playworker advice please !!!!!!

[funfunfun]

Hello all

I wonder if anyone has any advice for me??!!

I work in after school club set up and run by myself , i have NVQ2 in playwork & currently doing level 3 in childcare . However this is my first job as a playworker .

I have been advised (told ) that i am ok to have 15 children by myself and cook tea for them by myself ! Now i have been in touch with early years who came to visit my place of work & i got myself a telling off .( from my boss )However i am still exspected to have 15 children and do tea , when i say tea i mean a light tea Pasta/beans on toast etc .

Does anyone have any thoughts on this ???

Just to add the club , is " after school activities " so not required to be
registered with ofsted.

[FARLEYS]

hi, im supervisor of an afterschool club, we do full home made cooked teas, my understanding is the ratio is the same as early years, 1 member of staff for every 8 children under the age of 8, so any children older than 8 are not included in the ratio on site but will be on the journey from school....hope this helps.

I notice you have a level 2 in playwork and are now doing level 3 in childcare...i have level 3 in childcare and im doing my foundation degree and ive been told that from sept 2009 my level 3 is no longer 'a suitable qualification' to run the after school club, i need to do level 3 in playwork so im doing a top up to my level 3 in childcare....does this make sense???

[funfunfun]

Hello thanks for your reply :)


Yes i have herd the same thing with the courses , unfortunatlly i have nearlly finished my level 3 in childcare i am hoping to go onto a foundation degree but am thinking of doing the playwork level 3 ...im not sure about the top up i havnt herd anything about that .

Is your after school club registered with ofsted ? do you charge etc

[FARLEYS]

hi, yes its registered with ofsted because we offer wrap around care from 8am-6pm so have children from 18 months up to 11 years old.
we do charge, but prices vary depending whether they are staying for 1st hour only, just a snack or a cooked tea etc.

im doing the transitional module for the nvq3 in playwork...means im only doing 2 modules of the normal level 3 as i have already done the level 3 in childcare and education.

where are you based...maybe send me a private and keep in touch xx

[DizzyDora]

Just clarifying are the you the only member of staff on site with 15 children!
My understanding of rules is 1 member of staff for every 8 children under 8 with 2 members of staff on site at all times even if only 1 child in. If you are there on you own with 15 children you are operating illegally!
What hours are you doing has? not sure of the exact rules but something like less than 2 hours a day need not be registered. For safety sake i'd still want 2 staff members with that many chidren what if you had first aid or an accident who would you call on?

[LisaLou]

hi you should nt be left on your own at any time with the children and you should have more staff with you as it is 1 staff to 8 children under 8yrs and free over 8yrs old. but you still need at least 2 or 3 staff members with you as what happens if you have an accident...............