Attendance Records

[lizzymoonshine]

Hi

been hearing different things from childminders, do attendance records need to be signed by parents? Is it a legal requirement? its causing quite a stir.
thanks

[AliceK]

I'm pretty sure it's not a legal requirement to get them signed although it is probably good practice.

xxx

[hectors house]

Ofsted do expect the parents to sign the attendance book (that is if you use the NCMA one) that has a space for parent and childminder to sign each week - not sure why we have to do this, do nurseries do this, if not why not if we are all expected to follow same rules?

Once heard of someone who missed out an outstanding because the parents had signed register but childminder had not!

[karen m]

I have my parents sign just so there is no confusion over hours used

[rickysmiths]

Several reasons why it is good practice for your parents to sign. (my parents have signed for the last 18yrs with no problem)

If they have signed that is showing that they know when their child was with it demonstrates to Ofsted that the parent is also agreeing to those times. If there is then a dispute about the hours a parent has been invoiced to pay or why you have charged a late fee then you can refer to you signed register.

More importantly if an allegation is ever made you have a confirmed record of when the child was in your care.

I had a complaint made about me by a parent to Ofsted last year and they said I was late collecting from school and I hadn't informed them. I was able to produce a copy of the signed Register which proved firstly I didn't collect late from school on the date given and because the parent had signed it it showed that they were fully aware of all collection times. The complaint was not upheld

Ofsted aren't interested and can not enforce that parents sign even the NCMA registers because it is not a legal requirement to have them signed just to record the actual time a child is in our care.

[Helen Dempster]

I didn't think we had to do this, so stopped for a while....until my network lady told me off and said I must get the parents to sign...to cover my own back more than anything else, so now I do. However, one particular parent is always in a rush, sometimes sends someone else to pick up, so I've got about 3 months worth that she's not signed! I might juts get her to sign each page rather than each week, cos it's just not happening!

[rickysmiths]

Ofsted do expect the parents to sign the attendance book (that is if you use the NCMA one) that has a space for parent and childminder to sign each week - not sure why we have to do this, do nurseries do this, if not why not if we are all expected to follow same rules?

Once heard of someone who missed out an outstanding because the parents had signed register but childminder had not!

That should have been challenged as factually incorrect because it ia not a requirement for anyone to sign just good practice.