Letter to lobby MPs about the future of childminding

[sarah707]

I have been asked by a number of childminders to help them write a letter they can use to lobby their MP about the possible changes to childminding being debated by government.

Their requests are linked to this thread -

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/...d.php?t=100965

Would you find a sample letter useful?

I thought I might include ideas for a quick questionnaire you can use with parents / children - do you think that would be helpful?

Any thoughts for contents / quotes I can use from real childminders about the issues etc would be gratefully received.

Thank you!

[mama2three]

Sarah , following on from the 'great debate' over the last week or so Ive tried to come up with a letter myself but failed miserably!
Its so hard to get all the points in without the reader losing interest and stay relatively un-emotional whilst getting across just how important this is!
All help will be very welcome!

[Carol M]

Yes Sarah, that would be very helpful.
I had given some thought to a questionnaire for parents but not got very far
I'm a bit "off" childminding at the mo, need some motivation and inspiration. Don't know how you fit it all in.
Carol xx

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Sarah I think this would be a fantastic idea. So many childminders are not good with paperwork and it would be great if I could give them something to just put their address into and send off. I think we would get a better response

Thank you for this in advance.

[Heaven Scent]

Sarah , following on from the 'great debate' over the last week or so Ive tried to come up with a letter myself but failed miserably!
Its so hard to get all the points in without the reader losing interest and stay relatively un-emotional whilst getting across just how important this is!
All help will be very welcome!

Just thinking it might be a good idea to let Sarah have a copy of Yours so she can see what your thoughts were. I'm sure her brain must be addled with all the great work she is doing at the moment.

[sarah707]

Just thinking it might be a good idea to let Sarah have a copy of Yours so she can see what your thoughts were. I'm sure her brain must be addled with all the great work she is doing at the moment.

Speak for yourself missus!

Addled indeed

[Heaven Scent]

Yeah I'm speaking for you!!! - LOL!!!

[Suebb1]

Yes please Sarah. I was talking about this to another childminder the other day and was desperate to get a letter off in writing to my MP but had no idea how to put everything down on paper. SO any help is much appreciated.Just hope enough childminders get on board and make their voices heard as otherwise I can see us disappearing. x

[AgentTink]

I think it needs to be made clear in the letter that childminders are a very important part of the Early Education and Childcare sector, and that numerous reports indicate that some children need a home based childcare setting in order to achieve their potential outcomes.

If the parents choice of childcare options is removed, there is a high possability that a high percentage of children would not be achieveing the best start in their life as they would have to be thrust into a nursery environment from a very young age, which could hinder their development.

Countries like Sweden/Switzerland are focused on delivering to their children a home from home environment as they believe that it provides the best learning environment for young children. It is seen as one of the best in Europe, so much so that currently Labour are looking into the practices and will be making suggestions on how this can be achieved in our country. Home based childcarers are best placed to offer this environment as alot of our current nursery's would be hinder by the building that they already reside in so would not be able to make huge changes.

My only other concern is that everybody is only discussing us not being regulated by Ofsted and the implications of that, but there must be other options for us to be regulated in order for us to still offer parents help through tax credits and voucher schemes.

I am not concerned about not being regulated by Ofsted, as long as we are regulated by another professional body who can grade us as individuals as Ofsted currently do. I do not believe that parents would be too concerned if we were not regulated by Ofsted, as this is not the reason they choose us. Parents just want to know that we are regulated by someone, and that we offer a nurturing and learning environment, were their child is given much closer 1-on-1 time than they would receive in other settings.

Sarah so sorry for waffling on, please feel free to pick and choose as you so wish

[Suebb1]

I agree with Agent tink 'My only other concern is that everybody is only discussing us not being regulated by Ofsted and the implications of that, but there must be other options for us to be regulated in order for us to still offer parents help through tax credits and voucher schemes.'

My thoughts are also going along the lines that if we are not regulated by anyone what does happen about the voucher schemes , tax credits etc. Or maybe only accreditated childminders will be regulated!!!! Things are very hazy!!!

[sarah707]

Things are very hazy!!!

I think this is part of the problem Sue.

If we all go off on tangents writing different letters to tackle issues that are important to us personally we'll end up confusing busy MPs and no clear message being sent to government.

The document I am writing focuses on -

1 Possible deregulation of childminders

2 Possible loss of individual inspections.

I know there are lots of other issues but I am trying hard not to muddy the waters.

I think within those 2 subjects we can all come together and make our voices heard

[Mouse]

I think this is part of the problem Sue.

