Accreditation - Is it worth it?

[TooEarlyForGin?]

I am due a visit by my LA support worker. Last year they tried to get me to become accredited so I could claim funding, but I was so busy, and there just seemed to be even more paperwork than ever, I refused.

I know she is going to try again, as they have been trying to get other local CM's to do the same.

I live in a very rural area and it would mean at least an hours drive to meetings, and I have no local minders which could help if they required me to do extra training. I was told last time that parents would have to understand PD was important. I understand what she was saying, but none of my parents have any back-up and are very reliant on me. I already work 7-6 and don't think I can face any extra.

Anyone with advice/experience would be appreciated.

[blue bear]

I've been accredited for 10 years(maybe more) initially the training wa quite full on - six weeks 7-9 plus assignments but after that things pretty much settle down to normal, especially after the eyfs came about. We did have regular network meetings both in the day and evening training but these have totally trailed away and although I need to do 20 hours training a year it's up to me how I go about it really.
I get regular visits from the d/o which are extra checks and audits but are during normal working time so are not extra work as such for me.

Parents love the fact they can spend their nursery funding with me some use all of it with me some part of it and some none of it.

Since two year old funding came in in our area plus the extended maternity leave work is some what scarce so it's good to be able to offer that something extra.

[TooEarlyForGin?]

Thank you - it might be the next step as many parents are looking at the best value for money at the moment.

[sarah707]

I became accredited recently for 2 families - both of whom have now decided for different reasons to use the local nurseries anyway :rolleyes:

However... having said that... if there is money in the pot still for the 2 year old funding it might come in useful then :D

[flowerpots]

Im accredited and i currently claim the funding for nursery ed' for my own daughter and will claim when mindee r has her 3 birthday, its come in useful.

Im much the same as fifi we have to do about 20 hours training a year but can pick and choose when and what traaining i want to do.

hth

[catswhiskers]

I wouldn't worry if you feel you can't do it - just say no - it's the New Year and all that. Be more assertive in your business and don't worry about what others think.

You don't need to do all the extra paperwork to get a good grade from Ofsted so why worry. It's just a government thing really to get good results etc.

Parents just want their children looked after, after all!

My parents aren't even interested in the folders I give them every 6 weeks. Comment page comes back not filled in etc. after having it for six weeks, two weeks etc. (I've just started term-time only childminding in the summer).

"Oh do we need to make comments" is from one teacher and another teacher hasn't made any comments of her own accord for six months. You'd think that as teachers they would know that 'working in collaboration with parents' etc. etc. is good - but it doesn't seem to apply to their own children!

Oh well, I got an Outstanding from Ofsted in September but I've not even done an NVQ!

My inspection was nearly a year overdue but after going by the book and doing all that was required by Ofsted, I've not heard anything from my co-ordinator (who before my inspection said my risk assessments were'nt elaborate enough) and also from Ofsted.

If you get an outstanding then they are meant to send a certificate and congratulations from the Director of Education etc. etc. I've not heard anything.

Waiting a while as I have other things to deal with (Mum has breast cancer and I have 3 teenagers) but will give them a call and a piece of my mind in a while.

[Carol M]

I'm accredited and I do feel here in Worcestershire we have to jump through hoops. We are in consultation regarding the way our LA audit us as ther was not a positive reaction to FCCERS and ECCERS-E. I was at a meeting last night and our LA are using EQUISP and WER and it's used across all settings to obtain our % result. We are disadvantaged as there are so many training/conferences/partnership group meetings that are not accessible to us due to timing or cost.We need to attend to get our % to allow us to offer NEF and I wish I could attend them all as obviously, at the end of the day,it all adds to improving the outcomes for the children.
All in all, very frustrating. I know a couple of childminders who have de-accredited because of the issues and I learnt last night that out of approx 700 minders in Worcestershire there are only 50 accredited!
That said, I do want to remain accredited but not sure if parents realise the hard work involved.
Carol x

[TooEarlyForGin?]

Thanks for the replies. I have also been speaking to another minder locally who is really fed up with all the extra work.

