Hand holding required!

[Vyx]

Hi Folks, hope everybody has had a good Christmas/Yule.

OK, here's the thing. I still haven't sent off my application to Ofsted. I tend to get a bit obsessive about stuff sometimes and I am terrified that Mrs Ofsted will say that I am not ready/not suitable etc. Now I know that logically there is no reason for me to be not suitable but, just how 'ready' do you have to be for your pre reg inspection?

I am reading different opinions on this (like everything else childminding related of course) and some sources say the you have to be 100% ready to mind (all barring your CRB and Ofsted certificate obviously) at your pre reg visit, then other soruces that say that you have to be 100% ready to mind before you.....well.....mind (lol) and only have to show Ofsted that you are well on your way to being ready.

I would like your input on this folks. Am I driving myself nuts here, getting obsessed about getting EVERYTHING ready for pre reg? I am consious of the fact that, at this rate, I will have nothing to do during those long dark months of CRB and waiting for the certificate becuase I will have done everything. Or am I ready for pre reg? Have done first aid, food hygiene and ICC (ICP), have written the main, policies (safeguarding and complaints etc) and only got to do a few bits and pieces on the house.

I would really appreciate your thoughts.

Vyx
xx

[beccas]

do as much as you think is necessary like polices and proceedures theres a few on bromley childminder website google it, free to download and alter to suit your needs, if you send of your pack and ofsted come quicker than expected, make a list of things you intend on getting or doing as long as you can show them that and they will ask you to let them know when you have done everything necessary, this will give you stuff to do , also ofsted inspector will advise you if you need anything else or if you are planning to do anything but you dont need to they will tell you. hth

[sarah707]

You can use the time it takes for your CRB check to come through to get the paperwork finished.

For your initial inspection you just need to show you have things planned out and know what to do.

Come on, get it sent off! You've got us all for help

[Vyx]

Yes Sir, Sarah Sir *salutes smartly* LOL

So i'm just being a worrywort then? I just feel that actually sending off the paperwork is such a HUGE step *grin*

I am working through all of the policies and my portfolio is going to be huge, not even started on RAs yet

Thanks also Beccas for your input, I forget that the inspector is there to help and advise aswell, I just keep thinking "big scary monster". I really need to cut down on my Buffy viewing lol.

Many thanks

Vyx
xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

A pre reg visit is exactly that, to see if you need help and guidance before the "official visit".

You need to have your doctors health form and then wallop it in and whilst it is progressing you will have time to do policies/risk assessments etc. The CRB checks are still taking a while too.

[wellingtoncc]

i've recently had my 1st visit and i was just told to make sure i know what i need, she did ask to look at policies, but naything else to do with the house i just made sure she knew what i needed to do and she walked away happy, without one bad word.
happy new year
xx

[Lainey Lou]

Yeah I would just bite the bullet and go for it. Like others have said, just read up on things, make a start on your policies etc, you don't need to be fully prepared (I wasn't) when they come out to you, you will just need to be able to answer the questions they ask which you will have covered on your pre-reg course and also if you read up on the EYFS esp the welfare bit.

My inspector just told me in the initial phone call to book the visit to make a list of all things that I plan to put in place, ie. any health and safety issues and activities I plan to do etc. I needed to ask her about certain things anyway when she came out, like did I need railings on my steps to my front door (as didn't want to spend the cash if I didn't need to) and she advised me that yes I did. What they usually do is list all the recommendations that they have made (ie. railings to front door etc) and this will then be checked on your next visit. This was my experience, all inspectors are different though!!

hth xx

[francinejayne]

I had done all my policies and procedures, risk assesment forms and the like. I spent ages filing them and making everything organised and pretty. I'd even got a 'resources' file where I started printing off craft and recipe ideas etc. My house is child proof anyway due to having a 20 month old, though my lovely other half did spend the whole weekend prior to the visit creating a lovely gate to fence off the water butt, and I pulled out a couple of poisonous plants. Mr Ofsted was impressed with my organisation, but said he didn't want to look at any of my paperwork at all, he said it would be checkd on my next visit after I've been minding about 6 months!

So, I would say definitely go for it. My visit was nerve wrecking, but on relection it was fine, Mr Ofsted was lovely and very friendly and helpful, and as he said to me, he isn't there to trick me, he's there to help if I need it!

Good luck!

[jibberjitz]

Hi,

I didn't have everything in place at pre-reg.I did have a range of policies to cover all the safeguarding and with having a 4 and 2 year old my house was pretty child-proof anyway. The things I didn't have in place I just had a list of things that I still had on my to-do/to buy list and she was happy with that. I had my first inspection in November and the inspector didn't look at anything other than my policies/RA's and learning journey etc.

I wouldn't worry about being 100% but I would read the questions in the booklet they give out as they ask most of them - mainly on EYFS and safeguarding

Good luck

Liz

[Vyx]

Thanks for all your replies and encouragement. I've never been so unconfident!

I have completed the EYC and EY2 (registering my husband as an assistant, he has a full time job but I thought it would be useful as a back up, and hey, gotta fill in the EY2 anyway) and I have my medical declaration signed and ready. Still not got as far as putting it in the envelope though LOL.

DH promises me he will do some of the outstanding jobs around the house (securing furniture to walls etc) tomorrow (his day off), so am planning on actually posting the forms tomorrow

Very scary. Got the main policies done and about 80% of all of them that I can see I would poss need (thanks to Sarah707's e-book), need to do RAs now.

Crikey I didn't realise that there was sooooooooo much paperwork, and I appreciate that there is lots more than what I have just mentioned.

Thanks guys xx

[Vyx]

Well my wonderful husband whom i love and adore still hasn't done the jobs i need him to do! Instead he spent his day off installing his new car stereo! In minus 7 temp! Talk about prioritising, not! Neddless to say that was less than impressed and we have had words, and it's still not fully installed, AND he left me with no car last saturday as his was undrivable and he had to go to work.

So he is now tinkering with it again today but I have given him a bit of an ultimatum! Either he does the jobs in the next 2 weeks, or I will! Hoping that the thought of me with a drill will spur him into action, I am very good at DIY but of course *N.B - read the next bit with heavy sarcasm* I am a woman so can't possibly be doing it right!

He'll have to get a grip because *gulp* I actually posted my application off yesterday! Woohoo!

Vyx
xx

[Beckieboo]

Hi VYX,

I was just like you and bit the bullet in the ens and sent it off! When i had my pre reg back last March i had all my paperwork in place and my downstairs had no carpet, bare plastered walls, tools everywhere, etc it was a bombsite!! I had done an action plan on what would be done with a realistic date of everything being completed and safe and she was happy with that and cleared me!!

So get it sent off.....................TODAY!!!!!!!

[Vyx]

Hi Beckie

Thanks for your reply, i really appreciate you sharing your story

Hmmm action plan, I like the sound of that, so I don't need to panic then if there are a few jobs outstanding.