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View Full Version : Who knows about these alleged handouts that the Government is giving childminders??



Willowdancer
02-04-2009, 07:06 PM
When I was signing in my twins at nursery this morning the teacher let it slip that her friend, who is a minder and lives not very far away from me but probably comes under a different LA, got a form where she could apply for funding for loads of equipment etc.

Has anybody else had the same? Is it something we're all going to get do you think??

Chatterbox Childcare
02-04-2009, 07:10 PM
The government has given money to each local authority but it is down to them as to how it is spent. Call them and ask.

Jules27
02-04-2009, 07:52 PM
All minders round here have had a £50 cheque to 'Put towards training courses' Maybe that is where the money has come from????

huggableshelly
02-04-2009, 07:55 PM
I contacted the CDO for Herts and she knows nothing about the funding but will be looking into it.

jellytot
02-04-2009, 08:09 PM
I contacted the CDO for Herts and she knows nothing about the funding but will be looking into it.

I find it strange how alot have never heard of these things!!!!!!!! :rolleyes:

Shar
02-04-2009, 08:25 PM
Most of my colleagues in Merton have been given a minimum of £2500 to spend on equipment and resources!! They are so lucky and it makes me so jealous. Different local authorities, different priorities!! I want to move to Merton!!

estrelas
02-04-2009, 08:32 PM
2500????????

i'm moving there:laughing:

Willowdancer
02-04-2009, 09:06 PM
Most of my colleagues in Merton have been given a minimum of £2500 to spend on equipment and resources!! They are so lucky and it makes me so jealous. Different local authorities, different priorities!! I want to move to Merton!!

Yep, that's what the lady I was told about got too. Bet she lives 12 miles in the wrong direction!! :rolleyes:

miffy
02-04-2009, 09:10 PM
When I was signing in my twins at nursery this morning the teacher let it slip that her friend, who is a minder and lives not very far away from me but probably comes under a different LA, got a form where she could apply for funding for loads of equipment etc.

Has anybody else had the same? Is it something we're all going to get do you think??

It's called the Early Years Capital Grant and the funding is supposed to help us implement the EYFS but it's up to the local authorities how they spend the money.

Miffy xx

sarah707
02-04-2009, 09:42 PM
We are not getting it in Cheshire. :(

miffy
02-04-2009, 09:46 PM
We are not getting it in Cheshire. :(

That's so unfair Sarah

If it's meant for everyone then everyone should get it!

Miffy xx

Willowdancer
02-04-2009, 10:01 PM
We are not getting it in Cheshire. :(

That's not fair at all. If its meant for us to use then we should get it :(

Maybe ask for a £2.5k reduction on your council tax bill?? :cool:

Heaven Scent
02-04-2009, 10:10 PM
Sarah,

Where is our new Council office head quarters. We could go there wearing A-boards and stage a demonstration - depending on where the offices are we could possibly make it a nice day out. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Playmate
02-04-2009, 10:16 PM
I contacted the CDO for Herts and she knows nothing about the funding but will be looking into it.

I can guarantee in Hertfordshire it will be spent on something totally useless to childminders! and whats more we won't even get a say :angry:

huggableshelly
02-04-2009, 10:25 PM
I can guarantee in Hertfordshire it will be spent on something totally useless to childminders! and whats more we won't even get a say :angry:

yep as usual ... did you see Herts isnt going to join in with free swimming for under 16's and over 60's like 288 other counties across the country? its not cost effective!

I did hear somewhere but it is probably gossip as cant remember where it came from .. that Herts has too many cm's and funding wouldnt be feesable due to it being split between so many of us ... no idea if there is any truth in that.

does the funding money have to go through books too as an income so the taxman can rub his hands with glee looking forward to money that cm's would spend out of their own pocket?

John
02-04-2009, 10:59 PM
Only thing i've had since two years of childminding was a start up grant and £75 for going on the on training course. No big amount of money here in barrow that i've hurd about.

