Summary of the response to the consultation on LAs

[Simona]

The number of people who responded was 547 of which 8% were cms but I could not find any names to identify them...strange unless all wanted to be anonymous
I was amazed that Ofsted was a respondent too!


https://www.education.gov.uk/consult...rnal=no&menu=3

[sarah707]

I responded anonymously to this one - has anyone read it in enough detail to see what it's saying?

[Simona]

I responded anonymously to this one - has anyone read it in enough detail to see what it's saying?

I have Sarah...what will be interesting is to see what the govt will do with the LAs, after all it looks like the majority wanted their role kept as it is for support

I did give my name but could not find it anywhere

[AgentTink]

I have just had a quick read of the first few pages of this document, and instantly i am annoyed. I can see why my LA is stalling on the giving childminders the funding from September, becuase this documents says on p5.

"As a first step, we have published statutory guidance which sets the direction"

and then further down on p7

"At the earliest possible opportunity and subject to the will of Parliament we will legislate to:

• Ensure local authorities cannot refuse to offer to fund a place at early education providers of a certain quality as judged by Ofsted if an eligible child wants to take up a place there;
• Ensure local authorities cannot refuse to offer to fund new providers to deliver early education places when they have passed their initial Ofsted registration visit and prior to their first Ofsted judgement; and,
• Limit the conditions that local authorities can set on PVI early education providers – in line with the approach set out in the statutory guidance published alongside this document."

So there we have it. The statutory document is at present a "direction" document and a law does still need to be passed. No wonder the DfE will not help us fight this any further at the present time, as they obviously know this, and know that LA's can still do what they want until a law's are changed.

I hope the DfE hurry up with my complaint letter and can advise me on when this law will be taken to parliment, so that i have a rough idea of when it may come into force.

In the meantime i am unwilling to fight my LA on my own, and seem like trouble for them, when the LA ombudsman will just overturn the complaint anyhow, if there is no law set.

[Simona]

I have just had a quick read of the first few pages of this document, and instantly i am annoyed. I can see why my LA is stalling on the giving childminders the funding from September, becuase this documents says on p5.

"As a first step, we have published statutory guidance which sets the direction"

and then further down on p7

"At the earliest possible opportunity and subject to the will of Parliament we will legislate to:

• Ensure local authorities cannot refuse to offer to fund a place at early education providers of a certain quality as judged by Ofsted if an eligible child wants to take up a place there;
• Ensure local authorities cannot refuse to offer to fund new providers to deliver early education places when they have passed their initial Ofsted registration visit and prior to their first Ofsted judgement; and,
• Limit the conditions that local authorities can set on PVI early education providers – in line with the approach set out in the statutory guidance published alongside this document."

So there we have it. The statutory document is at present a "direction" document and a law does still need to be passed. No wonder the DfE will not help us fight this any further at the present time, as they obviously know this, and know that LA's can still do what they want until a law's are changed.

I hope the DfE hurry up with my complaint letter and can advise me on when this law will be taken to parliment, so that i have a rough idea of when it may come into force.

In the meantime i am unwilling to fight my LA on my own, and seem like trouble for them, when the LA ombudsman will just overturn the complaint anyhow, if there is no law set.

I agree with you but I question why the Guidance is called Statutory?
The EYFS is statutory and I don't think we would have a chance to refuse to comply with it until a law is passed on it..in fact there is no law ever passed on EYFS...is there?

I am not sure what game the DfE is playing...either they want the funding to be accessed by cms or they could just have said it will be at the 'LAs discretion'..why spend money on a revised guidance that can easily be ignored?

For me personally it is a question of 'equality' and 'inclusion' which does not just cover cms but also the children and families who at present are not equally accessing the free 'entitlement' and therefore excluded...entitlement is the wrong word here

I can understand your reluctance to fight your LA especially if you have good relationship with them but why have some LAs complied immediately to the guidance while others are dragging their feet?
Will we ever know?

[AgentTink]

I can understand your reluctance to fight your LA especially if you have good relationship with them but why have some LAs complied immediately to the guidance while others are dragging their feet?
Will we ever know?

This is the part which baffles me. Why are some so happy to go ahead now without law being passed and others waiting????

[Simona]

This is the part which baffles me. Why are some so happy to go ahead now without law being passed and others waiting????

I can think of 3 reasons
Some LAs have realised that sooner or later this will become law therefore not worth delaying the inevitable
Some LAs are allowing cms but still imposing conditions
Some LAs have realised that without cms they cannot provide care for the 2 year olds which will turn up in Sept 2013 and the other 130,000 who will join the scheme

I am sure there will be more