Accreditited. Shall I bother or not

[PaulaR]

I have started the accreditation process but there is so much they are expecting of me that I am trying to weigh up if its worth it. I thought it was a good idea when I started.
I have to do a business plan , commit to 24 hours of training a year, which will be in the evenings and weekends, register with enviromental health, hand over a copy of my SEF, update my policies etc and all this before I start the strict planning and deliver the education side of it. Then have visits.
All this takes away from actually caring for the kids.
I think I've made up my mind, I'm not going to bother.

[francinejayne]

sorry for asking what is probably a daft question, but seeing as I'm new to all this I will ask anyway, what does it mean to be accredited?
thanks!

[beccas]

it means you can offer the free entitlement for 3 year olds. you know free 15 hours a week of childcare paid for by government

[francinejayne]

thanks! :thumbsup:

[fridaysoff]

I am also looking at it - been asked by two parents about doing it now... extra work puts me off too, but thought it might be a chance to meet new CM's and share more ideas which might gee me up a bit... don't know what to do:(

[newbie]

I know exactly what you mean :( . I have just started the process of joining the network and becoming accredited but the paperwork seems endless and there is so much to do. Already spend my week being really busy with the kids that I look after and then Saturdays it's cleaning the house top to bottom and Sunday it's a minimum of 4 hours paperwork....if not longer :( . I just feel that becoming accredited is going to make my life harder and not easier :panic:

[Winnie]

I decided not to….. after years and years and years of waiting for the opportunity to do it ;) if you’re reliant on childminding income and will be for a long time to come then tbh it is probably worth doing because they may come a time when the government- which ever gets in- decides to extend free places to every child-or at least every child over 2- and childminders may eventually get squeezed out and forced to provide wrap-round, unsocial hours just to survive :eek: But another good reason for joining a network and becoming accredited is Funding, you can get money for resources and some counties seem to be throwing money at accredited childminders.

however I’m now in my 50’s and getting fed-up with every tom dick or harry telling me how to run my business when I sure I do a reasonable job- but I’m not adverse to accepting support, but I have enough paperwork myself without adding to it so accreditation lost its appeal to me. I was a network childminder for years (no opportunty to become accreditted) then moved so had to leave then when I wanted to get back on they landed me with a lot of un-necessary forms :eek: well if they couldn’t judge me on my practice, past practice and having known me for donkeys years I decided the network was just paper pushing and not worth the trouble. And some childminders have discovered that parents say they will use the entitlement with them but then decide nursery is best- leaving childminders just doing a few hours :mad:

umm, my post sounds a bit muddled :D but i hope it makes sense

[Jelly Baby]

Hi my CM friend started this a long while back (she has given up now) but wished she hadn't started it and found it all too much i think..found the visits coming round so often and the spot visits making her feel useless as was always a day when she wouldn't or couldn't have them!

In my 4+ years of minding i have never been asked about the free sessions and the fact if i was accredited id'e be getting funded places..parents either send to me or they send to nursery then school so iv'e never found it to be a prob tbh but the last few months (as per posted)..i have had a mum mention it and ask if i can still have her dd. After having a meeting last week with a lady who knows the ins and outs i asked about the possibilty of whether tax credits etc still pay me or will i lose the child..she said i can still have the child regardeless and the mum should just leave things as they are? that if she told tax credits she was sending her LO to nursery they would just stop or reduce her money for what hours she used with me if any..SO yes she can still stay with me and it doesn't affect me or her. My argument was what was the point of the accreditation if that was the case to which i never understood as just figured if things dont change great.

Does anyone know what the point is then?
Thanks!

[Cammie Doodle]

I became accredited last year on the request of a parent, I got the feeling I would loose child to Nursery if I did not do it, so reluctantly I did it, now 6 months on she is moving away, :angry:(seemingly move been planned for a while!!, just not told me) Not sure if I will carry on to be honest. Maybe if you can keep mindees or attract new ones by being accredited it makes it worthwhile, but I have managed for years without it (maybe not a good attitude :blush: , but it's how I feel) My hourly rate is £3-50 and I get paid £3-36 from Nursery Funding

[sillysausage]

I decided not to become accredited, despite my DO trying to push me. In my locality there is an excellent preschool which offers funded places and all the schools have nursery classes. I think that at 3/4 yrs old children often need more than a home environment can give them. They like to play with their peers, which can be pretty awkward if your other mindees are babies.
I think if you are in an area where there aren't any preschools or the schools don't have a nursery class then it can be worth doing. But for the few children we are likely to have (in that age bracket at any one time) it's not worth it.

[PixiePetal]

I thought about it and quickly came to the decision not to bother!

Round here nurseries are very much 'the thing' and for all the extra paperwork, most children will be off to nursery anyway as parents think they need a different experience than CM when they go beyond 3. I have part timers who do nursery for 2/3 days and me for the rest. Always been like that.

my nearly 3 yr old mindees mum asked me this week as mum is upping nursery in sept to 2 days and I will go down to 1 from 2. Mind you he came to me for 3 days a week as a temp 6m old (meant to stay till 1yr old) and is still here as she has been so pleased with his care and he is so settled.

