Pregnant Wife and Ratios

[Rick]

Here goes:

I'm a male childminder and my wife is due to give birth at the end of April. I already have one son. Currently I am able to look after 2 more EY children.

Once my wife gives birth, there will be two children in the house but she will be on maternity leave. So which of the following do you think is right:

1. The new baby is counted in my numbers even though my wife will have sole care while I'm working. I will be down to 1 other EY child.

2. It carries on as normal so my wife cares for newborn. Likely she will be upstairs and not affecting space requirements downstairs anyway. I have 2 EY spaces as now.

3. My wife could technically look after both of my children and I could have 3 EY spaces (this would likely be too much for me anyway but just wondered)

4. Under continuity of care, I could carry on having 2 EY children so long as they don't leave and I try to take on new business.

Next quandary:

Could I register my wife as an assistant as she will be at home for a year. How easy is this? I wouldn't pay her as such as she would probably only look after my son and newborn if option 1 or 2 applies.

I'm not trying to bend the rules or anything but the last thing I want is to only be allowed 1 EY child when I won't be looking after newborn when I'm working and at times my wife will take my son away for days or a week at a time.
N.b. I'm assuming space requirements are abided by whatever option.

Thanks in advance!

[blue bear]

Congratulations! Sorry need to have a think about your questions but wanted to celebrate your good news.

[cathtee]

Congratulations, I think I would say option 2, it would be the same as if someone visited you with a lo and took sole charge of lo, you would
be carrying on working as normal but a quick check with ofsted wouldn't hurt just to be on the safe side

[TAZ]

When I registered as a childminder my husband was working from home therefore was available to collect daughters from playgroup or school, & care for them, if those had to close so I wanted to be able to have an extra child during that time. It was the Ofsted inspector who recommended that my husband became my childminding assistant,and so that's what we did. He has never been responsible for any of the childminding children & none of them have ever been left in his sole care.

So in answer to your question re your wife being your assistant, Yes & while she's around & caring for your own children you could have 3 extra EYFS children - bear in mind what you would do when your wife's maternity leave ends though. You will need to let Ofsted know & they will need to do an enhanced CRB.

Also as suggested in point (4) you can continue with your 2 currently minded EY children after the baby is born, even if your wife goes out, under continuity of care.

Hope that helps

[zippy]

My understanding of new eyfs removes your restriction of two under 5, you now have 3 as your restrictions have been removed. Yes you would normally have to count your children in that number if your wife was out at work but as she is at home she will take responsibility of both your children allowing you three spaces. Usual space requirements exist but unless you live in a very tiny house can't see that being an issue, however a quick email to Ofsted should clear it up.

[sarah707]

Ofsted will not comment beyond advising you to check the eyfs and variations factsheet!

I have it in writing that if your own children are guaranteed cared for and definitely won't affect your ratios then you can take on other children.

You can also use the 2 babies rule.

Just make sure you follow the risk assessments etc.

Congratulations

[Rick]

Ofsted will not comment beyond advising you to check the eyfs and variations factsheet!

I have it in writing that if your own children are guaranteed cared for and definitely won't affect your ratios then you can take on other children.

You can also use the 2 babies rule.

Just make sure you follow the risk assessments etc.

Congratulations

Thanks Sarah,

I like the fact that you have something in writing from Ofsted! Just looking at Taz's post, what advantage would there be if I made my wife an assistant; she would not be looking after EY children. From your post it sounds like I don't have to count my own son so could have 3 mindees. I think it might become too much if I had 3 others anyway but it's nice if say there was an overlap of an hour or two with 3 other EY children that he could be taken out of my numbers. I wouldn't want him to miss out on play groups etc anyway so even if it stays as it is now I'll be happy.

Could you please explain the 2 babies rule so I understand in no uncertain terms?

Thanks Sarah and everyone!

[leeanne910]

I recently had my pre reg visit. And they said when my partners home he is responsible for my children so i tecnically have spaces free... And i had 2 inspectors lol one inspecting and one monitoring her performance

[sarah707]

I asked this question -

The childminder has a child / children of their own within their under 8 ratio. Their child / children stay with their father regularly during the working week or might be on holiday for a week. Can the childminder fill their child’s space?
Or are the childminder’s own children subject to different rules from childminded children?

I got this answer -

Yes if the childminder can prove that their children will not be returned to them during the time they are in the care of someone else.

....................................

EYFS 2012 requirement 3.40

'If a childminder can demonstrate to parents and/or carers and inspectors, that the individual needs of all the children are being met, then exceptions to the usual ratios can be made when childminders are caring for sibling babies, or when caring for their own baby.'

So you can care for your own baby, demonstrate to parents that you are meeting all the children's needs (risk assessments, care plans etc) and look after another baby.

This one is also clarified more fully in the factsheet - Ofsted | Factsheet: childcare - The numbers and ages of children that providers on the Early Years and Childcare Registers may care for

[Rick]

I asked this question -

The childminder has a child / children of their own within their under 8 ratio. Their child / children stay with their father regularly during the working week or might be on holiday for a week. Can the childminder fill their child’s space?
Or are the childminder’s own children subject to different rules from childminded children?

I got this answer -

Yes if the childminder can prove that their children will not be returned to them during the time they are in the care of someone else.

....................................

EYFS 2012 requirement 3.40

'If a childminder can demonstrate to parents and/or carers and inspectors, that the individual needs of all the children are being met, then exceptions to the usual ratios can be made when childminders are caring for sibling babies, or when caring for their own baby.'

So you can care for your own baby, demonstrate to parents that you are meeting all the children's needs (risk assessments, care plans etc) and look after another baby.

This one is also clarified more fully in the factsheet - Ofsted | Factsheet: childcare - The numbers and ages of children that providers on the Early Years and Childcare Registers may care for

Thank you Sarah. Very concise as always

Last question...promise! Do I now have to do a risk assessment or similar for a new baby in the house (my own) and the fact my wife will be looking after him or her and potentially my son as well.

Who needs to see this? Ofsted presumably won't need to. Show parents? I only have one parent at the moment anyway and she is my wife's friend so knew even before her children started with me.

Thanks!

[sarah707]

I wouldn't risk assess my family members unless they were likely to do daft things - like teens and hot drinks / trailing cables etc.

I think you need to risk assess.the unusual / exceptional circumstances not the norm