DFE response - not consulting on agencies?

[4365]

I have clearly misunderstood when I filled in the parliamentary consultations on the children's and family bill/more great childcare. I thought I was being asked for my opinions because they were important and could inform Governmental policy. The reply below makes me think it was all a waste of time and as others have said, agencies are a done deal.

I am taking my complaint forward as I feel it was a formal consultation and if not it feels like a huge waste of tax payers money. I am also complaining because I have asked very specific questions and I am not getting proper answers and these people are answerable to me - and certainly will be when I vote next time.

What do you make of this reply?



" On your first question about why the Department has not given the names of the organisations who are working with us, we would not normally give out this information unless we had permission from them to do so. However, I can assure you that we are working with a range of organisations who are representative of the sector. That said, one organisation, the ******* (Independent Childminders Association – Social Enterprise), has stated publicly that they are on the Government’s ‘Childminder Agencies task and finish group’.

Turning to your questions about consultation, evidence from consultation and the rules regarding consultation, these are quite closely linked so I will cover them together. As you are no doubt aware, the Government set out its intention to enable the creation of childminder agencies in its document More great childcare, published on 29 January. We should be clear that the Government has not formally consulted publicly on its proposal to facilitate the setting up of childminder agencies and neither does it plan to do so, although it has not ruled out trialling or consulting on specific issues around agencies. Any formal consultation will be published our website here

However, it is important to remember that the Government’s plans are subject to the passage of the Children and Families Bill which is currently before the House of Commons. The Government recently published its statement of policy intention and draft indicative regulations, both of which give more information on the Government’s plans and these can be found here

In relation to your question on the minister meeting Northamptonshire childminders, this will be covered in her reply to Ms Leadsom.

Finally, on your question about who to contact to make a formal complaint, full details of our complaints process are available here

I hope this information is helpful.

Your correspondence has been allocated reference number 2013/0018332. If you need to respond to us, please visit: www.education.gov.uk/contactus and quote your reference number.

As part of our commitment to improving the service we provide to our customers, we are interested in hearing your views and would welcome your comments via our website at: www.education.gov.uk/pcusurvey

Yours sincerely

Helen Murty
Ministerial and Public Communications Division
Home - The Department for Education "

[Simona]

Same old waffle but with a different flavour now because we are starting to ask 'proper' questions
Got a reply too this morning referring me to the DfE Statement of policy recommending I read it...
I have dissected like Sarah did MGC but was referred to it....!!!!

We know that ******* have clearly stated they are part of the task and finish group...we also know that @Home Childcare are setting up an agency as the woman tweets her info freely...
unless this is part of HM Secret Service why does the DfE need their permission to reveal their names beats me...how can all the thousands of agency interested cms 'queuing up' in huge numbers to register with them know who to contact otherwise???

The DfE has stated clearly that there will be a consultation on agencies and one on Ofsted inspections (Sue Gregory stated that in her letter last week)...so not sure where Ms Murty gets her info from??

I am about to reply to the waffle I got this morning...it is obvious the guy has not read the Statement of policy himself...

[sarah707]

It's not a waste of time - because we need to keep chipping away at them - but it is disheartening when the same replies come back time and time again and they are clearly not listening.

Please carry on! It's important we all keep going

[4365]

No don't worry, I'm not giving up. I am just very angry. I am actually more cross about a Government that pretends to consult and listen than I am about the agency proposals now so I am complaining to the relevant officials about this and still joining in with all the petitions and letter writing etc.

I am pinning my hopes on the total lack of support for the proposals meaning they don't get out of the starting blocks. So the more people involved who are aware of what is going on the better. Then the parents, childcare providers etc can literally vote with their feet in the next election. Every little victory now means less (for a new Government who listens to those who know best) to undo.

Anni

[The Juggler]

its so depressing they keep coming back with the same wishy washy fob you off twaddle.

[loocyloo]

No don't worry, I'm not giving up. I am just very angry. I am actually more cross about a Government that pretends to consult and listen than I am about the agency proposals now so I am complaining to the relevant officials about this and still joining in with all the petitions and letter writing etc.

I am pinning my hopes on the total lack of support for the proposals meaning they don't get out of the starting blocks. So the more people involved who are aware of what is going on the better. Then the parents, childcare providers etc can literally vote with their feet in the next election. Every little victory now means less (for a new Government who listens to those who know best) to undo.

Anni

my aunt is having a meeting with her mp next week about childminder issues ( my cousin, her daughter is also a childminder ) and i asked her to mention the lack of real consultation and the 'done deal'!

