What is really worrying me...

[Excitable]

Okay, what is really worrying me, more than my pre-reg visit, more than my distant forays into anorexia, even more than my shaky knowledge of safeguarding because I don't want to think about it is ............... The visit from Mr Environmental Health. It's time for me to come clean. There are corners of my kitchen that haven't seen a brillo pad for several years. Not the bits where I prepare food, but bits where I store packets/jars etc. Oh and my 70s cooker that is nigh on impossible to keep clean. Have you had the Environmental Health round? Are you secretly a bit scummy like me (not very scummy, just a bit scummy)? How bad was it? I've seen some posts saying it wasn't too bad, but how clean were their kitchens in the first place?

[Pipsqueak]

aww bless you.
i scrubbed, and sparkled my kitchen and EH lady didn;t even go in it!!!
Thats not to say that all EH inspections will be the same but they want to know that you understand food hygiene etc.

have you got the safer food better business pack for childminders (put that in the forum search and you'll find the phone number to order one)

[snufflepuff]

When i registered with the EH they said they dont visit childminders in my area. Good job too- while the work surfaces etc are sparkly clean, i dread to think what may be lurking under my fridge. And there was a spillage of coffee a while back which means i now have brown speckled stains down the side of my cooker. So you are not alone!

[Mookins]

i understand your worries.....after unpacking the shopping and finding homes for thesweets hubby and i have to hide from the children i came against some of the most scary looking cobwebs, grease marks and piles of crumbs ive ever seen....

thank fully my microwave blew up this this afternoon so this got thrown as inside could of been classed a work of modern art:eek:

x x x

[Excitable]

I really hope he doesn't go in my kitchen, even though I've spent 3.5 hours scrubbing it, I still don't think it's up to scratch. Although you have persuaded me not to clean the top of the cupboards where I keep my ovenware. Thanks for the reminder about the pack. I've had that on a shelf for months. I'll dig it out and look through it. Keep the EH stories coming everyone. They are calming me. Appointment is on Thurs.

[pinkbutterfly]

Just a question ... what are you taking about? I've heard nothing about EH coming to inspect ... is this something everybody has to do or just in certain parts of the country. Nobody mentioned this at my pre reg meeting or course ... I'm a bit :eek:confused

[AliceK]

Just a question ... what are you taking about? I've heard nothing about EH coming to inspect ... is this something everybody has to do or just in certain parts of the country. Nobody mentioned this at my pre reg meeting or course ... I'm a bit :eek:confused

You have to register with environmental health but they don't always visit it depends on your area. I registered about 9mths ago and haven't heard a thing. BUT then I guess they could just turn up on my doorstep one day :eek: . I THINK my kitchen is OK as long as they don't move anything. I haven't cleaned behind the cooker or the fridge freezer for about 3 months :blush: I do always log my fridge / freezer temps everyday though and I'm careful how I store things in the fridge. Just basic stuff really, don't worry.

xxxx

[pinkbutterfly]

Thanks Alice
Is there a registration charge for this?

[singingcactus]

Sounds like my kitchen. I had a lovely lady who was a mum and understood fully that my kitchen was a multi purpose room within a busy family home.
You will need to demonstrate how you ensure no cross contamination, how you ensure that you have no infestations and check regularly for this. Show your fridge/freezer thermometers and all that type of stuff etc. They will also want to check out your bathroom most likely. Mine was very easy, I had a sensible lady do it, I hope you do too.
(PS, I don't use my microwave for childminding but I actually hid it on the day lol)

[rickysmiths]

Thanks Alice
Is there a registration charge for this?

Not usually.

[Excitable]

Thanks for the kind words and advice ladies. The visit went just fine, exactly as you said it would. I would definitely recommend having this before your pre-reg visit if you have invite EH people in your area. It was a nice dress rehearsal for ofsted. And now, omg just one more visit until I'm registered. Not bad.

[singingcactus]

Glad it went well for you :)