Unhelpful LA

[lfishwick]

I'm alittle bit disappointed today I have to say - I phoned the local authority on Monday after receiving my information pack from the family information centre, well they called me back today at 4.15pm and tbh were very unhelpful. First thing she said was that I wouldn't make the same money as I make as a teacher as there just isn't the demand in my area ( I live in North Birmingham) and then just gave me the telephone number of NCMA to contact them and book myself on 1st aid course and pre reg course. She said the first aid is £40 - but i've looked at St John Ambulance and Red cross and they are over £100. I feel really let down already as I thought they would offer me dates for the courses - but she couldn't get me off the phone quick enough and just said phone back when you have sorted your training and found and downloaded the EYFS and that they would then bring out the forms. I thought they would be abit more helpful - had I known I had to sort it myself via NCMA I would have phoned them at the start of the week instead of waiting for the LA to call me back! I was so excited but her whole attitude has put a real dampner on it all - and I have to wait until Monday now to speak to the NCMA:(

[Chatterbox Childcare]

In our area you have to complete your first aid and health dec before you can apply to Ofsted and then once approved they will be helpful

[lfishwick]

I think I must have been misinformed then as I thought the LA were the people who gave you the health dec forms, pointed you towards 1st aid courses and pre-reg courses. As the info I was given by the family information service was to contact the Early Years dep at the LA and they would send the forms, gives dates for courses etc.

[Playmate]

I think I must have been misinformed then as I thought the LA were the people who gave you the health dec forms, pointed you towards 1st aid courses and pre-reg courses. As the info I was given by the family information service was to contact the Early Years dep at the LA and they would send the forms, gives dates for courses etc.

It does depend on your LA unforunately. I found out last night that this is going to be the same in our area. Our LA's cut backs are mega and there will be no one to support CM's excisting or registering :( our NCMA project goes in March and all our LA childcare officers and Early Years Consultants are on the fireing line to. People wishing to register will not be able to attend pre reg meetings, they will have to do the course on line through NCMA which cost in excess of £150 and source their own first aid which will probably cost in excess of £70. Its all very sad but unfortunately this is reality.

[sarah707]

I think like Playmate says you are the victim of the huge cuts being made to early years departments through the country just now.

Registering as a childminder can take months and months to sort out depending on where you live anyway, so there's no point being in a rush about things because you will only be frustrated and disappointed.

I'd suggest you ring NCMA on Monday, see what they say about things and take it (slowly) from there.

Good luck and don't forget to let us know how you get on! :D

[Penny1959]

Agree with Sarah - things with most LA's are a mess at the moment - staff do not if coming or going and everything is either on hold because waiting for details of the budget cuts or already know and are trying to sort out just what support they can provide with available staff and budget. Unfortunatly for a lot of LA's the Early Years Team is either going or being cut to just a few frontline staff.

I left LA employment at end Feb and know my ex colleagues feel dreadful that unable to provide the level of suport that they were at begining of year - and also they are all very worried that will be losing their jobs.

Penny :)

[lfishwick]

Thanks for your comments. I am not in any major rush - I just found it frustrating that the call came at the very end of the business day on a Friday, when I was unable to follow up the enquiry with other agencies.
I am unable to start childminding until Summer/Autumn 2011 anyway due to my current work committments, so definately not expecting anything to be happening in the next month or so..... I had just hoped that the LA would be a bit more helpful than they were- especially after my call with the family information service was so positive the week before.

As follow up I have tried to call the NCMA Friday after the call with the LA and this morning, but the answer machine is on and no one available to take phonecalls, so when I get through to someone i'll let you know.:)

[lfishwick]

I spoke to the NCMA yesterday who denied what the local LA CD said and said it was up to the CD Team not NCMA to direct me for the first aid/course. So I phoned the CD team back and told them what had been said and the lady I spoke with disagreed and said she would investigate.

This morning I received a call from someone else in the NCMA and they said the lady I spoke to at the NCMA the previous day had misinformed me and that they did have an agreement for the first aid to be organised through them and that they did book potential childminders on the home based childcare course - so I am now booked on a course and the dates for the January/february first aid courses and venues are been sent in the post today! The man also said I could start the registration process before I started the home-based course, which is good as I would like to be up and running by late Summer/early Autumn is possible!