Ofsted rules on balloons

Ofsted rules on balloons

by: Shellie Dearden - 31-01-13 17:32

Hi All, I was told by someone at my head office today that Ofsted have banned balloon play in nurseries, I've never heard of this, has anyone else?

by: Butterfly

Well that's a new one to me!!!

by: Shellie Dearden

Exactly my thoughts, my children love balloons!! 

by: Laura Henry

As I always say check the EYFS. Where does it state that one can't use balloons? Seriously! All about risk assessments & effective supervision, when using materials, equipment and resources. As well as the age, stage & ability of the children. 

Had a conversation with a manager yesterday and I said if we think about it everything that we use in our nurseries is potentially dangerous to children. Know your staff & think outcomes and impact on children’s learning and development.... 

by: Shellie Dearden

Thank you for that, the lady in question will get a nice little email tomorrow:-) 

by: CJ

unless of course you have a child with a diagnosed latex allergy!

by: Laura Henry

Hence, the risk assessment... :-) 

by: whmon

Funnily enough, I have a couple of ex-parents coming to my house tomorrow night for a 'girls night in'. (please don't think I do this all the time it is just that every now and then you meet nice people who you wish to have continued friendship with)

One of them has such a huge latex allergy that if balloons had been in the nursery she could not enter it. If her child had been in contact with balloons the mother would get a reaction from the child. I had to stop all balloons in nursery.

by: Laura Henry

Whmon...Good point & linked to risk assessments & knowing which children & their families have allergies, etc.

I must ask you what would happen if one of those mums had another child & they attended your nursery. Would you no longer invite them for a 'girls night in.' Also, what about the other parents who you do not click with & are not invited? Do you think they might question, ‘what is it about me? & Why, I am not part of the gang?’

I have been an expert witness on a few cases & would suggest that in my professional opinion, this is a BIG no, no...

My colleague Catherin Rushforth, who is the early years guru in safeguarding/child protection. Always states, there is a difference to being ‘friends’ and ‘friendly’ with parents.

Catherine’s current book covers issues like this: Safeguarding and Child Protection in the Early Years  also cross reference with Plymouth Review for professionalism and settings attitudes and behaviour.

Sorry, to be the ‘party pooper’ But, I had to mention. 

by: kaz (the first one!)

Laura I think whmon is trying to tell you that these are ex-parents and not current parents and therefore she wouldn't be upsetting anyone by excluding them. I see that whmon is 'frieinds' with these mums and is not just 'friendly'.

In all walks of life we meet people that we 'click' with and they become friends, just because they have been parents does not mean they have to be excluded. For some us, we only ever see parents, therefore our 'friends pool' is quite small!

Any decent setting is going to have policies about 'friending' parents, whether this includes babysitting or friends on facebook and believe it or not, we are all very aware of safeguarding issues in light of recent events.

by: Laura Henry

Kaz, yes I picked this up, they were ex-parents. This is even more of a worry. 

I was pointing out that if one of these parents had another child & they wanted their child to attend the setting, also in my opinion there has been a CP case involving ex-parents. Staff’s professionalism being comprised as a result.

Hence, my professional opinion. That being friends with current & ex-parents is a no... no... Making friends with ex-parents can be seen as having favourites.

As we know with safeguarding/Child Protection... All about protecting ourselves as a starting point. 

We all click with individuals, however. We have to be mindful, to keep our professional stance.

by: 'Old' Louise

I would be interested to know how this leaves a long standing friend of a manager, owner or staff member who then has a baby.  Would you have to exclude their child from attending the one nursery where they felt 100% confident due to existing relationships?

What about children of relatives?

Interested to hear views.

by: Laura Henry

Good point, Louise.. Have had many discussions around relatives & long standing friends, etc

I believe we can only share our points on professionalism/legislation/guidance and the wider areas of safeguarding/ChildProtection.

Then as owners & managers you make your own professional judgements. Including, practitioners who will need clarification as to what is meant by professional relationships with parents.

by: whmon

I'm sorry Laura but I am at a loss at understanding your two points. First, why would it matter if either of my friends had another child and placed the child at my nursery. Yes, they have both been to my home several times but why would that matter? They are not coming into my home and finding anything 'untoward', I have nothing to hide. Perhaps by coming into my home and seeing me in my own enviroment they are even more reassured that I am stable and upstanding citizen.

Secondly, I can't see how inviting ex-parents (now good friends) to my home could possibly leave existing parents feeling left out. They have friends of their own that they choose to spend time with. Nobody can be friends with everybody they meet as there are not enough days in the week and I think everybody understands this.

by: kaz (the first one!)

Laura I think you need to get a life! You are tarring all parents and practiitioners with suspicion and distrust and evenin todays safeguarding climate  I don't think that is healthy.

Over half of my staff have been parents of my settings, that I have got to know, offered training and 'friendship' and watched grow.

by: Laura Henry

When we communicate via e-communication.. messages can get lost in translations.. 

I would never tar all parents & practitioners with suspicion and distrust... Those who know me in the sector, would state this is the case.... 

Hence, why I said you need to make your own professional judgements. Setting by setting...case by case... linked to your professional code of conduct, confidentiality etc…

My involvement, in some cases have left providers/owners saying to me 'Laura, I wish we knew this before & makes sense.' 

LOL.. maybe I need to write a blog on this topic to explain my points in detail & how some parents start a career in the sector, etc.. 

by: chrissie

Whmom, just out of interest, do your staff socialise with parents, ex or otherwise outside of working hours? Would this be deemed acceptable in your setting if the staff wished to socialise outside of hours and without your consent?

by: whmon

As far as I know, the staff do not sociialise with ex or current parents unless it is connected to children's parties which their own children are invited to. I do not believe I would have a problem with it if they did though.

by: Lil Miss Purple

At an old setting I trained at, it became forbidden to even have parents as friends on Facebook, which caused a bit of an uproar. The girls (and boy!) had the attitude that when they are not at work they can do what they wish. It is a double edged sword. I choose not to add parents or be overly friendly with the parents outside of work, due to the fact I was out clubbing one sat night with some of my girly mates a few years back, and had drank a couple of cocktails, unbeknown to me I was being watched by a parent of the nursery I was working at, she rudely barged past my friends and snapped "I sincerely hope you are going to be able to look after my child competently on Monday!" I smiled and said "Yes of course" when I could have snapped "I hope you are fit to look after him tomorrow, seeing that you are here with a drink in your hand too!" It is difficult, as there is the chance of judgement being passed from a parent or ex-parent, but you also don't want to seem aloof or exclusive. I have the attitude that my free time is mine, and when I am in 'time off mode' I do not want to worry about my actions being deemed inappropriate by a client. I wouldn't rule out a social event where parents may be, but I would then snap into proffessional mode. Some people enjoy being friends with parents, going out for dinner etc. I have a few friends that have a couple of Nursery parents on speed-dial so to speak. Me personally, I wouldn't, but I don't condone those who do. It's funny how a balloon topic has gone to a Socialising with parents topic! In regards to that, I think as long as there are no allergies, and a risk assesment is taken, then why not have balloon play, if Ofsted did have a problem, I would want reasons as to why ;)