Local databases of CMs

[Simona]

You are spot on...as I said in the post about contracts the name we use to reflect the fact we are 'independent' will be the most important factor....as you say google cms and you will be directed straight to agencies!!

[SammySplodger]

A little thought here guys.
I'm not as computer literate as I'd like to be, so it may just be me being dim, I accept that, and please feel free to put me right!

It seems to me that when we do start to advertise ourselves we need to be careful what words we use to describe ourselves as far as the Internet search engines are concerned.
If we type in Childminder, childminding etc lots of details come up for us and whatever else we've typed in - eg Suffolk, Kent, Essex etc.
However, someone described themselves in the discussions as an Independent Professional Childcarer, which I quite liked the sound of, but out of interest I typed it into the Internet and the majority of info came up with Independent as the main word but not much in the line of Childcarer.
Parents aren't necessarily going to cotton onto the fact that we've changed our "brandname" as such and if they type in Childminder, which is how they universally think of us they're surely going to get "Childminder Agencies" before anything else.

I know this is a picky detail, and we are a way off of deciding this, but it needs to be thought of.

Exactly! THANK YOU! Fab point!
We can feed it into the website: We need to agree a 'job title' to alleviate confusion for Parents. Perhaps this can be the next thread?!

I will also look into tips on search engine submissions and meta tagging for our own individual websites - to add this into the marketing document... if Sarah hasn't included this already :-)

It is also really easy - and FREE- to be listed in Google maps. You just need to know how. Once done, it really highlights your business in a Google search.

[Optimalstar]

Hartlepool still has FIS for what it's worth. 2 of my children came via another cm, she didn't have the space, 2 came via leaflets I posted and one came via a search of cm in the area. All are part time so not as busy as it appears. Enquiries have came from parents searching the internet(my own website and childcare.co.uk I imagine). FIS have called to ask if they can pass on my details but those never seem to result in a call let alone a visit or work.

[sskent08]

childcare.co.uk is good but very expensive, there are alot of parents and childcare providers on their. It would be interesting to know how many actually have the membership?

[Simona]

Maybe like LAs the FIS (I know they are part of it) also needs to realise they need to standardise their service or they may just disappear
Surely in future they should see their role as providers of business for independent cms or we may just have too much competition from agencies?

Ia anyone aware of any LA who is engaging with cms and looking into a crystal ball? the consultation of their role is open to them as well so they should come up with a response detailing why they are needed and what they will provide in terms of support and training?

[Smiley]

My LA have only emailed the childminders who offer the 2, 3 &4 year old funding about the consultation so it would seem they are not informing the majority

https://www.education.gov.uk/consult...rnal=no&menu=1

[lizann]

Not heard a thing from my la no email no letter, but then again they were never very helpfull to start with. I just used to get a phone call weeks after ofsted visit just to say very good you got good blah blah blah that was it

[blue bear]

The la here have taken the route of denying all knowledge of any changes, they have not heard of liz truss and the proses apparently.

[Kiddleywinks]

The la here have taken the route of denying all knowledge of any changes, they have not heard of liz truss and the proses apparently.

Now that really is burying ones head in the sand!



How can they NOT know?! Ridiculous

[Simona]

Smiley Same thing happening in my LAs ...network cms get all the updates the rest (overwhelming majority) get none!
I would call that 'exclusion' and in fact 'discrimination' on who they choose to inform and serve considering they get funded at tax payers' expense?
So I have written and await a response

Will they ever realised that this is not the time to be choosy on who they inform and who they leave in the dark?...mind you we seem to be ahead of the game and we will also have a say on their future role via the consultation?

An LA who has not heard of Liz Truss? I know it is April the 1st soon... who is the fool?