Hi, could anyone give me any advice as to what to put in my questionnaires to parents, please? I seem to have brain freeze! I have a few basic questions but wondered if there's anything specific I need to put in there

Thanks

Hi, could anyone give me any advice as to what to put in my questionnaires to parents, please? I seem to have brain freeze! I have a few basic questions but wondered if there's anything specific I need to put in there

Thanks

You can change them to ask things you want to know about. At the moment mine ask about Service to Parents (reliability, flexibility, availability for discussions, reporting on child's progress) - Activities (range of toys and equipment, variety of activities, Trips) and a section for comments.

My last one also asked about whether child was happy coming, meals, welcome, appearance of setting, any improvements they could suggest.

I have had more comments and returns of the new one than I had of the old one

Just a few pointers:-

1. Do as Tulip says: ask them the things you want to know about.

2. Don't ask if you're afraid of the answers. What do I mean? I mean I have seen some members occasionally making themselves look frankly rather silly on this forum when they express horror and take offence cos a parent has drawn attention to something they'd like to see improved. It's worth remembering that the point of consultation is to find out what you could be doing better. It is not meant to be an exercise in 'fishing for compliments'. To be blunt, if CMs can't take the criticism, they should not be asking for opinions. (Husbands know all about this: the classic, "does my bum look big in this?" dilemma, translated to a childcare situation. :rolleyes: ) So be prepared to be honest with yourself and gracious enough to let parents be honest too.

2b. In spite of what I've said above, there's every chance you'll get very nice positive responses from most if not all parents. This is both reassuring and frustrating, as you eventually reach the point of screaming, "please tell me how I can improve, or I'll never satisfy the inspector that I'm responding to parents' wishes." This is where you start subtly editing your questionnaires to oblige parents to dripfeed a little more information.

eg. Are you happy with my provision? (or meals? or activities? etc.) could well just get a "yes" response. Nice, satisfying, not entirely helpful. There is nothing wrong with adding a supplementary question, along the lines of: if there were one thing you would most like me to improve/do, what would it be? (or similar).

:)

Thank you both - very helpful.

Sorry jumping in on the thread. Very helpful

Ja-Lula-Belli Childminding