Attendance Records

**newbie** · 15-06-2010, 08:43 PM

I am currently in the process of joining my childminding network and my network coordinator when accessing me asked me about my attendance records. I showed her my NCMA attendance book but she thinks this is inadequate.....that parents should sign their children in with me and then sign them out upon collection on a DAILY basis. Has anyone else heard this?

**miffy** · 15-06-2010, 09:05 PM

There are different schools of thought on this (like many things).

I sign children in and out on my attendance register and the inspector was fine about it - it is important to record the exact (to the minute) times children arrive and leave.

Others say parents should sign in and out or at least sign the register once a week/month to agree the times attended.

The EYFS says the times the children are on the premises must be recorded - it doesn't say who by.

Miffy xx

**Mookins** · 15-06-2010, 09:11 PM

weve been told that OFSTED are starting to crack down on this, my co-ordinator said that children should be signed in and out, it then covers you if something happens when theyve left you, you have proof they had already left

**claireLouise** · 16-06-2010, 10:23 PM

I am in Scotland and use the SCMA register and it doesn;'t have a space to get parents to sign! This in my opinion is over the top!

**Little Bear** · 30-06-2010, 08:42 PM

I've been told you must record the exact times the children enter your premises and exactly when they leave. A carer must sign next to these times. If anything was to happen to the child you would be able to prove the child was or wasn't in your care. It's a fire record and if there is a despute with a contract the parent has already signed against the times so they can't argue!!

**rickysmiths** · 30-06-2010, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Little Bear

I've been told you must record the exact times the children enter your premises and exactly when they leave. A carer must sign next to these times. If anything was to happen to the child you would be able to prove the child was or wasn't in your care. It's a fire record and if there is a despute with a contract the parent has already signed against the times so they can't argue!!

As we are the only carer surely recording the time of arrival and departure is enough. I use the NCMA Register and my parents sign this every week including the weeks we are on holiday, so it is clear that, that, was what happened. Sometimes it slips to 2 weeks if we are busy and forget. It is however a comprehensive and accurate record of when the child was with me, when they are at school or nursery or either of us is ill or on holiday.

It is totally impractical to do it every day at the beginning and end of every session. If is so important to do it in and out every day then why don't schools, nurseries and pre-schools operate this system and have us all queing at the door to sign in and out?

**Millenium** · 01-07-2010, 08:23 AM

My inspector in May told me that as I work alone there is no requirement for parents to countersign my attendance register as I am the only person recording the information. She was entirely happy with the way I have been working.

It is also not really feasible to get a parent to sign it at each drop off and pick up and if you asked them to sign it at the end of the week, they certainly would not be in a position to sign it unless they themselves had recorded their drop off and pick up times in their diary or wherever - highly unlikely I would suggest.