John.

buildingblocks
03-04-2009, 06:51 AM
yep as usual ... did you see Herts isnt going to join in with free swimming for under 16's and over 60's like 288 other counties across the country? its not cost effective!

I did hear somewhere but it is probably gossip as cant remember where it came from .. that Herts has too many cm's and funding wouldnt be feesable due to it being split between so many of us ... no idea if there is any truth in that.

does the funding money have to go through books too as an income so the taxman can rub his hands with glee looking forward to money that cm's would spend out of their own pocket?

I think you will have to show it as income but then you will be putting what you have spent it on so will not be taxable (think that is right someone more knowledgeable will be along soon lol)

bubbles
03-04-2009, 08:41 AM
We got £100 in Warrington. Had to go a children's centre and choose up to £100 worth of equipment from the suppliers that had set up stalls there. We could choose from toys, equal opps resourses, books etc.

Mollymop
03-04-2009, 08:46 AM
We get dilly poop in our area:(

Mouse
03-04-2009, 08:51 AM
It really is so unfair that some people get lots & some get nothing at all.

You'd have thought NCMA would get involved & push for all childminders to get something.

FussyElmo
03-04-2009, 08:55 AM
We've been told about it in Stoke- on-Trent. We've been sent ICT resources and toy catalogues and told to make a list of what we wanted (shopalolic dream) we've been told minimum bid of £2500 but havent heard of anyone getting it yet. Will let you know if I get mine!!!

RainbowMum
03-04-2009, 09:10 AM
Every childcare provider in the catchment area of our sure start childrens centre got £500. I ordered some lovely things for outdoor play at the end of Feb and they still haven't been delivered, its so frustrating!

TheBTeam
03-04-2009, 09:19 AM
I'm with the bash herts brigade!!!

For NCMA in herts or for our childrens centres to do something useful for childminders would not happen! They have managed to make access to training a lottery and nightmare, the childrens centres can't even give us a meeting room free for our childminding group to meet, have managed to give all of our personal information to the other childminders in our area, including our reg numbers.

The thought of getting money or something useful is beyond belief!

LittleMissSparkles
03-04-2009, 10:51 AM
when i spoke to our authority they said they were giving the money to nurseries first and if there was anyhting left we might get some .... they said nurseries service more children and were a priority :angry: :angry: :angry: and they have allocated it for outdoor play stuff to meet EYFS

cuddlybunny38
03-04-2009, 11:10 AM
Stevenage swimming pool is doing the free places was in the local paper last week, havent heard anything about any funding though

madasahatter
03-04-2009, 11:34 AM
It's a big shame that the way local authorities spend their funding differs from area to area. Some areas have realised the huge contribution that childminders make to providing affordable and quality childcare (Bradford where i am is one of them).

when i spoke to our authority they said they were giving the money to nurseries first and if there was anyhting left we might get some .... they said nurseries service more children and were a priority and they have allocated it for outdoor play stuff to meet EYFS
This would make me seeth too! I'm sure that childminders provide a proportionally greater service for the 0 to 3yr olds than private nurseries and I wonder if they included wrap around care for children attending preschools and state nurseries? It would seem that some authorities are considering eyfs purely in relation to nursery and reception age children rather than the full eyfs age range.

devoncm
03-04-2009, 11:40 AM
Thats funny actually as devon early years have sent me a couple letters with monitering forms asking if i could let them know what im buying and could i show receipts for proof of purchase, they went to my old house(living where i am for the past yr:rolleyes: ) I rang them today to say i dont have a grant and all they said was they will take me off their mailing list? didnt check or anything which i thought was strange

Bananabrain
03-04-2009, 12:40 PM
I contacted the CDO for Herts and she knows nothing about the funding but will be looking into it.

I've been told that it's 'not available' in Herts.

Even to accredited minders.

Bananabrain
03-04-2009, 12:44 PM
I'm with the bash herts brigade!!!

For NCMA in herts or for our childrens centres to do something useful for childminders would not happen! They have managed to make access to training a lottery and nightmare, the childrens centres can't even give us a meeting room free for our childminding group to meet, have managed to give all of our personal information to the other childminders in our area, including our reg numbers.

