Visitors book

**Jude Cooper** · 22-06-2008, 09:19 AM

Hi there,

Someone mentioned to me that now ofsted want childminders to keep a visitors book in their home!
Does anyone know where I can find information about this? I would like a little more information before I start and can find nothing on the ofsted website.

Many thanks

Jude

**Raggydolls** · 22-06-2008, 09:36 AM

mine has a bit of blerb about the children's safety and protection at the start then spaces for the date, the visitors name and reason for visit and then the time in and out.

hope that helps

no doubt someone will be along to add abit more :-)

leanne
xx

**sue m** · 22-06-2008, 12:56 PM

Hi Leanne,

Did you make it up yourself or can you buy them somewhere?

Cheers.

Love Sue x x

**sarah707** · 22-06-2008, 01:00 PM

I made a book - just name of visitor, date, time in and out, reason for visit (if reason is confidential then that's what I put).

It's for 2 reasons - so you can be seen to be working with parents by giving them access to a book on which they can read who has come to your house while their child is there ... and apparently for fire regulations, although tbh if there was a fire, I would not stop to pick it up!

Hope that helps

**sue m** · 22-06-2008, 01:19 PM

Thanks Sarah,

I'm hopeless, I post a question and then can't flippin' find where it was! I will get one and make it up myself and do it like yours. It's just occurred to me that when I go and see Steve at the home, we have to sign in and out and put the car reg. I'd forgotten about that. I've got piles of paper with lists and ideas on so rather than sitting here all day I really ought to go and get things organized! I've not had any enquiries yet but you never know, might get one soon.

I've got a folder with all my policies etc in and my CSDO said when I'd written my introduction, explained who I am and about my family I should put photos in so I've done that and I think MY folder is ok now but then I got another folder and put Parents Information. I've got a separate one with my references in too. Every time I think I'm sorted I think of something else to put in though

I've also done policies so that parents get to keep a copy and I've got a copy (signed of course) in my own folder. I feel quite bogged down with it all lol.

Love Sue x x

**miffy** · 22-06-2008, 03:05 PM

There's always plenty of paperwork Sue!

Think there's a sample visitor book on the bromley website

miffy xx

**sue m** · 22-06-2008, 04:08 PM

Cheers Miffy, I'll see if I can find it. I wish it was like 'the old days' without all this paperwork. I still can't believe how much there is you have to do. I read posts and frantically make notes about something else I have to do! When my CSDO came the other week she was talking about Sandra but I didn't know it at the time and she said "did you know you have a childminder about 10 doors up from you?" and I said no and she said she would ring her to ask to if she'd be my back up and then a few minutes later she mentioned Sandra by name and then slapped her hand over her mouth and said "Oh! I said her name, I'm not supposed to do that!". I was gobsmacked, why couldn't she tell me Sandra's name???? It's like the Secret Service!

Love Sue x x

**sarah707** · 22-06-2008, 04:09 PM

It is an ongoing process - I still find bits and pieces that I need...

Sounds like you're getting it under control!

**sue m** · 22-06-2008, 04:18 PM

Just when I think I am Sarah I read posts on here and think OMG, I'd better do that as well! lol It's quite mindboggling and to think I was a minder for 15 years! I'm going on an Advanced Safeguarding Children course on Wednesday night. I've got a meeting with Steve's new psychiatrist on Wednesday afternoon, I think I might be needing her services myself by Wednesday night

I'll have to have a chat with Sandra if she's got time now with the new ones starting tomorrow and ask her some questions lol. I shall go and find this Bromley website now and have a look at a visitors book. It will be empty anyway cos I don't get visitors. Sad eh?

Love Sue x x

**Pauline** · 22-06-2008, 07:13 PM

A visitors book isn't compulsory ............... yet!

**Spangles** · 22-06-2008, 07:16 PM

I've got a visitors book but it's just a sheet of A4 with a space for name, time in, time out and reason for visit.

I've only had about 4 visitors during minding hours since last August! Might be a few more now I'm working more hours I guess.

It's not compulsory and you have to remember a lot of what other people on here do isn't compulsory either, it's personal preference most of the time and sometimes best practice but not expected.

Don't panic that you have to have everything you read about on here, I used to and got myself worked up into a right state! Ha ha! It all comes in time.

**Pauline** · 22-06-2008, 07:18 PM

Well said Lorri, sometimes it's best to concentrate on what you MUST have, and do the other stuff when you are settled

I don't have a visitor book and the inspector didn't ask to see one.

**Jinx** · 22-06-2008, 07:23 PM

I did have a visitors book but kept forgetting to fill it in so don't bother with it at the moment!
Inspector didn't ask to see it and I didn't offer it!

Jinx x

**sue m** · 22-06-2008, 08:12 PM

I do get in a bit of a panic

I just want everything to be ok WHEN I'm working and have an inspection, I can hopefully get a good. I'd be so gutted if I was told I wasn't doing lots of things right. I'm sure it'll be very similar to when I was working before but we didn't have to have all these things we do now.

sue x

**Angela234** · 22-06-2008, 09:48 PM

I don't have a visitors book and ofsted didn't say anything about one last year when i was inspected.

Even my signing in children book i use a A4 size daily diary and all children are signed in on the same page.
I know lots of minders have a seperate page for each mindee, parents don't sign mine i used to try to get them to but gave up. Ofsted were ok with that,

Angela