I understand how you feel catswhiskers, I have just had all my learning journey's back and only one parent has written something in them. I am currently trying to streamline them, as I spend so much time on them and none of my children currently come for more than 2 days. I was also inspected last year and was questioned quite heavily on working in partnership with other carers, I tried really hard making appointments with schools and pre-schools/nursery's, giving them my learning journeys, not one of them has ever contacted me.

I enjoy being self-employed and think this would make me feel I was employed again without the benefits, apart from being able to offer a bit extra to parents.

I will listen to what she has to say, but must stand firm.

[watgem]

I am in the same position so its been helpful to read all the comments, my EYSO is really pushing it, but I'm in the final year of my degree so have enough paperwork to do, but I do feel it will help with my settings finances if I'm successful, but the criteria is very strict in our area hardly any cm's do it, and the one that has is now being given the cold shoulder by local funded settings as technically she's in competition with them, so am feeling a bit unsure about it at the moment.

[Penny1959]

I am not accredited BUT I am a ex network coordinator.

I will not be joining Worcestershire's network because of the reasons mentioned by Carol M and also for personal reasons to with my own assessment of the quality of the Worcestershire Network.

Having said that networks vary greatly and some are brilliant, some are ok and some are rubbish.


My advise would be to ask for full details - so the assessment process, the requirement for training and meetings - if any 'perks' such as extra resources, free training, coordinator visits (which might be a good thing or not depending on how supportive your coordinator is) any help with training costs or travel costs, if an NCMA network or not.

Ask for a copy of network agrement, ask if there is specific network paperwork that you have to use (again could be good or bad depending on if you prefer someone to give you templates or if you prefer to use your own), ask if you can leave at any time , ask what the rate is for NEF in your area - ask if they have evidence of demand (and talk to local nurseries / preschools to see if they have spaces for NEF children.


Then ask for at least a week to think about it before deciding - don't let them push you into agreeing before you are ready.

Hope all works out for you.

So far not being accredited has not limited my clients or impacted on my business in any way - but I know others for whom offering NEF has made the difference between getting new business or not.

Penny:)

Penny

[Penny1959]

I'm accredited and I do feel here in Worcestershire we have to jump through hoops. We are in consultation regarding the way our LA audit us as ther was not a positive reaction to FCCERS and ECCERS-E. I was at a meeting last night and our LA are using EQUISP and WER and it's used across all settings to obtain our % result. We are disadvantaged as there are so many training/conferences/partnership group meetings that are not accessible to us due to timing or cost.We need to attend to get our % to allow us to offer NEF and I wish I could attend them all as obviously, at the end of the day,it all adds to improving the outcomes for the children.
All in all, very frustrating. I know a couple of childminders who have de-accredited because of the issues and I learnt last night that out of approx 700 minders in Worcestershire there are only 50 accredited!That said, I do want to remain accredited but not sure if parents realise the hard work involved.
Carol x

Just for my interest Carol - have you any idea how many of those 50 are actively providing NEF this term (discounting own children)? Because from my experience quite a few liked having the badge and saying their were accredited BUT actually found all sorts of reason why they could not provide NEF sessions every time a parent asked / or they did think parents wanted places but as in Sarah's case - parents never actually used them for whatever reason.




Penny :)

[Carol M]

Just for my interest Carol - have you any idea how many of those 50 are actively providing NEF this term (discounting own children)? Because from my experience quite a few liked having the badge and saying their were accredited BUT actually found all sorts of reason why they could not provide NEF sessions every time a parent asked / or they did think parents wanted places but as in Sarah's case - parents never actually used them for whatever reason.




Penny :)

Don't know the answer to your question but some minders I talked to at the meeting only had under 2's at the mo so not providing any sessions. We did briefly touch on the funding for 2 yr olds.There were only a dozen or so minders at the meeting but it was a foul evening weather wise and also held at County Hall.
Carol xx

[rickysmiths]

I don't know of any cm in my town who are accredited because when Herts started it there were only a few 'Elite' networks so it stopped many of use being able to even consider doing it.

