SparklingGems
02-02-2010, 01:44 PM
An old friend contacted me after she heard I was registering as a childminder to ask my advice. Im not really sure what to say to her so I though I would post on here and ask for wonderful advise from you guys
My friends daughter aged 2.5 goes to 2 different childminders.
The first minder she has went to since she was 6months old. This childminder has never given my friend any info on EYFS she has never heard of any obs etc doesnt have a daily diary infact apart from initial policies and contracts and the odd info about hols she never gets any paper work at all. Having said that her daughter loves going to this setting she goes 3 days a week from 8.30 til 5, as the childminder only minds part time and my friend originally went back to work part time therfore only required these hours. They go on lots of visits to farms, the park, the beach and local toddler groups. This childminder runs a toddler group with another childminder two mornings a week so they are barely at the childminders home. My friends daughter cries at the end of the day when she has to leave.
The 2nd minder her daugher has only been with for 2 months. She goes on a thurs and fri from 9-5. This minder has had a few meetings with her to discuss eyfs. She gets regular obs to sign a daily diary and lots of info including newsletters etc. Her daugher fusses when going to this minder but once she is there she happily goes to play with the children. This minder does very few trips and when she does she charges the enterance fee and the parents have to provide packed lunch on those days to. Her daughter is sitting waiting at the door when she arrives to pick her up and is out the door so quick my friend hardly has the chance to say goodbye.
My friend had originially decided to keep her daughter with her original minder for the 3 days and find another minder for the other two to keep her continuatity of care. But now she is concerned about the lack of EYFS the first childminder offers. She has asked me a few questions giving me all the facts I have written above.
Will the lack of observations damage her development?
Is it more important that her daughter is happy or educated?
As a childminder do I think the first or the 2nd minder is better?
Would I move my child to the 2nd minder full time?
Now the way my thinking is going is that children have been childminded for years before the EYFS came into force and it never did them any harm. I do think that fun is very important along with education and my thinking is that this minder may do observations and just use them for herself. Just because she doesnt write them down doesnt mean she isnt working to improving the childs learning and development.
I would want the best start in life for my child and having learnt about the EYFS Im going to do obs etc on my own son. I do think it helps to pin point the childs weak areas so you can work together with other agencies and the child to improve them. I do think the childs happiness at such a young age is so important to.
I would keep things as they are therfore she can have obs two days but have the continuitoty of care the other days and have the best of both worlds.
But Im not sure if this is whats best for the child and I am thinking in parent mode as Im to new a childminder to think from a childminders point of view
Please would anyone e kind enough to give their opinions.
Thanks
My friends daughter aged 2.5 goes to 2 different childminders.
The first minder she has went to since she was 6months old. This childminder has never given my friend any info on EYFS she has never heard of any obs etc doesnt have a daily diary infact apart from initial policies and contracts and the odd info about hols she never gets any paper work at all. Having said that her daughter loves going to this setting she goes 3 days a week from 8.30 til 5, as the childminder only minds part time and my friend originally went back to work part time therfore only required these hours. They go on lots of visits to farms, the park, the beach and local toddler groups. This childminder runs a toddler group with another childminder two mornings a week so they are barely at the childminders home. My friends daughter cries at the end of the day when she has to leave.
The 2nd minder her daugher has only been with for 2 months. She goes on a thurs and fri from 9-5. This minder has had a few meetings with her to discuss eyfs. She gets regular obs to sign a daily diary and lots of info including newsletters etc. Her daugher fusses when going to this minder but once she is there she happily goes to play with the children. This minder does very few trips and when she does she charges the enterance fee and the parents have to provide packed lunch on those days to. Her daughter is sitting waiting at the door when she arrives to pick her up and is out the door so quick my friend hardly has the chance to say goodbye.
My friend had originially decided to keep her daughter with her original minder for the 3 days and find another minder for the other two to keep her continuatity of care. But now she is concerned about the lack of EYFS the first childminder offers. She has asked me a few questions giving me all the facts I have written above.
Will the lack of observations damage her development?
Is it more important that her daughter is happy or educated?
As a childminder do I think the first or the 2nd minder is better?
Would I move my child to the 2nd minder full time?
Now the way my thinking is going is that children have been childminded for years before the EYFS came into force and it never did them any harm. I do think that fun is very important along with education and my thinking is that this minder may do observations and just use them for herself. Just because she doesnt write them down doesnt mean she isnt working to improving the childs learning and development.
I would want the best start in life for my child and having learnt about the EYFS Im going to do obs etc on my own son. I do think it helps to pin point the childs weak areas so you can work together with other agencies and the child to improve them. I do think the childs happiness at such a young age is so important to.
I would keep things as they are therfore she can have obs two days but have the continuitoty of care the other days and have the best of both worlds.
But Im not sure if this is whats best for the child and I am thinking in parent mode as Im to new a childminder to think from a childminders point of view
Please would anyone e kind enough to give their opinions.
Thanks