In case of emergency procedure

[TabbyTuTu]

Currently typing out my P&Ps. A minder friend showed me hers the other week and her procedure for emergencies (As in if she was taken ill or had to take a child to hospital) was to ring parent then leave with one of her two neighbours, both of who have DBS checks and childcare experience. Now, I don't know anyone with DBS checks except for fellow childminders who are all to far away for an immediate emergency and all busy with their own mindees, I'm sure a lot of childminders don't happen to have DBS checked folk either side so what did you guys put?

[Vikki5531]

Currently typing out my P&Ps. A minder friend showed me hers the other week and her procedure for emergencies (As in if she was taken ill or had to take a child to hospital) was to ring parent then leave with one of her two neighbours, both of who have DBS checks and childcare experience. Now, I don't know anyone with DBS checks except for fellow childminders who are all to far away for an immediate emergency and all busy with their own mindees, I'm sure a lot of childminders don't happen to have DBS checked folk either side so what did you guys put?

In my Emergency care permission I put my Nanna down as she lives down the road and thought this would be easier, but during my Pre-Reg visit last month, Ofsted pulled me up on this and said that they need to be DBS checked and requested I change it to my Support Childminder instead!
When I queried this, as my Support Childminder is full most days, her response was that she can go over numbers in emergencies! X

[moggy]

Currently typing out my P&Ps. A minder friend showed me hers the other week and her procedure for emergencies (As in if she was taken ill or had to take a child to hospital) was to ring parent then leave with one of her two neighbours, both of who have DBS checks and childcare experience. Now, I don't know anyone with DBS checks except for fellow childminders who are all to far away for an immediate emergency and all busy with their own mindees, I'm sure a lot of childminders don't happen to have DBS checked folk either side so what did you guys put?

In an emergency you can leave children with any responsible adult- a friend, neighbour, family member etc. I list a few in my Policy. No DBSs are necessary. With parents' permission, I leave all mindees contact details in a sealed envelope with my local friend (who is one of my emergency contacts) and my husband (registered as my assistant) has them too.

If I had to take 1 child to hospital I would probably take all children (only have max 3) with me rather than leave them with someone (although, most likely would call for an ambulance because if the child goes into shock in back of my car while driving could be serious problem). If I was ill I would probably ask a friend/neighbour to come to sit with us at my house until parents collect rather than taking children to another house. If I had to go to hospital I would call husband from work to sit with children at our house until parents come. I always ask parents for a LOCAL emergency contact who can be here relatively quickly in case of emergency anyway to avoid these situations... basically, there are so many possible scenarios and so many possible ways to deal with them that would change with a tiniest detail of difference, that no one can cover it all in a Policy. Just outline the basics and name a couple of local adults who you can rely on for emergency back-up. If an emergency actually happens you will do the best you can in whatever the circumstances are.

[moggy]

In my Emergency care permission I put my Nanna down as she lives down the road and thought this would be easier, but during my Pre-Reg visit last month, Ofsted pulled me up on this and said that they need to be DBS checked and requested I change it to my Support Childminder instead!
When I queried this, as my Support Childminder is full most days, her response was that she can go over numbers in emergencies! X

DBS checked by whom I wonder? Will Ofsted DBS my nextdoor neighbour so she can be my emergency contact?! I doubt it!
We know Ofsted do not accept DBS checks from any other organisation, so what was this Inspector talking about?

[moggy]

In my Emergency care permission I put my Nanna down as she lives down the road and thought this would be easier, but during my Pre-Reg visit last month, Ofsted pulled me up on this and said that they need to be DBS checked and requested I change it to my Support Childminder instead!
When I queried this, as my Support Childminder is full most days, her response was that she can go over numbers in emergencies! X

Yes, I think in a true emergency (like off to hospital) you can go over numbers just until parents or emergency contacts can collect. I know if a CM friend was in this situation I would do it for her and argue it out with Ofsted afterwards. But, also to avoid this I chose non-CM friends to be my emergency back-up.

[Vikki5531]

DBS checked by whom I wonder? Will Ofsted DBS my nextdoor neighbour so she can be my emergency contact?! I doubt it! We know Ofsted do not accept DBS checks from any other organisation, so what was this Inspector talking about?

I didn't argue, she told me to amend this to my Support Childminder rather than my Nanna - I just queried the ratios x

[loocyloo]

There is only one other childminder in my town and not close by.
My emergency contacts are DH who works just down the road ( and if he was out ... pretty much anyone in his office would come ) and a couple of neighbours who both work but different days. Neighbours have crb.

However I have lots of other friends around that in an emergency I could and would call, the majority of whom don't have dbs but I trust them as a suitable, sensible and safe person.

[TabbyTuTu]

Thank you for all the different replies. I did wonder if ratios would matter in an emergency. Well, my friend is a childminder just round the corner so I will ask her, I know of another fifteen minutes walk away so I may give her a ring. My DH is obv DBS checked but works five towns over (Granted, living on the Isle of wight this means little!) I think the idea of getting someone to come here and wait for the children to be collected is a good idea

[moggy]

Thank you for all the different replies. I did wonder if ratios would matter in an emergency. Well, my friend is a childminder just round the corner so I will ask her, I know of another fifteen minutes walk away so I may give her a ring. My DH is obv DBS checked but works five towns over (Granted, living on the Isle of wight this means little!) I think the idea of getting someone to come here and wait for the children to be collected is a good idea

I think it is good to have a few options in mind as who knows who will be not available, or roads busy, or phone switched off, or who knows what!

Of course, all this is only for real emergencies, 'life-and-death' stuff- not 'oh bother, I will be late for a very important appointment/event this evening and parents haven't picked up yet so will have to leave kids with someone!'. In anything but really serious, life-and-death scenarios I would not leave the mindees anywhere.

It is very, very rarely that this kind of thing happens- maybe never in your years of CMing, but good to have a wide range of solutions you can turn to just in case.