Showing posts with label OFSTED. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OFSTED. Show all posts

Friday 4 January 2013

Crushed Dreams by NHS

For the last year now I have been training to become a Childminder. 

  • I have completed and payed for my First Aid for Childcarers Certificate.
  • I have attended my Pre-registration Briefing Meetings
  • I have completed my Understanding How To Set Up A Home Based Childcare Service Course and Childminder Registration Course.
  • I have attended and completed my Safeguarding Children Awareness Course.
  •  I have spent hours writing all of my policies & procedures that are required
  • I have completed my Enhanced CRB Check
  • My partner has completed his Enhanced CRB check
  • I have sent off my forms and documents to be checked and signed.
  •  I have read and re read the EYFS so I know what is expected of me.
  • I have completed all of my risk assessements for every room in my house including the garden.
  • I have brought fire guards, first aid boxes, fire blankets, non slip matting and safety glass film etc (all requirements by OFSTED)
  • I have spent time creating activity rotas, and printing & laminating posters for my setting. 
  • I have paid for my registration fee to OFSTED
...and today I found out that I won't be able to become a Childminder!!!
Words cannot express how devastated I feel.

All because my local Doctors surgery will not sign my Health Declaration Form unless I pay them £87!


It is only two pages and seven tick box questions and would take less than 5 minutes to fill out. It could easily be done within one appointment time. All it requires is a doctor to look at my medical forms which they have on the screen at every appointment and just put a tick in the relevant boxes.

I have two children and currently don’t work as I am at home looking after them. I cannot afford to pay out for childcare and becoming a childminder is the only way that I can work, earn some money and still look after my children.
I simply cannot afford to pay this fee however without this small section of the form filled out I will not be able to become a childminder.

I thought the idea was to help people get back into work not stop them!

Today is a bad day