Have I really done wrong?

[ozzy10]

Hi

This is my 1st post so hope its ok!

I've decided to start as a childminder as my friend couldn't find childcare for when she returned to work.

I contacted my local council who have booked me on a briefing session this is at the end of June and my friend should return to work in August, so I am wanting to try and get registered ASAP.

I found a first aid course and booked myself on it and attended the 1st session yesterday. Today I decided to contact the council and tell them I had done this and was there anything else I could do prior to the briefing session to help and get registed ASAP. The woman I spoke to told me I should really not of booked and definitely should not of attended the course until after the briefing session and I should do nothing else till I have attended this.

Is this the case? Have I done wrong?

I wondered if I should/could get the health declaration done as after working at a doctors surgery I know they can take weeks to complete things like that!

Would love any advise you have for me, sorry for the very long post and rambling on!

:) X

[Pauline]

I don't see any reason why you should not do your first aid, they are like gold dust round here so getting it done now might save you worries later.

It could be that the lady you spoke to was worried that if something came up at the briefing session to put you off minding then you would have wasted your money on the first aid, but doing it is a good skill whether or not you continue, in my opinion.

Or perhaps they worry that it would not be an approved course, it must be 12 hours Paediatric.

Good luck, sounds like you are on the ball to me. :)

[Zoomie]

I think that the only problem that there might be with the first aid course is that it has to be a pediatric first aid and needs to be 12 hours long.

[jojobell]

hi,, you get the booklet for your health decleration at the end of you breifing session when you pick up your ofstead forms so i dont think you can do that yet as you need to wait to be given the appropriate paperwork.................
as for the first aid course,, im no expert but i really dont see what the problem is,, as peadatric first aid is somthing anyone can do, id already done a 3 day course before registering as a cildminder beacuse i wanted the knollege for my own kids if ever i needed it! i no in my area hampshire they do pay for first aid for you but you have to wait till you have done your breifing,, if you booked it ytour selfi really dont see what all the fuss is about!!! good luck with your registration

[Pauline]

At a briefing session you will get all the paperwork as jojobell says, however you can download everything you need from the Ofsted website, so if they do that then I assume it is for those that do not want to go on a briefing session or can't get on one (some areas have massive waiting lists).

They are not compulsory but you do get so much out of them as far as information and help/advice is concerned that it is best to go. :thumbsup:

[Stew....pid]

as long as it a 12 hour pediatric first aid course by a reputable training centre its valid regardless of what the council woman says so dont panic :)

[ozzy10]

Thank you all for your replies.

It is a 12 hour paediatric course and is approved by ofsted, its run in another area but by a pre school alliance (so seems reputable and ok to me?). I think they can be like gold dust near us too so thought I best do it while it was available.

Thanks again for your replies. :)

[ozzy10]

Thank you all for your replies.

It is a 12 hour course and is approved for OFSTED, it is with someone reputable in another local authority but who they recommend.

I will be going on the briefing session just wanted to get the ball rolling before if I could and got a bit of a shock when she said I shouldn't of done the 1st aid yet.

Thanks you all again for your replies. :D X

[Jiorjiina]

At a briefing session you will get all the paperwork as jojobell says, however you can download everything you need from the Ofsted website, so if they do that then I assume it is for those that do not want to go on a briefing session or can't get on one (some areas have massive waiting lists).

They are not compulsory but you do get so much out of them as far as information and help/advice is concerned that it is best to go. :thumbsup:

Er, we just got told to download everything, and use Ofsted Online. I had to use google to find the health booklet (it took a whole 2 seconds to find this way).

Did anyone else get told at their briefing sessions that their LA no longer hands out paperwork, and to download and use the Ofsted Online portal? I only did mine in Feb/March, so perhaps this is new?

[Pauline]

Er, we just got told to download everything, and use Ofsted Online. I had to use google to find the health booklet (it took a whole 2 seconds to find this way).

Did anyone else get told at their briefing sessions that their LA no longer hands out paperwork, and to download and use the Ofsted Online portal? I only did mine in Feb/March, so perhaps this is new?

Things differ from area to area and since all the funding losses it sounds like some areas are really cutting back what they offer. :(