Childminder drop ins at Surestart Centres

[littletreasures]

Our borough is divided up in to 5 areas.
Each of these areas has at least one Drop-in for Childminders. That is except ours!!!!

We did have one up til just before Easter, when a couple of people from the council came to see us personally to tell us that it was being closed from the next week. We could, however, attend another one which is in a small library, up a flight of stairs and totally unsuitable. This would be temporary and they were hoping for us to be able to go somewhere else from September.

We then found out that this drop in at the library wasn't actually a drop in, but a toy library so we shouldn't be staying for the whole session. We created and they allowed us to until we have now been sent an updated centre programme for our area.

There is now nothing on a Thursday and 2 dates only on a Tuesday that are workshops. No drop-ins at all and when my friend spoke to someone they have said they don't know if there is going to be one in September either.

Do you all have drop-ins run by your borough? We are so cross and feel let down by the powers that be. We are not allowed to go to drop-ins in the other areas of the borough, its all done on a postcode system.

[VeggieSausage]

no none here....

[The Juggler]

hon, you need to challenge your local children's centre. they have a duty to provide support to the childminders in their postcode. it is part of their targets and delivery plan against which they are graded when they have their ofsted inspection :thumbsup:

ask to see their delivery plan that'll scare them into action.

[jumping j]

all ours have stopped, we've had to fight to keep our childminder run session on a wednesday morning.
We did have one on alternate tuesdays but even that's stopped now
we've tried to find out why but all we get told is they can't afford the staff to run them, not sure how many staff it takes to open the door so we can run a session :laughing:

[littletreasures]

hon, you need to challenge your local children's centre. they have a duty to provide support to the childminders in their postcode. it is part of their targets and delivery plan against which they are graded when they have their ofsted inspection :thumbsup:

ask to see their delivery plan that'll scare them into action.

Trouble is Juggler, I think they'll say that they are providing support due to the "Home Child carers and childminders workshop and toy library" but they have only given us 2 dates for workshops.

[TooEarlyForGin?]

Our children's center stopped the childminders group over a year ago, but told us we could use any sessions. Unfortunately most of the sessions are now specifically targeted - Dads only, Single Mums, Teenage Mums, 0-12 months or 18 - 24 months, Expecting mums with toddlers etc... so find it very difficult to use now, and I have been chasing up the use of a toy library for about 18 months now with no luck.

[The Juggler]

Trouble is Juggler, I think they'll say that they are providing support due to the "Home Child carers and childminders workshop and toy library" but they have only given us 2 dates for workshops.

that is not enough support. they have to evidence how they are improving the quality of practice locally and supporting you. giving you a toy library doesn't do that.

If you officially write to them to complain about the lack of workshops happening and lack of drop in, that will need to be included in the ofsted inspection or you could just call ofsted yourself for 'advice' on what they should be providing ;)

I would first challenge them though saying your delivery plan has to show how you are supporting us and this is not sufficient. What do you propose to change? If they are not listening go to ofsted or try to get on the advisory board hon if it's not full then you can really stick your oar in :thumbsup: even if they hold all the meetings when you can' come you can send in a written report/update, questions etc which will be recorded in the minutes :thumbsup:

[Heaven Scent]

hon, you need to challenge your local children's centre. they have a duty to provide support to the childminders in their postcode. it is part of their targets and delivery plan against which they are graded when they have their ofsted inspection :thumbsup:

ask to see their delivery plan that'll scare them into action.

I too would have thought that the facilities and support they provide for childminders would be included in their inspection until I read the report for the inspection carried out on our CC in Feb - there was not one single mention of Childminders in the whole report and in fairness we have a drop in on a Monday that is run most weeks by or DO/Network Co-ordinator (or whatever she calls herself these days) and they provide quite a bit of training which is always held at one of the boroughs CC's - we are also allowed to attend drop ins and training at other CC's in the borough if we cant attend our own so although I don't want them to be an "Agency" or our inspectors they do provide for us. It also didn't change the fact that the CC was graded "Satisfactory". The report went on a great deal about the support offered to parents - I wouldn't mind they do offer a great deal to them too but obviously not enough. Having said that the facilities are only actually in use for about 8 hrs per week and are so over resourced with equipment its untrue. Such a huge waste of public funds.

[Shar]

We now run our own, independent childminder drop-in. Never been happier, no red tape, no session time limit, no hassle..........
If enough of you are willing to pay a small fee, try to find a hall that you can rent weekly. It worked for us.:thumbsup: after the way we were treated in our local CC, I will never set foot in them again!

[TooEarlyForGin?]

When we challenged our children's center, we were told that children's centers were set up to support the underprivileged members of our communities, not childminders. When several childminders said they look after children from these types of families, they were not interested, and again said we could still use the sessions as long as we/the children fitted the criteria of the sessions, which of course was difficult if we had more than 1 or 2 children.

I still think they have gone too far and exclude more people than is necessary.

[Helcatt]

Isn't there a % of their funding that is supposed to be allocated towards working with childminders and providing these things for them?

We fought for a session at our childrens centre, then they provided someone to work there who they knew was rubbish, she put a lot of people off going! Then she didn't turn up for quite a few sessions so I suggested they let me know and I can set up so that we don't miss out - no! Apparently for insurance purposes, it can' be only us in there ( in other words they don't trust us not to trash the place if we are not supervised)

And now they have bought it "in house" and the woman who runs it needs to be back in the school by 11:30 so we can't do lunch there any more either, so timings don't work and only one person regularly goes - so now, they will say that no-one uses it so its a waste of resources - I can see it coming!

We go to one that is run for and by childminders in a local community centre and it is much more relaxed, you can help choose the activities and you can do lunch and leave just before the school run, if that's what you want to do

They've even started running training sessions there as people are leaving the CC sessions behind

Good luck

[blue bear]

Well ours is fab, we have a dedicated child minder group one afternoon a week, they encourage us to ask for resources in advance and they set up activities ready for us but we are free to help ourselves to all their stuff. We run it ourselves.
Childminders are seen as a representative from each family and are encouraged to join in any open session, there is one every day of the week.
We are included in trips and music sessions.
They help support childminders work with the vulnerable two year old scheme, nothing is too much trouble.

It's not always been like this and I thank my lucky stars we have the manager we have now, she is great.

[Tatjana]

I thought the whole point was that we can go to any childrens centre, irrelevant of postcodes etc.

Our CC has a childminder session and it's really sad it is not utilised much by other childminders, more often than not I am the only one there!!! They always thank me for coming....and keeping their jobs lol!

[janet L]

Hi i am a new forum member. But in reply to the childrens centre post in my area we were asked to leave the CC as we no longer featured in there remit..but after some discussion they have found us another venue and are paying for it..for how long we are not sure..but its something I guess.

[The Juggler]

When we challenged our children's center, we were told that children's centers were set up to support the underprivileged members of our communities, not childminders. When several childminders said they look after children from these types of families, they were not interested, and again said we could still use the sessions as long as we/the children fitted the criteria of the sessions, which of course was difficult if we had more than 1 or 2 children.

I still think they have gone too far and exclude more people than is necessary.

yes but part of that is to encourage quality childcare to be in place for when they support these families back to work or when they receive funded childcare places ;) no wonder they got satisfactory, they didn't meet their CM targets :p