jo.jo76
16-02-2013, 08:32 PM
Hi all
I've been trying to write this letter all afternoon and finally have something which is not too much of a rant, and DH has edited out the sarcasm! Any comments or corrections would be appreciated before I attempt to send it around to the appropriate people :)
Also many thanks to Sarah for the letter writing tips!
*
Dear ...
My name is *** and I am an Ofsted registered childminder. I have been childminding for the last two years and received a grading of outstanding from Ofsted in 2011. I went into childminding as I love working with children and felt my knowledge and experience was restricted working as a teaching assistant in a school. I wanted to be able to offer parents a tailor made service and to support them while working, so they would be safe in the knowledge their children are safe, secure and well cared for.
I am writing to express my concerns about the Government’s ‘More Great Childcare’ plan. The increase in ratios for childminders to four children under five is a concern. Whilst offering me greater flexibility for my existing families, I do not aim to fill the extra space with new business. Having looked after four children aged under five on my own once a week, I have found it to be exhausting, and I admire any childminder willing to do it every day, whilst still being able to offer quality care at the same time. However, I do not believe that 'quality care' is what the 'More Great Childcare' plan is about. It appears to more about packing children into childcare settings in the vain hope that parents will be able to go out to work. However, as we know, there are not many jobs that need to be filled in this current climate that would enable a parent to earn enough to cover childcare costs, as well as maintain a standard of living. With the disregard for floor space per child in settings and the increase in ratios in nurseries, I have grave concerns for the safety of our young children. As was shown on the Dispatches programme aired on Channel 4 on the 11th February 2013, children are already having major accidents, some resulting in death, and that is with the current ratios. With more children per adult, there cannot possibly be sufficient levels of care and attention given to children, let alone the education of the children which appears to be a key point in the plan. Young children deserve individual care and attention for them to thrive, no matter what levels of qualifications the staff have, they do not have extra pairs of hands and eyes.
A vast majority of childminders are very professional people who already offer high quality care and learning for the children, they are able to offer a flexible, tailor-made service for parents, often able to meet the requirements of unsociable hours and weekend care which nurseries, pre-schools and schools do not offer. Parents often chose a childminder as they want their children to be in a homely environment and to spend their time with another family rather than a more formal setting. With the long hours childminders offer, charging parents/carers the local rate, often less than a nursery, childminders generally earn less than minimum wage after expenses. The 'More Great Childcare' plan proposes the introduction of childminder agencies, according to the various documents I have read it is likely that they will set the fees parents/carers pay and handle payments. Although not confirmed at present, I presume they will take a percentage of childminders income to fund themselves, and as already stated, childminders are already working for less than minimum wage. I am aware that it is suggested that joining an agency is voluntary and childminders will be able to remain independent, however with the formation of agencies, Local Authority Early Years teams are highly likely to be disbanded, so where will the support for independent childminders be, will they be able to access the same training and will independent childminders be able to still offer funded places? This will create a tiered system as appears to be endemic with the current Government policy on education. My Local Authority Early Years team already do a brilliant job, organise training, support groups, respond to calls and emails when needed and help parents find suitable childcare, all the things which these agencies propose to do. Also as an outstanding graded childminder, I would lose my individual grading should I choose to join an agency and I would be graded according to the agency's performance. I do not want to be managed by a local nursery or children centre, whose standards of care and learning might be lower than mine or telling me how to run my business. I have worked hard to build up my own business whilst studying and gaining a Bachelor of Arts in Early Years. I do not need help with finding new business, my families have found me by ‘word of mouth’ or advertising on Childcare.co.uk, I do not feel an agency will be able to do any more. If new childminders need help setting themselves up then I think maybe they are choosing the wrong profession as the current paper work helps to discourage those who are unable to complete such paperwork as risk assessments, thus ensuring the safety of minded children. I do not think the agencies will be doing all the observations, assessments and planning, also what about accounts, if the agencies are paying childminders will they also be our accountants?
The ‘More Great Childcare’ plan aims to increase ratios but to who's expense, the safety of our children or the childminders whose businesses will be less sustainable with nurseries offering more places. It aims to bring down costs for parents, but how? I cannot see nurseries and childminders reducing fees, as already stated in the document childcare workers are one of the lowest paid. As well as the introduction of childminder agencies which childminders do not want or need.
Thank you for reading my letter. As I am sure you can see I am very concerned about the Government's plans and I look forward to hearing your comments.
