attendance register?

[samkeddy]

Hi,
I am currently using NCMAs register and dont really like it, was wondering if anyone has one they can recommend.
I have another on a resource disk i bought where all the children are on the same page but i thought the registers had to be confidential?? If I am wrong and they dont need to be confidential could someone let me know as this does seem an easier way to do it.

Thanks in advance

Sam

[munch149]

If they have to be confidential I will need to change mine as mine sign in on same sheet. Just have it on a clipboard and the sign in and put each day. If I had to have different ones it would get complicated

[Toothfairy]

I just have a ring binder with a divider between each child.
On Excel I made up a sheet with the childs name on top and what days and times they were contracted for.
I then split it into 5 columns;

1. Date
2. Time dropped off or picked up from school
3. Time collected
4. Total number of hrs & mins in my care
5. Parents signature

At the end of each month I put the sheets into my paperwork folder with my accounts for that month too and start a new sheet for each child.

HTH

[Andrea08]

i use ncma in its format for yrs until just a month ago..

because im moving ot MM from ncma (you can use own paperwork...)

so i use the ncma register but instead a page per child i use each area for the date as a named child therefore im only using one side for all mindees per week and its gr8 no flippin through pages to find a childs name all on one sheet or two if ya gota lot of kids lol

jobs a good un x

[rickysmiths]

You are not supposed to have all mindees on one page for Confidentiality reasons. That is why NCMA have a page per child.

I have always used the NCMA register and have never had a problem.

I use post it index tabs at the side with initals on so I can find childrens pages quickly.

[snufflepuff]

I used to use MM registers and they have up to 6 children on one sheet, and they last a week. Parents are to sign at the end of the week.
I made my own recently so now have one per month per child (actually per family because my siblings arrive and leave at the same time) to save on paper and asking parents to sign so often.

[miffy]

You are not supposed to have all mindees on one page for Confidentiality reasons.

Confidentiality would only be an issue if the register was available to everyone to see.

I have one sheet for everyone each week - I sign the children in and out.

Miffy xx

[kats]

Does anyone know is it a requirement that the parents sign the attendance register?

[miffy]

Does anyone know is it a requirement that the parents sign the attendance register?

No it isn't - it is the provider's responsibility to keep a record of the names and times of attendance of the children.

Miffy xx

[samkeddy]

Does anyone know is it a requirement that the parents sign the attendance register?

No, i was only told recently by my dw that parents don't need to sign. Getting them to sign is to help us if they stop paying, so she adviced only to worry about it with anyone thats not a good payer.


Thanks everyone else for your comments, as a few of you have all children on one sheet i think i'll do the same just hope ofsted dont mind

[miffy]

Thanks everyone else for your comments, as a few of you have all children on one sheet i think i'll do the same just hope ofsted dont mind

I have been doing it this way for a long time now and Ofsted have not had any problem with it.

It's no different to what schools do and I'm sure no-one would suggest they have separate sheets for each child!

Miffy xx

[samkeddy]

I have been doing it this way for a long time now and Ofsted have not had any problem with it.

It's no different to what schools do and I'm sure no-one would suggest they have separate sheets for each child!

Miffy xx

Good point lol!!!
Thanks, im sure its guna be much easier x

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Confidentiality would only be an issue if the register was available to everyone to see.

I have one sheet for everyone each week - I sign the children in and out.

Miffy xx

If there was a safeguarding issue or parents split for example the attendance sheets may be called for by the courts. It would be unprofessional for other children's names and times to be seen

I use my own version of the NCMA sheets which are one child per month

Each week I print off my own sheet showing what time I am contracting for each child and change that as I go along and then complete my official ones as required with the actual times at the end of the week. All children are on one sheet for the week only.

[rickysmiths]

Does anyone know is it a requirement that the parents sign the attendance register?

No it isn't, but it is good practice for several reasons. One because the parent signing means they are confirming the times the child is with you. This is good from a Child Protection point of view if there was ever an incident. It could also protect us if an allegation was made against us.

It has helped me when they may be a dispute about paying or hours used where a parent is consistently late for example because they have signed confirming those are theours they have used.

This is why it is better to have a sheet per child. If you need to produce the records in court for instance if there was a claim for fees it would be difficult to maintain confidentality if all parents have signed on the same sheet each week.

[rickysmiths]

I have been doing it this way for a long time now and Ofsted have not had any problem with it.

It's no different to what schools do and I'm sure no-one would suggest they have separate sheets for each child!

Miffy xx

Thats true Miffy but parents don't pay schools and schools have their own way of producing an indivdual record of attendence if required that would not compromise the confidentiality of the other children in the class.

Ofsted won't have a problem as long as the exact times are recorded for each child. Doing it in other ways is purely to protect ourselves against any allegations etc.

[munch149]

Do parents honestly worry about who sees what times there children attend the setting anyway. My parents know what each other does anyway as they are both full time pretty much

[rickysmiths]

Do parents honestly worry about who sees what times there children attend the setting anyway. My parents know what each other does anyway as they are both full time pretty much

Yes they could so you should not put them in that position. I have two family members and one does not like the other poking their nose into their business.

Also misunderstandings can arise perhaps over holiday. What if one family were off, this would be marked on the register and another family saw that and asked for extra days while x was off. This is a family you don't want to do extra days for? It could create a situation.

[sarah707]

Do parents honestly worry about who sees what times there children attend the setting anyway. My parents know what each other does anyway as they are both full time pretty much

As well as everything Ricky has said you also have the problem of confidentiality if accidents or incidents happen during the day.

yes I know older children are going to say 'so and so did it' but you are not allowed to say that or to include another child's name in reports.

But if they are all listed on a register sheet parents can see who was involved and all your avoiding writing names and giving out information is voided.

hth

[miffy]

If there was a safeguarding issue or parents split for example the attendance sheets may be called for by the courts. It would be unprofessional for other children's names and times to be seen

Agreed but in over 20 years childminding I have only ever been asked once to officially give hours of attendance of a child and that was by tax credits who accepted my written version (not the actual register).

If the evidence was needed by courts there are ways of providing it without others details being seen.

Miffy xx

[rickysmiths]

Thats true Miffy, but they wouldn't be signed by the parents which to me could be important. I to have never had need to provide copies of my registers in the 17yrs but surely we do these things for the one off unexpected incident?

The same way we keep accident records, I could say I have never had a claim made against me in the 17yrs of minding but thats not why i keep the records its in case someone should ever make a claim in the future.