De regulation ??

Forgive me for sounding dumb but just cant get my head around this deregulation . Ive signd the petition and so have my friends etc but i just wanted to clarify some things !

1- If we become deregulated we know longer work under Ofsted ?

2- If we become dereg parents can no longer pay us by tax credits or vouchers ?

3- If we become dereg we r basically out of a job because anyone will be able to care for children ?

This is supposed to help cut childcare costs but surely some nurseries etc charge more than us , dont provide 1 on 1 care plus parents will still be paying by TC etc so where are the cuts being made. As i see it there just moving children from one establishment to another where they may not necessarily get the attention they get with us? Am i misunderstanding this ? Plus what abt parents who dont want to send children to nurseries? Surely if they wanted to they would have done this in the first place. On top of this if they manage to make cuts do they not realise that unemployment will increase ? I certainly cannot work elsewhere as cannot afford to pay childcare as not entitled to TC no family nearby to help with my children. Am i missing the point ???

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Originally Posted by It's a small world

Forgive me for sounding dumb but just cant get my head around this deregulation . Ive signd the petition and so have my friends etc but i just wanted to clarify some things !

1- If we become deregulated we know longer work under Ofsted ?

2- If we become dereg parents can no longer pay us by tax credits or vouchers ?

3- If we become dereg we r basically out of a job because anyone will be able to care for children ?

This is supposed to help cut childcare costs but surely some nurseries etc charge more than us , dont provide 1 on 1 care plus parents will still be paying by TC etc so where are the cuts being made. As i see it there just moving children from one establishment to another where they may not necessarily get the attention they get with us? Am i misunderstanding this ? Plus what abt parents who dont want to send children to nurseries? Surely if they wanted to they would have done this in the first place. On top of this if they manage to make cuts do they not realise that unemployment will increase ? I certainly cannot work elsewhere as cannot afford to pay childcare as not entitled to TC no family nearby to help with my children. Am i missing the point ???

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At the moment it's all speculation and no one knows what is going to happen. This is causing people to panic before we know any facts.

Deregulation from Ofsted would not necessarily mean no regulation at all. I really cannot imagine the government allowing totally unregistered childcare. Think of the safeguarding issues for a start. It may be that the proposal will be for us to work under agencies. A lot of us wouldn't like that at all, but at least it would mean there was some sort of regulation.

No where has it been said that parents won't get any financial help to pay childminders. There are not, and they cannot create enough, childcare spaces in nurseries for all the children who currently go to childminders. Maybe funding will be done differently (so not tax credits or childcare vouchers), but the government cannot stop financial help for people using childminders. Too many parents would have to give up work, creating more people on benefits etc. It would be catastrophic fiancially.

Again, even if we were deregulated from Ofsted, it doesn't mean we are out of a job. No one knows what is going to happen. There will be a process in place so that not just anyone can set up as a childminder. I know the government has some stupid ideas, but can you honestly see them saying it's OK for just anyone to look after children?

I WISH the government would release some FACTS, so all this speculation would stop. Changes are going to happen whether we like it or not, but not all change will necessarily be bad. If we knew what was going to happen we could at least aim our fight in the right direction instead of panicking about things that might never happen :rolleyes:

surely it can't be less regulation than we had in the old days when I started out under Local Council and SS?

I am hoping that my 30 years in childcare, 18 as a CM, will count for something :rolleyes:

worries me though as at 47 I have never done anything else:( Maybe I should look into getting a farm shop and baking :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Mouse

Changes are going to happen whether we like it or not, but not all change will necessarily be bad. If we knew what was going to happen we could at least aim our fight in the right direction instead of panicking about things that might never happen :rolleyes:

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That's exactly what DH said last night. Changes might not all be bad and pick your battles - you're never going to win with this government now as they've made up their minds what's to happen anyway. BUT if you know where you stand you can at least aim the fight at the Local Authority/agency/or whatever is decided.

WE NEED INFORMATION!

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Originally Posted by Mouse

At the moment it's all speculation and no one knows what is going to happen. This is causing people to panic before we know any facts.

Deregulation from Ofsted would not necessarily mean no regulation at all. I really cannot imagine the government allowing totally unregistered childcare. Think of the safeguarding issues for a start. It may be that the proposal will be for us to work under agencies. A lot of us wouldn't like that at all, but at least it would mean there was some sort of regulation.

No where has it been said that parents won't get any financial help to pay childminders. There are not, and they cannot create enough, childcare spaces in nurseries for all the children who currently go to childminders. Maybe funding will be done differently (so not tax credits or childcare vouchers), but the government cannot stop financial help for people using childminders. Too many parents would have to give up work, creating more people on benefits etc. It would be catastrophic fiancially.

Again, even if we were deregulated from Ofsted, it doesn't mean we are out of a job. No one knows what is going to happen. There will be a process in place so that not just anyone can set up as a childminder. I know the government has some stupid ideas, but can you honestly see them saying it's OK for just anyone to look after children?

I WISH the government would release some FACTS, so all this speculation would stop. Changes are going to happen whether we like it or not, but not all change will necessarily be bad. If we knew what was going to happen we could at least aim our fight in the right direction instead of panicking about things that might never happen :rolleyes:

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Thanks this is what i mean- i wish they would produce facts. Im not panicking im just confused that ive heard IF they dereg us parents cant pay us by TC or vouchers but i cant understand as parents will still be paying nuseries by these means. Like you i agree there is no way they can place all these chikdren in nurseries, plus safeguarding - how many people from nurseries been arrested due to various safeguarding issues ( not all nurseries bad) wish the government would just tell us straight rather than this and that may happen , is the best option etc etc. instead of confusing everybody . Thanks for replies x

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Originally Posted by It's a small world

wish the government would just tell us straight rather than this and that may happen , is the best option etc etc. instead of confusing everybody . Thanks for replies x

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It's not too much to ask, is it?

I am by nature a very positive person and tend to look on the bright side of things rather than the doom & gloom side. When I know what I'm facing I tackle it head on. If there's something I can change I will do everything I can to change it. If I can't, then I don't waste my energy on the fight.

I'd rather know what I am facing then fight to change what I can and learn to accept what I can't.

Mouse has provided a very good summary of the deregulation issue.

From information provided by the government you would think that nothing much is going to change - just the removal of a few aspects of regulation that are not needed. Which I am sure most of us would be happy with.

However despite all the 'standard' replies received by childminders from Mp's and so on reassuring us that they want to safeguard children and reduce unnecessary paperwork burdens - oh and they value childminders - We are beginning to piece together a bigger picture - each little snippet of information, the questions in the commission on childcare, the statements by Cameron and Truss - all suggest that actually the government know just what they are going to do - but are not telling us - and only consulting in the most narrow way possible.

I am not a 'panic' type of person - but I like to know the facts and to be able to make my own decisions based on those facts.

The petition, the letters and my personal campaign are all based on the fact that I want to be told the full facts and to be consulted about things that will effect my business.

Once I know the facts - I can then decide what I need to do.

Change is going to happen - I may be ok about the changes or I may not and may decide to stop childminding.

But just sitting around waiting to be told is not an option for me - however because so many people now feel that it is not worth trying to express an opinion, that the government won't listen to anyone - it may well be that I get no choice.

The trouble is the government will not listen to me or any of the others who are actively campaigning. They will not even listen to 9 or 10,000 people because they will say - only a small percentage are unhappy with things, the rest are happy and so will will carry out our plans (the ones we don't yet know)

However if every single childminder signed the petition and every childminder had 2 or 3 parents or family also signing the petition, we would have reached well over 100,000 people - and then the government would have had to listen.

At the moment people are waiting to know what the governments plans are - for the formal consultation on the changes that are planned but by then it will be too late.

Which is why we must try to get as many childminders, other early years workers, parents etc to complete the response form for the Commission on childcare.

Mouse is right - we need to know the facts but we also need to express our opinion through the response form - otherwise the 'facts' when provided will be based on government views - not those of childcare professionals and parents.


Penny :)

It is speculation, we can only do what we can to raise the profile of childminding within the government and see what happens.

