childcare on daybreak news

[debratina]

just caught the 6 oclock news on daybreak about childcare
and how the government are going to let after schools staying open until 8
removing red tape from childcare providers
its on now discussing it

[EmmaReed84]

I watched that and came on here to mention about it.

I must say I was shocked at schools staying open until 8pm... exactly who will be staying there? Teacher? Assistants? It is a joke.

And that woman Liz Fraser.... Ohhh I was getting cross with her making out all childcare is rubbish, never mind childminders who take children in to their own homes, treat them like part of the family and care for them like our own!!!

I bet there are loads of Mum watching that feeling really guilty about her thoughtless comments! I HAD to work full time, I couldn't afford not to now if I was still in my previous situation I would be sat here crying thinking I am terrible because of her opinion!

[mum26]

Yes I have seen this - also read on The Telegraph online

'Childminders may be allowed to look after more children so that the costs associated with care are spread between a greater number of parents. Other rules may also be relaxed to make it easier for parents and grandparents to look after other people’s children'.

Does make me very concerned for my future - I don't want to be looking after lots of children for the same money. What quality of care is there going to be? Hope the commission do take note of the petition opposing deregulation and the views of current childcare providers.

[stargazer1]

Daybreak have done their usual FB thing this morning and asked for peoples comments on the cost of childcare. Most are as you would expect, childcare is too expensive blaahhhhhh, but one idiot said that childminders are unregulated, you have no idea what goes on behind closed doors and nurseries are a much safer option. Oh for goodness sake! Makes me so cross that uninformed people feel the need to air their opinion! Have people forgotten Little Teds in Plymouth?? The centre of a paedophile ring?? As I see it, nurseries have their place and I respect them completely, but they are busy, children have far less space and individual attention than they get with me. I charge £3.50ph, I have a 22 month old so I can take two under school age, which means I make £7.00 ph. Then I have tax and national insurance. Then I have food. Then I have other expenses. So I would say on an average day I perhaps clear £4.50-£5.00 per hour? Maybe not that much. But I have the pleasure of being able to be home with my DS as well. I hate to sound harsh, but I gave up my job after I had my second child as I didnt have childcare for two children. Why cant other people take the same view? We relied for a year on my partners wage which isnt fab, and we got a bit of help with our rent and council tax and some tax credits. I cant help feeling that the people that moan the most are the people that earn the most! They are your children, they are your responsibility. Surely if you are high flying in your career, you would consider this and childcare before you decide to have children??? Rant over! :laughing:

[Boris]

Ok Liz Fraser, let's just make childcare less expensive! It really is a simple as that. :rolleyes: Silly moo. What about the fact that we actually need an income too! AAAAGGGGHHHHHH! And when I was working and paying for childcare it cost a lot more than 25% of my wage! These people are totally deluded. I'm getting mad now so I think it's time for a cuppa .......:angry:

[Trouble]

on my news cfm they are saying that the government want childminders to have the basics maths and english:angry::angry::angry:

Do they think we are thick????????

Does any one know a percentage of qualifications childminders have so i can write a message i saw it somewhere but i cant remember where

[debratina]

whoops :D
just postedthe petition details on facebook for daybreak viewers 4 times lol

[miffy]

whoops :D
just postedthe petition details on facebook for daybreak viewers 4 times lol

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::laughing:

Well done!

Miffy xx

[watgem]

its been on BBC Breakfast too, their reporter says that childminders look after older children, babies and toddlers go to nurseries!!!!they are also mentioning the nutbrown report on qualifications, and ratios, how we should be taking on more children for less money:(I personally do not want to go back to the days when my mum was a childminder, it takes the michael out of the last 6 years I have spent studying for childminding diploma, NVQ 3 and Early Years Degree, I'm already working for peanuts but happy with my lot, however I won't be if I'm having to look after more children to earn the same money, My DO has not replied to any of the emails and info posted on here about deregulation and just avoids answering any questions, if it wasn't for this site i would have no idea what could be happening, so thank you to everyone on this site who is keeping up the profile of this issue

[AliceK]

