Leaving the room for short periods??

[Bumble Bees]

Hi, ive been reg for nearly 4 years and have an inspection due Jan. I look after a 9 month old, a 20 month old and my own daughter 24 months old. If i need to leave the room to put the baby to bed or a loo break do Ofsted expect me to put the two 2 years olds standing in a travel cot or simply just try and be quick??

[christine e]

Difficult to answer because it all depends on how sensible the Ofsted inspector is, perhaps it would be best to do a risk assesment on this to determine what is best

Maybe someone will come along with some more advice

Cx

[sarah707]

I would do a risk assessment as well to show you've thought about it.

It might turn out best to take them with you but that would need to be weighed against the risk of them falling when going up and down stairs.

Sometimes I wish I was a camel

[balloon]

Don't know if it's any help, but when I did my ICP course the instructor said "never leave any children with the inspector if you go out of the room, even if you're just popping to the loo". Goodness knows how I'm going to manage that with 2 under ones! (I normally put them in the travel cot where I know they are safe and have parental permission to do so) I was thinking to ask the ofsted inpector to leave the room so she is not alne with them but that would probably go down like a ton of bricks so anybody got any better ideas?

[Twinkles]

Don't know if it's any help, but when I did my ICP course the instructor said "never leave any children with the inspector if you go out of the room, even if you're just popping to the loo". Goodness knows how I'm going to manage that with 2 under ones! (I normally put them in the travel cot where I know they are safe and have parental permission to do so) I was thinking to ask the ofsted inpector to leave the room so she is not alne with them but that would probably go down like a ton of bricks so anybody got any better ideas?

Why ???? are they not crb checked then

[don the duck]

Thats terrible as there throwing u out of ur normal routines. of what u do everyday . if making sense

[bubbly]

On my inspection I got the 3 year old to sit at the bottom of the stairs with a book while I nipped upstairs to put baby in the cot.

I spoke to the 3 year old throughout so she could hear my voice.

I also risk assessed the hazards of taking the 3 year old with me and concluded it was best to have her sit on the stairs (she lives in a ground floor flat and stairs were tricky for her).

My inspector seemed happy with that.

[Rubybubbles]

Don't know if it's any help, but when I did my ICP course the instructor said "never leave any children with the inspector if you go out of the room, even if you're just popping to the loo". Goodness knows how I'm going to manage that with 2 under ones! (I normally put them in the travel cot where I know they are safe and have parental permission to do so) I was thinking to ask the ofsted inpector to leave the room so she is not alne with them but that would probably go down like a ton of bricks so anybody got any better ideas?

when I had my inspection, I was making lunch and left the children playing, I can hear them but not see them, the inspector was happy with this. I was even told that children can play in the garden with me watching from inside a while back (so if changing a nappy the other childre can go play)

[Bumble Bees]

Thanks for the advice. I will def do a risk assessment and start encouraging them to wait at the bottom of the stairs behind the stairgate

Many thanks ev

[Zoomie]

I wondered about this too.

I have to leave my DD numerous times a day:

My bathroom is upstairs and I will only wash my hands there after dealing with a nappy / body fluids.
And my living area is a lounge / dining combined, with separate kitchen, so if I am ever doing something in the kitchen, I am effectively leaving her for periods. I also can't have lots of mindees in the kitchen either, cos it is too small.

I am always within hearing distance and do talk to her whilst I am out of sight.

I almost can't win

[Mrs.L.C]

When I had my last inspection, I had 1 child being toilet trained and with the only toilet being upstairs, I had to take her during my inspection. I left the children in the lounge (ages 2) where I can still hear them from the bathroom and the inspector never said anything.

If I had a baby and older child I think I would pop them in the travel cot or if I was still worried I would try sleep times in a travel cot in the same room and do quiet activities while the baby is sleeping

[loocyloo]

hi ...

i mentioned this on a thread the other day ... but at my inspection i left little ones downstairs reading books, whilst i popped the other little one to bed. i could hear them, and i was less that a minute! the inspector didn't comment on it at all!

and just thinking .... what are we meant to do when they are asleep then? 'cos we can't see them! ( i can hear and i do check them! )

[christine e]

Thanks for the advice. I will def do a risk assessment and start encouraging them to wait at the bottom of the stairs behind the stairgate

Many thanks ev

I sometimes ask the children to sing to me whilst I am out of the room so that I can hear them and I can tell by the tone of their voices if they are up to no good eg singing through gritted teeth whilse fighting. Seriously if they are singing nicely then I know they are ok!

Cx

[sue]

thats what l do (have used on my own children as well) it works for me

[Bananabrain]

Spoke to ofsted regarding toilet breaks[thought if they are going to throw all these regs at me on a daily basis and put my annual reg fee up by almost half I'm going to make them work for me this year Fed up with being so stressed worrying that I'm going to be picked up on something I haven't done.]Anyway spoke to really nice helpful guy who said that ofsted do not have a definitive directive on this and he could not really answer question!!! He said 'we don't expect you to eliminate all risks because that's imposs,but to ensure that you minimise risks.'That doesn't really help does it? At the mo I only have one under five but know lots that have2 or 3.Have no idea what they do.For bigger ones I leave bathroom door open and they say they can hear me peeing and with one little one I take him with me.I havn't a clue what I will do with more than one littly.

[maple]

I look after one year old twins and when I need a toilet break I have left them in the travel cot and they scream the place down and I have taken them with me and they are fine until I flush the toliet and then they scream. Have my inspection sometime before the end of Jan so don't knoew which to do. Cross my legs I think.

[gemhei]

I have no choice. DD ok but mindee screams if i leave the room so she follows me. Ofsted are ok with me going to loo with door open though because i asked but it might be because we live in a bungalow and bathroom oposite living room so i can hear every noise lol.

[karenjoy]

I asked my inspector today she said has long has they are safe and you can hear them then there is no problem.

She said you can always do a risk assesment to show you have thought about it.

[Pipsqueak]

Spoke to ofsted regarding toilet breaks[thought if they are going to throw all these regs at me on a daily basis and put my annual reg fee up by almost half I'm going to make them work for me this year Fed up with being so stressed worrying that I'm going to be picked up on something I haven't done.]Anyway spoke to really nice helpful guy who said that ofsted do not have a definitive directive on this and he could not really answer question!!! He said 'we don't expect you to eliminate all risks because that's imposs,but to ensure that you minimise risks.'That doesn't really help does it? At the mo I only have one under five but know lots that have2 or 3.Have no idea what they do.For bigger ones I leave bathroom door open and they say they can hear me peeing and with one little one I take him with me.I havn't a clue what I will do with more than one littly.

first highlight - they are always helpful!!
second highlight - ofsted rarely have a definative answer for anything
lol

[Twinkles]

first highlight - they are always helpful!!
second highlight - ofsted rarely have a definative answer for anything
lol