Another question I'm afraid!

**Spangles** · 09-01-2008, 10:20 PM

I have just popped on for five mins to ask this question before I'm off to bed - I'm exhausted!

Anyway, what it is is this ....

I have a lady coming to see me on Friday afternoon about looking after her 4 month old baby from end Feb when she goes back to work. It would basically be full-time.

I am registered for 2 under 5's of which 1 can be under 1 and at the moment I have a 10 mth old who will be 1 on 10th March and he clashes for half an hour on a Thursday with a 1 year old so for that half an hour I am full! (woohoo!)

I have explained to her that this little boy isn't 1 until 10th March and it that I can't have 2 under ones at the same time but she still wants to come and see me so I'm assuming she can manage until 10th March somehow.

Trouble is the half hour I have two children! If she's keen for me to have her baby and I phone Ofsted would they be able to help do you think? I've only been registered since end August last year and haven't been inspected yet.

Does any of that make sense at all?

**Monkey1** · 09-01-2008, 10:23 PM

If you can word it as 'continuity of care' and things like that they might be ok. See what she says on Friday and then worry about it then. If you have already mentioned the dilema to her she may of already taken that into account.
Good luck babe x

**sarah707** · 09-01-2008, 10:27 PM

Oh gosh ... for half an hour...

If she seems keen I would def ring O and ask... good luck on Friday! x

**angeldelight** · 09-01-2008, 10:28 PM

Hi Lorri

I would wait and see what she says first

Then call Ofsted if things go well

Did you have that little chinese boy today with his mom? How did it go?

Angel xx

**Spangles** · 09-01-2008, 10:32 PM

I know I'm gutted - half an hour that's all! And the little girl who is the crossover one started this week and is only 2.5 hours per week with her brother another day at 2.5 per week! They could potentially stop me getting a full-timer! Gutted!

Yes, the little Chinese boy popped in today with his mum and he seemed happy but I don't think he will be okay on Friday when she leaves! He's going to be hard work bless him because he's a 'flitter' as well! He gets something out and plays with it for literally ten seconds then he's off and tips something else up all over the floor and does the same again over and over! Plus, he doesn't listen to you when you speak to him either so I'm going to have to be really active in keep going up to him and getting his attention at his level which I do anyway but not to the degree he needs. He's such a cutie though! It will be a challenge and I'm quite looking forward to it, just hopes he settles okay. I think on Friday I will wait until he calms down then pop him and Benjamin in the buggy and take a walk down through the village and get them out of the house!

Hey, you asked a simple question and got a novel in reply! Ha ha!

**angeldelight** · 09-01-2008, 10:35 PM

Hahaha god and I thought I could talk !!!!
Oh he does sound the type of child that is going to get bored easy

Yes a walk sounds very very good

Good luck on Friday

Angel xx

**Spangles** · 09-01-2008, 10:38 PM

A very, very, loooooooon walk! Five hours worth maybe? Think of the calories if I just keep taking him out for walks! Fab!

**angeldelight** · 09-01-2008, 10:42 PM

Hope it does not rain !

xx

**Spangles** · 09-01-2008, 10:47 PM

It's bound to be snow, sleet, ice and gale force winds!

**sarah707** · 09-01-2008, 10:49 PM

I go for walks in all weathers, I really don't care... if it stops the baby from screaming I walk and walk!

I keep thinking of how much good it must be doing me!

**oakie dokie** · 10-01-2008, 07:04 AM

for half hour, i would do it, what if parents late say, you would not have a chioce. just pretend shes late every day. what ofsted said to me was that they could not do a short term variation for the 5 weeks i had 2 under 1s, they had to change my reg so i now can look after 2 under1s. and its only for 2 days not everyday is it ?

hazelx

**mrsbumbles** · 10-01-2008, 08:01 AM

I have a variation to mind 4 under 4s because i have an over lapping period of two hours a day, three days a week, I found them very helpful,after recieving your request, they will phone and ask you questions about your curcumstances during the overlapping period, so just be prepared.Its worth asking them after all they can only say no, you have nothing to loose really. It took Ofsred two weeks from receiving my requet to granting it.I faxed my request through to get a quick response.

**cherry** · 10-01-2008, 09:08 AM

Hi Lorri

I was in the same situation as you last year. It was for two days a week and overlapping half an hour.

I wrote to Osfted (which they do require it in writing) explained the situation and how I would cope with the children during that half hour, I had to do a school pickup so I explained how one child would be in a buggy and the other would walk with me holding onto the buggy (as it was an older child) I made sure I covered every situation and had no problems.

They sent me a new certificate to cover the overlap, it did take them 2 months to send it though.
Hope this helps?

Best of luck.

Cherry

**Spangles** · 10-01-2008, 09:36 AM

Thank you everyone - sounds like there is hope! I will see how Friday goes with the mum and ask her to let me know quite quickly if she wants me to look after her baby as I'll have a lot of organising to do!

Thanks again for the advice.

**Lou** · 10-01-2008, 11:31 AM

I agree with whats been said Lorri.

I would NOT turn away a full timer for the sake of half an hour.

If she wants you put it in writing to Ofsted and chase them up lots.

I would word it as continuation of care though as someone has already said. So instead of saying you want to take on a new child but there will be an overlap, say you have already taken on new child and now existing child needs different hours. Does that make sense?

**Spangles** · 10-01-2008, 03:24 PM

Would that work? Won't they check up on it and find out I'm lying? I really hate lying, I never do it! Hubby thinks it's weird that I won't lie ever, gets quite frustrated when I refuse to cover for him for things like about being late in to work and stuff, I just say I'll ignore the phone!

**Lou** · 10-01-2008, 03:28 PM

its just a little fib!!

i dont know to be honest, its just that in my experience (i have had a couple of variations in the past) it needs to be for continuation of care, so im just saying think carefully about how you word it,

**Spangles** · 10-01-2008, 03:37 PM

What about if I say the parent is desperate for me to look after their child but they don't want to split the child between more than one setting to ensure they're kept with the same person? Which, assuming she even wants me, would be the truth????

**Lou** · 10-01-2008, 03:49 PM

You can say whatever you feel comfortable with Lorri, but like i say in my experience Ofsted normally only grant a variaton for continuation of care, so i would just say that you have agreed to take new child on but exsisting childs parents have asked you for an extra half hour that will overlap.

Thats just what i would do, but you are clearly a more honest person than me!!!

**ajs** · 10-01-2008, 03:59 PM

and me
they are not going to check on whta you're saying lorri they will believe what you tell them within reason but i do agree they prefer continuation of care then say a new child taking a full tiem place