INTERESTING

[Greengrass74]

This in the guardian today, makes for interesting reading

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/mar/24/nursery-staff-skills-nutbrown-review

[debratina]

this one was on the bbc website
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17496323

how many childminders on this forum were asked to take part in this study?

must be a very slow news day lol

[miffy]

There's a couple of other threads about this too. Looks like it's going to be in all the newspapers :(

Miffy xx

[Greengrass74]

One day there will be a nice positive story about childminders :rolleyes:

It is a tough time for most of us at the moment and stories like this do not help.

[Bluebell]

This ones a bit better;

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2002/jun/19/childrensservices.uknews?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

shame its so dated

[sillysausage]

This might get me shot down but here goes. What the hell does it matter if some of the people working in early years don't have qualifications in English and Maths. There are plenty who do have qualifications but that does not necessarily mean that they are any better at providing the care a child needs.
Most preschool aged children are counting to 10 or 20, not doing quadratic equations. Similarly they are reading (or being read) brilliant literature such as 'The Gruffalo' not Shakespeare's Hamlet.
Just because people don't have formal qualifications does not mean they cannot provide an environment for learning. I have to agree with the slow news day comment...lets criticise childcare day again! No doubt next week they'll be back to the expense of childcare debate.
(ps I have a degree and an MA from my previous life before children and have been minding for 20 years and I'm about to complete a degree in childcare and child development. I still don't think that necessarily makes me any better than someone who hasn't chosen an academic route)

[Jiorjiina]

I think the theory is that if you have poor literacy skills, you probably aren't reading stories (like the Gruffalo) with the pace, intonation, speed and accuracy that you should be. Apparently.

And if you have poor numeracy skills, you don't always pick up on what children have got wrong to show them how to do it correctly.

I think it also extends to other things too, because if you have problems with literacy and numeracy, the chances of you making an error in something like giving children medication, or storing it correctly according to the written instructions are much higher.

I have to say, to a certain extent I do agree with what she's saying. Basic Literacy and Numeracy should be a part of the registration qualifications.

I actually think it's quite a positive report if you read it, because what she's saying is that it isn't the practitioners who are the problem, it's that the lack of training, and that better (not necessarily more) training should give us the status (and respect) that we all deserve.

It's the papers (as always) who have put the negative spin on it.

[It's a small world]

People really do like putting cms down dont they - can I just say I too have a degree , yet I am not eligible to funding for my NVQ level 3 as I'm TOO OVER QUALIFIED :huh::huh: And if I can't afford to complete by next year my DO has said I will have to give up my job as a cm !!!!daft. At the end of the day most of us can count to 50 know our ABC can do the basic adding taking away etc can read . Surely as long as children know the basics when starting school it's irrelevant if your over qualified or under qualified the caring and safety of a child are equally important and you don't need qualifications for that just common sense - sorry if I upset anyone x

[Jiorjiina]

People really do like putting cms down dont they - can I just say I too have a degree , yet I am not eligible to funding for my NVQ level 3 as I'm TOO OVER QUALIFIED :huh::huh: And if I can't afford to complete by next year my DO has said I will have to give up my job as a cm !!!!daft.

Saying someone if overqualified for something is one of my biggest pet peeves. Surely that also means that they are, in fact, fully qualified to do the job in question?

It's just an excuse.