Hmm, what do you think?

**Tatjana** · 11-05-2009, 02:53 PM

Had an email enquiry which i replied to and have now received another email which reads:

Thankyou for the info.cud u pls let me know the address so that i can think of visiting you once to have a look around.
How many 0-2 year olds do u cater for?does the fee include nappies too?
my daughter is a vegetarian,so wud you be able to provide veg. food for her?

And cud i please know ur registration number if you dont mind.Hope u dont take it wrong.

Do you think it's a genuine enquiry or someone just after my reg no.?!?! Why would she put 'hope you don't take it wrong'?

Advice much appreciated

xx

**FizzysFriends** · 11-05-2009, 03:15 PM

Why don't you reply offering her an appointment and put on the bottom that you will be happy to give her your reg number if she is happy with you and contracts are signed. That way if she isn't genuine (which I dont think she is) she will not contact you again.

**nicole_kirsty** · 11-05-2009, 03:16 PM

Hi

I definatly agree with Fizzyfriends! Dont give it out till you met and she has signed!!

Nic x

**Andrea08** · 11-05-2009, 03:18 PM

NEVER GIVE OUT YOUR NUMBER until parents have signed the contract

e-mail them back with 3 appointment times and let them pick one

good luck

**Mouse** · 11-05-2009, 03:50 PM

I would email back saying that you don't give out that sort of info this early on (address & Reg. number). Ask for their address & home phone number, so that you can contact them to answer their questions and to arrange an appointment.

The questions could be genuine - they sound like the sort of thing you find in the 'How to chose a childminder' leaflet. And maybe they want to look at your Ofsted report, so are asking for your registration number?

If they are genuine they won't mind giving you their contact details, if they're not genuine, you won't hear from them again.

**The Juggler** · 11-05-2009, 03:58 PM

I wouldnt' worry about giving your reg no. out. As a parent I probably would not think about reading ofsted reports before visiting but I can see why some parents might.

The rest of her questions sound genuine. makes sense she'd want to know where you live before she visits you might be miles out of her way. Def. push for an appointment though you don't want time wasters!

**Toothfairy** · 11-05-2009, 04:01 PM

I agree, never give out your registration number until the contracts are signed.

If she is genuine, she will be more than happy to meet you first.
Good luck

**Tatjana** · 11-05-2009, 04:48 PM

Thanks ladies, lots of good advice, as always!

Is there any harm in arranging a visit through email...or better for me to ask for her telephone no. to call her to arrange?

Can you tell i'm new at this? lol!

xx

**Erika** · 11-05-2009, 06:21 PM

I've never asked for a registration number until I am happy with the childminder and they are happy with me, but I have asked for full name and address. This is so I can look up the childminder on the Care Commision's website to be sure that they are actually registered and to read their inspection reports. It gives me an idea as a parent what to expect. The care commision website also contains the childminder reference numbers, so they are easily obtained even if you don't give them out. Ofted is the same.

You may be surprised by the amount of people who claim to be registered but aren't, as a parent I have been. If someone won't give me the details I need to make the appropriate checks, as a parent I begin to question if they are a genuine childminder or someone trying to pull a fast one who is working illegally. I would never sign a contract without chekcing a registration number. One did refuse, and I couldn't find her on the Care Commision website, so I contacted the Care Commision and gave her name and address, asking for confirmation that she was registered. She wasn't.

**Tatjana** · 11-05-2009, 07:52 PM

Yes it's tricky as she may well want to read my Ofsted report...only i don't have one as i'm newly registered and yet to have a grading inspection!

Also, i have read on this forum that some people take registration numbers to fraudulently claim tax credits.

Thanks for all your replies.

xx

**funtoplay** · 11-05-2009, 08:48 PM

Hi,

I must admit, I would want to read a report before a visit if I was a parent. It helps build up a picture of a setting before you visit.

I have given out my number before a visit, not just on an enquiry but whon arranging an appointment to visit.

In fact if someone wants to go to those lengths to commit fraud then I hope they are caught out sometime. This does not however effect me in anyway!

