Attendance register

[newbieminder12]

I have been minding for 4 months and have not filled in any attendance registers as I just write it all in my Diary for my records and to work out parents pay.

Do I need to fill attendance register out and get parents to sign daily/weekly??? and if so should I backdate for the last 4 months and get all parents to sign??

[onceinabluemoon]

You don't have to get parents to sign. Some people do because it is proof of hours if ever there is a dispute (e.g. with payment or tax credits etc).

I read your post as you put it in your day book diary rather than the children's individual diaries - that is what I do too, but I transfer it to a big sheet at the end of the month to put into an attendance folder. This is proving to be a lot of unnecessary work so as from last week I have a small a5 book by the front door which I write times in, ( a double page for a week) so far so good...

[jumping j]

I write in my diary the "agreed contract hours" :laughing::rolleyes: then write on an attendance form what time the child actually gets dropped off and picked up, usually a good 15mins before or after agreed times!
I sometimes get the parent to sign but don't usually, but I do make sure the parent knows what I'm doing, the register is in my hallway with a clock and I make a point of looking at the clock and writing the time infront of the parent, I've had disputes about times before!

[miffy]

I use an A4 sheet (one side per week) but I don't get parents to sign it.

Miffy xx

[sarah707]

I have always asked parents to sign - they are confirming the hours they are paying for and it's there in case of query in the future.

We all do it different ways - it is not legislated.

Remember parents have until their child is 21 years old to make a claim against you so don't throw anything away!!

Hth :D

[newbieminder12]

Yes I use my own Diary, I think it's a little bigger than an A5 size and I just write all the children's names and hours in there so keeping 21 of them over the years probably wouldn't take up too much space?

I was just concerned about getting parents to sign I think they get annoyed as it is with all the other stuff they have to sign. Also I have the NCMA attendance register but not used it as it seems such a long process!

Thanks all :D:D

[caz3007]

I just use my diary too and dont get it signed, it works for me

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have mine on a spreadsheet which I print off each week and if the contracted times are different to the arrival time I amend the sheet.

Up until now I have also written the times on individual record sheets (24 does take a while each week) but if there was a safeguarding/child protection issue I would have up to date sheets to hand over to the relevant authority without having to go back and write it out.

[cathtee]

I use a A4 diary where the days go across the top of page, (£1 from poundland) divide the column into 3. before school, all day, after school so that I can see how many children are here at a time. It works great and MrsO was impressed:clapping:

[rickysmiths]

I have always used the NCMA Attendance Registers. A page per month per child so you can copy a child's record if there is a dispute and not have another child's record on the same page.

I have always got the parents to sign each week and it has never been an issue for me in all my 18 years of minding. I do it so they are showing they have seen the record and agree to it. This is important if they are over their contracted hours and dispute any extra payments requested. Also from a Safeguarding point of view it means the parents have confirmed when their child was in your care.

I helped me through a complaint last year when a parents accused me of being late collecting from school one day and not telling them. They complained to Ofsted and I was able to produce the signed register which proved I was not late and that the parent had signed it proved that they had been informed of all the times.

[melco]

I have a sheet with about 8 weeks worth on and like someone else I fill in when the child arrives and leaves while the parent is with me and each week they sign.

I had a parent dispute the times but I think she thought that because he husband arrived 5 minutes early and we were talking before her child left that day I was trying to charge her more. I explained that the contracted hours stay the same.

I do it as a safeguarding issue and if the child gets hurt outside of my care I can not be told that the child was with me when it happened. (if that makes sense)

[jellybean cc]

i am using a Help For Hero's family planner calendar with a week per page and columns for 6 children. This is working well.

[Jules12Wed]

On an Ofsted Inspection about 6 years ago I was told each child needed their own attendance sheet. I used to have one week for about 6 children but was told each one should be on a sheet of their own.

[jellybean cc]

Had an inspection last year and was using a diary at the time. Which i kept open on the hall table all names times visibly, no comment was made and i asked if it was ok to use this for visitors to sign in as well and she said yes and happily signed in.

I guess the next inspector could say he/she does not like it. Thats part of the problem iI never seem to be 100% sure of anything I do these days. But having been childminding 2 years now I'm getting used to that feeling :)