Nick Clegg says

[Penny1959]

Here it is then what Nick Clegg says

Article in Nursery World

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1134351/Expansion-free-early-years-places-two-year-olds-start-autumn/

And as my contact suggested the detail is important - as below


With the pressing time frame local authorities should review all the options open to them including children centres – many of which have the facilities they need to deliver childcare already in place, as well as the array of childminders, maintained schools and private, voluntary, and independent sector settings across the country.’

I would say that is saying we need these places - time is short - put these 2 years olds wherever there is room.

Penny :)

[Penny1959]

Sorry in two parts - had to go and fetch mindee.


It is nice to note the reference to childminders - and the link to high quaility care and education.

A bit 'odd' in relation to other comments in recent weeks / months - but very welcome recognition from government about childminders. :D


Penny :)

[coffee-time]

he is on daybreak right now!!

[mama2three]

I think thats the jist of it.

Reassuring that there is the need for good/outstanding grade ( Im aware that there are somew great cms who have a satisfactory grading , but also know of local 'satisfactory' nurseries which are quite frankly appalling. Im fairly sure that these are the settings who will look for a high allocation of these 2 year old cash cow children).

Happy to see a relaxation on how the hours can be split - has to be a benefit to cms who may have a day or 2 free but less likely to have a few hours every day. May also mean parents who have say 2 full days of care may actually do something beneficial with the time - training , employment?

[Penny1959]

I think thats the jist of it.

Reassuring that there is the need for good/outstanding grade ( Im aware that there are somew great cms who have a satisfactory grading , but also know of local 'satisfactory' nurseries which are quite frankly appalling. Im fairly sure that these are the settings who will look for a high allocation of these 2 year old cash cow children).

Happy to see a relaxation on how the hours can be split - has to be a benefit to cms who may have a day or 2 free but less likely to have a few hours every day. May also mean parents who have say 2 full days of care may actually do something beneficial with the time - training , employment?

Yes I agree - and how many nurseries offer 7am - 7 pm - for some it will not be finacially viable to open longer for one or two parents - but childminders can often extend hours especially if only for one or two days a week.

Penny :)

[Mouse]

Is this across the country and is it still for referred children only?

Sorry, reading from my phone and can't see the links.

[Penny1959]

More areas to be involved

Ten more areas will be trialling more places for two-year-olds, so that some children will become eligible a year earlier than originally planned.

They are Blackpool, Cornwall, Greenwich, Kent, Lambeth, Lancashire, Newcastle, Northamptonshire, Peterborough and Rotherham.

Penny :)

[miffy]

Reassuring that there is the need for good/outstanding grade





Yes, if it's adhered to but I know one cm locally who was accepted before the first grading inspection - where there's pressure to provide places it seems rules can and are bent!

Miffy xx

[miffy]

Sorry in two parts - had to go and fetch mindee.


It is nice to note the reference to childminders - and the link to high quaility care and education.

A bit 'odd' in relation to other comments in recent weeks / months - but very welcome recognition from government about childminders. :D


Penny :)

I thought there was very little reference to childminders and certainly nothing to say we are best placed due to small ratios - the push seems to be towards cc's and nurseries not cm's :(

Miffy xx

[rickysmiths]

Not all bad news at least childminders are recognised as giving good quality care but I wonder if NCMA will be at the meeting being held today?

I think I will ring my local Nursery today and see if they offer or will be offering 2 year funding, they have only ever got a Satisfactory so they in theory can't offer the funding. As far as I'm concerned this should apply to 3yr as well.

Here in Herts in order to become an Accredited Childminder you have to have Level 3, Good or Outstanding and complete the Hertfordshire Quality Accreditation Scheme which is like re doing the Level now as far as I can see :eek:

Nurseries can be Satisfactory and don't have to have Herts Quality Accreditation so how does that work?

And Herts wonder why there are so few Accredited Childminders in the County? They should be out there encouraging people and maybe make the Quality Standard something to encourage people to do once they are Accredited. Hey Ho!

[rickysmiths]

I thought there was very little reference to childminders and certainly nothing to say we are best placed due to small ratios - the push seems to be towards cc's and nurseries not cm's :(

Miffy xx

That's right and I really think that is because they really don't know how we work.

Oh Nick Clegg is on BBC now.

[rickysmiths]

I love the way that he is standing in an outside area of a Nursery and so obviously all the parents are supervising their children!!! And all older children! Where are the highly qualified Nursery Staff and have all the parents been CRB checked !!!!!

[loocyloo]

Not all bad news at least childminders are recognised as giving good quality care but I wonder if NCMA will be at the meeting being held today?

I think I will ring my local Nursery today and see if they offer or will be offering 2 year funding, they have only ever got a Satisfactory so they in theory can't offer the funding. As far as I'm concerned this should apply to 3yr as well.

Here in Herts in order to become an Accredited Childminder you have to have Level 3, Good or Outstanding and complete the Hertfordshire Quality Accreditation Scheme which is like re doing the Level now as far as I can see :eek:

Nurseries can be Satisfactory and don't have to have Herts Quality Accreditation so how does that work?

And Herts wonder why there are so few Accredited Childminders in the County? They should be out there encouraging people and maybe make the Quality Standard something to encourage people to do once they are Accredited. Hey Ho!

i so agree with this!

[Penny1959]

I thought there was very little reference to childminders and certainly nothing to say we are best placed due to small ratios - the push seems to be towards cc's and nurseries not cm's :(

Miffy xx

I agree that nothing to suggest childminders are best placed to support 2 yr olds

But this is the statement I was thinking of

Sarah Teather said, ‘High quality early education is the key to making a difference early on in a child’s life. All the evidence shows how important it is for their development. ‘The challenge now is to make sure the least advantaged two-year-olds are able to access their early education entitlement. Too often, the most disadvantaged children don’t get what they are entitled to. It’s important we now work with councils, nurseries and childminders to target free early education at those who stand to benefit the most.

Penny :)

[murrayspud]

To me, these 2 year old are exactly the children that the EYFS will help out.

As a childminder, I can see that the childminder setting is the ideal place for a 2 year old to be encouraged, and helped to develop. Within a nursery or children's centre, there is the possibility that a 2 year old can somehow get or feel lost and overwhelmed within a larger group. A childminder can give more attention, and a more individual focus. These children would be able to access experiences that they would otherwise not have access to eg trips to the local petting farm, looking for insects in the garden and learning about them, etc etc (you know what you do, and do well already, you don't need me to tell you!!). This will give them a better start to school life, and give them more confidence and the ability to fulfil their potential.

The LA's up and down the counrty need to put plans into place now to be able to provide places for these children by 2014 (as has been announced today), so that we can be up and running helping these children, when these plans go national. I feel that they need to relax some of the rules for childminders to being able to provide these places. As has already been suggested, there are different criteria for nurseries and childminders now. Accessing level 3 funding needs to be encouraged and unlimited (or at the very least part payment towards this certificate) so we can gain level 3 status regardless of previous education attainment.

Just my thoughts and opinions!!

Kathryn x

[Mouse]

I did go to a meeting recently about the funding for 2, 3 & 4yr olds. Guess what we were told - thanks for coming. This meeting about funding is to let you know that we don't know yet how it's going to work, but hopefully will by Sept :eek:

They 'think' it may be open to all childminders who have a level 3 qualification and who are graded good or above, or it could be open to all childminders, or you might have to be on a network, but we don't have one :rolleyes:

I have children who will be eligible for funding from September, and now a 2 year old who may be eligible from January, but no idea yet whether or not I can access the funding.

[md0u0131]

Our local nurseries are all satisfactory and can still access funding (currently). I got a good on my first inspection but was told I couldn't till I had done level 3. Despite already having a degree and pgce.

[Penny1959]

Our local nurseries are all satisfactory and can still access funding (currently). I got a good on my first inspection but was told I couldn't till I had done level 3. Despite already having a degree and pgce.

That is so wrong.:mad:


Penny :)

[Mouse]

Our local nurseries are all satisfactory and can still access funding (currently). I got a good on my first inspection but was told I couldn't till I had done level 3. Despite already having a degree and pgce.

That has always infuriated me.

Apart from one, our local nurseries are all graded satisfactory, with several complaints upheld. They have all been providing funded places without question, yet in order for me to do it I'd have had to join the (now non-existent) network, attend a certain number of training sessions per year, use the paperwork provided by the LA and have someone coming it telling me how to run my business.

I'm hoping things will change for the better :thumbsup:

[AgentTink]

It says in the nursery world artivle the following

"The Department for Education has also published figures to show how many two-year-olds in each local authority will be able to access the free places from 2013."

Were can i find this information, as at present i cannot find it.

I am at a EYFS training session tonight and i wanted to raise this issue as here we have been piloting the scheme and i wanted to ask tonight how they plan to cater for the numbers as the scheme has opened up slighlty since it has been piloted, as at first criteria was very strict.

I keep hearing from other childminders that they have been asked if they would like to offer these places, but as I am not as good a friend with some of the team, I have not been asked yet. I am the only one who has nearly completed my level 3, whilst some of the others are not interested in the course. So once again no fairness :(

[watgem]

in our area CM's have to jump through many hoops to become accredited, and parents of disadvantaged 2 year olds have to be referred for the funding by the HV, who is not well liked, so many families that would be eligible won't apply in the first place.

[rickysmiths]

Well my local Day Nursery, the one who would be my Agent if things go that way, only got a Satisfactory grading, I have just rung them and they have been told they will be able to deliver the 'Good Quality' two year old funding :angry:

How double standards is that.

[Penny1959]

It says in the nursery world artivle the following

"The Department for Education has also published figures to show how many two-year-olds in each local authority will be able to access the free places from 2013."

Were can i find this information, as at present i cannot find it.

I am at a EYFS training session tonight and i wanted to raise this issue as here we have been piloting the scheme and i wanted to ask tonight how they plan to cater for the numbers as the scheme has opened up slighlty since it has been piloted, as at first criteria was very strict.

I keep hearing from other childminders that they have been asked if they would like to offer these places, but as I am not as good a friend with some of the team, I have not been asked yet. I am the only one who has nearly completed my level 3, whilst some of the others are not interested in the course. So once again no fairness :(

I hope this unfairness is sorted out - and soon.

I understand that PLA, NCMA and others who represnt those that provide childcare (so I guess NDNA) are all in the meeting mentioned with Nick Clegg - I hope childminders are respresnted fully and conversation is not just about nurseries.

Penny :)

[Penny1959]

in our area CM's have to jump through many hoops to become accredited, and parents of disadvantaged 2 year olds have to be referred for the funding by the HV, who is not well liked, so many families that would be eligible won't apply in the first place.

That is so sad :(

Penny :)

[Penny1959]

Well my local Day Nursery, the one who would be my Agent if things go that way, only got a Satisfactory grading, I have just rung them and they have been told they will be able to deliver the 'Good Quality' two year old funding :angry:

How double standards is that.

Makes you want to throw your arms in the air, say something that a professional childminder should not say.


What is the point and where is the quality?:angry:


Penny :)

[rickysmiths]

Makes you want to throw your arms in the air, say something that a professional childminder should not say.


What is the point and where is the quality?:angry:


Penny :)

It does make you wonder doesn't it. Especially as I have not only to have a Level 3, Good/Outstanding but the Herts Quality Standard as well which the Nurseries don't have to have. It takes about a year to complete, lots of units and a FECCAS assessment, well several I believe. I shall be bending Sally and Micks ears. The more ridiculous thing is I already have this but because they have changed they way they do it they won't just visit me and make sure I am still keeping up to the Standard and re Accredit me, no I have to go back to square one and do it again. :angry: What a waste of everyones time.