This week I am working from 7am until 6pm. I am earning the grand sum of £5.61 per hr Gross. The national minimum wage is £6.07. You tell me how I'm meant to cut my charges. I haven't put my charges up for almost 3 years.
I watched this on Daybreak at 6am and then saw some of it again later on with the woman from MumsNet. I had to walk away from it, I was too angry to watch it :angry:

xxx

[Bridey]

Even hearing about all this has had me stomping angrily around my house. I'm so glad I don't watch breakfast tv :angry:

[miffy]

Even hearing about all this has had me stomping angrily around my house. I'm so glad I don't watch breakfast tv :angry:

I don't watch it either (usually on here instead lol) but I was tempted to put it on, then didn't bother because I knew it would make me cross!

Miffy xx

[Bridey]

I've a very jokey good relationship with a mum I work for who is also in the childcare profession ... I've just greeted her with the words "Welcome, and thank you so much for bringing your children to someone who, according to the media is illiterate, overpaid and a potential child abuser"

Her reply was "Well that is exactly why I bring them to you ... we like living on the edge!" :laughing:

[Trouble]

I've a very jokey good relationship with a mum I work for who is also in the childcare profession ... I've just greeted her with the words "Welcome, and thank you so much for bringing your children to someone who, according to the media is illiterate, overpaid and a potential child abuser"

Her reply was "Well that is exactly why I bring them to you ... we like living on the edge!" :laughing:

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

[Lady Haha]

I didn't see the Daybreak thing, but came here after seeing a post on facebook by Pip. I knew you lot would be on it already!

This really worries me. I only care for school children. I am already providing the 'wraparound' childcare that opening schools later will provide.

The school I pick up from took most of my morning business when they started a breakfast club that was 50p to get into! I have one left who needs me from 7am.

However! The school also send out questionnaires yearly asking parents if they would be interested in an after school club and how much they would be willing to pay for this, giving a choice of £8, £9 or £10 per session.
I charge £9 for my session and I provide a cooked evening meal in that, so I've never been too threatened by the thought that a club may open up at school.

But!!! If the government fund the schools to enable them to charge much less, say £5 per session max, I would be in big trouble! Although saying that, I would probably drop my prices to match it and take on more kids after all. Wouldn't be very happy about it though.

I can kind of see where this is going and it doesnt look good for us. The government could save ALOT of money if they funded schools to do this, as it would cut the amount they pay parents in childcare tax credits enormously. They are harping on about good quality affordable childcare blah blah, but all they are really interested in is cutting the amount of money they pay out for help with childcare. I don't think they care what happens to the children or what kind of care they receive as long as it costs them less.:(

[angeldelight]

I don't watch it either (usually on here instead lol) but I was tempted to put it on, then didn't bother because I knew it would make me cross!

Miffy xx

Same here

Would rather read the forum news :laughing:

Angel xx

[caz3007]

I had 2 children start with me after school who didnt like the local after school club. They then bought along another 2 who then bought along another 2, all who had been to the after school club. I had these children for 5 years until they were really too old and during that time they were happy to come here.

I only have one full timer at the moment and a couple of others that are a few hours here and there. I dont earn much as am in an area where there are loads of childminders and lots are struggling.

I was gobsmacked to happen across the website of our local council run nursery to see their ratios were much higher than ours. Even the baby room was 1:3. So it just goes to show that children get much better 1:1 attention with us.

I am concerned for my future but do know my full timer is here long term, she is only 2 and mum sees her here in school holidays etc as she is very much part of our family. But I am making plans to leave childcare all together in the next couple of years, for various reasons and I will make it happen. Will probably see my full timer to school and then thats it

[sarak31]

I agree entirely - call me cynical but I think that is exactly what is going on. They need to cut costs - they can't withdraw the tax credit because a) there would be uproar and b) they'd lose the vote of lots of working parens - so they are trying to reduce the cost to government by driving down the cost of childcare whilst dressing it up that they are trying to help parents. If they were then they would be more concerned with the potential damage to the quality of childcare that this would have and the safeguarding risks of deregulation.

[caz3007]

they backtracked on pasty tax and other bits and bobs, lets hope they backtrack on this, trouble is I bet the general public isnt in uproar over the changes, they will just see cheaper childcare, whatever the consequences and run with it

[kel1983]

Im am angry with all the media reports recently.

