over night care

[Rachael's stars]

Hi. Im currently registering and would like to offer overnight care. Things seem a bit breif in this subject and dont really understand the requirements. I live in a 3 bed house which my 2 &3 yr old boys have seperate rooms. Can mindees share a room with them? My 3 yr old would be fine having a child sleep in his room also he has the bigger room so would be easier
My 2 yr old on the otherhand would be hell if he shared a room. Hes so set in his little routine. So obviously id rather not make them share a room so would i still be able to do this? Any help would be fab

[dette]

i personaly have no experience of this but i'm sure i've read on here that its fine to share a room with your own LO's,someone should be along soon with more help x

[sarah707]

The requirements for overnight care are -

You must be on the premises - 3.29 - obvious but I know of people who nip out to the shops at night :( so it's important it is stated in the requirements

You must be able to hear the child - 3.41 - via a monitor is fine

You must ensure that an adequate supply of clean bedding, towels, spare clothes and any other necessary items is always available - 3.59

Providers must consider what additional measures are necessary when children stay overnight - 3.61 - this means doing a really careful risk assessment

You must inform Ofsted - 3.76

Your RA might cover things like - where to keep your keys, fire escapes from bedrooms, emergency evacuation for other reasons, emergency info from parents, safe sleeping (SIDS), changing bedding / towels etc.

Then you will need to think about accommodating children's home routines... procedures if a child gets out of the house (maybe dust off and polish up your 'missing child procedures')... sleep walking... distressed child... things like that.

There will be other things depending on your house and sleeping arrangements - cots / beds - stair gates - people drinking alcohol at night etc that you might also want to cover.

hth :D

[bunyip]

Does a link still exist to the old variation request form for this?

[sarah707]

Does a link still exist to the old variation request form for this?

Not as far as I am aware - the form you are talking about has disappeared from the Ofsted website from what I can see :D

[Rachael's stars]

The requirements for overnight care are -

You must be on the premises - 3.29 - obvious but I know of people who nip out to the shops at night :( so it's important it is stated in the requirements

You must be able to hear the child - 3.41 - via a monitor is fine

You must ensure that an adequate supply of clean bedding, towels, spare clothes and any other necessary items is always available - 3.59

Providers must consider what additional measures are necessary when children stay overnight - 3.61 - this means doing a really careful risk assessment

You must inform Ofsted - 3.76

Your RA might cover things like - where to keep your keys, fire escapes from bedrooms, emergency evacuation for other reasons, emergency info from parents, safe sleeping (SIDS), changing bedding / towels etc.

Then you will need to think about accommodating children's home routines... procedures if a child gets out of the house (maybe dust off and polish up your 'missing child procedures')... sleep walking... distressed child... things like that.

There will be other things depending on your house and sleeping arrangements - cots / beds - stair gates - people drinking alcohol at night etc that you might also want to cover.

hth :D

Brill thanks. Luckily im a really light sleeper so if a child should even start to get out of bed id hear them. I have loads and loads of towels. Flannels and bedding and cot bedding and toothbrushes.
Neither me or my partner drink so ok there. I have monitors. Stair gates ect

Sounds like i just need to do a risk assesment for overnight care and a document about safe sleeping.

I have two travel cots and a propper cot that i could put up if overnights was a regular thing for older children i dont have a spare bed.... what do other people use?.... i have a fold up double matteress i keep under my sons bed, it was a matteress of a sofa bed we had last yr. Its in perfect clean condition and is about 3inches thick. Iv slept on it before in my sons room and it was comfy ( he had bad broncilitis and was to scared to leave him as he was so poorly and only12 weeks old and using a nebuliser a few times a day ) would it be ok for mindees to sleep on? Obviously it would have clean sheets ect??

[TAZ]

The requirements for overnight care are -

You must be on the premises - 3.29 - obvious but I know of people who nip out to the shops at night :( so it's important it is stated in the requirements

You must be able to hear the child - 3.41 - via a monitor is fine

You must ensure that an adequate supply of clean bedding, towels, spare clothes and any other necessary items is always available - 3.59

Providers must consider what additional measures are necessary when children stay overnight - 3.61 - this means doing a really careful risk assessment

You must inform Ofsted - 3.76

Your RA might cover things like - where to keep your keys, fire escapes from bedrooms, emergency evacuation for other reasons, emergency info from parents, safe sleeping (SIDS), changing bedding / towels etc.

Then you will need to think about accommodating children's home routines... procedures if a child gets out of the house (maybe dust off and polish up your 'missing child procedures')... sleep walking... distressed child... things like that.

There will be other things depending on your house and sleeping arrangements - cots / beds - stair gates - people drinking alcohol at night etc that you might also want to cover.

hth :D

Thank you for clarifying all that Sarah. I've never had an overnight childmindee & none planned but good to know the info should the question ever arise.
Are there still requirements or a linked fire alarm system?