CLOSURE OF CHILDCARE LINK WEB - SITE [Archive]

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angeldelight

24-09-2009, 09:27 AM

Dont forget that from the 30th September Childcare Link , the national childcare website will be closed down

Childcare information will be made available to parents and carers on the internet through the Parent Know How Directory which can be accessed from Direct.gov and local authority web-sites

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/parentknowhow/directory.shtml

There have been a few delays in the development of the new databases in a lot of areas so childcare information will not be downloaded - therefore the only information that will appear on the website will be a providers name and the telephone number of the local family information service this information will be given by Ofsted

You will be able to add your own details to the directory as soon as the software and development has been completed and implemented

So there may be a delay in getting your full details on there so much for modern technology :laughing: :laughing:

Angel xx

bibi571

24-09-2009, 09:30 AM

How'd you find this out Angel?

B x :littleangel:

angeldelight

24-09-2009, 09:35 AM

How'd you find this out Angel?

B x :littleangel:

Through my contacts ha ha ha

Angel xx

Andrea08

24-09-2009, 09:40 AM

Hi, my local family information service e-mailed me to fill in a form giving permission for my previous info to be added to the new database,,

i would contact your local FIS or DO and ask how your information can be added to any new formats
xx

cher25

24-09-2009, 09:42 AM

That reminds me i need got a permission form through from them earlier in the week. Must post it!

Thanks for the reminder Angel.

Tired

24-09-2009, 10:35 AM

not heard about this at all, thanks. Ill be asking by CDO about it.

angeldelight

24-09-2009, 10:36 AM

That reminds me i need got a permission form through from them earlier in the week. Must post it!

Thanks for the reminder Angel.

Yes also got mine but there is going to be delays in some areas I know my area is one of them

Angel xx

Zoomie

24-09-2009, 10:46 AM

Interesting. Not heard a peep about this in my area.

Daftbat

24-09-2009, 10:55 AM

I got a letter from early Years about this, thanks for reminding me about it Angel:thumbsup:

miffy

24-09-2009, 11:05 AM

Had no idea this was happening

Thank you Angel

Miffy xx

charleyfarley

24-09-2009, 12:47 PM

I did mine last month , makes a change I'm up to date with something :laughing:

Thanks Angel :thumbsup:

Carol xx

Rubybubbles

24-09-2009, 02:28 PM

I sent my letter off too:thumbsup:

thanks for the link Angel, I had no idea where they where going though:rolleyes:

hello kitty

24-09-2009, 09:35 PM

News to me too Angel, but thanks for the information. :)

Hanabana

02-10-2009, 06:51 AM

nell57

02-10-2009, 07:10 AM

I didn't know about this.

Thanks for the info Angel:thumbsup:

sarah707

02-10-2009, 07:20 AM

Hi, i'm new to minding so unsure of how to get my details on that site, is it a case of waiting for a form to be sent from some authority, or do i wait for the website to be fully running so i can add my own details or shall i call someone? thanks:)

Your local people should come out to you soon after your Ofsted certificate arrives.

there's no harm in chasing them up though!

I used to work near Camberley - nice part of the world :D

Straws

02-10-2009, 07:28 AM

I didn't know about this.

Thanks for the info Angel:thumbsup:

Helen I had a letter last week to fill in for my details to be placed on the website, it had to be returned before sept 30th else my details wouldnt be placed on it, I'd ring your DO

Sharon

nell57

02-10-2009, 07:37 AM

Helen I had a letter last week to fill in for my details to be placed on the website, it had to be returned before sept 30th else my details wouldnt be placed on it, I'd ring your DO

Sharon

Ah, thanks, I have had a letter, but didn't understand it fully. Deb is coming here in a min so will ask her go through it with me:o

Will pm you later as well when I get longer than 5 mins spare:thumbsup:

Mouse

02-10-2009, 08:05 AM

So, is there anywhere at the moment that shows a list of childminders?

As far as I know, no one in my are was aware that the childcare link website was shutting down. I only knew because of this post.

We've had no info about it at all. I've looked on the link posted in the first message, but can't see anywhere that shows how to search for childcare.

buildingblocks

02-10-2009, 08:13 AM

Pipsqueak

02-10-2009, 08:17 AM

Mouse

02-10-2009, 08:18 AM

I searched for ************* just to see what came up and got this

http://childcarefinder.direct.gov.uk/childcarefinder

Thank you!
I found my name, but you can't get any info, so not much use for parents yet. Hopefully it'll be up & running properly before long.