Julia

**LittleMissSparkles** · 11-05-2009, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

I would email back saying that you don't give out that sort of info this early on (address & Reg. number). Ask for their address & home phone number, so that you can contact them to answer their questions and to arrange an appointment.

The questions could be genuine - they sound like the sort of thing you find in the 'How to chose a childminder' leaflet. And maybe they want to look at your Ofsted report, so are asking for your registration number?

If they are genuine they won't mind giving you their contact details, if they're not genuine, you won't hear from them again.

I agree with Mouse xxx

**Nix** · 11-05-2009, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by Tatjana

Had an email enquiry which i replied to and have now received another email which reads:

Thankyou for the info.cud u pls let me know the address so that i can think of visiting you once to have a look around.
How many 0-2 year olds do u cater for?does the fee include nappies too?
my daughter is a vegetarian,so wud you be able to provide veg. food for her?

And cud i please know ur registration number if you dont mind.Hope u dont take it wrong.

Do you think it's a genuine enquiry or someone just after my reg no.?!?! Why would she put 'hope you don't take it wrong'?

Advice much appreciated

xx

Lots of good advice given but I think what they sent via email sounds suspect! I wouldn't give my address so they could think of visiting me!! Get their number, speak on the telephone and go from there...

**Tatjana** · 11-05-2009, 09:05 PM

Arrgghhh, i just want to be a CHILDMINDER not a DETECTIVE!!!

xx

**jibberjitz** · 11-05-2009, 09:23 PM

It does sound a bit suspect!

**singlewiththree** · 12-05-2009, 06:20 AM

Perhaps offer to give her a copy of your report when she visits. Just say you hope she doesn't mind but its policy not to give out your number on ofsted recommendations as they are trying to combat benefit theft.

**katickles** · 12-05-2009, 07:50 AM

I would let her know what area you live in & say is she's interested in a meeting then to call you to arrange an appointment & leave it there

**grindal** · 12-05-2009, 07:58 AM

Have you decided what to do about this Tatjana? My first enquiry asked me for my registration number - I think parents like to get the numbers to reassure themselves that we are registered. I try to explain that as a new childminder I do not have an Ofsted report on the website, but if they make an appointment they are more than welcome to look at my registration certificate.
Let us know what happened.
Grindal

**ajs** · 12-05-2009, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by Erika

I've never asked for a registration number until I am happy with the childminder and they are happy with me, but I have asked for full name and address. This is so I can look up the childminder on the Care Commision's website to be sure that they are actually registered and to read their inspection reports. It gives me an idea as a parent what to expect. The care commision website also contains the childminder reference numbers, so they are easily obtained even if you don't give them out. Ofted is the same.

You may be surprised by the amount of people who claim to be registered but aren't, as a parent I have been. If someone won't give me the details I need to make the appropriate checks, as a parent I begin to question if they are a genuine childminder or someone trying to pull a fast one who is working illegally. I would never sign a contract without chekcing a registration number. One did refuse, and I couldn't find her on the Care Commision website, so I contacted the Care Commision and gave her name and address, asking for confirmation that she was registered. She wasn't.

as a parent who would be looking for a childminder wholeheartedly agree that you should see the report before agreeing to sing contracts but as a childminder who has had her registration used to claim tax credits fraudulently i would never give out my registration number until i had signed contracts, saying that i will give my report to anyone who asks but delete my number.
i am not entirely sure that the ofsted site gives the report with just the address to go on but then i have never actually tried to access any

**yummymummy** · 12-05-2009, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by ajs

as a parent who would be looking for a childminder wholeheartedly agree that you should see the report before agreeing to sing contracts but as a childminder who has had her registration used to claim tax credits fraudulently i would never give out my registration number until i had signed contracts, saying that i will give my report to anyone who asks but delete my number.
i am not entirely sure that the ofsted site gives the report with just the address to go on but then i have never actually tried to access any

I agree re not giving out Ofsted reg no. but anyone can put in your postcode on the Ofsted site and the latest Ofsted report to the childminder nearest to this postcode comes up. Not very secure is it?