Pre-reg Visit help.... Fireguard and cupboard locks

[michellem]

Hi Guys,

After some advice please, i have my pre-reg visit on friday and i'm soo scared! I have a couple of safety things i'm not sure of, so any advice would be great. We have a gas fire in the living room, this will not be switched on at all whilst i have mindees but do i still need a fire guard? Also i have brought cupboard locks for the kitchen cupboards, do i have to have a lock on every cupboard that is accessible or just the cleaning and medication cupboard? The other cupboards have things like pots and pans and plates etc? Also i have a stair gate but does this need to be up for the visit or can i just show that i have one and it will be used when i have mindees? Any advice for my visit would be very much appreciated, i am so scared that i won't be accepted :( xx

[Mrsh3103]

I'm not sure about the fire guard but personally I'd have one just so they don't fiddle with it the second my back was turned. With cupboard door locks I only put them on the cleaning cupboard under the sink.
I didn't have any stair gates fitted on my pre reg visit but I showed her them & said "if I get a child where I need to use them I will. Until then they are in the shed" she was happy with that :)

[sarah707]

A childminder was given inadequate recently for not having a fireguard - although it is not a requirement, the inspector felt she wasn't properly protecting children from the fire place.

I have locks on the cupboards where chemicals and knives are stored.

I wouldn't work without a stairgate - I don't have eyes in the back of my head - contrary to what I tell the children :laughing:

Good luck! You'll be fine :D

[LittleAcornsThatcham]

I had preregistration today (I'm reregistering though) and didn't look at cupboard locks, and I only had two stair gates up and said I wasn't putting them on the stairs as I don't believe in them lol. That was fine!

A friend got told she has to have a fire guard, or it had to be removed. Disconnected wasn't enough so I'm guessing off wouldn't be either. She had it removed,

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I am going to buck the trend here!

No fireguard, no door locks, no socket covers and no stairgates. These are not requirements but you do have to prove why you are not having them

1. Fireguard - I remove the knob off of the fire and put it out of reach so no chance of it being lit

2. Door locks - nothing at low level for a child to get to

3. Stairgates - I have spindles and a stairgate wouldn't be sturdy enough and a child would land up pushing it over. I do move my sofa over the gap if they are young and cannot get downstairs on their own and I only have 5 stairs

4. Socket covers - there is good documentation and evidence to support no having these. For them to be live all 3 holes need to have something in them (isn't this what a socket cover does?)

Just do in your home what you are happy with.

[FussyElmo]

I am going to buck the trend here!

No fireguard, no door locks, no socket covers and no stairgates. These are not requirements but you do have to prove why you are not having them

1. Fireguard - I remove the knob off of the fire and put it out of reach so no chance of it being lit

2. Door locks - nothing at low level for a child to get to

3. Stairgates - I have spindles and a stairgate wouldn't be sturdy enough and a child would land up pushing it over. I do move my sofa over the gap if they are young and cannot get downstairs on their own and I only have 5 stairs

4. Socket covers - there is good documentation and evidence to support no having these. For them to be live all 3 holes need to have something in them (isn't this what a socket cover does?)

Just do in your home what you are happy with.


I have a stair gate in between the kitchen and living room. but that's to protect my dogs from my mindee :laughing::laughing::laughing:

I don't have a fire at all so no guard needed.

It is sometimes down to the inspector mine was happy some others might not have been :)

[shortstuff]

I dont have a fire guard and it wasnt questioned.

I also dont have locks on my usual kitchen cupboards as my cleaning chemicals are in the larder, I do keep that locked with a high level hook and eye.

My stair gates prevent children from getting to the stairs but arent on the stairs, as they also prevent access to the front door.

[Bumble Beez]

I have a stair gate in between the kitchen and living room. but that's to protect my dogs from my mindee :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Me too!! Poor little blighters are so good with the LO's but my retriever in particular will take himself off to the kitchen for a rest when he's had enough...my cue to shut the stair gate and let the doggies have their nap :)

Sarah x

[Becci26]

I don't have a fire guard and was very clear with ofsted my reasons why. They were satisfied with my answers and could see I had thought it through and risk assessed appropriately.

[Becci26]

I don't have a fire guard and was very clear with ofsted my reasons why. They were satisfied with my answers and could see I had thought it through and risk assessed appropriately.

Ggrr sorry went back to edit and sent by mistake!

It is a gas fire and we never use it, have been here 3 years nearly and not switched it on. The children know they are not to touch it and I have never had a issue with it, i would rather make the children aware of the risks than put barriers up. I would however consider putting up a safety gate if I felt it was needed.

[sprinkles]

I think it depends on your area/inspector etc. I'm in Scotland and was told I had to have a fire guard. There wasn't even a fireplace in the house before we moved in but our living room is huge so need something to break it up. We got an electric one put in but have a marble hearth - that is the reason I was told I need a fire guard; in case the littlies fall and hit their head on it, not because of the actual fire.

I have socket covers but tbh, I don't have many empty sockets! I also have a door lock on cupboard under sink as cleaning stuff kept there but kids never in kitchen unattended anyway. I also have stair gates on kitchen door and at bottom of stairs.

I only had socket covers at my pre-reg though. Had a stair gate but we use one on the stairs to stop dogs going up anyway so it was already there. Told her I would be buying more if needed.

[charlottenash]

I'm a stickler for no stair gates. Why? Children need to learn how to get up and down safely, and when their at the learning age it's about educating and generally watching them. My mindees aren't left long enough to get to the stairs and up the stairs ever...