Childrens Centre questions

[Pipsqueak]

Right I have two questions - any help appreciated please:

What are the benefits to the childminder when working (or closely linking) with a childrens centre?


What are the benefits to the childrens centre when working with (or closely linking) with childminders?

[The Juggler]

We can access space and resources that we don't have in our settings.

We can (or should be able to!) access advice from the local Development Officer/Early Years Advisor on a regular basis. Doesn't happen in my area unfortunately. However, CC Manager does support us with information and paper resources on practice.

Networking with other minders. Influencing other's practice/allowing them to influence us.



Children's centre have benefit of passing on details to parents of childminders they know and they may already know if we have vacancies. They will have some awareness of level of practice when recommending for specific reasons i.e. child with disability, family who need lots of support.


Also, the support they offer is designed to improve our practice and one of the delivery targets for CC's is that they need to have a strategy to improve the quality of local childcare.

Hope that helps.

LOL

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think that the idea of childrens centres is to offer all areas of help and access different areas of expertise - including childminders

[mushpea]

We can access space and resources that we don't have in our settings.

We can (or should be able to!) access advice from the local Development Officer/Early Years Advisor on a regular basis. Doesn't happen in my area unfortunately. However, CC Manager does support us with information and paper resources on practice.

Networking with other minders. Influencing other's practice/allowing them to influence us.



Children's centre have benefit of passing on details to parents of childminders they know and they may already know if we have vacancies. They will have some awareness of level of practice when recommending for specific reasons i.e. child with disability, family who need lots of support.


Also, the support they offer is designed to improve our practice and one of the delivery targets for CC's is that they need to have a strategy to improve the quality of local childcare.

Hope that helps.

LOL

when our childrens center was questioned about childcare she told the person to contact the local FIS because they have to be nutrel so no help there.
our childminder drop in was canceled because they needed the space for other groups and we were told it was time to 'move on'. we were also told that we embarresed the person at the center because we were always sitting drinking coffee when the head teacher (its attatched to a primary school) shew new parents round. she basicly called us cr**p childminders that did nothing with the kids.
so personaly havent found any benifits either way.
also our local center told us they would put stuff on for older children as in our area there is a lack of things for junior school age children but nothing has happend and each time this is brought up all we get told is we will provide activitys for older children but no older than 8yrs.
so far things that have been promised havent happend and i am not totaly impressed.
was asked on to a focus group meeting presumbly so we could have input on what happend but that was a total waste of time as we never had a chance to say anything.
I do use the center and i have spoke to them about how i feel but get know where but i will continue to use it for the childrens sake.
sorry, probably not the most helpful reply

[nannymcflea]

Our local CC sent letters to all local CM's asking us if we wanted our own group to run at the centre. There are currently 6 of us using the centre on a Wednesday and it is great being able to do activities with other CM's.
The centre is very helpful even now offering lunch at a small cost.

It's fantastic to have our own group, we go to lots of other toddler groups but at this one everyone is in the same boat and no-one feels they are being watched by parents!

[The Juggler]

when our childrens center was questioned about childcare she told the person to contact the local FIS because they have to be nutrel so no help there.
our childminder drop in was canceled because they needed the space for other groups and we were told it was time to 'move on'. we were also told that we embarresed the person at the center because we were always sitting drinking coffee when the head teacher (its attatched to a primary school) shew new parents round. she basicly called us cr**p childminders that did nothing with the kids.
so personaly havent found any benifits either way.
also our local center told us they would put stuff on for older children as in our area there is a lack of things for junior school age children but nothing has happend and each time this is brought up all we get told is we will provide activitys for older children but no older than 8yrs.
so far things that have been promised havent happend and i am not totaly impressed.
was asked on to a focus group meeting presumbly so we could have input on what happend but that was a total waste of time as we never had a chance to say anything.
I do use the center and i have spoke to them about how i feel but get know where but i will continue to use it for the childrens sake.
sorry, probably not the most helpful reply


It's my understanding that it is part of the service to offer support to childminders. So instead of chucking you out they should be speaking to the childminders who don't interact with the children to support them into better practice! Otherwise how are they improving the quality of local childcare. That's more like ignoring bad practice - what I can't see won't hurt me!!! I would speak to the local FIS, as minder drop-ins are a key part of the children's centre strategy as I understand it.

Also with regard to having info about childcare, surely they can have a duplicate of the local vacancy list so parents can access it more easily - that's hardly recommending anyone is it and if they offer everyone the chance to advertise if they want, again thats not endorsing just offering equal opportunities to everyone. Have to say our local centre is much better than that. Sorry yours is not so supportive.

LOL

[Pipsqueak]

bumping:D need lots of answers please (for tomorrow)

[sarah707]

I get to talk to my development officer who sometimes answers some of my questions...

I get to take the children to a nice play area with quality toys and resources including a nice outside area and crafts / messy play every week...

I have somewhere literally on my door step for training...


It doesn't offer childminders advertising though it does give out CIS lists I believe...

I have yet to find out if there are any benefits to being on the network.

hth... good luck tomorrow! :D

[ajs]

because i don't want to have my membership deleted i will refrain from answering this question but pip if you want me to pm you what i feel about cc i am very happy to

[huggableshelly]

my childrens centre is GREAT!

it offers monthly childminding meetings out of working hours allowing us to talk openly, seek advice and see who has vacancies.

it also have a play session which at the moment is monthly due to many other activities on offer but childminders are welcome to join in many other sessions if apropriate/suitable such as messy play, musci sessions, toddler fun, crawling club etc.

my CDO does not attend all meetings but messages are passed on and information is shared, emails are sent out with minutes etc.

training is slow but the childrens centre do not seem to be getting the information any quicker than the local cm's anyway.

the local cm's wanted more CAF training face to face rather than online ... it was arranged and training was done during a monthly meeting.

I am aware that many other CC's are not as cm friendly but my local one is great ... oops repeating myself ... and my CC allows cm's to advertise on the notice board too as it is attatched to a school.