Guest Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Hi, I have funding audit on Friday by an external company commissioned by our LEA. Has anyone else experienced anything like this and can give me some pointers on what they might want to discuss. I assume they will tick the parent funding forms back to my claim, but really have no idea how deep they will delve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 we had one last year. She looked at registers and funding forms to check the children we'd claimed for actually came. It was fine, I knew everything was ok though. I think they wrote to us shortly afterwards giving us a thumbs up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel10 Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Our LEA does the audit themselves. Its actually quite helpful really, as she uses the time to ensure we are up to date with all the info. She does a spot check on some children, Birth certificates, attendance, I normally mess it all up but she doesn't seem to mind. We are a charity, I think that helps. Last time we had to go through a whole term and check everyone attendance, and justify why they had not attended. Of course they chose the term that we had the worse cases of chicken pox ever!!!! We insist that parents tell us why their child cannot attend if they are claiming the grant. With all the cuts, I feel that its only right that the council are not wasting their money on funding spaces that the children are not attending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 (edited) we've had one recently and it is fine, they looked back through the register and followed the path of one child, added up their hours and checked this against the claim form. We did get deducted 6 hours though as the time the child had left the premises had not been accurately recorded on one day so they are very thorough Edited February 13, 2013 by max321 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2013 Share Posted February 13, 2013 Oh thank -you for your replies, looks like I will be busy tomorrow checking parent forms have all come back from them for this term! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 guess i'll be checking my register this weekend! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Oh thank -you for your replies, looks like I will be busy tomorrow checking parent forms have all come back from them for this term! just a quicky, when they visited me they didn't check the last term but the term before that. not sure if thats standard but it enables them to have all the relevant info including any adjustment forms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 guess i'll be checking my register this weekend! In a previous visit i was also pulled up and nearly deducted funds as a child wasn't marked away/sick/on holiday on the register luckily I could show the inspector the absence log Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaMum Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We had our audit on November. She checked the copy of invoices to the funded children's parents, looked at the register, parental statement of undertaking forms, birth certificates, absence sheets and reasons why children were absent. Our local authority do not allow me as leader to sign the absense forms as I claim for funding. This is incase I claim falsely apparently. Not quite sure about that one but hey ho, I comply. Also if you have any children that receive adult support, you have to show proof of the hours that member of staff is paid for. We did all right though, we scored 64 out of 65. Last audit I had transposed a number of a child's birthdate on the headcount form and she found it!! I think I had put 02 when it was 20, or something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fimbo Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 absence forms.....what are they ? we have a child with us at the mo who's attendance is so sporadic, we keep calling mum, writing letters...so we have ( some ) evidence of contacting them.....but maybe an absence form would be a good idea ? Ive contacted our funding people so many times, had the funding stopped...then re-instated, then some reclaimed.....its been a nightmare ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 absence forms.....what are they ? we have a child with us at the mo who's attendance is so sporadic, we keep calling mum, writing letters...so we have ( some ) evidence of contacting them.....but maybe an absence form would be a good idea ? Ive contacted our funding people so many times, had the funding stopped...then re-instated, then some reclaimed.....its been a nightmare ! we had to get a letter from parents for non attendance and file it as a condition of our funding... every time they were away we had to ensure we got a note...i started a non attendance book alongside and any who did not bring a letter were asked to write in it on return to the setting.. I put headings like.. name dates absent from to reason for absence and signature of parent/carer .. this helped when they did not bring a letter, I think I also wrote to all parents stating why we were asking, that regular non attendance would mean we would not get funding and therefore we may not have a space for the child as we needed to ensure places were filled etc.. really did cut down on a lot on days off for no reason.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 i like the idea of an absense log, even though are parents are pretty good at absense notes this would make more sense jsut have to have one for each term, BUT birth certificates ?? i dont have these, and can find nothing in my local provider agreement that says i should, does everyone else hold copies of these ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 (edited) We don't have to hold copies of birth certificates here in somerset, just send off photocopies when the child registers for funding. The absence log is just a spreadsheeet I devised to mark when parents phone in if their child is away and the reason given. Gives us evidence should any safeguarding issues or patterns of absences occur, it also allows me to write down when I have to phone parents about a child's absence if they don't ring in Edited February 14, 2013 by max321 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well I'm having a 'little' panic now I don't have - an absence file/book/record, I don't ask parents to write letters re absence - they just ring or send a text, I don't keep copies of birth certificates either :blink: Oh heck! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 (edited) We dont keep copies of birth certificates because I would have objected to someone having a copy of my children's (that was an executive decision ) but we do ask to see them when they start with us so we can check date of birth and given name. We dont have an absence book either or ask for letters saying why they were away. I'm not going to either. If we cant trust the people who claim the funding (me :rolleyes: ) or the people who keep the register, then I dont see the point in carrying on. <_< Edited February 14, 2013 by Rea 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We dont keep copies of birth certificates because I would have objected to someone having a copy of my children's (that was an executive decision ) but we do ask to see them when they start with us so we can check date of birth and given name. We dont have an absence book either or ask for letters saying why they were away. I'm not going to either. If we cant trust the people who claim the funding (me :rolleyes: ) or the people who keep the register, then I dont see the point in carrying on. <_< Phew! :1b I do see Birth Certificates when NEF is first claimed (something is telling me that we were, at one time told not to keep copies - but hey I could have dreamed that!) :1b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well I'm having a 'little' panic now I don't have - an absence file/book/record, I don't ask parents to write letters re absence - they just ring or send a text, I don't keep copies of birth certificates either :blink: Oh heck! It is part of our safeguarding policy that parents are expected to let us know if their child is absent and the reason why. it enables us to have a reason to call and make contact if a child is absent for a while and allows us to have a record should there be any future concerns and a process to follow if we have concerns ie contacting HV/funding office/ safeguarding child board. It is also useful as all staff can answer the phone and a sheet next to it makes sure that the message gets to the manager of any absences, we all know how easy it is for messages to get lost between the phone and the appropriate person if the playroom has to be negotiated first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Again isn't it funny how the rules vary so much. We were told we had to keep copies of the birth certificates, something I was never very happy about, but it was a condition of our funding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 It is part of our safeguarding policy that parents are expected to let us know if their child is absent and the reason why. it enables us to have a reason to call and make contact if a child is absent for a while and allows us to have a record should there be any future concerns and a process to follow if we have concerns ie contacting HV/funding office/ safeguarding child board. It is also useful as all staff can answer the phone and a sheet next to it makes sure that the message gets to the manager of any absences, we all know how easy it is for messages to get lost between the phone and the appropriate person if the playroom has to be negotiated first Thanks max - it would be easy to start just such a log - maybe I will :1b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I suppose I could suggest a log <_< I feel a birth certificate is private to the child. In these days of identity theft I'd prefer my children's stuff to be private. Although I've just googled birth certificate copies and its ridiculously easy to get a copy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We don't even have to see them before including children on funding application, I just trust that parents haven,t lied about age of their child, and always figured their age would be checked/cross referenced when they are added to funding app,s anyway.....maybe not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We check birth certificates when children start with us and just take note of the number. As for children not being the age your told. Reminds me of a little one many moons ago starting school, who kept falling asleep bless him, he was only three years old. So it has happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We check birth certificates when children start with us and just take note of the number. As for children not being the age your told. Reminds me of a little one many moons ago starting school, who kept falling asleep bless him, he was only three years old. So it has happened. :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We have to send copies of birth certificates or passports before we can access funding for children and I have bought them for parents in the past if they haven't been able to find them or been a bit slow and the application date is approaching and then have added the cost to their next invoice and yes Rea it is really easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We have to send copies of birth certificates or passports before we can access funding for children and I have bought them for parents in the past if they haven't been able to find them or been a bit slow and the application date is approaching and then have added the cost to their next invoice and yes Rea it is really easy! That used to be a requirement here too - once upon a time - but it's all changed now..........how 'scary' that a 'third party' can obtain copies of Birth Certificates - that seems very 'wrong' :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well I haven't birth certificates to hand , but I have seen them or a passport. I don't have an absence log either but my register states sick, holiday or other. I well let you know tomorrow what else crops up. Now beginning to think this will be a nightmare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well I'm having a 'little' panic now I don't have - an absence file/book/record, I don't ask parents to write letters re absence - they just ring or send a text, I don't keep copies of birth certificates either :blink: Oh heck! We can sit on the naughty chair together then ::1a and our registers just have / for in and 0 for not in- any reason!!!!! I do look at birth certs when I remember!!! xx 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 Well I haven't birth certificates to hand , but I have seen them or a passport. I don't have an absence log either but my register states sick, holiday or other. I well let you know tomorrow what else crops up. Now beginning to think this will be a nightmare! Really hope all goes well - sure it will :1b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meridian Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 We dont keep copies of birth certificates because I would have objected to someone having a copy of my children's (that was an executive decision ) but we do ask to see them when they start with us so we can check date of birth and given name. We dont have an absence book either or ask for letters saying why they were away. I'm not going to either. If we cant trust the people who claim the funding (me :rolleyes: ) or the people who keep the register, then I dont see the point in carrying on. <_< we only look at the birth certs and record on day care that we have checked date of birth/parental resp. but so many parents now only have the short certificate, so difficult to check PR. We don't have a absence book either, think early years is getting more and more like school, sending in notes of absence! we have had someone from the LA come in to audit too, now put a H for holiday in register and 'ill' if off ill rather than just an 'A' in register, they seemed happy with that :rolleyes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperrabbit Posted February 14, 2013 Share Posted February 14, 2013 I do have to have copies of certificates I don't do absence notes, but mark in the registers H=holiday S=SIck A=not in and they've not called/text to let us know. I find it a little sad that parents can no longer think hey it's a beautiful day let's not go to pre-school lets go on a trip ... I quite often used to do that when mine were 2/3, you need to do spontaneous things like that before they start school. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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