[Simona]

I think we should resurrect the petition against agencies...to date it has only 959 signatures
I know it is not an e-petition but I don't think it will matter
The cm who started it has gone very quiet and the petition does not get much publicity...I wonder if she is here in this forum?
I will post it on twitter again

This govt will reply they are consulting on agencies ...in my view the consultation, whenever it comes out, should have come before the developing of agencies instead of the other way around
In the case of ratios their reply will be that they are not 'compulsory' and dismiss our concerns...that is the arrogance of that lot at the DfE I'm afraid

[sarah707]

They did consult on agencies though - they consulted last year and we all said no - so they changed their plans and told us we didn't have to join them!

They will say that agencies are fulfilling a completely different remit - they are for new / registering childminders because they need lots of them ready for when the 2 year entitlement comes in...

If we all want agencies then they are there for us - but they have consulted and they have listened - as far as they are concerned.

We need arguments against this to hit them with next - if anyone has any bright ideas

[mum24]

I am finding this all so exhausting and confusing, I have written to several mp's in all the main parties, and only had the same very uninformed replies as everyone else has.

It seems that no sooner do we all raise certain issues and point out problems then they change or move the goal posts and we start again. I have lost count of the number of petitions, consultations filled in, letters written etc etc as others, and it feels just like we are being ignored and railroaded regardless of all our efforts.

Sarah you have been a star in all of this, and if it wasn't for you sign posting all the various things happening, there is no way that I and many others would have been able to do what we have, but I am beginning to feel that it is a waste of time, and feeling very disheartened. But, I suppose that must be what 'they' want, so I won't give up yet.

[Simona]

Honestly Sarah...did I miss that consultation...not being funny but I can't remember, do you mean the CCommission?
What I do remember is cms commenting on the C&F Bill and elsewhere we had not been consulted on ratios or agencies and it was unfair to introduce in legislation

The whole thing is totally flawed starting with Truss and Gregory talking about 2 very different models and the models being suggested by those around the DfE table??....one thing is for certain ...cms will pay dearly for being in an agency or being independent, both require us to purchase support and training and Ofsted inspections
That Statement of policy is a joke ...so many ifs and buts hidden in there

new cms will maybe take on some of the 2 year olds but if the DfE had addressed the question of the networks that would have solved half the problem...the answer is much simpler than what is coming up now

As someone said before ratios do not bother me, dangerous as the proposal is but agencies are the real threat and it requires lots of brains coming together since the representing associations seem to have lost their way probably following their own agenda?

Is this all a waste of time?...possibly unless something drastic happens, I don't think we will change what is coming but we need to concentrate on how to operate independently once the agencies are up and running...that is where we need the bright ideas and start planning
I won't stop writing letters or campaigning or sign petitions or argue but we need to be united on this tiring as it is

[justgoodfriends]

Child Minding: 13 May 2013: Hansard Written Answers and Statements - TheyWorkForYou

Lucy Powell asked LT which organisations/individuals are part of the Task and Finish Group... surprise surprise she didn't answer the question!

(Click on 'no' if you agree!)

[catlyn]

clicked NO x x x

[Simona]

In a letter from the DfE it is clearly stated that those developing agencies do not want to be named or to name them the DfE has to have their permision...why when @Homechildcarer is making no secret they are developing an agency?

The point is not knowing about agencies but how to remain independent ...what it means and what we need to do?

[Simona]

In a letter from the DfE it is clearly stated that those developing agencies do not want to be named or to name them the DfE has to have their permission...why when @Homechildcarer is making no secret they are developing an agency?

The point is not knowing about agencies but how to remain independent ...what it means and what we need to do?

Sorry ..for some reason the reply appears twice...

[justgoodfriends]

Childminding: 16 May 2013: Hansard Written Answers and Statements - TheyWorkForYou


Elizabeth Truss (South West Norfolk, Conservative)

At present we do not have any plans to offer financial incentives to encourage the formation of childminder agencies.

We have received support from a number of organisations and individuals for the introduction of 'childminder agencies', including the members of our Task and Finish Group, and Her Majesty's chief inspector.

In relation to pilot schemes for childminder agencies, we have actively encouraged all those with a potential interest in working with us on trials of agencies to contact us directly.

[Simona]

Why can't those who are part of the Task and Finish group not named??
surely if they want to sell their 'particular' model now is the time to explain what it entails and how it will work or will they come out on 31 August ready for piloting 1 September?