The thought of getting money or something useful is beyond belief!

Abso bloomin' lutely.Hertfordshire is a pile of........

Have been told by 'Young in Herts' that alot of the courses have been stopped to save money!!!!!

Also heard along the way that we don't get alot of funding because Herts is considered too affluent:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: and we don't need it!

hectors house
03-04-2009, 12:45 PM
Hi Willowdancer - I think you live in Wiltshire don't you, I saw your enquiry about activities for school age mindees where you mentioned Longleat.

Anyway - my friend in Trowbridge got £1200 to spend on ICT and garden equipment - when I asked my Early Years advisor this week was told that in Somerset the amount was £2500 and it was only available to Accredited childminders - obviously different counties have different rules - so I would ring your Early Years advisor and find out.

Good luck

TheBTeam
03-04-2009, 12:50 PM
Abso bloomin' lutely.Hertfordshire is a pile of........

Have been told by 'Young in Herts' that alot of the courses have been stopped to save money!!!!!

Also heard along the way that we don't get alot of funding because Herts is considered too affluent:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: and we don't need it!

The parents may be affluent, but most minders aren't!!!

Bananabrain
03-04-2009, 12:51 PM
We are not getting it in Cheshire. :(

That's because you live in a 'shire' Sarah.

Those of us that are in Hertfordshire,Cheshire or any other 'shire' are already too rich apparently.:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

FussyElmo
03-04-2009, 01:13 PM
See we are deprived in our area or should that be depraved!!!!!!

mandy moo
03-04-2009, 02:51 PM
The parents may be affluent, but most minders aren't!!!


hmmm know that one!!
prehaps Ill move to the moon, might get setting up costs, free toys, house with play room, an all sorts then:rolleyes:

nannysue
03-04-2009, 03:02 PM
We get dilly poop in our area:(

Couldn't have put it better myself:laughing: Looks like they are not sharing it out here either :(

Lady Haha
03-04-2009, 05:57 PM
It really is so unfair that some people get lots & some get nothing at all.

You'd have thought NCMA would get involved & push for all childminders to get something.

Yes, I agree! I rang my development worker about it and she said it's for accredited cm only. So, it's different rules all over. As someone else said, we are still provideing EYFS even if we aren't accredited.

Deb
03-04-2009, 09:40 PM
We got 50.00 towards EYFS training.

I guess not being a member of any steering committee at the NCMA or my local CM group disqualifies me from complaining that they havent spent it wisely.

Mollymop
03-04-2009, 10:12 PM
It is so unfair I think all us childminders should complain!!!! Why should other childminders get 100's of pounds and others get nowt???? I am very cross:angry: grrr!!:cool:

maggi anne
03-04-2009, 10:16 PM
yes i have heard of it . its called the early years capital grant. available to all early years child carers. ( including childminders ) ask your childminder support co-ordinator about it. But one word of caution !!!!! the grant ( pro-rata) will be payable back if you cease childminding within certain periods. ie if you have major garden improvements done you will have to pay back pro-rata if you do not continue to child mind for at least 15 years from start of grant. ok for some but not all ! also a charge may be placed on your property by your local authority, incase you sell your house before the due term of grant ( ie 15 years) dont want to put people off but please do your research as I was nearly caught out which is why i feel strongly about this one .

Mouse
03-04-2009, 10:19 PM
I agree. We're all expected to work to EYFS (and I'm sure a lot of us do it better than many nurseries!), but it's still nurseries that are given priority with funding.

I wouldn't even mind if nurseries got a bigger share, but ALL childminders should get something if the want it (I know not all do).

geordiebunny
03-04-2009, 10:20 PM
When I went to the briefing the other night i brought this up after reading about it on here and they said there was no capital grant for lancashire.
:(

Willowdancer
03-04-2009, 11:49 PM
Hi Willowdancer - I think you live in Wiltshire don't you, I saw your enquiry about activities for school age mindees where you mentioned Longleat.

