Stair Gate Cups!

[Jexer72]

Hi - I have my pre-reg inspection on Thursday and I have been told by my Support Officer that I need to have cups for my stair gates.: (Apparently this is a new requirement of Ofsted ). I have decent quality Lindham stairgates and when I bought them (3 years ago) they didn't come with cups. They do now!

I can't seem to find just the cups anywhere? Does anyone know where I can buy them. I have emailed Lindham direct but had no response as yet. I've already asked in Mothercare but they couldn't help.

[kel1983]

Really

Mine dont have them. I remember they came with the gate but wouldnt know where they were now.

I dont think my dad (live and work in my parents house) would be too happy to have them

[clareelizabeth1]

What are stair gate cups

[onceinabluemoon]

Be patient, Lindam will get back to you and do sell them. I have bought them from there before.

Personally I think your support officer is talking tosh as we dont even have to have stair gates. My ofsted inspector said we have to keep the children safe, it is up to us how we do it as long as its effective. Lots of time these DOs etc dont know what they're talking about.

[Mouse]

I'd ask your support officer to show you where it says Ofsted require us to have the cups. Maybe there's been a specific case where a cm has been told they need them for some reason, although I can't imagine why.

I don't have stair gates at all.

[teacake2]

I have got some spare ones if you would like them, just pm me your address and I will put them in the post to you tomorrow.
Teacake2

[sarak31]

I was told by my last ofsted inspector that there's no rules as such about any particular equipment just that we have to keep the children safe and risk assess. Once you have identified the risk you need to show how you manage it. So if the children have access to stairs how will you control the risk. It doesn't say it has to be with a stair gate.

I think the difficulty with the cups is if you have purchased a gate that is supplied with cups and the instruction book says you must use them for the gate to be installed correctly then if you dont and there is an accident then you may not be insured as you haven't used the equipment according to the instructions. Iyswim. If you have a gate that was not supplied with cups and therefore it does not say in the instructions that they are necessary then I don't think you have a problem.

[Jexer72]

Hi guys - thanks for your responses. I think my Support Officer meant that if you use pressure fit stair gates they need cups so that they don't sink into the wall and become loose. I don't think she meant you have to use stair gates.

They prefer the stair gates that have brackets on the walls but I don't want anything as permanent as that so I'll get the cups just to make Ofsted happy. It's probably not a regulation as such, more of a "we would like to see" type of thing. I just want to make sure I've covered everything

Thanks "Teacake2" you're a I'll pm you.

xx

[~Grasshopper~]

hi

i had pressure fit gates with ds 1 and used the cups. they have to be screwed to the wall.

i now have 3 x lindam metal exteding saftey gates these are fixed to the wall and are 100% better, no trip bar, no falling down, easier to open. these ones dont make any more holes in the wall than using cups.

x