What else will I need!

**berkschick** · 23-12-2007, 12:54 PM

Hi all,

I have 2 mindees due to start after xmas.

So far I have a folder containing policies & procedures. For each child I have a file which will contain copy of contract, contact details, individual information form filled in by parent, permission forms. I am planning on doing a scrap book for each child. I also have a folder divided into 12 months to store activity planner for that month along with any back up info eg photos, pictures children have drawn, info on how activities went, etc for my future refrence and also to show OSFTED at my inspection so they know the type of thing I have been up to with the children.

I am concerned that the above will not be enough as far as the observation side of things. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks

Love

Debbie

**angeldelight** · 23-12-2007, 01:14 PM

I think it sounds like you have it all in order Debbie do not worry

It will all come together once you start

If you look around the forum I am sure you will find more information

Angel xx

**chez1373** · 01-01-2008, 04:04 PM

Im in the same situation,
I have all of the above i think there is so much ive done but i feel im missing something?

I hope you get things sorted ive been minding for 3 weeks and it all feels ok but im not sure if it looks ok

**sarah707** · 01-01-2008, 04:17 PM

That sounds great Debbie

Good luck!

**bubbly** · 01-01-2008, 06:19 PM

Chez and Debbie, I think we were seperated at birth lol. You've both voiced my concerns exactly. I've been minding since the beginning of Dec but still feel totally inadequate with my paperwork and preparation. I've got my policies and proceedures, contracts, permission forms, child info forms all stored in a folder. I'm doing ok with my receipts and accounts and I've been filling in the daily register and getting it signed by the parents etc.

From tomorrow onwards I'm going to be keeping a Daily Diary for each child and a weekly activity planner. I'm also going to try including some of the Birth To Three ideas, although I haven't done the course yet and I'm going to keep a folder for each child with their drawings, activities we've done, photos etc (sort of a scrapbook thingy).

But I still feel totally inadequate and out of my depth. I just can't shake the thought that there's more I should be doing.

**berkschick** · 01-01-2008, 06:32 PM

I am glad I am not the only one worried!

I have designed a monthly planner divided into weeks. For each month I plan to cover a shape, colour, number and letter along with 2 themes. One will be related to some kind of festival or occasion and the other will be random based on what the children show an interest in or what I think could be fun! I will then try to tie these things in together. For example in June, we could do fathers day cards. The shape could be rectangle, the colour blue, letter D and number 4. We could then make rectangular blue fathers day cards. D would come into play with Dad written on the card and the number could be 4balloons or something on the front. I would try to think of a rectangular snack or have 4 pieces of apple, etc and apply to to as many things as I could over the month! Also the random theme could be fish. We could then make blue rectagular tanks with 4 fish in it! I think I will keep a daily diary for myself to start with as "proof" of what I have done with the children.

But it is the observation part that I am worried about! Where and how do we right it down? how much is too much or too little observations? What should we be observing?!

I am thinking that I wil just do what I have planned to do and that at my first inspection they will pull me into line where I am going wrong! One of my mindees will only be coming for one 6 hour day a week, he is going to be very busy!!!

Love

Debbie

**wellybelly** · 01-01-2008, 07:07 PM

You dont know how good it is to hear other childminders in the same boat as me!

I too started in December and have all the paperwork / files you have and am still thinking this just can't be enough! Tomorrow i get back into it and i'm still worried if i'm doing something wrong.

I am getting stuck into my planning aswell, and hopefully trying to understand this EYFS framework. Im on a course next week specifically for childminders who hav'nt done anything like this before.

Its good to see other people are feeling the same as me, but im looking forward to getting back into the routine.

Im am worried about my first ofsted inspection, ive heard some real horror stories about them and am sure it will be a nightmare.

**Spangles** · 01-01-2008, 07:33 PM

I wish that I could spend a day with an experienced childminder if you see what I mean just to see what they do and get some confidence! That would be marvellous!

**bubbly** · 01-01-2008, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by Lorri

I wish that I could spend a day with an experienced childminder if you see what I mean just to see what they do and get some confidence! That would be marvellous!

What a good idea. Confidence is what I'm lacking.

**chez1373** · 02-01-2008, 12:39 PM

Im doing the daily diary and i aslo do a " all about my lovely day" that the kids take home with them, I dont do a weely planner but i think i will start this week or next i really like the idea of 1 shape 1 number and 1 letter a month thats sounds really good i might have to pinch that idea!! lol
Im sure when we have our inspections they will be nice??????????

I just dont want to get a bad grade because of something i didnt know i had to do if this makes sence..

**Rubybubbles** · 03-01-2008, 02:21 PM

I was never that organised when I started childminding you'll blow the inspectors away!!!

Once you start getting into the swing of things doing obs does become easy(ier!!), for example I did one on the lo trying to put his coat on and now he is and now trying to do up his zip, so how I could help him do that, dolls with clothes zippers buttons ect, and linked it into the learning outcome

I don't do as much forward planning as I should but sometimes it's hard to forget with all that Ofsted liek to see that children do learn by playing, non-adult interaction!!!

**ajs** · 04-01-2008, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Rubybubbles

I was never that organised when I started childminding you'll blow the inspectors away!!!

Once you start getting into the swing of things doing obs does become easy(ier!!), for example I did one on the lo trying to put his coat on and now he is and now trying to do up his zip, so how I could help him do that, dolls with clothes zippers buttons ect, and linked it into the learning outcome

I don't do as much forward planning as I should but sometimes it's hard to forget with all that Ofsted liek to see that children do learn by playing, non-adult interaction!!!

i have been childminding coming up 8 years and i don't do half of what's been said
i do do an activity with the kids at least everyday if the kids want to i only have really little ones so i let them lead me with what they want.
i do observe them and use the bromley eyfs obs books and also use the qed observation books but that's about all at the moment. i know i need to do a lot more but i like just playing with the kids and as they are so little i don't want to stop playing to write notes or to move onto the next activity so i will wait until ofsted tell me what i'm doing wrong before i change too much

**ajs** · 04-01-2008, 12:13 AM

hsving said all that yesterday i spent a while trying to record all the words the 18 month old says now i thought it would look good in her observatio book

**angeldelight** · 04-01-2008, 12:13 AM

I def agree with Mandy on this I do not do half of what other people do either

Angel xx

**ajs** · 04-01-2008, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by angeldelight

I def agree with Mandy on this I do not do half of what other people do either

Angel xx

lots of people on here will know that ofsted are my bug bear i do not understand what they are doing as our regulatory body what the hell do they know about child CARE we are not educators unless we choose to be but carers plain and simple
it doesn't mean i won't teach the kids about colours and numbers but we do that by reading books and painting pictures i do not need them to tell me what words i need to use to encourage the children to read with me or paint pictures..

AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH
sorry shouting over

**berkschick** · 04-01-2008, 08:47 AM

Hi all

I think it is just me in a panic thinking everything has to be perfect lol

I have decided not to worry about it too much. I will do what I have planned to do, mainly because the parents seemed impressed so now I have said I will do it I better had! lol

But I will wait for OFSTED to tell me where Im going wrong and what else I should be doing. So much pressure is out on you on the course to do this that and the other paperwork wise that I got really confussed!

The scrap books will act as my observation, photos, etc book for now and I plan on filling them in one page a week. Not loads of writing, just the important bits with photos and drawings the kids have done.

Love

Debbie

**mrsbumbles** · 04-01-2008, 09:19 AM

Im with Ajs, I found minding under social services was more about the welfare of the children and the standard of care given to them, and this is what i feel minding is all about. Ofsted are all about education and i feel the caring aspect has been lost, yes i do all that is required of me regarding Ofsted and their standards and can see thre need to be some structure and observations, but where does all the care , happiness and well being of an individual really fit in with this?