Visitors book. Who uses one? Do you need one?

**Mouse** · 27-04-2010, 10:09 AM

I was having a conversation recently with another minder. She has a visitors book & says Ofsted will want to see one.

I don't have one & said Ofsted had never said I had to.

I did ask why she has it & how reliable it is as I visit her regularly while she is minding, but she has never signed me in & out!

So, what are your views? Do you have a visitors book, is it a requirement, good practice, or just something else for us to fill in?

**Toothfairy** · 27-04-2010, 10:19 AM

Its not a requirement but it is 'Good Practice'.

HTH

**tracey36** · 27-04-2010, 10:24 AM

i have a visitors book although not used much it is good practice to have one

**youarewhatyoueat** · 27-04-2010, 11:38 AM

No I don't have one and have no intention of having one, you have to draw the line somewhere and to me it is just daft to sign people in and out of my house. I don't arrange for strangers to come while I am minding, and generally write anything on the calender if i'm expecting anyone, thats good enough for me.

**sweets** · 27-04-2010, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by youarewhatyoueat

No I don't have one and have no intention of having one, you have to draw the line somewhere and to me it is just daft to sign people in and out of my house. I don't arrange for strangers to come while I am minding, and generally write anything on the calender if i'm expecting anyone, thats good enough for me.

exactly how i feel. i will never have one and think they are ridiculous!

its just another way that ofsted like to think of us as 'settings' which i dont have, i have a home. lol

**Nadine Beazley** · 27-04-2010, 12:15 PM

A VISITORS BOOK IS NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR THE EYFS!!!!!!!!!!

**mamasheshe** · 27-04-2010, 12:21 PM

i have one for when I'm childminding i think it's nice for the parents and shows theirs not loads of people coming in and out all the time. but it's not a requirement

**babs** · 27-04-2010, 12:37 PM

i have one. sign people in and out who visit and reason they are here when im minding this includes other childminders and nvq assessor's... etc even the electric man to read the meter signs in and out..... people that dont sign.. anyone who lives in my house and parents, anyone else you dont get over the door step if you dont sign.

**Mouse** · 27-04-2010, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by sweets

exactly how i feel. i will never have one and think they are ridiculous!

its just another way that ofsted like to think of us as 'settings' which i dont have, i have a home. lol

I have to say, I agree with that.

I did ask my friend what the point of it was & she said it was to show Ofsted that she keeps the children safe, though she couldn't actually say how it kept them safe. I really didn't see the point of it when she only filled it in some of the time, not for every visitor. I said she ought to either do it properly, or not at all!

**Nicky** · 27-04-2010, 02:16 PM

I don't have a visitors book and wont have one, at my inspection last year the inspector said my visitors policy was sufficient to show that I kept the children safe!

**Mickey Mouse Clubhouse** · 27-04-2010, 02:41 PM

I have one and to me it was a waste of money when Ofsted came in January I asked her to sign it for me and she just laughed at me and I thought well what a waste of time.

So now I don't bother and half the time I forget anyway.

Sorry that is just my point of view

xx

**Blaze** · 27-04-2010, 03:15 PM

I have one & I use it when I have someone to visit ie the gas man (if not able to arrange this outside of work hours) or someone of interest like the community liason officer - if I were a parent I would like to be able to see who had been & who hadn't...I know I could not write in there but it's a matter of trust & alos it's a way of protecting myself ie by having a visiters book I can show who was here & when - overall I think it's more professional to have one - sorry I know I'm not explaining myself very well, but I'm in a rush!

**youarewhatyoueat** · 27-04-2010, 03:30 PM

So you're saying if I don't have a visitors book I'm not keeping children safe and i'm not professional!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**sarah707** · 27-04-2010, 05:10 PM

It is not a statutory requirement for childminders to have a visitors book however it is considered good practice by some inspectors.

Some childminders feel that having a visitors book makes them feel more professional in their practice.

Others feel it is not an important issue.

**Ripeberry** · 27-04-2010, 05:11 PM

I don't have a 'visitor book' but use my diary and if someone does visit during working hours I ask them to sign in and out. Ofsted were happy with it

**sarah707** · 27-04-2010, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by youarewhatyoueat

So you're saying if I don't have a visitors book I'm not keeping children safe and i'm not professional!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think having read back through the thread that anyone is saying that.

It depends on how you run your business and how you want to manage your paperwork.

Since the having or not having a book is purely choice then some people will choose to have one and they will say why they justify this decision.

Others will say equally rightly that it is not a statutory requirement.

**WibbleWobble** · 27-04-2010, 05:14 PM

i have a visitors book.....it just proves to me how flippin sad i am with no friends....

i am billy no mates

open for 3 months and 2 visitors....both teachers on their breaks for a butty stop!

mandy xxx

**venus89** · 27-04-2010, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by parsleypetal

i have a visitors book.....it just proves to me how flippin sad i am with no friends....

i am billy no mates

open for 3 months and 2 visitors....both teachers on their breaks for a butty stop!

mandy xxx

Mine's the same! My Network Coordinator was here last week and I asked her to sign in. She said 'oh, I was the last one to sign it too....' That was last November