Review of Childminder Agency event with DfE (12 March)...a must read

[Simona]

The DfE held an event on 12 March and this is the feedback from one ot the attendees
The suggestion to involve cms came from this meeting and you can register your interest at
Childminder.AGENCIES@education.gsi.gov.uk ...make sure you do, we want them to consult with thousands of us not just a bunch!!

Part Time Flexible Childcare in Nottingham and Sheffield, Childcare Jobs, Childcare Training

[lisbet]

Thank you for sharing. Worth noting that the writer is the founder and director of a company that is already running agency type services, of course.

I've emailed to register my interest in being consulted!

[SammySplodger]

Very interesting - especially the points about Agencies NOT making childcare cheaper and the uncertainty about how (if?!) Agencies will make their money & no Gov subsidies.

[Simona]

This is the feedback from 2 cms from the same company I think who attended the meeting...seems to me the agency model is being sold to some?

There is a mention of Ofsted inspection costs...I know they may be high but I would rather try that first ...an individual inspection will have some worth for parents if agencies do not offer cheaper childcare??

Part Time Flexible Childcare in Nottingham and Sheffield, Childcare Jobs, Childcare Training

[Waveawand]

Hiya Simona, Im confused, I thought the agencies idea was to save the government money on using OFSTED to make inspections. how is introducing and agency cutting costs ? Laymans terms please in explaining, thanks !

[Simona]

If I had an answer to that I could be Minister for Children and solve all the problems!
Agencies are Truss' fixation brought on by the fact that she is not a fan of LAs ..they get £160m in funding but that does not reach us...
so instead of making the LAs accountable and ringfencing their funding she is introducing agencies who will be accountable to her??? from the frying pan into the fire!!

Seriously I did meet her last August to discuss her 'obsession' (agencies)...she invited me via Twitter (I am now blocked since last October??)
She has not changed her mind and has also stuck to her promise we can remain independent..up to us now to make sure the terms are clear of any obstacles???

Will agencies lower cost?...yes because they will be inspected instead of those who belong to them (Ofsted will save not the parents, in my view)but it won't work in her drive to raise quality because the agency may not have the expertise to drive up quality...these are my thoughts.

[mama2three]

@homechildcare are emailing their childminder contacts ( i did my nvq through them) regarding agencies - Ive copied the body of the email for anyone interested...


Childminders have a choice about childminder agencies but you need information first!
Hi K...,


These are certainly interesting times in the childcare sector, particularly for childminders who have had to contend with, not only the reforms outlined in More Great Childcare but also new representative organisations springing up and old trade associations changing their focus and name.
Since the government’s announcement of their intention to enable childminder agencies to regulate and provider support for childminders, there has been much confusion, fear and negativity. We believe the negativity around agencies is fuelled by the lack of information about the practicalities of what agencies really mean for childminders, especially if they wish to retain their self-employment status.
We welcome the change as we believe it gives childminders more choice. However, we also appreciate it must feel extremely unnerving and confusing for childminders who would simply like more information about how childminder agencies will affect them.
We have developed @Home Childminding, a range of support services and opportunities for childminders, working in their own homes, to help them set up, develop, improve and maintain a successful home-based childcare business. Our prime purpose is to provide continuous professional support, advice and guidance to childminders on demand, whilst focussing on the best possible outcomes for children and their families. This can be summed up as Quality Development Support.
Department of Education (DfE)
@Home Childminding is working with the Department of Education to help formulate their strategy and plans for childminder agencies.
For the latest information about agencies, including a roundtable discussion with Elizabeth Truss MP and a review of a recent DfE childminder agencies event, please have a look at our Update page on our website.
We will be holding an information event in May where childminders can find out exactly what a childminder agency is and how it will affect them. Please keep an eye on our website for details of this.
We have outlined some basic information about self-employed childminders below because there seems to be a lot of confusion about this particular point. However, please keep checking our Update page on our website for our Frequently Asked Questions which will be coming soon.
Childminder Agencies will be a voluntary scheme. You can choose to remain as an independent childminder regulated by Ofsted and receiving support from your local authority. If you do join an agency, you can opt to remain self-employed or employed. It’s your choice! If you decide to remain self-employed, you will retain control over your home-based business and you will come under the regulation of the agency who must provide regular and consistent regulation and support in the form of training, quality development mentoring and monitoring visits.

[Simona]

This company infuriates me...they are confusing the issue themselves and tell us to stop being confused!

I am not confused at all ....and no one well informed should be either....she is encouraging speculation
What does this mean: 'if you decide to remain self employed you will retain control over....and you will come under the regulation and control of the agency'...hello! do they think we are stupid?? I don't want to be regulated by an agency!

'Will agencies lower cost? yes because Ofsted will save (in her view? and she is developing the model?? clueless)
'we will be holding an information event'... what?? so they are coming out to sell their model to us?
will she tell us about their Code of practice, who monitors them, what qualifications they have to 'regulated' cms with many years of experience?

I am truly losing the will to live....

[SammySplodger]

I have also posted this in the Independent Childminders section:
https://twitter.com/homechildcareuk/...04952015425536

Mods: feel free to remove or decide which place to put it :-)