What does ‘OFSTED’ approval actually mean?
For most British parents, the word “OFSTED” symbolises all that is good about childcare. Just as the British “Kitemark” symbol” stands for quality within the manufacturing industry and “Corgi” confirms gas safety compliance, Ofsted automatically creates an image of safety, competence and quality in all areas of teaching and childcare.
This issue is of serious concern to Karen Dixon, Managing Director of Family Match in Winchester.
More and more private nannies are applying to become Ofsted Approved. For those of you that haven’t yet come across this scheme, it was devised by the Government in order to bring a professional status to the Nanny Industry and to enable families to utilise childcare vouchers towards the costs of employing a Nanny. However, there is a darker side to this story and one with serious potential risks.
Whilst Ofsted do maintain an air of excellence within schools and nurseries, they are lacking in their processes of registering Nannies and seem ill-equipped to handle this different area of childcare.
“I wanted to put Ofsted to the test in attempt to allay my concerns”Karen told us.
“So I applied to become an Approved Nanny myself. I have no experience as a professional childcarer, and none of the required qualifications!”.
To Karen’s dismay, she discovered a flawed system filled with confusion, inconsistencies, little or no verification of correct documentation and a vastly inadequate auditing system following registration.
Shockingly, Karen managed to obtain the required approval from Ofsted having provided them with very little of the essential documentation required. She now has full Ofsted certification to work as a Nanny.
Since then, more stories have emerged from Nannies keen to highlight the flaws in the system.
“I have been told of Ofsted Approval being given to Nannies with no qualifications, no first aid and no insurance, despite these being obligatory requirements by Ofsted”.
She has also heard of inexperienced Ofsted staff providing spot checks on Nannies in their employers home and of few home visits at all.
To ensure that you are employing a fully vetted and safe Nanny to care for your children is to go to an REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) Approved Nanny Agency. These agencies are required to comply fully with a strict code of conduct within the childcare industry, and any childcarer seeking to register with them for employment has to undergo a stringent checking and verification process before being accepted.