Who is going to run the after school care. Certainly not the teachers. They already feel they are not getting enough pay. And no one is likely to do it for free. Surely they are going to have to employ atleast one qualified playworker. They will have to get meals in because half the schools dont even have a kitchen. These are all extra costs. So surely the afterschool care isn't going to work out that cheap.

As for childminders cutting prices and taking on more children that is rediculous. The parents I have met care about the amount of children I care for. They would send there child to a nursery if they wnted them to be in a larger setting. They care about who is looking after their child. I have just had a lo return to me after spending 3 months at a sure start nursery. She took him out as she felt he was not getting enough one-to-one.

I see this as the gov trying to cut back on the anount they pay out of childcare tax.

Next they will be hiring people who are on community payback to look after children in gov run nurseries.

Also I should add there are only about 8 children who require childminders at our local school. Surely if the uptake for such care is not a success prices will not be able to be so low.

[JCrakers]

Well that's a good start to my day.

Not only do I feel like I'm in a job where half the working population think I babysit children and I constantly have to explain to parents what I actually do, apparently do nothing educational with them like nurseries do, i probably spend most of my day sitting on my ass,working for poor money, have to compete with nurseries which most parents think are the bees knees, now people have the impression that I can't write or add up properly.

Oh look...I've managed to string a few sentences together there :eek:

(edited to correct a few spelling errors) :laughing:

[caz3007]

Im am angry with all the media reports recently.

Next they will be hiring people who are on community payback to look after children in gov run nurseries.

That sent a shiver down my spine :angry:

[Jayse74]

Here we go again :(

So my partner and I are unable to read and write or do sums now, ok lol :rolleyes:

I dont want to give up my job as her assistant. My partner has worked REALLY hard to get where she is now and we both feel like it is being slowly taken away from us just because somebody in power can.

I really do believe this government had this on the table right after the second they walked into number 10.

[melco]

Its also been mentioned on This Morning who I have emailed and I think it may be metioned on loose women, so maybe we should try and email so hopefully at least one may be read out. Max Clifford however says he thinks its not going to happen and we have nothing to worry about!!

[debratina]

lets hire max clifford has our pr agent :D
i think its going to be on question time too as i emailed a comment to them
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18496847
it asked if i could be contacted - damn right i can we have a fight on our hands and its one i know we all want to win

[Trouble]

childminders are not expensive its nursery and private nurserys

i wish they would get there facts straight:angry:

[watgem]

am feeling really cynical about this at the moment, I really believe that deregualtion is a done deal and will happen regardless. i also cannot believe that Cathy Nutbrown, can say to the media that people that look after animals are better qualified than people who look after children, perhaps because they are better paid?the old adage says if you pay peanuts you get monkeys....however most of us and many other kinds of childcare practitioners are very qualified, very passionate and conscientious about our work with children and families, oooh I'm so mad about this today I would love to ring the houses of parliament up and give them a good ear bashing!sorry rant over for now:angry:

[watgem]

I'm so angry I've just broken my fodmap diet and had coffee and chocolate to calm down:mad:

[JCrakers]

That's why when I take my cat to the vets I get a bill for £30 before I even get in the door, vets get paid a load.
When i go on holiday i pay around £100 for someone to come and feed my two cats and three hamsters twice a day..i don't moan
I've had my kitchen done and the electricians bill alone was nearly 2k...I paid it
The plumbers bill was close to 1k to plumb in 2 sinks and move some pipes...I paid it

Why do people moan about paying for childcare. Good professional childcare comes cheap at £3.50 an hour around here.

[watgem]

I've put that in my email to the BBC just now, as you say no one quibbles their vet bill or kennel fees, yet children are their most treasured possessions and they complain! as one of my lovely parents says her kennel fees are £10 per hour and she is always happy to pay it knowing that her dog and cat are well cared for

[stargazer1]

I've put that in my email to the BBC just now, as you say no one quibbles their vet bill or kennel fees, yet children are their most treasured possessions and they complain! as one of my lovely parents says her kennel fees are £10 per hour and she is always happy to pay it knowing that her dog and cat are well cared for

says it all really doesnt it. I do sometimes wonder where my mindees come in their family pecking order!!

