Assistants and under 5's

**patevans** · 06-07-2009, 08:46 AM

Does the rule still stand that assistants cannot be left in sole charge of the under 5's even with parental permission?

**huggableshelly** · 06-07-2009, 09:12 AM

as far as I know yes .. that is what I was told when i looked into registering my Hubby for emergancy cover only.

**Andrea08** · 06-07-2009, 09:19 AM

yes and that is why ive decided my daughteer will not be my assistant as it will be a waste of time ,,

she cana stay in with the sleeping baby while i go on school run and
she cana go collect from nursery or school if i stay in with the baby!!
she can not stay with children while i go off with a toilet run..
if i leave to go off to the toilet i have to hear all the children and her so ,,she is almost left alone with them its mad..

yet as a daughter with her CRB living in my home but not as an assistant she's ok!!!!

so whats the

point?

**Playmate** · 06-07-2009, 09:20 AM

It depends on what your certificate says, mine actually states that with written parental permission mine can. I would never do it - he's only 17!

I think it's another Ofsted inconsistancy!

**rickysmiths** · 06-07-2009, 11:44 AM

My dh has been my registered assistant for years and it has always and still does say on my new cert issued last month that with parents permission he can for short times be alone with them.

The oddity is though that he can be alone with the EYFS group in the house, and alone with the older age group only outside the house. So he can go on the school run and pick the older children up but has to wait on the doorstep for me to come home because he can't go in the house with them.

I forgot to say he has First Aid and Safeguarding Children training.

**Jen4Kids** · 06-07-2009, 12:09 PM

My hubby has just become my assistant, on my certificate it states, 'can be left alone for short times with parental permission' or words to that effect

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 06-07-2009, 01:20 PM

Assistants can be left along as long as they have a padediatric first aid certificate regardless of the register you are on - EYFS or older.

It also states on the age in the conditions too on your certificate. You need to have Public Liability, Parental Permission and first aid.

**Pauline** · 13-07-2009, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by DebbieS26

Assistants can be left along as long as they have a padediatric first aid certificate regardless of the register you are on - EYFS or older.

Not by my reading of the latest Ofsted factsheet Debbie. They now cannot be left alone on the premises if on the Childcare Register.

There is a specific 'Frequently Asked Question' at the back of the document which seems to confirm this. Unless I am reading it wrong!

:

I am on both registers – can I leave children with my assistant?
If you are registered on both registers, then you must make sure that you meet all
requirements for both registers, as set out in this fact sheet. One set of requirements
is no more important than the other. If we agree, you can leave children in the early
years age group alone with an assistant on the childminding premises, but we cannot
allow this for children on the Childcare Register; you can only let the assistants care
for the children on their own when they are off the premises and with older children.

Full Document available on the Free Resources website in the downloads. www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/freeresources

**Pauline** · 13-07-2009, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by rickysmiths

The oddity is though that he can be alone with the EYFS group in the house, and alone with the older age group only outside the house. So he can go on the school run and pick the older children up but has to wait on the doorstep for me to come home because he can't go in the house with them.

That is what is so stupid isn't it RS? When one of our children leaves the Early Years Register, my hubby will be able to be home alone with his younger brother but not him! Try explaining that to a child!

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 13-07-2009, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Pauline

Not by my reading of the latest Ofsted factsheet Debbie. They now cannot be left alone on the premises if on the Childcare Register.

There is a specific 'Frequently Asked Question' at the back of the document which seems to confirm this. Unless I am reading it wrong!

:

I am on both registers – can I leave children with my assistant?
If you are registered on both registers, then you must make sure that you meet all
requirements for both registers, as set out in this fact sheet. One set of requirements
is no more important than the other. If we agree, you can leave children in the early
years age group alone with an assistant on the childminding premises, but we cannot
allow this for children on the Childcare Register; you can only let the assistants care
for the children on their own when they are off the premises and with older children.

Full Document below and also on the Free Resouces website.

Sorry thought Louise was asking if they could be left alone in sole charge and the answer to this is yes but not on the premises - off of it.