[tammys-tots]

I have started the accreditation process but there is so much they are expecting of me that I am trying to weigh up if its worth it. I thought it was a good idea when I started.
I have to do a business plan , commit to 24 hours of training a year, which will be in the evenings and weekends, register with enviromental health, hand over a copy of my SEF, update my policies etc and all this before I start the strict planning and deliver the education side of it. Then have visits.
All this takes away from actually caring for the kids.
I think I've made up my mind, I'm not going to bother.
Hi, i am accredited but dont have to do all that. The only reason im on the network is to get the funding altho im no better off just like to give parents the choice. I dont like doing nursery runs. Think teacher comes out once a term so ive been told. I at to fill some forms in.

[Ripeberry]

Oh don't know what to do now :( My Dw is coming in March to talk me through becoming accredited. It seemed so simple, but as you all say it's not worth it I don't think I could cope with the extra stress and hastle.
She kept saying that soon ALL childminders will have to do this, but she must have been lying?

[Mrs.L.C]

I used to offer the funded places years ago but gave it up because it was too much paper work but to be honest now with the EYFS I dont seem to be doing much different aprt from the head count forms which means you get paid by the government and have the teacher advisor person come out now and again.

I am still part of the Network and wouldnt change this as I have access to invaluable resources and information that I dont think I would get other wise. The only reason I have not gone back to offering these places is I beleive that children need that pre school environment (as long as its the right one), however, if a parent approached me asking me to reconsider and did not want their child going to a pre school or if I was losing too much work, then I may reconsider.

I would defo advise joining a Network if you have that oppertunity to

[mama2three]

tinytots , not all parents get tax credits - i know i dont , so funded places would benefit me as a parent - but only if i put my ds in for full days. which even at 3 i would not do.
from a cm viewpoint for those who do half days at a preschool or school nursery i get paid for those hours anyway!
in our area you need to have a foundation degree ( according to the dw , although there are no accredited minders in her area currently) is this the same everywhere?

[Winnie]

tinytots , not all parents get tax credits - i know i dont , so funded places would benefit me as a parent - but only if i put my ds in for full days. which even at 3 i would not do.
from a cm viewpoint for those who do half days at a preschool or school nursery i get paid for those hours anyway!
in our area you need to have a foundation degree ( according to the dw , although there are no accredited minders in her area currently) is this the same everywhere?

The requirement here is a level 3

[PaulaR]

thank you all so much. I wasn't expecting such negative comments about being accredited.
The only plus I can see of being accredited is access to grants, and in our area its only accredited childminders who get the capital grants. Two freinds have had a new lap top and cameras and will get more pressies in the future where as I won't.
And the hourly rate for funded children is less per hour.
So, if I become accredited, then I will have so much more paperwork, have to do the 24 hours training and won't get any more money. Plus as, Winnie said, I'll have interference from people checking that I'm doing my job in the way that they want me to.
I think I just want to be a childminder, spend time with kids and enjoy my work.
I don't know why I even considered it.

[Nadine Beazley]

that's why i became a childminder, to look after my own children whilst bringing in an income.
I used to work in pre-schools and got fed up with the paperwork, but now due to the EYFS i have to do it again!!!!
Ive been asked to become accreditited and be part of our network, but so far ive turned it down. I dont want the added paperwork.
Here, we have been put on an assurance scheme. Parents are informed about what stage you're on when they access your info on sure start's website.
When you first start out or you've got an NVQ2 or 3 you are put on intermediate stage. You can only go onto advanced stage if you agree to do so much training and have someone visit you regularly! Doesnt matter how much experience you've got, if you dont agree to training then you cant progress!
What happened to the home environment???

[wyetots]

i am sorry to play devils advocate but i have just been accreditited and have done so to be future proof. when the nursery funding for two year olds gets rolled out, i thought it would be best to be ahead of the game.
I have been told by my mentor teacher that i am doing the planning, obs, learning journeys and diaries already so not much extra paperwork.
I will see how it goes but i have been asked by parents so have done with demand.
If you feel it is good for your business and the future then go for it!

[newandlearning]

Hi.. I'm accredited and can offer funding and indeed am offering funding... I've only been doing this for about 5 months and it really shouldnt take me more than an extra hour a week to plan etc.. but I find I've had quite a few newbie mindees too recently so what with trying to settle new LOs in etc.. its not been as easy to manage as I hoped..

I think its a good marketing strategy.. I lose money doing it.. plus we get paid half termly in arrears here..

I also find it keeps my setting fresh as well as I'm constantly creating new activities etc.