Yours
****
Bachelor of Arts in Early Years and Ofsted registered childminder
I've been trying to write this letter all afternoon and finally have something which is not too much of a rant, and DH has edited out the sarcasm! Any comments or corrections would be appreciated before I attempt to send it around to the appropriate people :)
Also many thanks to Sarah for the letter writing tips!
*
Dear ...
My name is *** and I am an Ofsted registered childminder. I have been childminding for the last two years and received a grading of outstanding from Ofsted in 2011. I went into childminding as I love working with children and felt my knowledge and experience was restricted working as a teaching assistant in a school. I wanted to be able to offer parents a tailor made service and to support them while working, so they would be safe in the knowledge their children are safe, secure and well cared for.
I am writing to express my concerns about the Government’s ‘More Great Childcare’ plan. The increase in ratios for childminders to four children under five is a concern. Whilst offering me greater flexibility for my existing families, I do not aim to fill the extra space with new business. Having looked after four children aged under five on my own once a week, I have found it to be exhausting, and I admire any childminder willing to do it every day, whilst still being able to offer quality care at the same time. However, I do not believe that 'quality care' is what the 'More Great Childcare' plan is about. It appears to more about packing children into childcare settings in the vain hope that parents will be able to go out to work. However, as we know, there are not many jobs that need to be filled in this current climate that would enable a parent to earn enough to cover childcare costs, as well as maintain a standard of living. With the disregard for floor space per child in settings and the increase in ratios in nurseries, I have grave concerns for the safety of our young children. As was shown on the Dispatches programme aired on Channel 4 on the 11th February 2013, children are already having major accidents, some resulting in death, and that is with the current ratios. With more children per adult, there cannot possibly be sufficient levels of care and attention given to children, let alone the education of the children which appears to be a key point in the plan. Young children deserve individual care and attention for them to thrive, no matter what levels of qualifications the staff have, they do not have extra pairs of hands and eyes.
A vast majority of childminders are very professional people who already offer high quality care and learning for the children, they are able to offer a flexible, tailor-made service for parents, often able to meet the requirements of unsociable hours and weekend care which nurseries, pre-schools and schools do not offer. Parents often chose a childminder as they want their children to be in a homely environment and to spend their time with another family rather than a more formal setting. With the long hours childminders offer, charging parents/carers the local rate, often less than a nursery, childminders generally earn less than minimum wage after expenses. The 'More Great Childcare' plan proposes the introduction of childminder agencies, according to the various documents I have read it is likely that they will set the fees parents/carers pay and handle payments. Although not confirmed at present, I presume they will take a percentage of childminders income to fund themselves, and as already stated, childminders are already working for less than minimum wage. I am aware that it is suggested that joining an agency is voluntary and childminders will be able to remain independent, however with the formation of agencies, Local Authority Early Years teams are highly likely to be disbanded, so where will the support for independent childminders be, will they be able to access the same training and will independent childminders be able to still offer funded places? This will create a tiered system as appears to be endemic with the current Government policy on education. My Local Authority Early Years team already do a brilliant job, organise training, support groups, respond to calls and emails when needed and help parents find suitable childcare, all the things which these agencies propose to do. Also as an outstanding graded childminder, I would lose my individual grading should I choose to join an agency and I would be graded according to the agency's performance. I do not want to be managed by a local nursery or children centre, whose standards of care and learning might be lower than mine or telling me how to run my business. I have worked hard to build up my own business whilst studying and gaining a Bachelor of Arts in Early Years. I do not need help with finding new business, my families have found me by ‘word of mouth’ or advertising on Childcare.co.uk, I do not feel an agency will be able to do any more. If new childminders need help setting themselves up then I think maybe they are choosing the wrong profession as the current paper work helps to discourage those who are unable to complete such paperwork as risk assessments, thus ensuring the safety of minded children. I do not think the agencies will be doing all the observations, assessments and planning, also what about accounts, if the agencies are paying childminders will they also be our accountants?
The ‘More Great Childcare’ plan aims to increase ratios but to who's expense, the safety of our children or the childminders whose businesses will be less sustainable with nurseries offering more places. It aims to bring down costs for parents, but how? I cannot see nurseries and childminders reducing fees, as already stated in the document childcare workers are one of the lowest paid. As well as the introduction of childminder agencies which childminders do not want or need.
Thank you for reading my letter. As I am sure you can see I am very concerned about the Government's plans and I look forward to hearing your comments.
Yours
****
Bachelor of Arts in Early Years and Ofsted registered childminder