as possible - that one slipped my notice - I shall know go check it out - not that I doubt you at all - just like to have an official reference point if I can.

KimW - with this information from Rickysmiths I think you should ring them back up.

Penny

**miffy** · 02-09-2011, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by KimW

Thanks Penny, yes i did tell them i was moving but they still want to come.

Thanks for the tips.

Poor you - I think that's awful.

I would also ring them back and ask for it to be deferred.

Miffy xx

**rickysmiths** · 02-09-2011, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Penny1959

Well thank you Rickysmiths - that is very interesting - and as someone who likes to know as much as possible - that one slipped my notice - I shall know go check it out - not that I doubt you at all - just like to have an official reference point if I can.

KimW - with this information from Rickysmiths I think you should ring them back up.

Penny

Goodness I've just re read my post!! The typos. Must be post inspection lack of adrenalin!!!

Yes Penny I found it very interesting so did the Complaints team at Prospect when i phoned them today!

**marleymoo** · 03-09-2011, 05:01 PM

when i had my first inspection my inspector was being inspected by her line manager too. don't worry though, only one is inspecting you. the other is appraising your inspector. must admit, glad i wasn't told that 2 were coming.
like others, i don't see the point in them coming now but they might never go to see you at your new home either until your next inspection is due. my co-worker moved house 2 yrs ago and they haven't been to see her yet! they just changed her add on their records and checked she still wanted to be registered at my address too.

**missymood** · 03-09-2011, 08:36 PM

That's really not fair. I would ring them back again and ask for it to be done at new house. What's the point of inspecting if your moving!

**Bear23** · 04-09-2011, 08:05 AM

gosh, no wonder your stressed. I'd call again and ask them to wait

**KimW** · 06-09-2011, 07:27 PM

Well they didn't come today.....

Tbh i'd rather get my inspection out of the way. It's just maddening coz i have put so much work in for them to come when i'm stressed over the house and boxes everywhere!
I have risk assessed moving house

The house is still not certain and we have less than 3 weeks till we move!

Will post how it went tomorrow, hopefully i will have something to smile about!

**KimW** · 07-09-2011, 08:14 PM

They have been.....and am gutted!

Due to the stress of moving i had overlooked my first aid! It has just expired.

They was a course in June i couldn't attend, none in July or August, the next one may clash with our moving date so the next realistic one is end of Oct!

Everything else was fine apart from a couple of minor things......but i was marked down coz of my first aid and got a satisfactory.

She said my SEF was fab, my obs were great, in fact she commented she liked how i set them out.

The woman inspecting me wasn't very nice tbh, the other one, her inspector was lovely, it should have been the other way round.

They didn't like me putting the LO (23 months) in the highchair for painting, said they would have preferred it if he was sat on a booster seat at the big table. I figured it was safer as he is such a wriggle bum to put him in the high chair.

Mrs O went thru my policies loads of times and then decided she couldn't find my lost child policy or collecting and dropping off policy or permission slips for trips, which were there!

She was jumping from subject to subject so quick my files got dizzy!

She tried telling me i should be at level 3 now, even tho i know it's compulsory in 2 years time, so i think the other lady corrected her.

Most of it was positive and they were very impressed and i know it's my own stupid fault and i'm being too hard on myself......am just very disappointed.

If i had called back to postpone it may have looked like i had something to hide so i figured it was best to let them come now and get it over with.

**KimW** · 07-09-2011, 08:22 PM

Meant to say i got Good in most areas.

**rickysmiths** · 07-09-2011, 08:32 PM

Well done. The First Aid is easily fixed.

As for the Level 3. I don't believe it will ever be made complusory for existing cms. There would be an outcry if they suddenly started to put actions on or de register existing, good and outstanding, experienced minders just because they haven't got an 'A' Level in Childcare and thats all a level 3 is, and won't pay upward of £2000 to get one. The original deadline was 2010 and they keep moving the goal posts because it is an unrealistic expectation.

**KimW** · 07-09-2011, 08:35 PM

Thanks.

Just a pity i can't fax them my cert in a few weeks and get my outcome changed!

**claire'scherubs** · 07-09-2011, 09:30 PM

I had this happen to me, and explained the situation and they waited until I moved!!!! I was only in my new house 3 days when they did inspect, but it did make me get organised very quickly!!!1

You must ring them back and tell them you just cannot do it.....good luck and sending hugs, it is a very stressful time. I moved, got divorce proceedings underway and still worked, with just one week off for the move, it was a nightmare but I am still smiling...just