About ratios

**Tiisku** · 22-01-2008, 01:23 PM

My friend has asked me to look after her 2-year-old one day next week for a few hours, but it is on a day and time when I'm already fully "booked" with my own two under-5's and a baby. Does anyone know if it is acceptable to go over the ratio like that if my husband is at home and technically looking after our own kids? I will apply for a special permission to occasionally look after four under-5's anyway but that's not likely to happen by next week !

Any experience on the matter, anyone?

Thanks,

Love

**susi513** · 22-01-2008, 02:21 PM

Unfortunately you're not allowed to do this. In the past, when social services were the registration body they would allow this but since Ofsted took over they've made clear its no longer allowed and would be a breach of your registration. It does seem unfair, but your own children always take up a potential registered place even if you have an army of relatives on hand to look after them.

You are NEVER allowed to go over the numbers on your registration certificate. If they do give permission (eg twins under one) then they give you a new certificate that shows the new arrangement. The variation permission is not usually given for new mindees, its only granted for new siblings or for continuity of care of existing mindees

In an emergency situation (eg one childminder rushing off in ambulance with one mindee and leaving the others with another cm as parents couldn't possibly get back before ambulance leaves) then you shouldn't have a problem with Ofsted as they would see you did the best you could for the children under the circumstances.

If you want to do this in the future, the only way to do it officially is for hubby to register in the hope of upping your numbers. Some people have done this just to give them the option of leaving sleeping mindee at home with dh while they do the school run, for example.

**ajs** · 22-01-2008, 02:24 PM

sorry can't help but i think the advice above is right
why don't you just give them a ring
if your hubby registered as your assistant or a minder in his own right it may change the ratios so just call them and ask

**emma04** · 22-01-2008, 02:39 PM

As an addition to the first thread. Does everyone know that if you have a 4 year old son/daughter in school full time they are classed as 5 BUT ONLY DURING SCHOOL TIME!! After school, In the school holidays and when the school is closed they go back to being classed as 4 and therefore an under 5!

This shocked me when the lady at Ofsted told me. I was always lead to believe that as soon as your own child was in full time school even though she is only 4, she would be classed as a 5 year old for my ratio all the time not classed as 5 during school and then after school a 4 year old. I obviously misinterpreted the standards totally.

Any one got anything to add?

**ajs** · 22-01-2008, 03:20 PM

sorry that's anew one on me it hink she may have it wrong if we all know and think one thing and her another it may not be us whos wrong

**Mickey Mouse Clubhouse** · 22-01-2008, 03:33 PM

I would say she has that wrong don't think she knows what she is talking about as soon as they start school full time they are class as over 5.

Lorraine xx

**sarah707** · 22-01-2008, 04:26 PM

It sometimes seems that one hand in Ofsted doesn't know what the other are saying... can you imagine if it was a big commercial company? They'd go under in a week

Tiisku, I know Susi is right... I've never heard what Emma is saying before, but that doesn't mean she's not right...

Here's Ofsted's email if you wanted to get it in writing

enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

**emma04** · 22-01-2008, 06:40 PM

As i say i was shocked when she said it and i even asked her to repeat it and me being me i repeated it again afterwards.....I thought the same, she can't be right, but i will call Ofsted AGAIN....tomorrow for clarification.

Just to confuse me even more......the Ofsted lady that came to my house told me that my daughter (under 5) would not be included on my certificate.......therefore it would read 'no more than 3 under 5' she was wrong as my certificate came and it said 'no more than 2 under 5' when i called Ofsted to say it was wrong the woman said 'Oh no what we mean is that you can have 2 under 5 as well as your own daughter under 5'!! I sooooo wish they would take a look at the way they do stuff and give it a shake!!

Why does it have to be so muddled.......unless its just me being paranoid. Trouble is i am so desperate to do things by the book and not get in to trouble i am probably complicating things more than i need to.

Thanks for allowing me to ramble!!

**LittleMissSparkles** · 22-01-2008, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by emma04

As an addition to the first thread. Does everyone know that if you have a 4 year old son/daughter in school full time they are classed as 5 BUT ONLY DURING SCHOOL TIME!! After school, In the school holidays and when the school is closed they go back to being classed as 4 and therefore an under 5!

This shocked me when the lady at Ofsted told me. I was always lead to believe that as soon as your own child was in full time school even though she is only 4, she would be classed as a 5 year old for my ratio all the time not classed as 5 during school and then after school a 4 year old. I obviously misinterpreted the standards totally.

Any one got anything to add?

you are joking me ??????????? I think Im breaking my registration then ..................

**sarah707** · 22-01-2008, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Susan

you are joking me ??????????? I think Im breaking my registration then ..................

So are a lot of people if this advisor at Ofsted is right... I know the issue of nearly 5 year olds has always been a bit vague, but they should know what they are advising for goodness sake... not tell different people different things!

I think Emma is going to clarify it tomorrow - hopefully by speaking to someone else who agrees with what we all think!

**littlestar** · 22-01-2008, 07:25 PM

i was told as soon as they start attending school they are classified as over 4 hope this is right im abit confused now

**Lou** · 22-01-2008, 07:38 PM

My daughter is 4.

She is in full time school.

So in august (just before she started) i wrote to OFSTED just to inform them she was starting school. No problem they wrote back and sent me a new certificate to say that i could have 3 under 5s instead of 2.

Therefore i am not breaking my registration at all as i am adhereing to my certificate.

Sorry but i think this woman is WRONG!!! and even if shes not, i have it on my certificate as im sure you do Susan? so dont panic.

Oh and if they dont know what we are meant to be doing, how are we meant to know??

Ofsted make me