Mouse

02-10-2009, 08:21 AM

I've had a good search of it and on my area only 4 childminders come up (out of a town of 130):( One of those 4 is from a different town as well!

All the nurseries. day care, playgroups etc are on:( :(

We've got everything listed (childminders, playgroups etc), but there are no details for any of them, other than a name. No phone number or anything :panic:

I'd have thought it would make sense to have this up & running before closing the childcare link website down :rolleyes:

Tired

02-10-2009, 11:00 AM

i looked yesterday, cos i needed the phone number of another minder. It just crashed and gave me no information.
then i looked today and it is closed for maintenance! what a mess they have made of it, why close the old site if the mew one is not ready!

buildingblocks

02-10-2009, 12:11 PM

Thank you!
I found my name, but you can't get any info, so not much use for parents yet. Hopefully it'll be up & running properly before long.

the other day the info was there for me I think (I've slept since then) that there was a button saying more info. I didn't thinl it was as easy to use as the old version though

mum26

03-10-2009, 05:22 PM

When I looked the minimum area I could put in was a 5 mile radius and there were so many childminders I gave up looking for myself in the end! I did click on another childminder but there was absolutely no information given other than her name-not very helpful!

mummyroysof3

03-10-2009, 07:15 PM

site down for maintinance it says, thats really helpful :laughing:

charlotte x

SandCastles

06-10-2009, 09:10 PM

I got a very long error message on screen tonight, will try again later.

Lady Haha

07-10-2009, 05:10 PM

What an absolute shambles this is!!!!! I liked the other site! On the other one you could narrow it down to school picked up from!!! I just found myself on here and there is no information about me at all, not even my phone number.:angry: I don't stand out from the crowd anymore!

Mollymop

07-10-2009, 08:01 PM

Thanks Angel, I didn't know this either.

Is it just me, or does anyone else find ALL gov websites a pain in the behindfor being difficult to see what you want!!:mad:

Mollymop

07-10-2009, 08:10 PM

I have just been on there, and I can't find ME!!! I am so upset! I am full but I want to be on there. can anyone tell me how I can get back on the system.

Thankx

Bazza

07-10-2009, 08:21 PM

If its any help and you have not already, you can advertise your business on my site for free and add as much info as you like to it. Its never going to compete with a government run site, but we are page one on Google for 38 search keywords/phrases.

I find most searches come in the form of "childminder in insert_town _name" so make sure you add that if you do register! ;)

primula

09-10-2009, 02:14 PM

thanks for that! i probably had a letter about it but you know how it is with all the paper work!

sarah707

10-10-2009, 07:08 PM

I searched for ************* just to see what came up and got this

http://childcarefinder.direct.gov.uk/childcarefinder

I am apparently 1 km away from my own postcode :rolleyes:

How stupid can you get closing one before the other is fully operational? :(

TheBTeam

10-10-2009, 08:39 PM

I am apparently 1 km away from my own postcode :rolleyes:

How stupid can you get closing one before the other is fully operational? :(

Yep. See my previous post I am on the bottom of the second page for my postcode, which is only a little road with just me and dh as childminders, i forgot to look for him cos he wasnt even on the first two pages!!!:rolleyes:

My friend who lives a mile from me came up nearer to me than i did! and the one who is almost 3 miles away!

I wish it was that easy to move, would have done it ages ago!

I have emailed on the contact us bit with comments to this effect, but strangely enough have not had a reply yet!

Louise_Oaktree

15-10-2009, 08:05 PM

Louise_Oaktree

15-10-2009, 08:06 PM

Yep. See my previous post I am on the bottom of the second page for my postcode, which is only a little road with just me and dh as childminders, i forgot to look for him cos he wasnt even on the first two pages!!!:rolleyes:

My friend who lives a mile from me came up nearer to me than i did! and the one who is almost 3 miles away!

I wish it was that easy to move, would have done it ages ago!

I have emailed on the contact us bit with comments to this effect, but strangely enough have not had a reply yet!