Anyway - my friend in Trowbridge got £1200 to spend on ICT and garden equipment - when I asked my Early Years advisor this week was told that in Somerset the amount was £2500 and it was only available to Accredited childminders - obviously different counties have different rules - so I would ring your Early Years advisor and find out.

Good luck

Yes that's right - would have been West Wiltshire but think its just Wiltshire now they've merged a lot of the councils into one. I will get on and find out about it then. Who knows, maybe I'm in the right place for once!

elliemay
04-04-2009, 12:38 PM
When I was signing in my twins at nursery this morning the teacher let it slip that her friend, who is a minder and lives not very far away from me but probably comes under a different LA, got a form where she could apply for funding for loads of equipment etc.

Has anybody else had the same? Is it something we're all going to get do you think??

Hi we all received a grant form from our local authority along with suggested packages to apply for eg ict packages.The minimum grant we can apply for is 2,500 pounds,We are getting support from our local development officers and many of us have now received letters of approval.I didnt know this was not available everywhere though that doesn't seem fair.

ChocolateChip
04-04-2009, 04:28 PM
I've had the grant, got just over £400 to improve the garden but they keep re-sending the forms, even though I've sent 2 lots already, somehow they lose them!
None of the other cm's in my area knew about it though, so I don't know if they only sent out so many forms, and it certainly didn't mention £2500, just said you'd have a better chance of receiving it if you put a contribution in yourself !

julie w
04-05-2009, 04:20 PM
When I was signing in my twins at nursery this morning the teacher let it slip that her friend, who is a minder and lives not very far away from me but probably comes under a different LA, got a form where she could apply for funding for loads of equipment etc.

Has anybody else had the same? Is it something we're all going to get do you think??
Hi I live in Stoke on Trent and we have been given 5 catalogues (nes Arnold and similar) and we have been told to choose whatever we want including computers, laptops , furniture, home alterations, etc. As long as it's over £2,500. It's like a dream. We have to make a wish list and link it to the 6 areas of learning, get it agreed by our DO. then wait for delivery. I've put in an order worth £8,000. Seems too good to be true at the moment, but we've been told to go for it and to make the most of this opportunity.

Tatjana
04-05-2009, 05:07 PM
That's because you live in a 'shire' Sarah.

Those of us that are in Hertfordshire,Cheshire or any other 'shire' are already too rich apparently.:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

What about living in a 'field'???! I'm in Enfield!

We get diddly squat and have to pay for all courses, first aid etc etc:panic: :angry: :mad:

xx

Trouble
04-05-2009, 05:13 PM
we dont get jack either:panic: :angry: :angry: :angry:

twise
04-05-2009, 07:33 PM
i received a letter yesterday from Barnet.

Childminders have been given a £300 grant HOWEVER there are some compulsory things you have to purchase: 2 childminding books that Barnet have already purchased for you so the grant reduces to £270. Then you have to purchase a vtech digi camera thing at £40 (i don't mind this as i don't have one) and also something called an activity treasure chest which is £100 which i really don't want as I think for what it is it's completely overpriced for a few bean bags, cones,skittles and quoits. So all told I have £130 to spend on what I want:rolleyes:

Better than nothing i suppose

Tracy

Pedagog
04-05-2009, 07:35 PM
:( Still nothing in Wakefield:(

nannymcflea
04-05-2009, 08:39 PM
Our local council have given us the chance to spend spend spend.....I think this is only for Network minders though.
We can put in for a solo amount or put ideas into the group fund.
The MINIMUM you have to spend on a solo amount is...£2,600...how cool is that:jump for joy:

Problem is.....you have to be "viable" and be commited to staying in the job or you will have to pay it back or some of it if you give up within a certain time.

I'm not taking them up on it...but I know someone who is!:laughing:

Chanelle
04-05-2009, 08:40 PM
Does anyone know anything about the capital grant in northampton? I have just read the post and dont see anything in this area ??

Would be interested to see what was available where I live ?? :(