Do you think Ofsted would allow this?

**francinejayne** · 27-02-2010, 09:01 PM

Hello,
I am newly registered and have my own DS who will be 2 in April, and I am having a 3 and a half year old mindee 3 days a week.
I put an advert on chidcare.co.uk and I saw someone had accessed my details, so I took advice from here and contacted them to say hello and point them in the direction of my website. Anyway, they've emailed me to say they'd like to meet me and my family (this will be my first meeting as my 3 year old mindee is a friend's daugter - yikes!) as they like the sound of me.

Anyway, the problem is they need child care from August for their little boy aged 4 who will start school in Sept, and their 8 month old baby.

And this would mean that for 1 month I would have 4 under school age! Do you think Ofsted would allow this, and if so what would I need to do? I don't want to contact this lady if it would be a no starter. Yet this would be a lovely start to my childminding.

Help!

And also advice please on contacting her and meeting her!

**TammyN** · 27-02-2010, 09:11 PM

not sure if they would grant this so early on but u could enquire for a variation on the term that lo would be in school bracket in september anyway. is there no way of parents finding alternative for older child on the day's other mindee attends?

Originally Posted by francinejayne

Hello,
I am newly registered and have my own DS who will be 2 in April, and I am having a 3 and a half year old mindee 3 days a week.
I put an advert on chidcare.co.uk and I saw someone had accessed my details, so I took advice from here and contacted them to say hello and point them in the direction of my website. Anyway, they've emailed me to say they'd like to meet me and my family (this will be my first meeting as my 3 year old mindee is a friend's daugter - yikes!) as they like the sound of me.

Anyway, the problem is they need child care from August for their little boy aged 4 who will start school in Sept, and their 8 month old baby.

And this would mean that for 1 month I would have 4 under school age! Do you think Ofsted would allow this, and if so what would I need to do? I don't want to contact this lady if it would be a no starter. Yet this would be a lovely start to my childminding.

Help!

And also advice please on contacting her and meeting her!

**Zoomie** · 27-02-2010, 09:44 PM

I registered end of May 2009, and applied for a 4 under 5s variation in at the end of Sept 2009, so 4 months in. They did come out and do a mini inspection on me, suppposedly to check my equipment, RAs and how I would cope, but the inspector was here less than 30 mins and really just verified all my details (ie mine & mindees ages etc).

My variation was only for 1 hour a week, but still it was granted.

Sadly 9m baby could not settle away from mum and we parted ways a few weeks into contract.

**singlewiththree** · 27-02-2010, 10:50 PM

I tried to apply for a variation similar to yours but they said as the sibling didn't already come to me it wasn't continuity of care. It would be worth emailing or asking them as every situation is different.

**madredann** · 28-02-2010, 11:52 AM

If you have the baby first and then ask for variation for sibling then they may let you, stress that it is only for 4 weeks as child starts school in september unfortunately their is no guarantee to parent that they will let you but explain about numbers to parents and at least they will see that you take safety of children very seriously

**francinejayne** · 28-02-2010, 01:20 PM

An update on this - I spoke to the mum this morning, and her eldest in currently in a nursery so she's going to keep him in there until he starts school in september and she only needs childcare for the baby from August - then before and after school for the eldest in Sept. So there would be no problem! Assuming she likes me?!
She's coming Friday morning - yikes!!!