stair gates...

[sarahc88]

does anyone know where i can find cheap pressure fit stair gates? also, would it be ok do you think to use collapsible ones, or are these only really good for travel? they seem to be a little cheaper but not sure if OFSTED would approve! would do you reckon?

Thoughts appreciated! :)

[Elkie Mawdsley]

I'm not sure about pressure fit ones as I purchased the full opening gate variety - but I got mine from John Lewis for £13 each. Aldi sometimes has offers too. Good luck x

[Glitter]

I use a folding travel gate at the top of my stairs as I don't have it up all the time, only if I am upstairs with a little one.
Ofsted said it was fine to use- but I would not want to use one all the time. I found it difficult to open and step through, and the older children could not open it themselves.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

It isn't down to Ofsted to approve or not approve - safeguarding is your responsibility. I don't have stairgates anywhere at all but that is my responsibility if there is an accident.

[joannes]

I dont have one at the top of the stairs, I did for my son initially but then I saw my four year old nephew struggle to open it to go to the toilet independently and I realised it was stupid as it was a barrier on the stairs where previously there hadn't been one. Now I have one on my son's bedroom so he can nap in there but my nephew can get up and down the stairs fine. I have one at my living room door into the hallway/stairs. I got both of mine from a local selling site on facebook and ebay for £10 each. Always plenty on there and they all do the same job so not point spending a lot. I have a collapsible one which I plan on using for the kitchen whilst I'm cooking but I do find it a pain to work so wouldn't have it up other than that. My LA person said strictly speaking it "should" be at the bottom of my stairs but I argued that I wouldnt want the children in my hallway unsupervised and that the banister got in the way to have it on the actual stairs and its an extra barrier to older children to trip them on the first step or way down. I guess it depends on your house, the children and how comfortable you feel. I know that I would be panicking if I didn't have a safety gate from my living room because all it would take for me would be for a child to have an accident in the kitchen/garden and be administering first aid and I know my son if no one else would be making a break for it upstairs while laughing his head off lol. Or if I was cooking in my kitchen but people have different ways of working and as long as you can justify to Ofsted that you've considered risks, minimised any where necessary and are constantly evaluating your practice then you are satisfying the safeguarding needs as there are no specifics in the statutory guidance.

[munch149]

I don't have one on my stairs either but one kitchen door (stairs are randomly in the kitchen) I don't want kids in the kitchen insupervised either so it keeps them out of the kitchen and away for the stairs. There isn't one on the top as I don't use upstairs for minding and I think it would be more of a hazard for my on dd (2) who goes up and down the stairs really well