When they opened it up I applied they said they had accepted me and then at the last min was turned down because I didn't have a level 3 (an A Level) in childcare despite the many much higher qualifications I have, the Herts Quality Standard Accredition I had not long been awarded and the fact I had never less than Good at inspection and 15yrs experience.

I gave up even thinking about it when I discovered local pre-schoosl and nurseries had it even though some of them had only ever got Satifactory at an inspection and had had upheld complaints against them. Double standards or what?

Also in this area the hourly rate is quite a lot less than my hourly rate of £5.50 so in effect I would be subsidising the parents fees and why should I be put in a position that I have to do that? No, I am happy to take them to pre-school and I think it is a good transition for them prior to going to school.

As the 2yr funding is for very few I don't think that will have much of an impact on business in this area anyway.

I think there are currently approx 1600 cms in Herts it would be interesting how many are Accedited I imagine it prob won't be that many because of the rates offered and the hoops we had to jump through.

If a child of 3 is already with a good childminder or in a good nursery I don't see how there learning outcomes can be improved just because their parents no longer pay for 15 hours of childcare a week.

I know this is controversial but I think if the government want to make cuts then all free childcare should end except for those in greatest need. I think all maternity pay should be cut to a max of six months and if parents want more then they have to budget for it. Then put the money saved back into the Heath Visitor service and midwives.

[Playmate]

I agree with Penny ask what is required in your area.
Like Ricky, hubby and I (working together) live in Herts and we do not have net works. We have just become accreditated as after completing the Herts Quality Standards we fitted the criteria and were deemed suitable after being consideed by the accreditation pannel. We now do not have to jump through any further hoops for another 3 years until our HQS will have to be reviewed. All we will need to do is fill out the application each term for the funding which is not too taxing. It will be god send to us as we have more children and in the next acedemic year 3 would have been going to nursery; which would have not been logisitcally possible! now, one will attend nursery as she will attend the adjacent school, the other 2 are going to do their funded hours with us. At present the fee just covers our hourly rate as we are in a more deprived area so we will not loose out financially. At present one the one who will go to nursery attends pre school 3 sessions a week when she is not with us and claims for the other 2 sessions with us. It took us a long time to decide whether it was worth it, but having got there the answer is definately yes. :D

[Carol M]

If a child of 3 is already with a good childminder or in a good nursery I don't see how there learning outcomes can be improved just because their parents no longer pay for 15 hours of childcare a week. Quote Rickysmiths

My comment was about the training / conferences/ partnership groups etc that accredited childminders can attend for example SENCO and CAF training,workshops and forums to discuss and share stuff , partnership groups that all settings from your area who provide NEF attend etc so what I was saying that the extra knowledge gained by me and the auditing/assessment/self evaluation I do extra because I'm accredited will help improve the outcomes for children. It's not about the parents getting 15 hrs free. I earn an extra 12p per hour for funded sessions!!
Carol xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

There is going to be so much work in Sept 2013 with the 2 year olds being funded and not enough spaces so I would say yes get on a network if you can as it will be needed next year

[TooEarlyForGin?]

Just an update - My LA worker came yesterday and did a RAG on me at the same time (LA version of inspection). We chatted and she has told me I am already doing everything that would be required of me to become accredited. She said that I would have to fill some forms in initially, then once a year she would ask me to do some more paperwork and come and visit me again and I have to do 20 hours of training, but gave me a website address and said I can do training on-line as well. My safeguarding is due this year so I will do that anyway which will count towards my 20 hours. The only other paperwork is the stuff for headcounts ect.

So although there is quite a bit of paperwork to start with, it actually sounded much easier than I thought. Unless she is making it sound easy to get me to do it ;).

She is going to send me some stuff, so I will read through and consider it then, but feel much more positive about it.

For info this is Essex, so if anyone else is accredited in Essex, let me know if it is as easy as it seems.

[zippy]

Is the 2 year old funding definitely being rolled out in sept 2013. Really don't want to be accredited, can't be doing with all the initial hoop jumping but starting to wonder if I should just get on with it and except the inevitable. But worried I'm going to do it all then it'll all end up getting scrapped anyway with all the budget cuts.