Emergency Ratio's

[Guest Spiral]

Hi there,

 

I was off sick last week and ended up leaving my staff without me (and another staff member was sick). If we end up with an emergency ratio, what should it be? (ages 3-4)

 

 

[catma]

I'm not sure there is one...there's just the required minimum ratios isn't there?

Cx

[Wildflowers]

What I was told by Ofsted (pre-new EYFS) is that you can have unqualified staff in emergencies, to make up the required ratios.

As they may not have be DBS checked, they must be supervised.

[HappyMaz]

I've never heard of an emergency ratio. I've always assumed they were non-negotiable. After all, your definition of an 'emergency' is might not be the same as mine, so it would be difficult to enforce, I think.

 

I'll be watching this one with interest!

 

Hope you're feeling better, Spiral?

[Guest Spiral]

Well I'm certainly a little thinner - which is the only plus of having such a nasty bug! Tee hee hee!

 

We ended up asking committee members and using our local staff bank, but it costs a lot to use a bank.

 

Spiral :-)

[angela41]

I was under the impression we had to have a contingency plan for emergency cover.

 

As we all have a new registration document from Ofsted that is not so prescriptive isnt it to facilitate how we deploy staff, so that we can manage our children in this instance, with ages being in mixed rooms, if we choose?

 

That is of course for nurseries, a little difficult for preeschools operating in one room/ area, of course.

 

Thank you

[purplewednesday1]

Ratios is the ratios is the ratios I think. On days when staff struggled to get in when it was very very snowy we only opened for essential users and had to telephone children to tell them not to come in as we couldn't get enough staff in to carry our numbers as normal. The statutory framework staes what the ratios are and as far as I am concerned that's it.

pw

[zigzag]

With only myself and my deputy with a level three, if we are both poorly we have no option but to close. I would never work outside of the legal requirements, its not worth the risk.

[Greenfinch]

There's just the required minimum ratios, no emergency ratio.

It would be highly abused in my opinion if there was such a thing (by some providers trying to cut costs) so this would be detrimental to the safety of the children.

Edited June 10, 2013 by Greenfinch

[Stargrower]

I agree, there is no emergency ratio. 50% of staff in a room or with a whole group must be qualified.

[lynned55]

I would think that Ofsted would call an emergency a staff member falling sick at work or being called away to their own emergency. If you know that you are not going to be able to cover your ratio before you open your doors then that is not an emergency is it, surely?

 

I did ring and ask Ofsted once what would we do if both myself and my deputy were unable to get in and they said IF our committee agreed and were fully aware of the possible consequences then we could open. WE would still have been in ratio but possibly not had enough qualified staff. (note the word qualified not experienced)