What has annoyed you about PACEY?

[Daftbat]

I was never particularly happy about NCMA before the changes. I changed insurers to MM a few years ago but was forced back to NCMA last year as I needed to be insured for 12 children and MM at the time could only do 10. So, I went back and then saw the changes they were proposing to make. The new branding is terrible in my opinion and the new magazine is not reader friendly. The new layout is shocking , again, in my opinion.

Anyway, great news for me was that MM now do insurance for 12 as standard so not only do I get it cheaper now than PACEY but I get an online magazine with lots and lots of craft ideas and what I consider to be a much better website with good information. No need to find storage for magazines, and far more value for money for me.

PACEY are right to include nursery workers in their membership but although there was a vote re the new name you should have seen the options! They were all terrible so no one stood a chance of getting them to use a sensible one.

Like someone else has said, older members will leave but the nursery workers might join - would be interested to know how many have joined??

In this economic climate I think most of use will look at value for money - I am sorry PACEY - you just don't give it.

[rickysmiths]

I wish I would have known their intentions in advance. My DO told me to go for MM insurance as it was much better. I opted for NCMA as I thought being a member would seem more professional to parents. I applied for the full starter pack and insurance. They rebrand a few weeks later and now everything is out of date. I think the name pacey sounds stupid and feel embarrassed about using it. This is obviously only ONE of the things I am annoyed about but the rest of the points have already been stated below.

First of all nothing is out of date. It is just a name change and it does not effect the content of the paperwork at all. Your contract etc is between you and your parents not you and pacey.

I agree with you over the name but it is what we have and I am sure we will all get used to it. If we use it with confidence our parents will not have known about NCMA soon and will regard pacey as the Professional Organisation that you have chosen to join. There is no need to feel embarrassed about it.

[rickysmiths]

I'm really passionate. I'm passionate about childminding, children, my work, my business, my family, my sick relative. These all need my time, effort, and strength at the moment. This leaves very little for becoming an NPF. I shouldn't have to join or become anything in order to sort out the sorry mess for them.

I understand what you're saying, but no-one should have to run everything themselves to make sure things are run well. It's like saying I have to become a local councillor if I want to have my bins collected properly.

I appreciate the time that NPFs give up, but that's their choice. We don't all have that time to give up without something suffering elsewhere in our lives, homes, families, businesses, etc. Even attending regional forum is becoming uncertain. 3 times I’ve filled in my regional forum booking form, determined to go and say something. 3 times I’m torn it up again, totally depressed at the idea of wasting a day to be ignored by them.

Don't members have a right to representation without expecting every single member to represent themselves? If not, then what is the point of a so-called "professional association"?

Bunyip are you going to any of the pacey events in April? Not sure where you are.

[PixiePetal]

Apart from other things mentioned I hate the name It sounds like a brand of sweet - didn't we have 'pacers' in the old days?!

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Okay - I have listened to everyone's (don't likes) and will take them back.

The only one I won't take back is the name as it is in place and here to stay.

Will feed back after our next meeting (this will be June I think) but I will also send it by email and see what response I get.

[bunyip]

Okay - I have listened to everyone's (don't likes) and will take them back.

The only one I won't take back is the name as it is in place and here to stay.

Will feed back after our next meeting (this will be June I think) but I will also send it by email and see what response I get.

Thank you.

[loocyloo]

Sorry, only just seen this as been away.

I am unhappy that I have emailed & have had replies saying my email s have been sent to PR department...no reply from them. I then rang & was quickly put through to dept...had to leave a message... No one has rung me back. I would have liked the support as I have been dealing with press complaints about magazine article. I know they got my email as press complaints told me! But they haven't bothered to get in touch at all.

On the plus side all emails to other dept s are quickly responded to!

[Optimalstar]

I also remember members saying clearly they wanted to be referred to as the 'professional' not the association???
they also said they wanted cms to feature in the title?
and many disagreed on Early Years being included...they preferred education and childcare because EY takes no account of the older children we look after???

Yes I distinctly recall those comments at my regional forum meeting and also recall feeling like we were being steered towards 'pacey' as a name. I didn't choose/vote for that however.

[Simona]

Cms will be attending the 'pacey' launch events in April/May...or at least those who managed to book the limited spaces anyway.... and I am sure we will put our worries directly to them there
All events appear to be the same with same agenda and final discussion on More Great Childcare and we will feedback to those interested to know how they went

[Gsparrow]

Having a forum to air views, such as the NPF doesn't mean that they care about the views- just an exercise to say they are listening. It's the results that count

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Having a forum to air views, such as the NPF doesn't mean that they care about the views- just an exercise to say they are listening. It's the results that count

As an NPF I can assure you that views are listened to but not just those aired at Forums. Online polls are done too and these far outway the forum attendance numbers and different areas of the country ask for different things.

[Simona]

Come on Chatterbox ...the widening of the m'ship happened against huge opposition and as for rebranding to pacey very few were in favour...lets have some statistics on that please!

But it is water under the bridge now...pacey has had its way and we are now here reflecting which way to go...only time will tell!

Let me repeat the reply we got about rebranding at our forum: 'whether you like it or not it will happen anyway''!!
said right in front of me....you asked what annoyed us ...some of our replies may not be what you want to hear but there we go...that's democracy for you!

