Pre inspection in Wales

[dawn37]

Hi I have finally got a date for my pre-inspection (its taken a very long time due to lack of funding for ICP course!) Its on 23rd April, can anyone give me an idea what to expect? I've an inspector from the Nantgarw office, I'm also registering with the CCF network, which normally don't cover my area but luckily the mentor after popping out to see me last Dec is keen to have me :-) I sent in with my paperwork a lot of policies etc, I'm hoping to be registered for overnight stays as well...the inspector gave me the date a while ago & it seemed ages away, now all of a sudden its on top of me & I'm starting to get really stroppy because I'm stressing any tips etc would be most helpful as I can only find pre inspections for England...Oh & can I just have basic welsh words up as I'm English & can't guarantee my pronounciation is spot on

Thanks
Dawn

[aly]

I had xx from the pontypool office.

When she came out she had a good look aroudn the areas I wanted registering {i cant register upstairs as i have no spare bedroom yet}
had a look out side and then she advised on what she thinks should be done.
I have a dog and she advised that he would have to be kept seperate so thought of ways to help me. ALso she will go through the grant forms with you and advise what you can order if you havent already, even though i had all the stairgates it was advised to get 1 new one as mine was on its last legs lol.

Was it xx from t he CCF Network?

Where abouts do you live?

[dawn37]

Its xx from CSSIW I think & the network co ordinator is xx. I live in RCT, I also have a dog but luckily our house has a weird garden layout in that the dog can go out the back & thats hers, out the front I have a gated drive & then at the side of the drive is a gated area with 2 tiers of grass area, although small is sufficient to attempt growing flowers (not very gardener like unfortunately!) we have a couple of parks nearby though. I've got a reasonable size spare room, a full bathroom upstairs & a shower & toilet downstairs. I think I have everything I might need, I've purchased 4 stairgates as we have a large living room but it has 2 doorways, another for the bottom of the stairs & 1 for the other door to the kitchen, got plenty of mixed range toys & books, a travel cot, steriliser, potty, step etc...different coloured handtowels with a matching colour pe bag for them to take stuff home in I'm a brownie leader so got loads of resources I can get my hands on, also got my holiday license so experienced in having lots of little treasures overnight!!!

[tulip0803]

I worried about my pre-insp & she was great. I was a childminder in England and moved to Wales and had to reregister. I asked her advice about stair-gates as I have an odd stair layout & followed her advice. I am not registered for over-night at the moment as I do not have any spare beds until DS goes to Uni in Sept. You sound like you have got everything pretty much covered. The insp will tell you if you need to do anything else before reg & then you just send a letter to say it is done (I had to get PL ins which was part of the grant for my area and put up my fire guard) and then they register you normally .

Good luck

[Polly2]

Sounds like you are pretty much sorted. The pre reg is to help you get registered so don't worry about it.

Let us know how you get on

[dawn37]

Thanks everyone, this forums great, was really panicking about the accounts side of it but I've been on here reading loads of posts & its gradually sinking in I think! Will let you know how it goes next week, apparently now you have 2 pre inspections but the network coordinator is hoping to speak to the inspector & tell her mines been going on for so long could she not do it in 1, the appt next week is to inspect the house & go over policies etc, the next 1 is to ask why I want to be a childminder etc..has anyone else had this?

[pumpkinsmum]

Nantgarw office covers me. I've never had the same inspector twice due to staff shortages, they seem to work for a couple of months then leave! The problem I have had is that they are never experienced so any dealings with them have been difficult as they don't know what I'm talking about!

Back to pre-reg: my inspector looked EVERYWHERE! Eveb the little places you think - I won't need to sweep/dust/wipe there, no-one sees it - well she did! She recommended I covered pipes that babies could potentially touch were covered under my boiler (I did this but there is no way anyone with an arm shorter than a metre long and bends in 3 places could get to it) She also said I should get all my downstairs radiators covered. I didn't do this as my radiators are huge and we worked out it would cost close to £650 to get this done so I ensured my RA's included radiator temps. EVERY piece of furniture had to be screwed to the wall (didn't like this as I like to move things round a lot, but everything has to stay where it is for now) She wanted all the glass in doors covered with safety film. I have lots of doors with the 8 little windows in so panicked at the time/cost of that (and the fact just covering my tv unit windows almost caused me and my partner to split up!) until I remembered they were all safety glass anyway. She evn went through my bathroom cupboards very thoroughly! Wasn't expecting that, it felt like when my mum was checking for contraband when I was a teen!

Basically she was defo by the book whereas my friend who was registered by a different inspector didn't have to do anything like it.

The pre-reg stuff for england is nothing like what I had, Ofsted and CSSIW are very different in what they expect from minders in regard to educational provision, etc. so having basic welsh words should be fine. They have asked to see policies/procedures but have never asked to see my RA's, planners, themes, or anything like that (though I do show them whether they want to or not as I'm really proud of it all!)

I was so stressed about it I nearly cried when she left! But I am a bit of a drama queen and it really wasn't that bad. I'm sure you will be fine as you seem well prepared already x

[itsCM]

hmm....

I've had the same inspector barr one year and I'm inspected out of Nantgarw office too!

I have found the inspectors really helpful - They are not there to catch you out just to help you get registered - there is a major lack of us around here and they dont want to lose anyone!!

My pre inspection I had an inspection of only the areas I was planning to use for childminding.... then she gave recommmendations after asking how I planned to deal with whatever issues she had noticed... As long as you show u have the equipment needed in the event of... you dont need the stuff in place - eg - my fireguard has lived behind my sofa for 5yrs and never been moved but I need it there incase I ever turn the fire on when minded children are here - not that its ever been turned on in the last 5yrs except for when its serviced!

They also looked at my Policies and procedures and a general chat of a few things that weren't covered

I then if I remember rightly I then got a letter to say that I was registered wef date provided I completed xyz within 6mnths!

I must say I always have great service if I need to ring about anything too.... And I;ve been super lucky that so far I have been on maternity leave EVERY time I have had an insection since registering in 2004..... so my inspections have been really quick and painless.....

It sounds like u know what ur doing..... I dont think it will b a problem and every inspector I have met so far has been really nice

good luck!

[itsCM]

I forgot to mention...

I don't actually have any Welsh language on display!
I have a few books in welsh but as I offer an English Language service I don;t generally focus on Welsh.... unless I'm having a bilingual moment!!

hth x

[dawn37]

Well here goes, pre inspection is in 10 mins The lady has already phoned saying she will be coming 30 mins earlier...I was calm this morning but now I want to run away!!!

[aly]

Well here goes, pre inspection is in 10 mins The lady has already phoned saying she will be coming 30 mins earlier...I was calm this morning but now I want to run away!!!

how did it go?

[dawn37]

Pre inspection went....GREAT!!! The lady was really friendly & said I'd put a lot of effort in my work, she was impressed with all the toys etc I'd been collecting & said it showed I was really commited. CSSIW now do 2 pre inspections, the 2nd 1 is to ask questions about how you manage behaviour & why you want to be a childminder etc, she said she can't see any problems at all & would try & get it all done ASAP, she is coming next Fri at 12.30 & my Network inspection is at 9.30am same day Oh well, at least the house will be tidy
So hopefully won't be so freaked out next week ....actually probably will be but hopefully I will be celebrating next Fri afternoon

Thanks again for all the support on here xxx

[Polly2]

Sounds great well done!

[tulip0803]

Well done

[dawn37]

Thanks everyone
I have to tweak my complaints procedure slightly & my statement of purpose, the 2 things I didn't do which I need to in the next week is do a quality of care review plan to show parents what I'll be doing each year & I stupidly did an emergency plan for the children but not if something happened to me! so minor things really, trying to do it now but I need to be in the right frame of mind any suggestions on wording for the quality of care plan would be good??? I know what I need to do when the time comes, its how to put it when you havn't done any yet

[manjay]

Hope my email helps in some way. Seems a bit daft having to show a plan of your QOC review when you haven't even started caring yet

Good luck for Friday. Hope it all goes well for you.

[itsCM]

well done hunny...

You'll breeze the next bit I'm sure..... you always find there are little tweaks here and there however long you;ve been doing it!!

[dawn37]

Yay I've passed!!! couldn't have done it without all the support from you guys xxx
The inspector said she was really pleased with such a comprehensive portfolio & that it was rare that she didn't need to pull me up on anything I can't believe that finally its all done, unfortunately she isn't in the office next week so won't be able to get it signed off by her manager until the following week but she will do it ASAP
Been really emotional tonight, think it's relief, not sure but I'm sure my husband thinks I've finally lost the plot as I keep crying
But IVE PASSED, WOOHOO!!!!!

[tulip0803]

Llongyfarchiadau

(Congratulations)

[dawn37]

Thank you xxxx