Mindee broke trampoline!!!!

**lissy** · 13-10-2009, 07:02 PM

My 5 yr old mindee has somehow managed to rip all the enclosure net down off the trampoline yesterday when i turned my back for 2 seconds to pick up his baby sister who was crying!! I asked him what had happened and he said he doesnt know!

My question is what would you do next?? I cant afford to replace it, cant mend it and my kids are gutted as it was their christmas present last year!

Im so cross!

**lissy** · 13-10-2009, 08:08 PM

do you think i should charge the parents?? have no idea how to go about it if i should??

or maybe do some fundraising for a new one??

**FizzysFriends** · 13-10-2009, 08:11 PM

I don't think you should charge the parents unless you know it was done on purpose.

Also, you need to be careful about having under 6 yr olds on the trampoline because NCMA (if you are with them) insurance doesn't cover you for under 6's.

**lissy** · 13-10-2009, 08:19 PM

my public liability is with morton michel?? anyone know their policy on trampolines??

it is annoying me as we now are left with a huge trampoline in the garden that no one can go on !

Pipsqueak · 13-10-2009, 08:25 PM

ANY insurance is not going to cover you unless you are using the trampoline within manufacturers guidelines -so your first step is to check the manufacturers age guidelines (most trampolines are 6yrs old plus)

As for the enclosure, I would put it down to wear and tear to be honest. Perhaps I would mention to the parents

But no enclosure, no play on trampoline I am afraid

**singlewiththree** · 13-10-2009, 08:26 PM

I dont know perhaps you could ring them in the morning, mine is pretty much falling apart too due to being pulled while they are using it. I would be interested to hear what they say. I don't think I could charge the parents if I didn't seem them do it on purpose as you don't know if its just an unfortunate accident.

**PRINCESSDAISYFLOWER** · 13-10-2009, 08:36 PM

It doesnt matter who your insurance is with if you are using the trampoline against manufacturers guildline (ie allowing under 6's on it) then your insurance is void.

As mentioned in a previous thread i know of a childminder who was struck off after her mindee (who was under 6 ) broke his leg on a trampoline.
One of the reasons i dont allow them

**wendywu** · 13-10-2009, 08:42 PM

If it is covered by you insurance then just dont say it was a 5 year old who did it. Tell the insurance that an older child did it

**FizzysFriends** · 13-10-2009, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by wendywu

If it is covered by you insurance then just dont say it was a 5 year old who did it. Tell the insurance that an older child did it

You could get a new one for the cost of excess though on a home insurance policy. If an under 6 hurts themselves and the parents sue you you would be in big trouble as you would no cover.

**SimplyLucy** · 14-10-2009, 06:40 AM

Those enclosures are pretty tough, how on earth did a 5 year old rip it down?

It surely must have been faulty if it was that easy to break. If it ripped would it really have stopped a 10 year olds weight bouncing against it???

Personally I would get in touch with the trampoline company (say it was your own child, don't mention bussiness use!

).

Also as others have suggested, double check insurances.

**emmadines** · 14-10-2009, 08:33 AM

how big is the trampoline?? argos to the enclosures for about £50 (cheepest ones ive seen)

**Ripeberry** · 14-10-2009, 09:00 AM

Sorry, but if I was you I would just not allow mindees on them anymore. Your insurance is invalid because of their age and I know how they break the netting!
A friend of my daughter's aged 7yrs old, went on it just for 10 minutes and 3 of the attachements at the top were ripped off!
He did it by jumping high and hanging off the edge, not bouncing against it

I'm getting paranoid about my trampoline now, I've 'locked' it up by using a cable tie on the zip and attaching to a spring, but the younger mindees now think its fun to climb up and try and bounce on the edges

Just want to get rid, especially as winter is coming.
More trouble than they are worth at the moment these trampolines

**little chickee** · 14-10-2009, 09:10 AM

Heres something for you to ponder. I have a 13ft trampoline in my garden which i allow the mindees to use - it has no enclosure and never has.

At my initial inspection and subsequent annual inspection my care commission officer questioned the absence of a net and i explained that i allow the kids on , no more than 2 at a time. i issue strict rules regarding the play - no pushing, no somersaults, etc and any breach of these rules and they are off.

I explained that in my opinion enclosures can lead to a false sense of security as kids think that if there is a net they cannot get hurt which is not the case - my friends son broke his arm playing on a trampoline with an enclosure when he landed awkwardly - and i am teaching them about risks and consequences.

we all wrap our kids up in cotton wool so much these days ( myself included) that they have little or no sense of risk assessing an activity themselves and using the correct behaviour to help prevent accidents.

The CC officer was satisfied with my explanation and cleared me to allow the kids on the trampoline with no net.

**helenlc** · 14-10-2009, 10:23 AM

I have a 10' by 7' rectangular trampoline that is half sunk in the ground. Over 6s can go on it, under 6s have use of the little Toddler trampoline. I have rules up about safe use of the trampoline.

At my inspection last year, my Inspector didnt raise any issues about the fact that it had no enclosure.

The injuries caused on trampolines are mostly down to kids mucking about and landing awkwardly. This would happen regardless of whether there is an enclosure in place or not.

And, like the PP, I am also of the opinion that children can hurt themselves any where and while we can do our best to elimate dangers, children need to learn to be sensible and responisble to avoid injury in ANY situation.

However, I would get in touch with the manufacturers as it was only bought last Xmas I would expect it to last longer than that. Dont mention you are a childminder as they will say you have used it more excessively than a family. See what they say.

Otherwise, you will just have to put it down to wear and tear.

**karenandsmile** · 14-10-2009, 10:36 AM

i am on my 4th tramplonee i only seem to get about a year out of it the one this year the padding has gone and i manage to get a new one off ebay for 30 also i did buy a trampoline from b and q for 80 the who thing its only cause we have now cemented and tied this one down that i would have just brought a whole new one the b and q one the sides are very high and the kids cant get to the top of it to hang on it so that has lasted better i also have a toddler tramplone for the little ones to use but iam lucky i do have a big garden and have sectioned off age restriction ares so only the older kids can get to the big scarey stuff lol

**Pudding Girl** · 14-10-2009, 10:54 AM

Not all trampolines are for only over 6s. Mine is 8ft and no mention of only 6+, just a max weight restriction and one at a time.

**cowboy** · 14-10-2009, 10:54 AM

Hi-

I have a 10ft one and let all minderes one 2 at a time and with the net on.
About once a month I have to sew up the enclosure as the kids bounce off it (despite forever nagging them).
It's pretty tough to sew and I'd suggest a thimble or you'll cut yourself (like I did!).
Ofsted were fine about the kids going on there and I have a written permission from each parent.

Good luck- I think by the time we've finished with mine it'll only be fit for the tip but the best £100 I've ever spent.

Paula

**lissy** · 14-10-2009, 11:33 AM

i had no idea that under 6s werent allowed on them!!

they have always been supervised and only allowed one at a time on there.

i have no problem with the mindees not going on it but feel sorry for my own kids as it was the only thing they enjoyed doing outside!

**huggableshelly** · 14-10-2009, 11:41 AM

one of my mindees did the same, purely accidental
he was jumping (age 8) kinda lost control of his bounce and reached for the net which tore it from its supporting legs.

same here i couldnt afford to replace the neeting but at the same time my children had grown bored of it so we passed it on as it was to the neighbour who fixed the net still allowing my kiddies on there when they want to play.

basically as others have said, you cant use it until the net is replaced so get hunting on ebay for a bargain, check your user manual and check with your liability insurance cover too.