open plan kitchen, living areas

[les1]

Hi
I'm just in process of becoming registered, we have an open plan kitchen/ diner and lounge off of it, so no way to prevent children access to the kitchen itself unless we buy a very long stairgate.

Do you keep children out of kitchen when cooking? I am just trying to risk assess the rooms and am wondering what Ofsted will say.

[singlewiththree]

I have an open plan dining/kitchen which we play in. I have a different floor surface in the kitchen and teach the children that the divide is where they can't cross. I don't use a stair gate and if the baby tries to follow me into the kitchen he gets taken out, they learn quickly

[The Juggler]

my dining table is in my kitchen. Its a big kitchen with a large table which is used for messy play and eating. Ofsted have never had a problem with it. Littlies are strapped into chairs whilst I'm cooking or on the floor if I'm making drinks etc.

[pat75]

hi,
I've also got open living space and didn't have any problem from Ofsted. I tend to have kids doing something messy at the table like play-doh or drawing while I am cooking.

[mushpea]

we have open plan kitchen and dinning room, we have a stairgate accross the kitchen but I very rarley use it, its one of the roll up ones and if I am baking then i will pull it across but normaly we just keep out of the area and play in the play room whilst the cookies are baking or whatever as i dont do meals

[danasdaycare]

Hiya,

I am in Scotland and my inspector did agree it was best to have a stair gate to separate the kitchen.

My stair gate is 'Summer' brand extra long and was under £60 I think, so felt it was well worth it as a start up cost. It has brackets in wall and the gate can be lifted out of these if we do not want it there, i.e. when cm children are not present.

I must say if it was not there, cooking hot meals would be rather too stressful for me with 3 under 5's!

Dana

[rickysmiths]

I have a huge kitchen diner that has double doors into the room I use as a Playroom and I look after 3 under 2s at the moment. I don't have any barriers and have no problems. I was inspected a month ago and got Outstanding in all areas covering keeping children safe and was complimented on my excellent RAs. The inspector never even talked about the kitchen diner being one room, in fact she commented on the whole space being so open and light and airey and what a lovely space for the children to have to play in!.