Accredited....not sure

[JCrakers]

I look after a little girl who will be 3 in the New Year so entitled to NEF from Easter. Mum really wants her to stay with me as shes so happy and doenst really see the benefit of a preschool as I offer everything.

In fact Mum is so happy shes weighing up the idea of just not bothering with the free places at all :)
Its a lovely feeling, knowing that parents are so happy and I was asked last year about this too....BUT....

Im not sure if I want any extra paper work and I'm going ot find it really difficult to get to any meetings etc. as we only have 1 car and hubbie doenst get back till 7pm some nights. Plus the pay is less than my fee (but only by 4p an hour...lol :rolleyes: )

I do have a level 3 in childcare and I recieved a good from Ofsted so I have all the things they require....I'm just not sure about it. I do take my business very seriuosly but I'm not really into grouping up with a lot of people to discuss things....(not good with groups :blush: )

Its a hard decision....if I dont do it then I'll keep losing my children as this is the 2nd Mum whos asked me about it...and I have a sibling of one of them so will possibly be asked again
Becky x

[uf353432]

I became accredited at the start of the year and I have to be honest I don't think my paperwork has increased at all. I was already working to the standard in terms of my planning and obs. I don't go to very many meetings at all - certainly not enough to impact my free time.

I do tell my parents that they should consider a mix of chilminder and preschool for their free hours, I think it pays for a child to be in the larger group environment especially if that preschool feeds into the school they plan to send their child to. I have 7 EY kids and 3 are accredited - they will start school in sept next year and will be replaced by the 2 yr olds I have on my books now.

Personally if you have a family you love and you would like to retain they I think I would go for it on the basis that its better the devil you know.

4p an hour is not a lot to loose in the schem of things - you'd spend more on advertising your spaces :)

[Ripeberry]

I have mindee J (3yrs old) three times a week for 10hrs each time and for two of those sessions he goes to a pre-school for 3.5hrs. Works quite well for me and the parents :thumbsup:

[Penny1959]

I am not accredited and don't intend to be become accredited (personal reasons linked to my personal thoughts on how the LA now do accreditation - rather than actually being accredited as I used to be the network coordinator)

Anyway I have had parents ask and I just explain to them that their child still gets all the same experiences and learning opportunities as if I was accredited - so it is only a case of the funding - but for most of them because they are on working tax credits they would lose that funded hours part of their tax credit help as will not be personally paying me as much and so the actually loss is not as much as they first think it is ( I know a lot of them don't bother to tell Tax Credits - but I tell them that tax credits are now checking up - which is true - and they would have to pay back any money falsely claimed).

A parent may of course choose to send their child to a preschool - which is fine by me - but they still pay me in full. Anyone who objects to this can change to a reduced hours contract (if I don't have to take and collect to preschool) but my part time hourly rate is more per hour than my daily or weekly rate and so usually it is cheaper for the parent to continue paying as usual - but it is their choice.

The mindee who is now 2.5yr will be staying with me and not going to pre school and the one who is 2.1 yr may go to pre school but not on the days she comes to me. (Although of course when it comes to it parents might change their mind).

Penny :)

[JCrakers]

I rang the EY team and got some info. There is a meeting in November for people wanting to be accredited at 7-9pm but it on the other side of the county. The problem I have is the county is huge and we are right on the bottom of it.
So a 45min drive...I said I couldnt get there so they are hopefully getting someone to come round

This is the problem I may encounter....Do I really need to do a 10hr working day, get hubbie to come back from work early so I have the car and then drive all the way over for these meetings once a month , finish at 9pm, and then drive 45mins home.

I'll see what she says if they contact me..thanks for your replies. Its a really hard decision

[blue bear]

I am accredited and have been for 10 years ( or there abouts) we had to do a 10 week course I seem to remember of an evening but once that was done nothing is really any different now that the eyfs has come in.

I can't say being accredited generates work or has even stopped children leaving to attend preschool, it does give the parents more choice and allows them to spend their 15 hours over two settings.

You tend to have parents who feel preschool is essential and would send their child regardless and those that dont deem it necessary and are quite happy leaving them as they are.
Most parents go for a mix of the two nowadays and I think the funding encourages this.