[Andrea08]

To say im worried is an understatement..

when i went to school there was no GCSE's and tbh after looking at my sons homework i dont think i could do it now.. does this mean im not good enough to look after under 5 yr olds or after school care? i have my NVQ3 in CCLD and level 4 in managing quality standards in children's services.. on top of all the small courses we do,

i dont want to work for an agency, i dont want to pay over £200 registration fees and i dont want to give 10% of my wages to some moo in a suit behind a desk who has forgotten what childminding is all about..

i have no children on my books for september as parents are saying we are going to be de-registered and not allowed to care for children anymore!!!:eek:

x

[caz3007]

This whole thing is going to backfire on the government

[rickysmiths]

To say im worried is an understatement..

when i went to school there was no GCSE's and tbh after looking at my sons homework i dont think i could do it now.. does this mean im not good enough to look after under 5 yr olds or after school care? i have my NVQ3 in CCLD and level 4 in managing quality standards in children's services.. on top of all the small courses we do,

i dont want to work for an agency, i dont want to pay over £200 registration fees and i dont want to give 10% of my wages to some moo in a suit behind a desk who has forgotten what childminding is all about..

i have no children on my books for september as parents are saying we are going to be de-registered and not allowed to care for children anymore!!!:eek:

x

:eek::eek::eek::eek: Are they really saying that my goodness I am getting inquiries coming out of my ears at the moment and not one has mentioned de reg.

I must confess I would rather pay £200 a year to Ofsted than pay 10% of my income to some second rate Agency.

[EmmaReed84]

Just spoke to my sibling parent. I asked her to answer honestly, would she rather pay me what she does now and have me only be allowed 3 under 5, or get a really cheap rate, but for me to have 5 children under 5....

Her response was :eek: "Well of course I would want to pay higher and get a beter quality, not only that if you have 5 children that is much harder work, surely you would want more money for a harder job, not less!"

God I love that woman :laughing:

[Andrea08]

:eek::eek::eek::eek: Are they really saying that my goodness I am getting inquiries coming out of my ears at the moment and not one has mentioned de reg.

I must confess I would rather pay £200 a year to Ofsted than pay 10% of my income to some second rate Agency.

i was knocked sideways ... parents are asked to sign petition etc but its giving false thoughts on what is going to happen, a little knowledge on the subject is putting parents off starting with a cm just in case we leave or changes means they have to move to a nursery .. all this de-registration stuff and us not having high qualifications etc is making parents think we are not qualified at all!!
after all the hard work putting cm's on the map this is going to knock us bk down again x

[miffy]

I've a very jokey good relationship with a mum I work for who is also in the childcare profession ... I've just greeted her with the words "Welcome, and thank you so much for bringing your children to someone who, according to the media is illiterate, overpaid and a potential child abuser"

Her reply was "Well that is exactly why I bring them to you ... we like living on the edge!" :laughing:

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Miffy xx

[watgem]

quote form David cameron in NW today;
David Cameron said, ‘Working parents want to know that after school or in the holidays their children will be looked after in a safe, happy environment that is affordable. We want to do all we can to reduce the cost of childcare for parents, and make sure they can find and afford high quality nurseries, after-school clubs and holiday schemes for their children.’
I guess CM's don't appear on his radar then?

[Jayse74]

That says it all then really dont it! They have an agenda, the head of Ofsted has his plan and that is it. Do my partner and I need to start looking for another career or am I just scaremongering myself?

[Ripeberry]

It's all going 'Mammaries up to the sky' isn't it? :( I reckon all this trying to get CMs better qualified and taking on NVQs is so that they can get rid of CMs in private homes all together and make us all work in nurseries.
Well we would all have the NVQs to qualify.
If they ever deregulate us I'm going back to looking after old people. It actually pays better in the long run and by then my own kids will be in secondary so won't need childcare.
Lots of jobs around here for 'personal carers' and they pay over £9 an hour! :eek:

[WFeather]

Daybreak have done their usual FB thing this morning and asked for peoples comments on the cost of childcare. Most are as you would expect, childcare is too expensive blaahhhhhh, but one idiot said that childminders are unregulated, you have no idea what goes on behind closed doors and nurseries are a much safer option. Oh for goodness sake! Makes me so cross that uninformed people feel the need to air their opinion! Have people forgotten Little Teds in Plymouth?? The centre of a paedophile ring?? As I see it, nurseries have their place and I respect them completely, but they are busy, children have far less space and individual attention than they get with me. I charge £3.50ph, I have a 22 month old so I can take two under school age, which means I make £7.00 ph. Then I have tax and national insurance. Then I have food. Then I have other expenses. So I would say on an average day I perhaps clear £4.50-£5.00 per hour? Maybe not that much. But I have the pleasure of being able to be home with my DS as well. I hate to sound harsh, but I gave up my job after I had my second child as I didnt have childcare for two children. Why cant other people take the same view? We relied for a year on my partners wage which isnt fab, and we got a bit of help with our rent and council tax and some tax credits. I cant help feeling that the people that moan the most are the people that earn the most! They are your children, they are your responsibility. Surely if you are high flying in your career, you would consider this and childcare before you decide to have children??? Rant over! :laughing:

Oh I loved this post, honesty and humour - thank you, relaxed me anyway!:):)

[pipandbaz]

That's why when I take my cat to the vets I get a bill for £30 before I even get in the door, vets get paid a load.
When i go on holiday i pay around £100 for someone to come and feed my two cats and three hamsters twice a day..i don't moan
I've had my kitchen done and the electricians bill alone was nearly 2k...I paid it
The plumbers bill was close to 1k to plumb in 2 sinks and move some pipes...I paid it

Why do people moan about paying for childcare. Good professional childcare comes cheap at £3.50 an hour around here.

Exactly my point well said!

[caz3007]

It's all going 'Mammaries up to the sky' isn't it? :( I reckon all this trying to get CMs better qualified and taking on NVQs is so that they can get rid of CMs in private homes all together and make us all work in nurseries.
:

Just thinking aloud

Where will these nurseries be, country is already struggling to find space for housing in the South and probably elsewhere too

The ratios are higher in nurseries

The government want any children with working parents to be institutionalised from a very early age

There are many other questions, but it would take me all day. No one in power has seemed to consider the children in this or options for care. No one in power has considered the implications to lots of us, lots of us will be claiming benefits, oh yes and the unemployment numbers will rise.

I really do hope they backtrack over this or like it has been suggested its all spin

[Ali56]

They make me furious :angry: each time recently that they have discussed childcare childminders have been nowhere on their agenda. I have tweeted them each time but surprise surprise nothing, no response at all. Maybe we should all FB or tweet en masse, we might get a look in then.
I have just had yet another child taken out of nursery and placed with me full time as nursery is more expensive and the quality of care poorer. Told daybreak that. No response. :angry:

[caz3007]

I was telling a friend how disillusioned I was with it all and she was saying they never mentioned childminders, but she did say that if they do make the changes about forcing us to charge less then loads of childminders will be leaving in droves and then mums will have no childcare options as the nursery spaces arent going to appear overnight

Was just trying to put this across from the prospective of a non childminder

[zippy]

:ROFL1::ROFL1::ROFL1::ROFL1::ROFL1::ROFL1::ROFL1:: ROFL1
::censo:
I've a very jokey good relationship with a mum I work for who is also in the childcare profession ... I've just greeted her with the words "Welcome, and thank you so much for bringing your children to someone who, according to the media is illiterate, overpaid and a potential child abuser"

Her reply was "Well that is exactly why I bring them to you ... we like living on the edge!" :laughing:


Rofl, now that's a parent I could work for love it

[PerkyEars]

i dont want to work for an agency, i dont want to pay over £200 registration fees and i dont want to give 10% of my wages to some moo in a suit behind a desk who has forgotten what childminding is all about..

