Opinions on visitors during minding hours

[itsybitsyteeny]

Just wondered what everyone does with regards to visitors I.e. your own family visiting you. I understand I should have some visitor info, visitor book and not leave any child unattended with a visitor etc. I just wondered how a parent might perceive it - do you think they would be against one of my family members coming over during minding hours? I am open minded either way bt just wondered what people's experiences of this have been like. Would you ask a parents permission like 'would you mind if my sister popped over?' I really don't know about this..

[rickysmiths]

I do not have and never have had a Visitors Book. It is not required and not needed. I have a note in my diary of anyone who may visit during working hours and as I work in my own home I do know who is in it at all times.

My parents have always welcomed the fact that I have visitors sometimes. My MIL may drop in and have lunch or a coffee and all the children call her Granny. She sometimes comes out with us as well. Children are never left alone with visitors and I have never had a problem with parents over visitors.

My Dad used to come and stay for a week every now and then when he was alive. I never ask the parents permission for this, it is my home for me to invite in whom I choose, when I choose as long as it doesn't affect the care I am giving to the children.

[Amandak28]

Hi, there is a section that Ofsted have written with regards visitor. Its been mentioned in my CYPOP5 sessions and we were told if you have somebody to stay over for longer the 4-6 weeks thats when you inform Ofsted.

We were also told its good practice to have a visitors book but not a requirement as it help you with people like workman for example.

Hth xx

[Rick]

Hi, there is a section that Ofsted have written with regards visitor. Its been mentioned in my CYPOP5 sessions and we were told if you have somebody to stay over for longer the 4-6 weeks thats when you inform Ofsted.

We were also told its good practice to have a visitors book but not a requirement as it help you with people like workman for example.

Hth xx

I do have a book but I think if it is written down in a diary or somewhere then that's ok. I prefer that the visitor actually signs it though in case there is an investigation for whatever reason then no one could say I made it up!

I would not ask permission. Parents would have to trust me that I wouldn't bring anyone unsavoury into the house.

[bindy]

I would not ask a parent, what if some said yes and some say no. I don't have a visitors book.

[loocyloo]

i do have a visitors book, i find it useful for quickly seeing when workman have been here, or when prospective parents have visited!

i have friends over, or family come to stay. i don't ask parents permission, not do i particuarly tell parents people are coming. before i moved my mum was my back up assistant and i have kept her as that, in that she is sometimes here when i am working.

to me it is all part and parcel of a home environment and can help broaden experiences and opportunities. i used to have a friend who was amazingly knowledgable about plants and insects and she would come and help us in the garden!

[kimnolan87]

I don't have a visitors book and as rickysmiths says, it is our home so we will always know who is here and when!!!

My mindees see a lot of my grandad, as he takes my cousin's boys to the same school my schoolies go to (same classes as my mindees too) and we also just spent a full day over at my cousin's house, playing in her garden!

The mindees love it, and are really close to my family - my mum is also an assistant for me, and they really enjoy her time her too! Even more so when Missy, (our shared mini yorkie) comes along for the day or extended visits too!

I would never think that a parent would say that they don't agree to having visitors, it is your home at the end of the day, and your choice to have whoever you want around......following the guidelines of course :) xxx

[samb]

It would never occur to me to ask the parents permission for people to visit my home. I do let them know if my Mum is staying as she will come for a few days and if there are visitors (usually other minders) here when they arrive then I would introduce them. I have a visitors book. I was planning on using a diary for everything including visitors but it didn't work for me so I have gone back to writing names and times in and out in an exercise book - I have a rubbish memory so if I was asked a couple of weeks after about something I would prefer to have it written down.

[Nicola Carlyle]

I do have a visitors book and quite like it. I never ask parents permission to have people come and visit my home as it is MY home. I wouldn't dream if telling them who they could or couldn't have in their home. I have family come to stay every couple of months (they travel from Scotland and we live in England). They can stay for anything up to a week or two but generally it's an extended weekend. I do tell my parents this and they all seem fine with it. They know they have travelled a long way to be here.

[blue bear]

I just put any visitors on my register but then I've only had three in the last two years (all d/o) so hardly worth having a specific visitors book

[charlottenash]

My father visited all the time, now he lives with me I did ask how the parents would feel about it, and they were fine but I would have done it anyway x

[Mouse]

I don't have a visitors book & never have had one. I write in my register if we have had a visitor. That way it is easy to see exactly which children were here when the visitor was.

I have at least one visitor a week, sometimes 2. They are usually other childminders who bring the children to play. Parents see it as a benefit. Their children get to mix with other children and also get to know the other childminders, who are likely to be my back up & holiday cover minders.

Other visitors are friends of mine who have children. I discourage visits from friends who don't have children to bring with them. If they're purely coming to see me for a natter I don't think it's appropriate to do that while I'm working.

