Ofsted to raise charges

[mumofone]

Just when there's an all time low of childminders, we are dropping out the profession in droves and then some bright spark wants to put our rates up?! Have i read this right?! We barely make ends meet as it is. And then...everyone moans about the colossal cost of childcare............

[Dragonfly]

I haven’t heard they are raising charges but wouldn’t surprise me with Ofsted ☹️

[moggy]

Yes, new consultation out today.

[FussyElmo]

In fairness the proposed increase for cms is £8 sp an extra 67p an month. Its been a while since there was an increase.

DfE plans to raise Ofsted registration fees for early years settings | Nursery World (https://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1168226/dfe-plans-to-raise-ofsted-registration-fees-for-early-years-settings)

[loocyloo]

£8/ yr is not too bad .... I remember years back Ofsted wanted to raise it to hundred ? Pacey fought to keep out sustainable.

[BallyH]

Thanks for notifying us as I didn’t know. And yes I remember the panic amongst us when we thought we’d be paying over £100.

[sarah707]

The consultation allows us to tell DfE about some of the things that are worrying childminders at the moment ...

I had a bit of a rant in the last question - you are welcome to use any of my points if you want to reinforce them :)

No more future fee increases would give childminders a sense that they are valued. It might just help with retention ... along with DfE looking at all our concerns raised by Early Years Alliance and others and actually doing something to support us.
Concerns such as -
- 30 hours and related children
- 2 hour rule for assistants in the EYFS which is totally unfit for purpose
- Health Visitors telling parents to use nurseries
- The EYFS requirement to write 2 year progress checks that are not wanted or read by parents or Health Visitors
- Inconsistencies from Ofsted inspectors
- HMRC childminder details – it is still an issue finding childminders on Childcare Choices
- Late payments from Tax Free Childcare
- Low funding rates - and late Local Authority payments - causing financial hardship
- Some Local Authorities charging childminders extra for refuse collection
- Some Local Authorities penalising childminders by making them apply for planning permission
- Stopping the childminder agency nonsense before it creates even more confusion for parents
- Requiring Ofsted to provide a better service and proper advice rather than referring us back to the EYFS and penalising us harshly when we make mistakes because they didn’t give us the advice we asked for – or we did follow their advice but an inspector disagrees
- Sorting out the DBS update service so childminders are not penalised for not signing to the update service – when it is not a requirement to sign up – and ensuring the DBS is truly portable
- Stopping the discrimination of making childminders have an extra layer to the DBS which causes delays and problems with portability
- Ensuring Ofsted register new childminders quicker – we have reports of some childminders waiting nearly a year to get registered
- Local Authorities and Childcare Choices still telling parents that funded sessions are free when they are being subsidised heavily by providers.
A bit of support is what we need - not a raised fee for nothing in return. Thank you.