[bunyip]

Come on Chatterbox ...the widening of the m'ship happened against huge opposition and as for rebranding to pacey very few were in favour...lets have some statistics on that please!

But it is water under the bridge now...pacey has had its way and we are now here reflecting which way to go...only time will tell!

Let me repeat the reply we got about rebranding at our forum: 'whether you like it or not it will happen anyway''!!
said right in front of me....you asked what annoyed us ...some of our replies may not be what you want to hear but there we go...that's democracy for you!

Interesting. This is exactly what my pacey-employed DO told our group about More Great Childcare, before going on to explain how her local office was considering how they might set up as an agency. When I objected to pacey HQ, it took weeks for them to contact me with the response that "all our staff have been briefed." .....whatever that means.

[Gsparrow]

As with any 'democratic' process, the option for selective action is most likely - listening to the opinions that fit in the the managements own agenda. Not saying the NPF isn't an important thing, but would be naive to say they listen to everything

[Simona]

Thank you Bunyip

Let's recap
1 ncma is against agencies and not willing to even listen how they are being developed

2. ncma will be part of the recruitment of new cms with Barnardo's...if it is possible that those new cms will have to register with an agency, is ncma then endorsing the agencies via the back door?

3. cms are literally knocking on LAs' doors to get clarification on accessing the funding in September if good/outstanding and confirmation we do not need to belong to a network...where is ncma backing for cms on this when all we meet with is little engagement?

4. ncma tweeted info at the local event last Saturday from Birmingham when the DfE guy was being very clear on the above (3)...has ncma issued a statement encouraging cms and LAs to co-operate?

I could go on and on...but do let us know Chatterbox what you achieve as NPF when you report our concerns...
the name pacey may stay with you but for me it is ncma until I decide to endorse their name and widening of m'ship and maybe renew my m'ship...at this rate being independent truly means braking free from organisations who all have their own agenda and plough the money saved into looking for training and support elsewhere

[Smiley]

I have been following this thread and to be honest I've become more exasperated. I'm in agreement with the last posts by Simona and Bunyip. I attended the forums about POS, widening membership etc and several of the NCMA directors were in attendance. Staff were frustrated because we were 'negative' and wouldn't write any 'pros' that was because we didn't have any!

Over several years I've offered constructive criticism about the ineffective communication between some of the different regions NPF members and disregard relating to feedback after their meetings in Bromley. I could make many more comments however, it is not appropriate now. It concerns me greatly that this thread is possibly being used by a NPF member as a platform to seek views in order to take to Bromley. Is the question of which this thread is about going to be asked at the regional forums in May? Despite what we think we will not be actively listened to!

[TooEarlyForGin?]

This currently has nothing to do with me, and i don't have a working knowledge of PACEY anymore.

It's really good that you are trying to work with them and improve the situation, but I think you may struggle unless there is a change their attitude.

When I first started childminding 10 years ago, i automatically joined the NCMA, feeling it gave me professional image to parents and the back-up I might need as an independent practitioner.

When the EYFS was introduced, there were many of us that disagreed with a lot of it, feeling at the time, it was a massive increase in paperwork, and was not written for us, as childminders. I remember attending regional meetings and I was not the only one by far wanting the NCMA to speak for us, not just lie down and accept what was handed to them by the government. The EYFS called us all "settings" having a corner for this and a corner for that and many felt they should have campaigned to make it more "friendly" for us. All they did was consistently tell us the majority of childminders were in favour and ignored the rest. From that we saw the biggest drop in childminders happen. I resigned, from the NCMA as did several of my friends at the time.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I have been following this thread and to be honest I've become more exasperated. I'm in agreement with the last posts by Simona and Bunyip. I attended the forums about POS, widening membership etc and several of the NCMA directors were in attendance. Staff were frustrated because we were 'negative' and wouldn't write any 'pros' that was because we didn't have any!

Over several years I've offered constructive criticism about the ineffective communication between some of the different regions NPF members and disregard relating to feedback after their meetings in Bromley. I could make many more comments however, it is not appropriate now. It concerns me greatly that this thread is possibly being used by a NPF member as a platform to seek views in order to take to Bromley. Is the question of which this thread is about going to be asked at the regional forums in May? Despite what we think we will not be actively listened to!

No this isn't going to meetings in May - if individual members want this, then they have to go and give their opinions themselves.

I have forwarded this on to Peter Holland at PACEY and am waiting for the reply from him directly, which I suspect (as previously stated in above respones on this thread) will be after the Regional Meetings and possibly June.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Come on Chatterbox ...the widening of the m'ship happened against huge opposition and as for rebranding to pacey very few were in favour...lets have some statistics on that please!
But it is water under the bridge now...pacey has had its way and we are now here reflecting which way to go...only time will tell!

Let me repeat the reply we got about rebranding at our forum: 'whether you like it or not it will happen anyway''!!
said right in front of me....you asked what annoyed us ...some of our replies may not be what you want to hear but there we go...that's democracy for you!

Simona you are a Committee member - have you not discussed these with your NPF - Annette has all the stats, they are not hidden away

[nipper]

You know the only thing that 'pacey' have given me in return has been a car sticker. After all the money I have spent on contracts and medical forms and other paraphernalia since becoming a childminder nearly two years ago.

And they can't even use capital letters properly in the acronym, what's professional about that? At least when I was a member of the NUT, I felt as if I had the weight of a proper union behind me if I ever needed it.