Variations again..lol

[JCrakers]

Evening

Just a quick question to see if anyone has had experience of having 5 under 5?

Mondays and Tuesdays I have 4 due to a parent adding hours. A child who attends thurs/fri and who is usually with granny needs to attend also because granny has fallen and broken her leg.

So I would have 5 between 9-3 on Mondays and on Tuesdays between 11-3 until granny is back on her feet
Ages would be 52m, 43m, 17m, 11m and then a 40m extra

I know all the children really well, the 40m has been here since she was a baby. She's a good walker so buggy space fine, space in the house is fine also.

Anyone have any experience of having 5 to give me reassurance

[sarah707]

I have heard from 2 different childminders who were visited by Ofsted after complaints were made about them having 5 little ones.

In both cases inspectors said that while it was theoretically allowed they were concerned that the children's learning requirements were not being met - and the childminders were barely coping with care outcomes rather than providing appropriate learning experiences and outside play etc - and both were actioned and told to cut down to 4.

Now, these are just 2 cases I have heard about. I am sure there will be many more out there which are working fine. These 2 were the result of complaints... so I suppose you could say if Ofsted don't find out it will be fine but if other childminders see you out and about and get jealous cos you are full and they are empty...

Forewarned is forearmed as they say - robust documentation will help you.

Changes to Conditions of Registration

Hth x

[Mouse]

I usually have 4, but have had 5 for a few hours one day. It was perfectly manageable as the children were all regulars, so I knew them well. They were about 12m, 18m, 24m, 30m & 42m. I'd have said that as you have some slightly older ones it wouldn't be too bad at all.

What I did find was that I had to be very organised and in control. I wouldn't have liked to do it long term as I felt were far more regimented than normal. I would find it hard to watch 5 free playing for long, so it would be more focussed on getting all 5 of them to do the same thing at once. For a limited time I would do it though.

[The Juggler]

i'd say think carefully unless a few of them were over 4. I have had 4 for the last year - it's tough. I started with 1, 8m, 2 x 3yrs. Now 18m, 2 1/2, x 4 years it's a little easier but still tough and I don't feel I'm offering the same as I would have with 3 however, hard I work at it

[KatieFS]

I had 4 for one day this week to help another c/m who was ill. Very hard work at times struggled to keep up. Kept smiling and all was ok. ! But one was new to me so was a bit sad, needed more reassurance. Do think it depends on children but I do think 5 is too many. How could you do all the things you need to, could do, should do for the children with 5 of em. What if one had accident. what would you do with the other 4 while you help hurt child..
Phew! Making me tired just thinking about it

[JCrakers]

Thanks all. They are covered until after half term and he said hopefully granny will be feeling better and grandpa can also help so it will probably only be for one or two weeks of June.


The good thing about it is it doesn't impede on the school run so by that time I'm down to 3 again as two will go home at 2.55pm.
I'll make sure I've got my risk assessments in place as I always have