Hi All
I've been on maternity leave for the last year, recently returning to childminding.

My last inspection was 2years ago so due anytime really.

Just wondering if the inspection process has changed at all?

My last inspection they sent out all the paperwork for me to fill, parent questionnaires to fill in etc, sent it all back and then said inspection would be within the next 3 months, is that still the same?

Any help appreciated, thanks

I had my inspection in January.

I had no parent forms like they had sent out before, they are now focussing on our own parental questionnaires and feed back and our Quality of Care reports that we have to do each year as a requirement. I had no 3 month notification as last year they tried something new by send the SAF paperwork to everyone in April and then would inspect from there. Some of the other Welsh minders have had phone calls to check what hours they are working. I had a call to ask if I minded having 2 inspectors come out as they had a trainee inspector, she said she could not tell me when but it would be soon, they arrived the next day! My inspection had been due in October so they were a bit late.

There are now 2 types of inspection Focussed on Quality of life, which is what I had, and a baseline inspection on all 4 areas (quality of life/quality of staffing/quality of leadership and management/quality of environment) which will be alternated. The focussed is shorter as they are only looking at one section of service.

They are not sending out the SAF forms until the Autumn and they will only send them to those due inspection between then and the end of the inspection year.

I had my inspection in January.

I had no parent forms like they had sent out before, they are now focussing on our own parental questionnaires and feed back and our Quality of Care reports that we have to do each year as a requirement. I had no 3 month notification as last year they tried something new by send the SAF paperwork to everyone in April and then would inspect from there. Some of the other Welsh minders have had phone calls to check what hours they are working. I had a call to ask if I minded having 2 inspectors come out as they had a trainee inspector, she said she could not tell me when but it would be soon, they arrived the next day! My inspection had been due in October so they were a bit late.

There are now 2 types of inspection Focussed on Quality of life, which is what I had, and a baseline inspection on all 4 areas (quality of life/quality of staffing/quality of leadership and management/quality of environment) which will be alternated. The focussed is shorter as they are only looking at one section of service.

They are not sending out the SAF forms until the Autumn and they will only send them to those due inspection between then and the end of the inspection year.

Thanks so much for your in depth reply, you've been very helpful x

Where I am they are sending out parent questionnaires for minders who are due to be inspected soon but they will still be working from the SAS we sent in last April.

I was at toddler group with one of our local inspectors yesterday and she confirmed that observation is now the main focus. They want to see how you interact with the children. Your Quality of Care report is really important and they will want to see that. They are starting to experiment with the new Quality Judgement Framework where we will eventually be graded on quality but this is not universal at the moment.

They are starting to experiment with the new Quality Judgement Framework where we will eventually be graded on quality but this is not universal at the moment.

Apparently it has gone down very well where it is being trialled. They are looking at giving 4 grades in each of the Quality area rather than one overall grade as they feel this would be unfair to some settings - such as playgroups/meithrins that are in halls with no outside area and where they have to pack it all away at the end of the day -so said the inspector we had on a county training day. She said they have only trialled it on group settings so far.

Yes I think from what I was told was that they were unofficially advising childminders what grading they would get. What she did say though was she was pointing out to everyone that if there was no QOC report in place then the judgement would be poor!

Yes I think from what I was told was that they were unofficially advising childminders what grading they would get. What she did say though was she was pointing out to everyone that if there was no QOC report in place then the judgement would be poor!

Yes the inspector said no QOC report would result in an action as it is a requirement.