Preach it sister! :thumbsup:

I value my freedom in this job, which even with the regulation is still a lot more than many people get and I can chop and change if something isn't working. There's no way I'm becoming an agency worker working to someone elses policies. At least I can ignore the lady from the council. :laughing:

The after school clubs is worrying me. I would like to switch my focus from under-2s to older EYFS and after schoolies, so am planning on doing my NVQ and looking at accreditation. No idea if that will even be available for childminders soon with all this. After school clubs already mean it's hard to get after school childminding business. :panic:

As for us looking after more children, are they joking? I can't physically cope with any more.

[Jayse74]

Just been browsing this and reading the comments:

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/schools-could-open-until-8pm-to-help-working-parents-with-child-care.html

We have somebody on our books who is a teacher. I am so tempted to ask her views on this because at 5:30pm she comes to pickup and just wants to get home and relax/chillout after a busy day. I can imagine her being made to stay in school minding children and we will still have her child here with us. We have her 3 days a week but the point is what if this mum/teacher is made to look after peoples children 5days a week after school! She will hardly ever see her daughter. I dont know how to ask her, it might be better for my partner to approach the subject. I can forsee teachers who are single and possibly dont have much of a social life stepping in for this role, or they will be forced to and if they refuse, they get replaced or ofsted gets involved... silly idea's but then again this coalition if full of it.

And from 9am to 3.30pm, that is a long day in itself anyway. Kids get tired, wound up or just plain want to go home and see mum, dad etc. We have after schoolies and they come to us because the parents want the home enviroment so they unwind. Keeping kids in school till 8pm... I just think this government has gone mental, dont know how else to say it lol.

[Ripeberry]

Just been browsing this and reading the comments:

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/schools-could-open-until-8pm-to-help-working-parents-with-child-care.html

We have somebody on our books who is a teacher. I am so tempted to ask her views on this because at 5:30pm she comes to pickup and just wants to get home and relax/chillout after a busy day. I can imagine her being made to stay in school minding children and we will still have her child here with us. We have her 3 days a week but the point is what if this mum/teacher is made to look after peoples children 5days a week after school! She will hardly ever see her daughter. I dont know how to ask her, it might be better for my partner to approach the subject. I can forsee teachers who are single and possibly dont have much of a social life stepping in for this role, or they will be forced to and if they refuse, they get replaced or ofsted gets involved... silly idea's but then again this coalition if full of it.

And from 9am to 3.30pm, that is a long day in itself anyway. Kids get tired, wound up or just plain want to go home and see mum, dad etc. We have after schoolies and they come to us because the parents want the home enviroment so they unwind. Keeping kids in school till 8pm... I just think this government has gone mental, dont know how else to say it lol.

My thinking is that maybe it will be after-school clubs who will need to open until 8pm. Can't see teachers ever being made to work that late. Now that would be something to strike about. But what annoys me most is that they are saying all childcare workers should work unsocial hours as a norm.
We are self-employed we can work what hours we want but if we get deregulated you can bet that one of the terms is that we have no say over our opening hours.
So much so for 'quality of life' for ourselves as well :(

[rickysmiths]

My thinking is that maybe it will be after-school clubs who will need to open until 8pm. Can't see teachers ever being made to work that late. Now that would be something to strike about. But what annoys me most is that they are saying all childcare workers should work unsocial hours as a norm.
We are self-employed we can work what hours we want but if we get deregulated you can bet that one of the terms is that we have no say over our opening hours.
So much so for 'quality of life' for ourselves as well :(

They do already!!! My dh didn't get home until gone nine last night and nor will he tonight because they are doing a Songfest in his borough and the performance finishes at 8.45pm. This also happens for school concerts which I am sure you have all attended or will attend, parents evenings in High School and Concerts and Drama productions all go on after 9pm! There are also a number of occasions with our High School when they have to perform in the Church in Central London to which we are tied (we are on 15 miles from London) when the coaches leave school at 6am with Teachers on board. When my dd when on German Exchange we had to get her to Luton Airport at 4am to meet the Teachers!!

I don't think they mean for Teacher to be at school minding the children I think there would be an uproar :laughing: I think they mean After School Clubs but I think it is wrong anyway the children should be at home and in bed by then if they have any chance of performing well at school the next day.

As for someone telling me what time I will work in my own home. NEVER in a million years will that happen. My home, my family, my rule ALWAYS.