If we all go off on tangents writing different letters to tackle issues that are important to us personally we'll end up confusing busy MPs and no clear message being sent to government.

The document I am writing focuses on -

1 Possible deregulation of childminders

2 Possible loss of individual inspections.

I know there are lots of other issues but I am trying hard not to muddy the waters.

I think within those 2 subjects we can all come together and make our voices heard

I thought it had now been said that any talk of deregulation and loss of individual inspections is very premature and that if any changes are to be made there will need to be full consultations and changes to the law, which would take years?
I'm confused

[Donkey]

yes I would be very interested...

[Penny1959]

Sarah - this is an excellent idea - we need a clear, focussed letter that does not cause panic about deregulation and puts foward all the points we need to raise about registered childminding.

I am sur you can do this with one hand behind you back - but if you would like some help - just shout.

I personally think the NCMA campaign - although a good idea - has unfortunatly caused the focus to be on the wrong issue.

Interestingly one of NCMA's CE's has posted on the Nursery World Linkedin site to say Whilst no one in government is saying they will remove childminding from all regulation, the big concern we have is that some parts of government are exploring an "agency model" of regulation and goes on to explain what that would mean.

I hope Ncma have (will) explain this in other forums / their own website as it is a dfferent message to the one that everyone who has been following this whole issue has choosen to pick up on.

Penny

[The Juggler]

this is a very good idea Sarah, not sure you can use these as quotes but here goes anyway. take anything from it that is useful

I'm opposed to deregulation for 3 main (but 3 of many) reasons

1. those minders who used to plan nothing, do nothing, not interact or observe their children before will be given free reign to going back to that way of working with no-one checking that they at least have the bare minimum knowledge of where those children are at, and what they need to do to support their development. Although the EYFS doesn't tackle the lack of interaction as Ofsted have no way of knowing one way of the other!) at least they have to observe and plan some activities based on the children's interests and stages and evidence it.

2. I want to follow the EYFS (but would be happy losing some of the paperwork). If parents thought we did not, they would choose nursery over us - so business would not be sustainable.

3. If we have our network inspected, we will be either pulling up the grades of others, or our hard work will be downgraded by a lack of work on the part of others. so the network may only be mediocre. Another scenario here is that the network co-ordinator is hopeless, the network will not be graded well regardless of the minders working within it.

4. If there is a network, THEY should take on the role of inspecting - again a whole scenario of nightmare network co-ordinators comes up - are they qualified to inspect minders etc, etc.

[sarah707]

Thank you for your comments to all those of you who have replied privately as well as on the thread.

You will see some of your suggestions reflected in the document.

I have been commissioned to write this lobbying document for ALL childminders to access and use freely by UKCMA the new UK childminding association.

I have put a sample template and suggestions for writing a letter to your MP (and others) here -

http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/...90#post1095290

Please get the ideas out there to other childminders. Together we need to stop this happening!

[sarah707]

I thought it had now been said that any talk of deregulation and loss of individual inspections is very premature and that if any changes are to be made there will need to be full consultations and changes to the law, which would take years?
I'm confused

It is not premature I am afraid

Discussions are in the early stages but it is real and happening.

See my thread here - http://childmindinghelp.co.uk/forum/...90#post1095290 with ideas for writing a lobbying letter

[miffy]

Brilliant idea Sarah, off to check out your letter now.

Miffy xx

[watgem]

yes please Sarah

[Penny1959]

I thought it had now been said that any talk of deregulation and loss of individual inspections is very premature and that if any changes are to be made there will need to be full consultations and changes to the law, which would take years?
I'm confused

This is correct Mouse - it will take a long time - even years to make these changes.

Also although discussion are now well under way - it is not general government debate yet - it is just one sector of government and others who are debating this.

These type of debates happen all the time and often do not go any further.

Of course some do and after time will become law - but it is a long time.

It is a good thing to raise awareness about registered childminding and will do a lot of good, but it is wrong to assume that this current debate will actually become law - and before it does they has to be a consultation and the EYFS has to be changed through the proper legal procedures beforeit becomes law.

I agree with the campaign to make MP's and general public aware of why individual inspections are vital and to raise awareness of registered childminding in general.

However I do not want childminders to panic, to think thee changes are going to happen in the next few months - because they are not.

Lets keep in mind that this is a first stage - a debate - it will take several years for any changes to come into force - and hopefully the campaign will stop it becoming anything more than a debate,

Penny