Homechildcare dispelling the myths about agencies

[FussyElmo]

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

I like this quote

Obviously it will cost to join an agency but we believe it is unlikely to cost childminders any extra than what they’re already paying. Unless, of course, you are fortunate to live in an area where these services are provided free of charge or heavily subsidised by your LA.


Well I live in area where the services are provided by the la BUT and its a big but we are a deprived area so not only do we charge less than more affluent areas but we will have to pay more for the privedge of joining an agency.

Words are springing to mind - none are nice

[mama2three]

but @homechildcare covers an area where this is exactly the case! We still have good LA support / training in Nottingham county ( not as sure about city)

[christine e]

but @homechildcare covers an area where this is exactly the case! We still have good LA support / training in Nottingham county ( not as sure about city)

think City do too Kath

[bunyip]

I am reluctantly doing my diploma with @homechildcaretraining.

Today I received an email reminder from the county council: to update my free entry on their website. So, yes, I am fortunate to live in an area where we get LA support - the same area where @homechildcare are operating. We might all be "fortunate" if we weren't stuck with a national regime which is determined to use a financial stranglehold to erode local services in the interests of do-nothing agencies, pen-pushers and big business.

I don't get emails from @homechildcare's 'provisional wing' (already a de facto agency) cos they know they'd be wasting their time.

[Simona]

@HomeChildcarer have clarified about employment and self employment and yes, I can see they have to think twice before employing cms for the reasons they state: their costs

I feel we were all clear before that we could choose employment status but still they give no indication of cost for those who register with them?
I think that is what most cms are wanting to see in black and white?

I agree Bunyip that it looks like the govt wants the erosion of local services, despite our protest, although they know their cms best...wonder if this is the reason some LAs are interested in becoming an agency...wish they would come out and tell us why/how/ how much etc.

[Emra81]

An interesting read although nothing that we didn't already know/had guessed one way or another.

What I really don't get is, yes, it is 'unnerving and confusing' for childminders (including those currently going through the registration process and wondering if I'm leaving a steady job to join a sinking ship!) but what else do they expect when the information about what agencies will look like has been ridiculously scarce?!

Which then leads me to ponder.....why?! If they really think that this agency model is the way forward and that it will actually work, why all the cloak and dagger? They've known that childminders are 'fearful and negative' about agencies since the genius idea was announced, so why let us stew/fret/speculate/worry over it all this time? They should have either admitted that they don't know what form agencies will take and GENUINELY involved childminders in the thought processes behind building the model OR 'fessed up to whatever it is they clearly don't want us to know until it's too late and dealt with the fallout.

Not knowing is the worst part of all this and it's the reasoning behind keeping us in the dark that makes me the most nervous....what is there to hide?!

[rickysmiths]

Interesting but it doesn't clarify anything does it. It doesn't give any new or revealing information because they don't know anything yet.

It is all speculation isn't it? A waste of words to try and lul us into a false sense of security.

[Simona]

It would worry me a great deal if after months of sitting as part of the Task and Finish Group @Homechildcarer were none the wiser about what the Minister wants, the worries they need to dispel and were printing confusing information?
what they state does not give me any false sense of security...I see it as their selling point...shame the DfE doesn't engage with cms and give us the facts