Ms Truss & the NDNA

[sarah707]

Ms Truss spoke to members of the National Day Nurseries Association -

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elizabeth-truss-speaks-to-the-national-day-nurseries-association

Talking about how many of our children are behind those in other countries in English and maths by the age of 5 - pushing the Ofsted / Wilshaw agenda for early testing which Simona was talking about yesterday by the look of things!!

About agencies -

'Agencies will be inspected by Ofsted, and be a source of business and other practical help. They will be self-financing and independent of government. It will not be obligatory to join them, but new childminders - and many existing ones - may well find that agencies offer a support network and a more secure way of working.

Over 60 organisations have expressed an interest in working with us to trial elements of childminder agencies. They are a mix ranging from nursery chains to individual childminders, academies, maintained schools, national childcare organisations, children’s centres and local authorities.

We’re going to be working on testing out the concept, testing out the business model, and the regulatory system. But I can reassure you that Ofsted will be keeping a very close eye on the childminders within those agencies to make sure that quality is maintained during that process.

Once we’ve completed the trials we will then consult on the regulation around childminder agencies.'

About independent childminders -

Those who remain independent will not be formally or informally compelled to join an agency. But I strongly hope that this will increase the number of childminders in our system and also more of a seamless service for parents will be very attractive. It will also provide a one-stop shop for parents where they want it.

Am I the only one to see something VERY wrong there? :(:(

[Simona]

I also posted this speech under Independent cms so we have two but worth pursuing this speech...

These are my objections to her speech and other issues:

1. Speech given at NDNA conference...it is absolutely appalling that cms have no conference of their own where Truss could address us....I wonder what reaction she would get
I am furious that this year pacey have no conference for cms....it has been something we have come to expect...it did not need to be lavish or include a ball just a day seminar with important speakers
Ofsted have spoken at both PLA and NDNA but not a chance of addressing cms who have the biggest changes coming in September
someone replied to me saying 'they cost too much'...yes they do but somehow PLA and NDNA have found the money to fund them!

2. In her address Truss appears NOT to understand that the overwhelming majority of cms have no intention of joining an agency...maybe the reason she has stopped engaging with us

Yes she is pushing the agency agenda in the hope we will change our minds...obviously not clear to Truss that agencies will be set up to save Ofsted pots of money, Wilshaw and Sue Gregory are very much behind them and there is NO evidence whatsoever they will save money, cut costs or raise our quality

3. For much of her praise of cms Truss shows utter disrespect for us and unfortunately I have heard no representing association say so or challenging her on that ...
What is UKCMA doing? they went to see ministers recently...do you know what the outcome was? they are asking for our views on agencies but who are they meeting? will they feedback? and how many cms are their members?

Cms are now second to her precious agencies and cannot be told anything until agencies are sorted and up and running

4. I have no idea what the seamless service to parents means? the only thing parents want is to choose their own cm not one chosen by an agency
And still she won't name the 60...why if they are so keen and going to be so successful especially if they are LAs who the vast majority of cms want to remain to support us?

4. Independent cms will not join an agency unless Truss makes it impossible to 'maintain sustainability or run a business' ....
I have always said and still believe the main issue to fight is barriers: agencies MUST not stand in the way of Independent Cms running and continuing to run a successful small business and parents must not be pushed in their direction in the perception they will offer a better service

At present all we hear is negatives about cms ...Ofsted says we need to improve and Truss says agencies will sort the problem...
They are as bad as each other and nowhere near the truth...cms have achieved a high level of Good/o's grades often without any LA helping and their support is nowhere standard and covers all cms...I wonder what the result would be if ALL LAs had a uniform support for all cms?