New Ofsted Certificates Important
I was at a meeting with an Ofsted Early Years Manager yesterday.
I thought you would all like to know what is happening about the new certificates.
Ofsted have approx 70,000 new Certificates to issue. They have a basic problem. Their printers can physically only print them at a certain rate. This means that they have now worked out that it will be something like March 2013 before they can send all of us our Certificates.
They have therefore taken the view that the new rules apply and the conditions on your current certificates do not apply. Unless you have been prevented by Ofsted from minding say under 5s for some reason and I know one minder with this and this condition will still apply.
Numbers will revert to what Eyfs says which is 6 under 8s. You will know if you currently have less because you house/flat is small and this would still apply and you can work out by using the details given in EYFS . If you have your own children in this age group that will reduce the number of minded ones you can have.
When working with one assistant if you have enough space you can take on up to a further 6 under 8s and so on. You will have to write up your own Variations and get the permission of currant parents, if for instance you want 2 under ones or over 3 under 5's. You then file this and Ofsted may check it when they inspect you. You must never exceed the numbers stated in EYFS.
If you currently have rooms in your home that are not registered for use then you can now write a risk assessment if you want to use them.
If you want to offer overnight care then again you write a risk assessment. The advise was to have a Home Safety Check done by the Fire Brigade. You need a bed and all the bedding and they have to be within hearing at all times. They do not need their own room but obviously if they share it would need to be age and sex appropriate.
Ofsted have reduced their paperwork and they do not want calls from childminders over everything all the time. In the words of the lady, 'we are professionals and we (ofsted) expect you to be able to work within the terms of EYFS and document things yourself as the need arises'.
So there you have it straight from Ofsted. It was a shame more couldn't come yesterday it was a very informative session and we were able to ask questions all the way through.
