Hi, am having my first 6 months registration inspection on Wednesday, the lady who phoned me was absolutely lovely and put my mind at rest, she also gave me an exact time which was brilliant, I've spent ages getting all my things ready but just wanted to do a quick spot check with everyone to make sure I've got the right idea:-

1) I read on here that you don't have to have stair gates up any more. Is this true? I do have stairgates but don't use them as I have a door that shuts off to my kitchen, and both children totally ignore the stairs - I have a downstairs bathroom so they have no reason to go upstairs.

2) All my paperwork is in place but I haven't ever done an attendance register as I have a report book that goes between home and me every day, so I took this as proof of their attendance, and they are my only two mindeds, and siblings. Do I need to fudge an attendance book?

3) I don't have a visitors book either as I literally never have visitors, and the room I use for childminding is at the back of the house, if for example someone came to read the meter he would only be in the front of the house and not even know I had children there. I never have tradesmen in the house as my OH covers that sort of thing. But do I need some kind of visitors book for the inspector to sign? Will she think it is odd that I never have visitors and that the only name in it will be hers?

4) My first aid kit is kept in a cupboard inside my conservatory, with a label on it to say where it is. Is this good enough or should I put it in my actual medicine cupboard in the kitchen? (which is a total mess!) the cupboard that I put the first aid box in is probably within read of the oldest child, plus the cupboard also has colouring stuff etc inside it. There aren't any medicines stored there, just the first aid box...am kind of thinking I should bite the bullet and put it in my main medicine cupboard??

5) Is it frowned upon for the 1 year old to sleep in his pram or does he have to have some kind of a travel cot downstairs? The parents are happy for him to sleep in his pram and that is where he has been sleeping the whole time he has been with me. He does have a seperate room for him to sleep quietly and by himself - don't really know the right way to go about this if he does get too tired and want a sleep while the inspector is here. I also, by parental agreement as it is their practice, use controlled crying for him to settle down to sleep. Would this be really frowned upon? This is my main issue about the inspection as he's just turned 1 and is really starting to fight going to sleep. Also, while I'm putting him to sleep in the conservatory, the inspector and older child will be in the lounge which is literally five steps away from the conservatory - would this be considered as 'leaving' the older child if I'm settling the baby for two minutes? This really is my biggest concern.

Any tips gratefully received!

Hi there,

I am new to all this (started minding March this year) but had my inspection just over a week ago so may be able to help.

1. You dont have to have stairgates. I have one on my kitchen door that Mrs O liked but none on my stairs. I told her that the children in my care are not bothered by the stairs, which they are not and told her that as the young mindees are still in nappies, there are not toilet trips to consider and that once I had them out of nappies I would reassess requirements. She was happy with this.

2. You do have to have an attendance register and she asked to see mine. You have to have the exact times that mindees are in you house i.e. 07:35 to 15:10.

3. I dont think that you have to have a guest book but i have one and she liked that. I only had about three other names entered into the book and wondered if she would find that strange but I pointed out to her that I ask people not to come to the house when I am working if at all possible.

4. I wouldn't put the first aid box where you have it. Mine is on top of my own first aid cupboard which is way out of reach of all mindees. She was happy with this.

5. Mrs O left us just before lunch and asked if the mindees have a nap. I said yes. She needed to go away for up to an hour to do paperwork and then come back to give me my grade. By the time she came back both mindees were fast asleep in the double buggy in my dining room. She had no problem with this and wanted to take a peek and said how content and happy they both looked and how good my routine is that I manage to have them sleeping at the same time. As for leaving a mindee alone while you settle one, I BELIEVE you would be able to do this as of course you would know that MRS O was CRB checked. I was lucky and didn't have to leave the children at all while she was here but perhaps somebody wiser will come along to help with this question.

Anyway, sorry if i have gone on. Dont worry too much though, easier said than done I know but as long as you have all in place and can evidence how you would be in certain situations - you'll be fine. I even hadn't done my risk assessments properly (bit peeved about that as I had taken advice about them) and wasn't marked down as she believed that I would know what to do if any situation was to arise.

Good luck!!!!! :)

Thanks for your help, much appreciated. I'm glad the sleeping in the pram thing is ok. I feel a lot more ready now just a few loose ends to tie up, need to organise my toys and make sure they are tidy and presentable - its difficult because my minded 4 year old tends to like only one activity or toy out at a time, otherwise he gets a bit overexcited and doesn't know what to play with first, and flits about a bit. He's a real boy - when he's good he's amazing, but when the mood takes him....I just need to watch for his triggers, and I already know as I say that he can only take in one thing at a time; should I explain this to Mrs O as I don't want it to look like we haven't got very many toys or resources, as I have lots, I just don't want them spread out all over the floor with a hyped up 4 year old jumping all over them! I also don't know what to do with my 12m minded, as I usually let him have free reign over joining in with all the toys etc, and even though there are toys for his age group he does tend to prefer mucking in with the 4 year old (they're brothers and I know this is how they play at home). It has taken me ages to get used to their little habits, and I don't know how to convey this to Mrs O without looking like I'm making excuses, or just not convey it and risk her thinking that I don't have resources for the 12m old.

Their parents are a bit hippy-dippy and green (and so am I) so they don't have structured play or toys, its just one big activity free-for-all regardless of age or ability, and I do try to reconstruct that here but on a much smaller scale.

I'm worried Mrs O will think I'm weird!!

My other problem is that all over this forum I keep seeing about a Self Evaluation Form but I have absolutely no idea what one is - is Mrs O going to spring this on me and get me to fill it out on the day? She didn't mention it on the phone....eekk!:panic: :panic: :panic: :panic:

No she shouldn't expect you to fill it out on the day. Although they are compulsory they do like you to complete them if possible.

To get access online you will need to register with the Government Gateway or Ofsted first, go here to do that: https://online.ofsted.gov.uk/OnlineOfsted/Default.aspx

Alternatively you can get them from the Ofsted website to print and complete.

Having said that don't worry if you can't do it in time. :)

oh and I meant to say, good luck on Wednesday :thumbsup: and I agree with all the things mummyme said, keep your First Aid box out of reach of the children and definitely get an attendance book sorted, you will be marked down for not having one.

Explain to the inspector who you have worked with parents on the controlled crying - it shows good working in partnership.

If you leave the older child while you settle the other one, make sure they have something to do, explain to them where you are going and why and that you will still be able to hear them, even if the child already knows all this, it helps for the inspector to hear it, so that they know you are planning things out. :thumbsup:

Definitely have to have an attendance record.

Good luck for Wednesday

Miffy xx

WHen I had my inspection, I had the childrens book bench set up and the general toy box out. Whilst Mrs O was here I asked the childen if they would like the train set out and got it out for them. Mrs O liked that and mentioned it in my report.

Definately follow the advice about the SEF. I got marked down for not having filled mine out thoroughly enough. Had I have filled the bit in more thoroughly about my future plans I would have got good rather than satisfactory so its really important.

Good luck! Let us know how you get on x

Thanks everyone, I printed off a copy of the SEF last night and made a start on it, I'll do the best I can with it, do still feel like I'm drowning but I'll be ok. Didn't help when Mrs O rang quite lateish last night to postpone my inspection to next Wednesday, then rang back about half an hour later to say that her manager had vetoed that as it would give me an 'unfair advantage' so she'd have to stick with the original appointment. Dammit! Although it would only have meant having to totally clean my house all over again, which I could do without.

Will keep you all posted as to how I get on, I must say though the Mrs O I am having seems lovely, I just hope she gets the right impression of me on the day.

Oh nearly forgot, I also had a lovely reference from the parents of the two boys I look after, full of praise absolutely nothing negative or critical at all, they would have no hesitation in recommending me to other parents and they feel their children are loved and cared for in a happy, safe environment where they are learning and are stimulated - tbh I don't care what Mrs O has to say for herself after that!

Hi JoRoger,

We have our inspection on Wednesday to and it is a bit scary but good luck to you! I have started on the SEF form but it is BIG how much have you got done? :)

Please let everyone know how you got on!

Lu

I have just finished my self evaluation form and it nearly killed me, it is so huge and I'm actually going to mention to Mrs O that I feel that childminders should have their own tailor-made version, as it is ludicrous that we should have to be filling out ones that nurseries also use.

Am completely done in, off to bed at once!

I have just finished my self evaluation form and it nearly killed me, it is so huge and I'm actually going to mention to Mrs O that I feel that childminders should have their own tailor-made version, as it is ludicrous that we should have to be filling out ones that nurseries also use.

Am completely done in, off to bed at once!

Well done on getting it done in such a short time, I did mine over several months!! It is a mind numbing experience but at least now all you will ever have to do is a few updates :thumbsup:

Mrs O was really lovely and her phone call was nice but sadly I only got satisfactory, with lots of goods.

I feel really disappointed because the reasons my grading got dragged down were just stupid mistakes - we only have one fire alarm upstairs on the landing as both NCMA and the Mrs O who did my pre-reg inspection says it counts as covering for both levels because my landing and stairs come into my lounge. Anyway she said its not enough now as fire regs have changed - even though I didnt know about them. Then I didnt have a fire blanket. I could have cried my OH informed me that we have both a fire blanket and a spare alarm in the shed, as they are spares off of our boat :-(

Another thing that dragged me down was the fact I haven't been on the two courses - the safeguarding and the EYFS - that you are meant to do within six months of registering; I explained that the EYFS isn't running with Essex County Council at the moment as EYFS is changing and they aren't doing the course -this is what they told me on the phone, also the Safeguarding course I am booked into for March as that is the only date I can do as the school it is being held in is miles away, I don't drive so that means I can only do a Saturday, and that Saturday in March is the only one I can do.

She did say really positive things about the children and my relationship with them but right now I'm just feeling really upset because of all the silly mistakes I have made, plus the training issues which aren't my fault.

She also said something that confused me - that my LJ's are great, but they aren't linked to EYFS which it is law to follow, as I know. But then she went on to say that as minders we don't actually, by law, have to make written records of anything. So how can we prove we are following EYFS if we don't have any evidence? I don't understand...

Feeling bit gutted and devalued tbh! I worked so, so hard and was hoping to get a good. I can't believe the fire blanket that ruined it was sitting less than 10 feet away from us!

A satisfactory is fine so you shouldn't be too disheartened - especially as it's things you are aware of and can be easily rectified for next time.

Just be glad it's all over and relax and enjoy Xmas :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: