Confused - which course

**Christine64** · 19-01-2011, 12:55 PM

Hi everyone, I am a newbie and so confused.
I want to register as a childminder and live in Gilwern, near Abergavenny. The CSSIW have said i must complete the ICP in order to register. The local NCMA guy says there are no courses in the area until April but i could do an online course from the NEC. I have googled ICP and an now confused - is this still the right course or should i be doing the diploma in home based childcare unit 1?
I already have an NNEB but CSSIW insist i have to do the ICP which is available online
PLease help????
thanks

**Laura233** · 19-01-2011, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Christine64

Hi everyone, I am a newbie and so confused.
I want to register as a childminder and live in Gilwern, near Abergavenny. The CSSIW have said i must complete the ICP in order to register. The local NCMA guy says there are no courses in the area until April but i could do an online course from the NEC. I have googled ICP and an now confused - is this still the right course or should i be doing the diploma in home based childcare unit 1?
I already have an NNEB but CSSIW insist i have to do the ICP which is available online
PLease help????
thanks

I did my course through the NEC, the ICP and DHC are the same course, the ICP is unit 1 of the Diploma. You might not be able to do this anymore as it is all changing but not sure as things are different in Wales.

Ring the NEC and see what they say but you should be able to do it through the NEC, its about £200 from memory but if you sit and focus on it you should be able to get it done before April.

Good luck!

aly · 19-01-2011, 01:49 PM

mumk of a little one i mind is going throught he process, she had her briefing session on monday and the icp wont start until March....I would sit tight unless you want to pya £200??..I wouldnt want to especially if its free when you do it in april.

**tulip0803** · 20-01-2011, 05:10 PM

The ICP (Introduction to childminding) course is the old name before they bought in the DHC part one course - However CSSIW are not very quick on changing things and still refer to it as the ICP

.

As Aly says if you can hang on till April the course will be free if you can't and you have a spare £200 then you can put that through as part of your start-up costs when you start working

Just keep the receipt of payment.

The ICP (DHC1) is a condition of registering and it is specific to childminding and includes up to date regs, registers, contracts, running a business etc as well as very basic stuff which would not have been covered in your NNEB.

I moved to Wales from England where I was a childminder and had already done ICP ( and the rest of the Certificate of Childminding Practice (old DHC type qualification)) and the CSSIW were debating on sending me on it again

. Your NNEB is the equivilent of the full DHC or NVQ3 but you still have to do this course to register.

Good luck

**manjay** · 20-01-2011, 05:18 PM

I think I would wait too although I am quite impatient so I might be tempted to find another route

Unfortunately some areas of Wales look after their childminders more than others. Monmouthshire is not the best

. Polly2 is in Abergavenny and I am sure she will be along when she gets back from holiday. She is on a one woman mission!

Good luck and stick around! We need to build up a larger base of Welsh minders on here

**Polly2** · 22-01-2011, 06:11 PM

I have pm'd you

**RachD** · 02-02-2011, 07:07 PM

Hello

I have just started my Childminder training in Wales.

I was told the same that there were no courses for a couple of months but it was possible to do it online, it took loads of phonecalls and as the online course is all new for Wales and no one was certain what courses i was supposed to do!

But anyway I am doing intro to childminding through the NCMA, which is called CYPOP5. You need to contact NMCA membership services, i was lucky that my local has funded the course (B. GWENT) but i think it was about £180.

If i can help in any way please let me know.

It would be great to get to know other welsh childminders as its all looking a bit daunting at the moment!

**Polly2** · 03-02-2011, 08:53 AM

Hi Rach - its great you managed to get on the course! When does it start? I live near Abergavenny.

**manjay** · 03-02-2011, 11:18 AM

Welcome to you Rach!

I am up in Flintshire but very happy to help with any questions you have.

Let us know how your training goes

amanda x

**RachD** · 03-02-2011, 03:11 PM

Hi Polly & Amanda

I live just outside Ebbw Vale so not that far from you Polly!

I have started my course already it came through within a few days so just working my way through the tasks.

At the moment it's all a bit confusing to me as I seem to find loads about becoming a childminder in england and very little about doing it in wales, So may very well be taking you up on your offer of help Amanda. I dont seem to have anything to guide me through what i should be doing and when

Rach

**Polly2** · 04-02-2011, 12:32 PM

Hey...just up the road from me lol!!! Happy to help also - did you have your briefing session at Pontypool? Or nearer you?

**alihatherall** · 14-03-2011, 07:14 PM

I'm in Newport and NCMA told me I'd have to pay for the ICP as my area has a lot of childminders!! I did it through NEC instead of waiting as I'd be paying anyway BUT I now wish I'd waited and done it through the NCMA. I didn't end up getting through the process any quicker, and it would have been nice to do the course with a group of others in the same boat!