I don't have family close by, so if they are in the area they may call while I'm working. If they've traveled all this way I'm not going to tell them they can only call after I've finished work! It doesn't happen very often, but when it does I find my attention is focused on catching up with them, not particularly on the children I'm looking after. Don't get me wrong, they are still fully supervised & have plenty of activities to do, but I find they come second to the visitors. It's not something I am comfortable with, but luckily it doesn't happen often (maybe once every year or so).

[caz3007]

I occasionally have had friends nip in for a cuppa and we make that during nap time. I have a friend with children who comes regularly and the children all play really nicely. She was here this morning as I was working for a couple of hours, but she would have come even if I wasn't working.

I am going to my Dads partners funeral on Monday and he is bringing me back in the evening and staying over as he lives 80 miles away, so he will see mindie but have told mum and she is fine with it. My mum and Auntie come sometimes and take me and mindie out to lunch, I think its all good as she interacts very well with adults and they are all happy to read her stories or play games

[rickysmiths]

Hi, there is a section that Ofsted have written with regards visitor. Its been mentioned in my CYPOP5 sessions and we were told if you have somebody to stay over for longer the 4-6 weeks thats when you inform Ofsted.

We were also told its good practice to have a visitors book but not a requirement as it help you with people like workman for example.

Hth xx

How does having a visitors book help with workmen? You would know if they were in the house and you do not let them ever be alone with minded children so you are safe guarding the children in your care. A Visitors book is not helping this process and is an unnecessary bit of paperwork that we do not need to do.

I have been a Registered Childminder for 19 years and have never had one and haven't ever been asked for one ( Ofsted can't ask for one or expect to see one anyway as it is not a requirement) and I have always been inspected Good with Outstandings. I don't think not having a Visitors Book stopped me getting the overall Outstanding either.

I do the absolute min of paperwork, I have a life outside childminding and I don't spend my weekends doing hours of paperwork.

[Amandak28]

How does having a visitors book help with workmen? You would know if they were in the house and you do not let them ever be alone with minded children so you are safe guarding the children in your care. A Visitors book is not helping this process and is an unnecessary bit of paperwork that we do not need to do.

I have been a Registered Childminder for 19 years and have never had one and haven't ever been asked for one ( Ofsted can't ask for one or expect to see one anyway as it is not a requirement) and I have always been inspected Good with Outstandings. I don't think not having a Visitors Book stopped me getting the overall Outstanding either.

I do the absolute min of paperwork, I have a life outside childminding and I don't spend my weekends doing hours of paperwork.

Morning Ricky,

Im just going by what we are being taught by our tutor.
Croydon apparently is one of the most thorough and strict areas with one of the most outstanding childminders in the country so I'm told. So they obviously want us to continue with that into our individual business.

Everyone works differently and have their own ways of doing things.

Each to their own i say.

But from my point of view if I'm being taught something i cant really go against it, the tutors are the professionals at the end of the day.

Happy sunday :-) xx

[bunyip]

I use a visitors' book. My inspector was pleased to see it, but recognised it was not essential. To me it is very little trouble to use it and it is just that little bit of extra evidence in case a problem or complaint arose.

Some visitors are inevitable/unavoidable, such as meter-readers, etc. not to mention the parents collecting children when other children are around (but I don't get parents to sign as I already have a register of pick-up times.) I also have some additional business visitors, such as the odd enquirer who wants to see me working with mindees, or other CMs doing CPD or sharing things about our practice.

Personally I discourage other visitors. During working hours I am doing just that - working - and I'd fully understand any parent who was disgruntled about me conducting my social life during working hours. I have enough trouble convincing family and friends that working from home is "a real job". I really have no wish to undermine this by inviting them over for coffee. I'm already lucky that I can chat with other adults at places like toddler groups, children's centre, etc. but feel that inviting people round to my home is pushing it a bit too far. There will always be exceptions, but the exceptions have to be, well, exceptional. :)

[hectors house]

I have in my Safeguarding policy that I try to only workmen in the house for essential problems (like gas, electric) I am lucky enough to get a day off each work so try to arrange non essential work to happen on day off, evenings or weekends. My parents live locally but I try to persuade them not to visit me in the day, they just pop up to collect my dogs to take them for walk - only stay few mins.

My daughters and their husbands/boyfriends all have current CRB's as work in leisure/sports centres - I still minimise visits during working hours and assure parents that I will not leave mindees in a room with anyone who hasn't got a CRB and only I or my daughter who is my registered assistant will change nappies, dress or undress children or take to toilet.

I try to meet other childminders away from my home, at toddler groups or park or for a walk as I don't really want extra children in my home, due to wear and tear on my home and resources.

[Mouse]

But from my point of view if I'm being taught something i cant really go against it, the tutors are the professionals at the end of the day.

Happy sunday :-) xx

I think many of us would probably disagree with that :p

The people who do the job, day in day out are the professionals. Tutors teach what they are taught to teach. From my experience, the things they tell us we should be doing are often impractical, unnecessary and sometimes completely wrong.
Listen to what your tutor says & listen to what working childminders say. Weigh it all up & make up your own mind. If you decide to have a visitors book do it because you really believe it will make a difference to your practice, not because a tutor told you you had to have one :thumbsup: