Did I do the right thing?

[jo.jo76]

Hi

I had an incident today where I had left my assistant for 2 hours while I attended an exam. This all was planned, I would leave at 9am and be back at 10.45am as exam was 9.30 to 10.30. All was going according to plan until I got back to my car after the exam. Car would not start!! Assistant had been there for 1 3/4hrs at this point.
Called assistant, all kids fine, no problems and explained what had happened. Tried car again and nothing, so called AA and waited! Called assistant again who was still fine and making lunches. I text all parents telling them what was happening and offering that they could collect their children as I did not know how long I would be. All work 1/2hr up to 1 1/2hrs away. All parents said they were happy for children to stay with assistant. AA tried for ages to get me going and nothing, had to then tow to garage and AA then took me home. Assistant was alone for 4 1/2 hrs. All parents contacted again to let them know I was back and all have said they are happy with how I dealt with it.
I am writing up an incident report for them all to sign. Should I do anything else?
Should I have insisted parents collect children?

Thank you

[rickysmiths]

I have an Emergency Plan and I would have instigated this which would have meant a Registered Childminder coming to the house to be with the Assistant until the parents collected or until I got home whichever we had arranged to do.

I must confess I wouldn't have left an Assistant alone with the children in this instance in case anything happened. The two exams I sat for my Level 3 started late.

I think in the circumstances you have done all you could. I think I would email a copy of the incident report to Ofsted explain what happened and what you did and what plan you have in the future if something like this were to happen. Technically though you were breaking the terms of your registration.

[jo.jo76]

Arrggh! I did consider calling my back up minder but she has 3 of her own and adding three more children to my pokey little house might have made things worse! All mine were safe and happy even if it wasn't the right thing to do
I have two more exams, closed for one as assistant is unavailable, hadn't even considered exam starting late for the other! Something else to consider!
Thank you

[rickysmiths]

Could the assistant have gone to your back up cms house?

I have never worked with an assistant because I have never been in a position to make it financially viable. However if you have an Assistant is that not so you can have more than 3 under 5's? If so would there not have been enough room for your back up cm and her children plus the assistant and yours?

Maybe you need to work out your exact space so you know for future reference?

I certainly wouldn't want to be in the position where an Assistant was a lone for more than two hours again. I don't think Ofsted would be very happy.

[jo.jo76]

Could the assistant have gone to your back up cms house?

I have never worked with an assistant because I have never been in a position to make it financially viable. However if you have an Assistant is that not so you can have more than 3 under 5's? If so would there not have been enough room for your back up cm and her children plus the assistant and yours?

Maybe you need to work out your exact space so you know for future reference?

I certainly wouldn't want to be in the position where an Assistant was a lone for more than two hours again. I don't think Ofsted would be very happy.

Nor me!!

My assistant is my mum and she only ever covers me if I need to go to a school assembly or something, or she comes out with us on a day trip. Ofsted restricted me to 4 on original registration so I assume that it still stands even though there is nothing on new certificate since EYFS changed. I wouldn't want more than that anyway.
Taking them out would have meant walking them all about 1/2 hour and I'd then have had no car to get them back, so another 1/2 hour back over lunch and nap time. Staying safe at home I considered was the best option given the situation and parents reluctance to collect!

[munch149]

You did all you could. I would be planning how you would stop something similar happening again in future and as others have said maybe let ofsted know just in case this gets reported (always sounds better coming from you). Parents may be happy about it now but if you upset them in the future every little thing is brought back up again

[Kaybeaa]

Under the circumstances I think you did fine, yes involving another Childminder would have been the best thing to do on paper, and from ofsteds point of view, but caught between a rock and a hard place you acted in the interest of the children by keeping them in an environment where they were safe and happy. Plus you constantly checked with parents to ensure everyone was happy with plans. Don't beat yourself up but as suggested do explain to Ofsted before a parent gets chance to put another angle on it (which I'm sure they won't but you never know) xx

[Goatgirl]

Personally I would not be contacting Ofsted to raise a complaint about myself. I once contacted them about an allegation that was made against me, which in the end the parent did not make to Ofsted, though they had told me they would. It was logged on their system and treated as a complaint against me, by me!

In your circumstances I would just cover myself by getting incident fully written up and signed by parents, make sure I had followed my emergency policy, and update it to include similar future circumstances if needed. My own policy says that I will leave children with 'a responsible adult' until such time as they can collect the child (asap, which varies from parent to parent).

I think I would be on possibly shaky ground in giving parents the choice on whether to collect though, as my current policy stands, so Thank you for raising the issue as I will be rethinking and possibly re writing mine in the light of this...

I would probably refund parents for the time after the initial 2 hours were up until I had got home. In my case my assistant is my son and I would maybe class this time (after the initial 2 legal hours) as babysitting....? Its a tricky one......

In short I would have a thorough paper record showing what happened including parents responses and agreements to show Ofted, should they ask, but would not ring them about it. Then I would rethink and pos re write my emergency policy.

Hope you get it sorted to your own satisfaction

[wee_elf]

How crazy is that, a complaint against you by you Goatgirl!!

[littlemiss605]

Hi

I had an incident today where I had left my assistant for 2 hours while I attended an exam. This all was planned, I would leave at 9am and be back at 10.45am as exam was 9.30 to 10.30. All was going according to plan until I got back to my car after the exam. Car would not start!! Assistant had been there for 1 3/4hrs at this point.
Called assistant, all kids fine, no problems and explained what had happened. Tried car again and nothing, so called AA and waited! Called assistant again who was still fine and making lunches. I text all parents telling them what was happening and offering that they could collect their children as I did not know how long I would be. All work 1/2hr up to 1 1/2hrs away. All parents said they were happy for children to stay with assistant. AA tried for ages to get me going and nothing, had to then tow to garage and AA then took me home. Assistant was alone for 4 1/2 hrs. All parents contacted again to let them know I was back and all have said they are happy with how I dealt with it.
I am writing up an incident report for them all to sign. Should I do anything else?
Should I have insisted parents collect children?

Thank you

Hi,
Firstly, what a mare for you!
Secondly, I don't know what I would have done , I don't have an assistant, but probably the same as you. It sounds like you handled it professionally and with the childrens best interests at heart. Much better that they were with your mum than stuck in the car and needing towing! Logistical nightmare! Maybe for your review of today you could have in place that in the ( hopefully) unlikely event of this happening again, then parents will have to collect?
It doesn't really matter why you leave the children with an assistant as emergencies can crop up. 30 min walk to school, children out late and then child has accident needing ane. Would you have to leave the child to attend un accompanied as the assistant could potentially be left over 2 hours until parents can arrive? I couldn't!
Hope your exam went well atleast!