All I need to do now is learn how to switch off and try to get as much as I can done during my day rather than at night... I hope I've helped a bit.. there are pros and cons.:)

[Lesley P]

Hi i am accredited and have been for nearly 2 yrs now, the work load i dont feel is any different to any other day in childminding now the EYFS is in. I get paid termly in advance which is great and yes we have more accesibility to grants etc. As for the training i enjoy them though they are in the evening, but i find it keeps me on top new ideas etc in the childminding world.
Its not all negative plus the rate in my area is going up in April higher than my hourly rate i cant wait :)

[dlissaman]

Hi i am in the process of accreditation, due to demand. I care for two children that were both 3 years old last week, therefore they will be entitled to funded sessions after Easter. One of the parents would rather her child have the personal care that i can provide and we both feel that he would find nursery education difficult. I am in the process of involving the disability inclusion team because he appears to be displaying signs of autism. The other child's mother applied to the local pre-school and because the are 'full' the child has only been given two days a week, therefore i can provide the other three sessions. I have not looked at accreditation for myself but for the child's benefit, however I too charge £3.50 an hour and the Nursery Funding is £3.34, however both parents have suggested that i increase my fees from April to £3.60 thereby i will be breaking even.

I do also personally believe that funding may be available in certain areas from two years of age because it was offered as a pilot in one of the disadvantaged wards of my local authority from September, last year.

[Jelly Baby]

Hi mamato3 thanks for your responce. Of course sorry i ddint think of the people who wouldnt recieve tax credits..oops! guess i was just going with this particular mum who does. Like another poster said i know they will be moving shortly so i bet the day i get round to being accredited is the day she leaves! It's a no for me either way.

[tammys-tots]

thank you all so much. I wasn't expecting such negative comments about being accredited.
The only plus I can see of being accredited is access to grants, and in our area its only accredited childminders who get the capital grants. Two freinds have had a new lap top and cameras and will get more pressies in the future where as I won't.
And the hourly rate for funded children is less per hour.
So, if I become accredited, then I will have so much more paperwork, have to do the 24 hours training and won't get any more money. Plus as, Winnie said, I'll have interference from people checking that I'm doing my job in the way that they want me to.
I think I just want to be a childminder, spend time with kids and enjoy my work.
I don't know why I even considered it.

Hi, thats not good , why should you get the grant just because your accredited. If they did that near us everyone would do it :). There would be no room on the network. I feel we shouldnt have to be on the network to be accredited. Because you get an early years teacher come out to see you anyway, well in our area.
Im accredited and will soon be having a child with the funding! Does anyone know what the rate is, i think its 3.50 an hour here but more for child with SEN.

[Gherkin]

Hi, thats not good , why should you get the grant just because your accredited.

Im accredited and will soon be having a child with the funding! Does anyone know what the rate is, i think its 3.50 an hour here but more for child with SEN.

The rate is different in every area but after Easter in our area for childminders it goes up to over £4 ph.

A lot of the grants are only given to accredited minders as the grant itself is targeted at pre-school education specifically.

If people want the grants then I cannot see why they cannot join the network or become accredited to access them if that is required in their area. I found it looks a lot of work but in reality it is not as much as you initially think.

I find that being accredited gives me the opportunity to offer my existing parents the benefit of funded care and helps me fill gaps in my childminding week if I have them. I enjoy it.

[Gherkin]

[QUOTE=PaulaR;640693]
So, if I become accredited, then I will have so much more paperwork, have to do the 24 hours training and won't get any more money. Plus as, Winnie said, I'll have interference from people checking that I'm doing my job in the way that they want me to.
QUOTE]

I like the fact that I get extra training through the accreditation. It is free training and in the long term will benefit me and my business. I also do not see the visits as "interference" I view them as a positive way to get additional feedback and as a way of getting support. There are a lot of minders in my area who do not see any dw's from one year to the next and they often are out of touch with where they should be and what they should be doing which leads to them getting stressed when they see new things come out from Ofsted etc.

I'd rather have the visits and be informed than be in the dark about eveything.

[Andrea08]

hi i too am accredited and as for extra work,, now we are on EYFS its the same work for all my mindees,,under 3 or on the grant.. Mrs Ofsted was impressed that my planning was inclusive for all the ages and planning for individuals in their learning files,, im doing my obs now and linking them up,, thanks to the different grid systems offered ere on the forum life is much easier..

what does get me down is sending off my my policies and registration details etc every year ive only just done it as i became accredited and now i have to send it all in again its in my to do list lol

we have to do our head count and send this in by e-mail so accredited cm's from 2yrs ago all got free lap-tops i missed out :(

good luck

[Tink]

Well I had my Development Coordinator come yesterday to discuss becoming an accredited Childminder.

It's so easy to do and so simple for me so I've submitted all the forms required.

She is then coming out in a couple of weeks to observe me and if it goes to plan, I will be accredited:D

I am so pleased I decided to do this it's no different to what i'm used to anyway sen as I worked in a nursery for 9 years.

The money is good too:clapping: