Advice on over eights numbers please!

Lady Haha · 09-06-2009, 07:34 PM

Hi, I look after school age children only. I am happy to do this, it suits me very well! But I'm getting abit confused about numbers!

I know that when one reaches the age of eight, they then free up an under eights place and that I can look after up to 12 children- six under eights and six over eights.

Then a big problem suddenly hit me! I have one over eight already, she has been with me for two years, my own son and two other long term mindees will be eight early next year too. So I thought, eventually, I could fill up all the under eight spaces they have freed up then. I have three other mindees who will also be eight in two years time! So that will be the six over eights.

The problem being that if I eventually get, for example, six under eights and have the six over, what happens when another one of the under eights becomes eight!!!!! I will have seven over eights then! And so on!!!! Would I have to give one of the over eights notice even though by then they will be my most longstanding mindees????? Should I just stop at six mindees so that I will never have more than six over eights? Worried now, cos I already have seven altogether!!!

If you managed to get this far without getting completely confused, well done

TheBTeam · 09-06-2009, 07:42 PM

Not sure if this works the same in your area, but the oldest mindees we seem to look after are 11years, and they leave at the end of their primary school years. So the natural progression may mean that you lose some once they turn 11ish to go to senior school.

This give or take a bit can work with the progression from the under5's to the over5's and then to 11 and out the door!

**estrelas** · 09-06-2009, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by blackandsparkly

Hi, I look after school age children only. I am happy to do this, it suits me very well! But I'm getting abit confused about numbers!

I know that when one reaches the age of eight, they then free up an under eights place and that I can look after up to 12 children- six under eights and six over eights.

Then a big problem suddenly hit me! I have one over eight already, she has been with me for two years, my own son and two other long term mindees will be eight early next year too. So I thought, eventually, I could fill up all the under eight spaces they have freed up then. I have three other mindees who will also be eight in two years time! So that will be the six over eights.

The problem being that if I eventually get, for example, six under eights and have the six over, what happens when another one of the under eights becomes eight!!!!! I will have seven over eights then! And so on!!!! Would I have to give one of the over eights notice even though by then they will be my most longstanding mindees????? Should I just stop at six mindees so that I will never have more than six over eights? Worried now, cos I already have seven altogether!!!

If you managed to get this far without getting completely confused, well done

lol, sorry but this made me laugh. not much good i know sorry

**huggableshelly** · 09-06-2009, 08:12 PM

dont forget to take into consideration the need for a minbus to transfer 12 children around too!

even though i now have 4 over eights I still count them in my numbers due to car seats so on days when i have all 4 over 8's i only take on 2 under 8's as Hubby wont let me have a minibus and I'm too lazy to walk lol

**littlesprogs** · 09-06-2009, 08:20 PM

couldnt you just not take on any more under 8's then your total number of children would still be 12. or am i missing something??

**miffy** · 09-06-2009, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by blackandsparkly

The problem being that if I eventually get, for example, six under eights and have the six over, what happens when another one of the under eights becomes eight!!!!!
:

To stay within the terms of your insurance you would have to limit the number of under eights you look after to 5

Miffy xx

Lady Haha · 09-06-2009, 08:33 PM

Well, I'm thinking way way off into the future here! And wanted to get it straight before I put my plan into action!!!

In theory, if all my current mindees stay with me (and the one starting in Sept), I will eventually have nine children all over the age of eight in around three years time! One of them will be 11 by then, so I might lose her, but that would still leave me with eight over eights!!! I know I could lose some others before then, but I just wondered what Ofsteds view on this is???

Littlesprogs, I currently have six children under eight and one over eight, I'm just thinking ahead!

Lady Haha · 09-06-2009, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by miffy

To stay within the terms of your insurance you would have to limit the number of under eights you look after to 5

Miffy xx

Ah, thats what I was wondering! Could I in effect then, look after 12 children all aged over eight?? (eventually! with some being term time only and being able to walk to and from 'big' school on their own meaning no need for a minibus!)

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 09-06-2009, 09:32 PM

Does it actually state on your certificate these numbers as I have never known Ofsted to do so. Usually it is the insurance companies that specify numbers.

**sweets** · 09-06-2009, 09:36 PM

you could just start a school! lol

Pipsqueak · 09-06-2009, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by DebbieS26

Does it actually state on your certificate these numbers as I have never known Ofsted to do so. Usually it is the insurance companies that specify numbers.

I was wondering about this - my insurance states up to 11 children total.

**essexgirl1967** · 09-06-2009, 09:38 PM

Hi!

I too only look after school aged mindees who all tend to stay for a long time, so I actually rang my insurance company Morton Michel last year to clarify the numbers of children allowed.

They said I was allowed 10 minded children in total. I asked about my own 4 children aged 15,14, 8 and 3 and they said that these are not counted for insurance purposes.

The eldest 2 are very independent and I barely see them when I am minding, so they told me that I am allowed 12 children in total ( 10 mindees + my 2 youngest children).

I asked about age ratios and they said that as long as I stick to the numbers on my Ofsted certificate so that not more than 2 minded children are under 5 and no more than 5 are under 8 in total, then they didn't care how old the others were.

I specifically asked if all my mindees were over 8 would I still be ok and they said yes definitely, so I hope that helps! x

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 09-06-2009, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by Pipsqueak

I was wondering about this - my insurance states up to 11 children total.

When I contacted NCMA it was 10 and MM was 12. This was two years ago so it may have changed. I don't have any children included in these numbers of my own.

Lady Haha · 09-06-2009, 10:42 PM

Thanks for that advice everyone! Essexgirl, you're advice was what I was looking for really! I will ring my insurance as well. I think I was getting mixed up there. It's not to do with Ofsted is it! It's the insurance really! I am with NCMA and it states 12 children in there and I have only just renewed so thats pretty current!

I doubt I will ever have 12, too much work and not enough room, but I just wanted to make sure I wouldn't be over my numbers if I took on more kids to fill the under eight vacancies as they come along. As previously said, alot of them will leave when they reach 11 anyway so there will probably be a natural progression. And I didn't want to be breaking the law by not being within my numbers!