I couldn't even find who to contact it was so difficult to navigate and really difficult to read with hundreds of pages of people with no contact details or info about their setting :rolleyes:

liza

16-10-2009, 08:47 PM

Yep. See my previous post I am on the bottom of the second page for my postcode, which is only a little road with just me and dh as childminders, i forgot to look for him cos he wasnt even on the first two pages!!!:rolleyes:

My friend who lives a mile from me came up nearer to me than i did! and the one who is almost 3 miles away!

I wish it was that easy to move, would have done it ages ago!

I have emailed on the contact us bit with comments to this effect, but strangely enough have not had a reply yet!

I'm 1 km from my own postcode too. And it says I have no imediate vacancies (but I do!!)
Spoke to my Families information Service yesterday, they said it's an error about the vacanices but that all childminders are showing no vacanices and 'they' are working on it.
Not sure who 'they' are though!

Liz

Angela234

16-10-2009, 10:20 PM

I Put in our town and post code comes up with nothing put in my surname
came up with my details only basic info and i'm FULL which i have never put down.

Can't see how parents are going to find us

angeldelight

17-10-2009, 07:11 AM

I Put in our town and post code comes up with nothing put in my surname
came up with my details only basic info and i'm FULL which i have never put down.

Can't see how parents are going to find us

Same here

Not very good is it?

Angel xx

TheBTeam

17-10-2009, 04:52 PM

We received a letter yesterday dated 9/10 saying that it was going to be live from 30/9!!:panic:

It didn't ask for any information but it said should be okay by end of January!!!!!!!!!!

teacake2

18-10-2009, 09:40 PM

I have checked my details this afternoon, I am still living 4Km away from my postcode, the ones who are actually that distance away from me are only 1Km away according to the site, one or two at the top of the first page have now got some details on but on the second page, where I am on all it says is OFSTED registered childminder and gives no other details except our OFSTED registration number.
I have tried to contact them to complain, I will just have to wait to see if I get a reply.:angry: :angry: :angry:
Teacake2

Gherkin

19-10-2009, 12:57 PM

Oh what joy. Would say about 4 out of 26 childminders in my area of Peterborough are on the new Direct.gov website. Trying to update details and they will call me back (call me pessimistic but I can't see it happening).

Thing that irks me is they sould have been able to upload everyones details at the the same time as at the moment 4 out of 26 will be getting all the enquiries so it is not a level playing field so to speak business opportunities iyswim.

Louise_Oaktree

19-10-2009, 06:08 PM

Since uploading our Ofsted Registration Numbers they have now deleted our names....so all we are is a number "__km" away from a postcode :laughing:

Still no contact from my Local Authority and no way of updating my details :rolleyes:

I had an enquiry I couldn't do today but couldn't even signpost the parent to anywhere, I would usually direct to Childcare link but give names of those CM's I knew had suitable vacancies....all I could do is take the parents number and pass it on if I hear of anything...

FIS_Man

10-11-2009, 05:55 PM

Hello all.

I am an FIS Manager, and have a good idea of what's happened.

I asked if I could post a message on this thread as I feel it's an important topic.

This thread has made reference to the progress since ************* was closed.

As you know, childcare information can be accessed via: http://familyservices.direct.gov.uk/ and also now: http://informationforfamilies.dcsf.gov.uk/

Unfortunately there are teething problems with the system. In the interim the central number to find childcare is still working well, which will forward parents to their local FIS.

Our FIS has details of all registered childminders as usual, and have updated consent forms from most of our providers and we continue to promote childminders. I know filling in consent forms is a pain but we need to make sure that your details are correct and we only release your information if you're happy for us to do so.

We have seen an increase in calls from parents looking for childcare as they have tried to find the information on the net first then come through to us.

So, although the national database may not include a comprehensive list that ************* had, it will in the near future. In the meantime parents are still getting the information but direct from the local FIS.

I know from speaking to colleagues around the country that the FIS world is working hard to ensure local systems continue to work, and get them to link to the national system. We are also very conscious over information including how we store it, keep it up to date and share it.

If you would like to contact your local FIS and not sure how to you can either contact a central number:

0800 2346 346

or visit www.nafis.org.uk and click on 'Find your FIS'

Minstrel

11-11-2009, 07:33 PM

Thank you - very helpful information!

I hope for everyones sake that it is all completed and as great as the last one! :thumbsup: