Learning journal for 2 day a month child?

Glitter · 07-01-2014, 08:46 PM

Hello,

I have just had an enquiry from a parent who needs their child minding, but only for 2 days a month. I am happy to take this child on, but I am worried about showing this child's learning.

I can still do observations and photos to make a learning journal, but planning around the child's interests and next steps is going to be impossible. The child is 15 months old and at that age he will be changing so fast I won't be able to keep up.

Does anyone have any experience of caring for a child for only a couple of days a month and how did you deal with it. Thanks.

**kellyskidz!** · 08-01-2014, 11:21 AM

Just do the best you can, it might mean on the 2 days you do A LOT of artwork and obs to bulk up the folder but you can only do so much. Could you ask Mum to provide you with maybe a short list of things her child has done new when you've not seen them for a few weeks, like words learnt, skills developed, new likes or dislikes etc since you won't be seeing him so regularly and add that to his file to show you are working with Mum to encourage development Nd get to know the child
OFSTED will understand that you don't see this child very often and so can only build up a basic file based on what you do see when he's with you xx

**dawn100** · 08-01-2014, 12:51 PM

When I was inspected I was providing care for an adhoc child (but not on the actual day of inspection) who one month might come every week but then might not come for a month or two so I didn't do a lj at all as I just didn't see the point, I emailed pics to mum and a couple of sentences about what he enjoyed. As he was named on my register I gave a brief explanation of why I didn't think it would be valuable to do a lj (using some of the reasons why you might delay a 2 yr check) he was a bit older so I would ask him when he got here what he liked and sometimes his answer might of been as simple as dinosaurs so I would find out dinosaur books etc that way I was following his intersts but I couldn't plan in advance as the gaps varied so much! Ofsted wasn't really bothered that much as he wasnt there on my inspection day had he of been it might of been a different story. If you have valid reasons why you do it the way you do and you show how you do it through other children who are there on a regular basis I can't see ofsted having a problem with it unless that child is your only child on the day of inspection.