Urgent Need Advice - Certificate Queries

[Guest]

Hello out there i would really appreciate some help. I registered as a childminder in June and received my certificate stating that i could care for 4 children under 8 and no more than 1 under 5 (as i had at the time two children of my own under five years old). However, due to my son starting full time education in sept (tomorrow) i asked ofsted and was granted a variation in my certificate (recieved new certificate in August). As i have a young daughter 19 months old i requested that i could care for 2 more children (rather than one) under five. My first question is my certificate states that i can now care for no more than 4 children under 8 and no more than 2 can be under 5. Am i right in thinking that what is wrote on your certificate does not include your own biological children? I am having a fit here thinking that i have only one space avaliable (because of my daughter aged under five) or am i all confused and the certificates only states your childminding children as numbers?????

 

My other query is to make sure that my son Joey who is five on the 31st dec 2008 will not count towards my under five ratio?????? I was always made to believe that when a child starts full time education they are counted as over 5 years. I have read this in the eyfs as well (p.51) However a recent letter from ofsted has confused me leading me to wonder whether this is actually the case. Also what happens during the hols does my son still count as over five????? and therefore is my ratio affected????

 

As you can appreciate this has brought me such stress this weekend and would be so grateful for any advice xx thanks so much

[Susan]

Hi Lauraberry and welcome

Im afraid I dont know the answers to your questions but hopefully someone else will be along soon. Are you not a member of a local network that you could contact, you should have an LEA representative somewhere shouldnt you?

 

Hope your son enjoys his day at school tomorrow and the rest!

[Guest Wolfie]

Hi lauraberry and welcome from me too! I'm afraid I don't know the answer either but someone will.....

[Guest]

Hi Lauraberry

To my understanding these ratios dont include your children .generally childminders are allowed 6 under 8 years with no more then 3 of those being under 5 years and of these three no more than baby under 1

so before you had 1 minded space under 5 and 3 5-8 spaces plus your 2 children made 6 total

You now have

2 places under 5 plus your little one and 2 spaces 5-8 plus your son would make 6 in total

 

If youre still unsure ring ofsted and check they ll be able to allay your concerns and make sure you ve got your ratios right

 

You are right that your son wont count in your under 5 s numbers now at all -not even in holiday time.there was a lot of confusion over this for a while buti ts been sorted so ghe s definitley counted as an over 5

[Guest]

Hi Lauraberry

To my understanding these ratios dont include your children .generally childminders are allowed 6 under 8 years with no more then 3 of those being under 5 years and of these three no more than baby under 1

so before you had 1 minded space under 5 and 3 5-8 spaces plus your 2 children made 6 total

You now have

2 places under 5 plus your little one and 2 spaces 5-8 plus your son would make 6 in total

 

If youre still unsure ring ofsted and check they ll be able to allay your concerns and make sure you ve got your ratios right

 

You are right that your son wont count in your under 5 s numbers now at all -not even in holiday time.there was a lot of confusion over this for a while buti ts been sorted so ghe s definitley counted as an over 5

 

You are a star!!! Thanks so much for your help - it is more than appreciated xxx

[HappyMaz]

Welcome to the Forum, lauraberry.

 

That's why this Forum is so great: someone always knows the answer...

 

Maz

[hali]

hello and welcome

[dublinbay]

Hello and welcome from me too!

[Shiny]

Hello and welcome!!

[Guest]

The answer form Ofsted is... the new certificates being issued for EYFS exclude your own child(ren) as you cannot childmind your own child(ren) or be regulated for the care you provide them.

Logical, but wouldn't it be great if the powers that be would pass this information to us before, or as, the changes occur!?

(Mind you - if they had, Laura wouldn't have phoned me, I wouldn't have told her about this forum and she wouldn't be on her way to developing a severe addiction....! She may thank Ofsted one day )

Nona

[Guest]

hi and welcome frome me too,

 

as a childminder as i understand it your own children have already been included,

so if your certificate say 2 under 5yrs that means 2 and your own children etc,

 

if your child has started full time school but not yet 5yrs old he is still in your over 5's

 

so dont worry it got me at first and i had to ask Ofsted about my own children -one now the big 17 and knows it all

lord help me!! i had to have a full CRB for her once she reached 16yrs of age!

 

welcome and chat soon x

[Guest]

Hi Lauraberry

To my understanding these ratios dont include your children .generally childminders are allowed 6 under 8 years with no more then 3 of those being under 5 years and of these three no more than baby under 1

so before you had 1 minded space under 5 and 3 5-8 spaces plus your 2 children made 6 total

You now have

2 places under 5 plus your little one and 2 spaces 5-8 plus your son would make 6 in total

 

If youre still unsure ring ofsted and check they ll be able to allay your concerns and make sure you ve got your ratios right

 

You are right that your son wont count in your under 5 s numbers now at all -not even in holiday time.there was a lot of confusion over this for a while buti ts been sorted so ghe s definitley counted as an over 5

 

 

sorry didn't see you there!

i can now look after 6 children; 3 under 5yrs

2 can be under 12mths

3 age 5-8yrs old

 

but because i am on the Specialist Network (children with SEN) I also work with older children the last being 11yrs. at the same time in my OVER 8'S

 

my son is 10 and daughter with horns, long nails and fire comin out her noise is 17!! lol (sorry i do love her)

 

was wondering if I had an assistant would the amount of children i can care for go up?

but i do know my daughter is no good to me as an assisstant until she is 18, as Ofsted say she can not be left alone with the children at any time, but she does now - esp if i sooo need the loo !!!!@*/?

 

x