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JCrakers
30-08-2012, 08:45 AM
I decided to write a complaint letter as I'm trying to become validated to receive the 15hrs funding. I feel better now I've sent it and had a reply to say they will reply by 3 weeks. Whether it will make any difference to future childminders in my area going through the process I don't know but at least I've put my views forward. :rolleyes:




Dear xx,
I have been childminding for 5yrs and in that time i have received 2 'Goods' from Ofsted. After a parent asked if I would continue caring for her 3yr old because she was so happy with the care I provide I thought I would go through the validation process.
I started the process in January 2012 but after looking at the business plan which was aimed at nurseries/preschools I decided it wasn't for me. The parents were extremely disappointed and decided instead of sending their daughter to a preschool that had a poor reputation they would keep their daughter with me and lose the funding.
After a few months they realised they couldn't afford to lose money so asked me if I would try again. Now I'm just waiting an inspection and hopefully I will be able to offer them the 15hrs.
Being a childminder I have found the process extremely stressful because as well as working 50hrs a week with 15 children, 6 EY folders to do, 2 children of my own, the new eyfs coming into play next week, i have also had to find time to do what I feel is unnecessary extra paperwork.
The lady who visited to go through the business plan had to do so with 3 children screaming/playing around me. It was also the same when the improvement advisor came to visit. I had to put the children in front of the tv so i could concentrate.The business plan was aimed at an establishment and half of it was not even aimed at me as a childminder. The quality review is also the same. The PFTS course that I am having to do is an hours drive away meaning I'm having to have time off from work, 4 sets of parents are having to finish work early and I'm losing money. The other two courses available are in the day time, again, aimed at nurseries.
A nursery and a preschool has a manager who can take time out away from the children to do necessary paperwork. I feel that's it's very unfair that I am being treated the same as a larger establishment just so I can offer a parent free hours.

What I can't believe is the costs that must be arising for this process to go ahead, a lot of it so unnecessary. With cutbacks being made I don't know why as a childminder I'm having to put together a business plan so I can show how sustainable I am when tomorrow I could close down due to ill health. With children coming and going due to parents jobs how can I say where I'll be in two months, never mind two years.
To be told my paperwork is good but I'm not using the correct forms to me is ridiculous. As long as I'm showing the children making excellent progress does it matter if I'm using one of my own methods? To receive a good report from Ofsted should show I'm doing everything right and also a parent wanting her child to stay with me should also count towards something.
A preschool down the road didn't even put together a proper learning journey for one of my children as she had so many key workers but it is still able to give the free hours to parents. I have change all my paperwork when what I'm doing is good anyway.
The process has been stressful and I think the main reason for this is because I don't see the point to a lot of it. It has also made me doubt myself which is not the outcome I wanted. It seems to me that the most important thing is the paperwork and not the children.
The parents view should also be taken into account and the fact that they are choosing me over a larger setting, their daughter is thriving and they are pleased with that. They cant understand why Im having to go through this process. For the second time I've nearly stopped the process meaning the parent would have to send their daughter to a setting that she doesn't want to. This isn't giving parents a choice.
The process for childminders needs changing, it's too much.

:D

Jods
30-08-2012, 08:49 AM
sounds good to me - go girl, if anything it feels so much better to tell someone about it x

primula
30-08-2012, 10:01 AM
It seems so unfair what you have had to go through. I have been reading your threads about this subject, as I to have had a parent wanting to apply for the two year old fundind in Dec. I emailed DO and asked about extra paperwork etc, as that was bothering me afterreading what you have had to do. She replied that I will have an assessment and that would be basically it?? No mention of a business plan, unless ofcourse she is leaving bits out till I have signed up!!

Mouse
30-08-2012, 10:26 AM
A very good letter. Well done.

I have come up against a complete brick wall when trying to access funding. When I eventually got a reply (3 months after I started emailing & phoning), I was told that they didn't have a scheme in place for childminders, but might by next year! Oh, and sorry for any inconvenience :angry:

I sent a rather curt reply, but again, haven't heard anything back.

What really annoyed me is that when I phoned to book on some training, I received a follow up email from the childminding co-ordinator saying don't bother phoning the office as she never gets her calls. Instead, email and she'll always reply. That would be the email address I've been trying to contact her on for 4 months without any luck!

This week I have actually received a call from the local EY team as they want to visit some childminders in the area to find out what sort of services we offer (they obviously don't know :mad:). I will have a list of questions ready for them :D

lozzy23
30-08-2012, 11:00 AM
Hear Hear Jcrakers - good for you.

I cannot believe how different LA's deal with this. I was very lucky, I had my DO come and look at my paperwork, look through LJ's - she gave me some advice and it made sense and so I have incorporated it, she never checked I had done it when she came back she allowed me (as a grown up to decide for myself). It took 12 hours of paper checking and discussing how and what I do for me to be accredited.

I have a PG near me and I give them my next steps for the 2 children we both have on a specially made up form. I got a scrappy piece of paper with a couple of 'uniformed' next steps on, written while I waited:rolleyes:. Their LJ's are a folder with loose paper just squished in and not in order and they get funding automatically:panic::mad:

I hope you get this sorted. You have been incredibly patient and I have really felt very angry on your behalf.

madmamma
30-08-2012, 01:48 PM
It seems so unfair what you have had to go through. I have been reading your threads about this subject, as I to have had a parent wanting to apply for the two year old fundind in Dec. I emailed DO and asked about extra paperwork etc, as that was bothering me afterreading what you have had to do. She replied that I will have an assessment and that would be basically it?? No mention of a business plan, unless ofcourse she is leaving bits out till I have signed up!!

:laughing::laughing: Probably

The Juggler
30-08-2012, 02:41 PM
sounds like a brilliant letter hon. well done for challenging them. woudl be very interested to hear how they respond to you :thumbsup:

sarah707
30-08-2012, 05:19 PM
Excellent letter!

If you need to follow it up you could talk about the different ways LAs treat childminders who are going for accreditation.

mine was so easy - there is no reason why they all shouldn't be straightforward.

Don't forget to feed back with what they say :D

suzyjane73
30-08-2012, 08:22 PM
Yes I agree the process is ridiculous, I looked into the process for the funding in my area and was warned off it by other local childminders who had wasted their time on it. I was hoping to offer it to 2 of my mindees from this september but I wouldn't be able to jump through all the hoops in time so I've lost both of them to a local pre school. It turns out you get less per hour than I charge anyway and you aren't allowed to charge top up fees.

mum24
30-08-2012, 09:07 PM
:clapping::clapping::clapping:
I agree with every word, and as an accredited childminder I have someone come and see me each term (lovely lady, but still....)
The local nurseries and pre schools don't have that, and yes the extra paperwork, training that 'has' to be taken four times a year to be allowed to continue, and at the moment I no longer have any parents receiving FFE. And as i am on the committee of a local pre school I know for a fact that they are not checked even annually by LA, and don't access training evenings either. Do not though understand how they get away with that and still get funding when I have to prove I am doing it all.
All of it totally unbalanced and unfair towards childminders. Grrrr...:angry: