Emergency back ups?

[mumofone]

I was going to put my partner who's DBS checked as my emergency back up but I've not put him on my OFSTED application as someone who will also be looking after children on the premises. Does this matter of its for emergency a only?

[Kiddleywinks]

He wouldn't be looking after the children, presumably parents would be called and informed they needed to arrange immediate collection of their child so no, as it's only for an emergency situation I wouldn't worry.

I have 2 childminders as my emergency back up, but in a genuine emergency, of the blues and twos type, I also have a neighbour (DBS checked and happens to be a paediatric nurse lol) and did have my mum (not DBS checked but to be fair she was 4th choice anyway lol), as back ups too.

[moggy]

This was well discussed here:

http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fo...cy-policy.html

In a real emergency (life and death, ambulance, house burning down, heart attack etc) you just do what you have to do- no, you do not need to name to Ofsted any emergency cover, nor do they have to be DBS checked or registered CMer, nor do you have to name them in a policy (although some CMers like to to let parents know who you might have to leave children with if you are taken off in an ambulance- but no one can guarantee your neighbour/husband/friend will be available on the particular day when you have to be carried off in the hypothetical ambulance!).

This is not the same as 'cover' for your own sickness or closure (so if you have to close because of sickness)- that is where parents have to find alternative childcare if you are closed and some CMers give a list of suggested local CMers who might be able to help out. But again, it is nothing to do with Ofsted but can be helpful to parents to write in an illness policy about how they find alternative care if you close.

[mumofone]

This was well discussed here: http://www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/fo...cy-policy.html In a real emergency (life and death, ambulance, house burning down, heart attack etc) you just do what you have to do- no, you do not need to name to Ofsted any emergency cover, nor do they have to be DBS checked or registered CMer, nor do you have to name them in a policy (although some CMers like to to let parents know who you might have to leave children with if you are taken off in an ambulance- but no one can guarantee your neighbour/husband/friend will be available on the particular day when you have to be carried off in the hypothetical ambulance!). This is not the same as 'cover' for your own sickness or closure (so if you have to close because of sickness)- that is where parents have to find alternative childcare if you are closed and some CMers give a list of suggested local CMers who might be able to help out. But again, it is nothing to do with Ofsted but can be helpful to parents to write in an illness policy about how they find alternative care if you close.

Do I need to specify an emergency back up in a policy moggy do you know?

[moggy]

Do I need to specify an emergency back up in a policy moggy do you know?

No, there is no policy specifications from Ofsted or DofE.

It would be near impossible to specify an emergency back-up anyway- in a real emergency you do not know where you will be and who will be around when you shout for help. You can list a few names of nice neighbours and local friends/family/CMers but what will the parents do with that information? Not much. But you can do that if you want if you feel it is helpful to you and/or parents.

In a real emergency you will need a way to get the message to the parents that xyz has happened and where to collect their child from. My husband has all parents names/numbers in his phone (with permission) and my local friend has same info in sealed envelopes secure at her house (with permission), so in an emergency I just need to get hold of one of them to get the message through.

If an emergency happened when out at Toddler Group I may use a familiar CMer there as 'back-up'; if I was visiting a friend when an emergency happened I might use her as 'back-up'; if an emergency happened at home I might use my neighbour as 'back-up'; if an emergency happened out on a car journey the police might be the first 'back up'; if the emergency happened on the school run my husband might get there as my 'back up'... you get the picture?! I can't see how we can predict exactly and state in a policy who it may be who steps-in in a true emergency.

[mumofone]

No, there is no policy specifications from Ofsted or DofE. It would be near impossible to specify an emergency back-up anyway- in a real emergency you do not know where you will be and who will be around when you shout for help. You can list a few names of nice neighbours and local friends/family/CMers but what will the parents do with that information? Not much. But you can do that if you want if you feel it is helpful to you and/or parents. In a real emergency you will need a way to get the message to the parents that xyz has happened and where to collect their child from. My husband has all parents names/numbers in his phone (with permission) and my local friend has same info in sealed envelopes secure at her house (with permission), so in an emergency I just need to get hold of one of them to get the message through. If an emergency happened when out at Toddler Group I may use a familiar CMer there as 'back-up'; if I was visiting a friend when an emergency happened I might use her as 'back-up'; if an emergency happened at home I might use my neighbour as 'back-up'; if an emergency happened out on a car journey the police might be the first 'back up'; if the emergency happened on the school run my husband might get there as my 'back up'... you get the picture?! I can't see how we can predict exactly and state in a policy who it may be who steps-in in a true emergency.

Thanks moggy :-) :-)

[sarah707]

I asked a question linked to your question at the recent Ofsted Big Conversation meeting in Manchester.

The reply I got is here - Ofsted Big Conversation meeting 13.3.2015

Hth