Mindees in another room...

[kime]

I have general play downstairs but also have an 'activity room' upstairs. I let the mindees go up & down as they please (youngest is 3). After school she goes up to the activity room to draw, make things & generally plays with another minder (6 yrs). I ensure door is open & go up & down checking they are ok, seeing what they are doing.

I think it's really good for her development playing with other mindees & she really enjoys it but I have my ofsted inspection next week & I'm not sure whether what I am doing is ok?? Should I be up there all the time she is??

Kim xx

[sarah707]

The EYFS states -

Requirement 3.27 - 'Children must usually be within sight and hearing of staff and always within sight or hearing.'

If you are complying with the requirements then you will be fine

[lilac_dragon]

Personally, No, I wouldn't do this.
The children are supposed to be within sight and/or hearing all the time.
If the 3 year old slipped and fell down the stairs you would have to accept it would be your responsibility for any injuries. Remember that the first question you would be asked in that situation is "Where were you when this happened?".
The same if they were hurt whilst upstairs, would you realise there was a problem immediately?
I don't think there's so much concern for older children who might be upstairs playing with your own child in their bedroom, they still have to be in sight or hearing though but I wouldn't be happy about a child as young as 3 being unsupervised at the top of a flight of stairs.

It will be interesting to see what others think.

[AliceK]

I probably wouldn't have a problem with older mindees being up there although I would probably have a monitor so that I can hear what they are doing but I wouldn't feel comfortable with a 3 year old being up there. I worry when the children are alone in the playroom and I'm in the kitchen and that's only next door

xxxx

[littlecheeks]

I have general play downstairs but also have an 'activity room' upstairs. I let the mindees go up & down as they please (youngest is 3). After school she goes up to the activity room to draw, make things & generally plays with another minder (6 yrs). I ensure door is open & go up & down checking they are ok, seeing what they are doing.

I think it's really good for her development playing with other mindees & she really enjoys it but I have my ofsted inspection next week & I'm not sure whether what I am doing is ok?? Should I be up there all the time she is??

Kim xx

Personally wouldn’t do this either, especially not with the 3 year old. I am lucky enough to have a playroom downstairs and the biggies only got upstairs to use the toilet, otherwise they stay downstairs where I can keep an eye. I would consider the 3 year old bit more and make sure you have a risk assessment in place for any potential problems if Ofsted don’t like it. I don’t class being upstairs as in 'hearing distance' which is why I am not keen. Maybe you could use the room for planned activities you go up with them?

[clareelizabeth1]

Must say I wouldn't either, but mostly because my experience of 3 year olds going up and down stairs shows how little they pay attention to where they put their feet.

[kime]

Thank you for your replies, they are really helpful.

My initial aim was to use it for planned activities but the girls just love going up there to play & I don't want them to feel like I'm watching over them constantly when they are playing!

I am going to try & make more space of my living room & then go back to using upstairs room for planned activities.

Happy Easter :-)

[Katiekoo]

Must say I wouldn't either, but mostly because my experience of 3 year olds going up and down stairs shows how little they pay attention to where they put their feet.

I agree, it really can depend on the child, I have a 3 yr old Mindee who is very very careful on the stairs, I have instilled in her since she was very young that we don't mess about on the stairs, we often ' bum shuffle' down just to be sure. I do let her play upstairs with my dd occasionally, they are only allowed in dd's room with the door open - right at the top of the stairs, I put the gate on to be sure there's no accidents. It's usually only for 5-10 mins and I can hear them playing from downstairs. Most of the time I hover about at the bottom of the stairs listening in though, because their conversations are so funny!

[Roseolivia]

My 2 and half ds goes up and down the stairs on his own. They have to learn sometime.

[Jelly Baby]

Hi we have a funny lay out house..all on one level except the playroom which is down 6 stairs and the bedrooms which are up 6 stairs! the mindees use my house as they wish (not bedrooms)with sometimes them being one in every room! The younger ones (4.5yrs) play downstairs BUT are very confident on stairs as they live in a town house so have grown up going up and down all the time! If I leave them when I am doing dinner which is only a short distance away and I can see them from the stairs but it has been a bit of a worry for when I get inspected. Usually when its dinner time I sit them all in the dining room to colour and talk to while I cook BUT mrs Ofsted wouldn't be here then anyway so?!

[adedwards68]

I personally wouldn't use my upstairs, only for sleeping, as my kids rooms are up there and that is their space. But it can be hard when you have a mindee similar age to own child as they seem to want to take them upstairs to show them their toys. I don't allow this! :-)). I have 2 grown up daughters who definitely wouldn't want anyone wandering into their rooms
I feel safer being able to see all mindees and what they are upto but that is my personal pref.