please help....variation

[angiemog]

Hi,
I need some advice. I have 3 under 5s at the moment on a Tuesday. One of which is in school part time til January. A mum has just contacted me wanting care for 2 days. One of them I can do the other there will be an over lap between 12 and 4.30 for 6 weeks. I just called Ofsted they suggested I take the child on for a week then call them and say the mum has changed her shifts and I need a variation.... then it will be granted. But what if it isn't and how do I explain this to a parent. I have already said that I will need to check with Ofsted. Isn't this a strange way of doing it. I don't know what to do now. Please give me some advice. Thank you x

[Daftbat]

Thats very nice of the Ofsted person. The reason they have said it is because variations are not granted for us to just take on new children. They are done normally because of changes incircumstances which would mean that continuity of care was not possible unless the variation was granted.

I would do as they suggest. Its highly unlikely that it would not be granted so long as Ofsted are happy that you can cope. To be extra sure when you ask for the variation i would enclose a risk assessment and a diary of times and activities for the areas needed. If you do it by phone just have these things to hand so that you can refer to them.