i am a newbie childminder and lots of my cm friends are all telling me things and now i dont know what to do or even think for that matter. its long winded but there is a purpose any comments or thoughts will genuinely be appreciated!!

ok here goes.....

my house is reg for the up and down.
on the upper level i have a nursery where the babies sleep and i do nappy changes!!!!, the bathroom and also a designated play room (working room)

Now ive been told these children have got to be kept with me at ALL TIMES, but.... where does this stop for example
senario a) in play room mindee needs bum changing, do i take my own 2 girls (11 months and 2 years) with me? or can i leave them in PLAY ROOM?
senario b) my daughter needs bum changing now do i take mindee with me next door into nursery or can i leave him in playroom leaving both doors open?
senario c) I need a wee - now ive been told ive got to take them with me the toilet by the way is the door opposite and slightly to oneside of the playroom door!??? i dont think this is very practical or right being that mindee boy would be present whatching the goings on of whats reqired of women once a month!!! if you catch my drift.

any help here would be fab, im due my first inspection soon and i just want to get this right.

thankyou in advance

I work on the lines the children are within my sight or hearing at all times.

You could do a risk assessment using each of the scenarios you've described to show you've considered the safety aspects

Miffy xx

I was under the impression that minded children need to be either in view or in earshot at all times. If they are happy playing and engrossed in play and not in danger then you can afford to leave them for a few minutes to attend to other duties. My view is that as long as you are all upstairs there is no reason why you cannot hear them and they will be safely in earshot still.

I might be wrong - but to me thats how I plan to operate.

well thats how i thought and currently working as in when were downstairs lounge & kitchen, if were all playing in the lounge and one wants a drink or a snack for example i just leave them in the lounge close stair gate go to kitchen and come back, although they are out of sight they certainly are in hear shot and im only gone a few minutes, but again as i am leaving them to enter another room on the same level although doors are open can i do it? surely they dont have to be glued to my side at all times?

It would be inptractical to have them stuck to you all the time. They should be within sight or hearing and in each of your scenarios they are. You might sometimes find yourself going about your own bathroom duties whilst still conversing with a child on the other side of the door though - I have doen this!!:laughing:

As the others have said, make a note of the scenarios where you would need to leave the room ie nappy change, your toilet visit and then what you have in place to guarantee their safety ie gates, maybe door jammers or something to stop them being able to close the nursery or play room door in your absence etc.

Its common sense also. My almost 3 yr old mindee wants to come with me everywhere but I have to draw the line at times ie when I need to go toilet!!:blush:

ok thats great thats what i thought and hoped, as long as we remain on the same level of house at all times no matter which room i am in, i am ok to leave them in other rooms as long as doors are open etc and i can hear to communicate with them. i think this site has got to be one of the best resources for chilminders and "THE BOSS" should be so very proud

thankyou i love you all x

I was told by an ofsted inspector that the rules are that children are either in sight or sound. Therefore i go to the loo on my own - with the door left open, stair gates shut etc. I nip upstairs to take toddlers to the loo in the same way.

I do remember a lady on my cm training years ago who reckoned she would be taking all the kids to the bathroom with her when she wanted to go!

everyone needs their privacy for the loo, i have a downstairs bathroom and no working rooms upstairs so the moving between floors is not an issue.

I leave my bathroom door open and as i have no under 3's i have no stairgate in place, most of the time the little one stands in the hallway playing with the magnet board until i'm done, he comes into the kitchen with me but thats becuase he is my only one when he attends so he gets loney really fast and cant seem to entertain himself BUT sometimes he is only here once a wk other times its more so his routine is always different too.

so what do you do when "Mrs Ofsted" visits, as your told not to leaved children with strangers... Do you do your norm or take them with you when I start I will have 2 under 2's 1 being my own. Dont fancy having to carry both upstairs when I need the loo, or will just not drink anything so wont need to go :)

so what do you do when "Mrs Ofsted" visits, as your told not to leaved children with strangers... Do you do your norm or take them with you when I start I will have 2 under 2's 1 being my own. Dont fancy having to carry both upstairs when I need the loo, or will just not drink anything so wont need to go :)


I would like to know the answer to that too.

Normally go to loo upstairs by myself (unless young baby,ie crawler who might get squashed or annoy others while I am gone. In which case I put crawler on landing outside bathroom with door open while I do my bit, stair gate at top of landing,doors to bedrooms closed)

Leave others downstairs playing. Door from sitting room to hall closed and latch on, stairgate across to kitchen. Contained in my 'safe' working room with toys and in earshot of me.

When Ofsted come is it ok to leave mindees downstairs still. If they come for ages I might just need the loo at some point! Also over 3's ish, when they can wash hands themselves, go up by themselves too. Is that ok with Ofsted. Risk assess - bedroom doors shut (and mine bolted so I can leave iron etc in there) windows closed.Nowhere else to get into.

Thanks x

I think 'in sight and sound' is the most sensible and your home should be safe enough for children to be left for a minute anyway!

As regards Mrs. (or Mr) Ofsted visiting, I would take the children with me and not leave them with a stranger.

The best thing about having an assistant is the ability to go to the loo in peace, without rushing and having to have your ears on alert! :thumbsup:

Thanks for your kind comments about the Forum Sarah, perhaps you should get your friends to come here too, they might learn something rather than worry you with stories of what you can/cannot/should be doing :D

Mrs OFSTED has an enhanced CRB..tell her you are only happy to leave them in the same room with her because of this.

Mrs OFSTED has an enhanced CRB..tell her you are only happy to leave them in the same room with her because of this.

Ahhhhhh..... the beauty of the forum shines through! - you always get to the bottom of things in the end:clapping:

Mrs OFSTED has an enhanced CRB..tell her you are only happy to leave them in the same room with her because of this.

but does she carry it with her? :)

During my inspection my baby mindees nappy needed changing whilst the other mindee was having lunch as my toilet is just outside the kitchen I never thought just took the baby as normal and changed her. The inspector was in the kitchen with us and actually when I came back she had sat on my chair and had taken this opportunity to talk to the 2 1/2 year old and ask him questions while I wasnt there.

This must have been alright with her because she didnt moan about it. xx