Ofsted has already removed certain requirements, such as Ofsted do not require us to notify parents if we have a forthcoming inspection or provide a copy of the resulting report but we still have to because its in the EYFS Statutory Famework:
3.74 Providers must make available to parents and/or carers details about how to contact Ofsted, if they believe the provider is not meeting the EYFS requirements. If providers become aware that they are to be inspected, they must notify parents and/or carers. After an inspection, providers must supply a copy of the report to parents and/or carers of children attending on a regular basis.

is this what they mean by deregulation??? probably not.
The thing to remember is that Ofsted only regulate, they do not make the law they only ensure we abide by it.
If deregulation means we are not regulated by ofsted then we will still have to follow the statutory framework.
If deregulation means they scrap the statutory framework....well i just can not see that happening!:rolleyes:

Who knows what the future will bring....i've lived through so many changes that its all become a bit like water off a ducks back. The only concern i have is if parents can not use tax credits- that would almost certainly kill childminding.....but i can not see that happening either, the governments have spent the last few years trying hard to get every parent into employment (to save paying out benefits they have paid out tax credits instead) they're not going to suddenly remove half the childcare provision from the parents grasp .....unless they plan to stop tax credits????:panic:......just thinking out loud now ;)

The latest letter I received from Ofsted is reassuring - before anything happens there will have to be a full consultation and changes to the law so it's not going to happen in a few months!!

It's about embracing change isn't it?... and we are good at that! :D

No one has any idea what 'less regulated' means. No one has any answers. No on knows anything yet. It is all speculation and guess work.

Until anything is put forward by the government, beyond we think we might reduce the regulation of some kinds of some childcare in some way, there really isn't anything to be done except fill in many petition asking for possible ideas and theories not be carried forward.

Completely agree.....absolutely no way there would be no regulation at all but speaking to our contacts at our local council and an ex ofsted inspector,, they are at the belief it won't come into effect and hence why they are continuning with their work on improving the childminding network etc...

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Originally Posted by Mouse

At the moment it's all speculation and no one knows what is going to happen. This is causing people to panic before we know any facts.

Deregulation from Ofsted would not necessarily mean no regulation at all. I really cannot imagine the government allowing totally unregistered childcare. Think of the safeguarding issues for a start. It may be that the proposal will be for us to work under agencies. A lot of us wouldn't like that at all, but at least it would mean there was some sort of regulation.

No where has it been said that parents won't get any financial help to pay childminders. There are not, and they cannot create enough, childcare spaces in nurseries for all the children who currently go to childminders. Maybe funding will be done differently (so not tax credits or childcare vouchers), but the government cannot stop financial help for people using childminders. Too many parents would have to give up work, creating more people on benefits etc. It would be catastrophic fiancially.

Again, even if we were deregulated from Ofsted, it doesn't mean we are out of a job. No one knows what is going to happen. There will be a process in place so that not just anyone can set up as a childminder. I know the government has some stupid ideas, but can you honestly see them saying it's OK for just anyone to look after children?

I WISH the government would release some FACTS, so all this speculation would stop. Changes are going to happen whether we like it or not, but not all change will necessarily be bad. If we knew what was going to happen we could at least aim our fight in the right direction instead of panicking about things that might never happen :rolleyes:

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mouse

At the moment it's all speculation and no one knows what is going to happen. This is causing people to panic before we know any facts.

Deregulation from Ofsted would not necessarily mean no regulation at all. I really cannot imagine the government allowing totally unregistered childcare. Think of the safeguarding issues for a start. It may be that the proposal will be for us to work under agencies. A lot of us wouldn't like that at all, but at least it would mean there was some sort of regulation.

No where has it been said that parents won't get any financial help to pay childminders. There are not, and they cannot create enough, childcare spaces in nurseries for all the children who currently go to childminders. Maybe funding will be done differently (so not tax credits or childcare vouchers), but the government cannot stop financial help for people using childminders. Too many parents would have to give up work, creating more people on benefits etc. It would be catastrophic fiancially.

Again, even if we were deregulated from Ofsted, it doesn't mean we are out of a job. No one knows what is going to happen. There will be a process in place so that not just anyone can set up as a childminder. I know the government has some stupid ideas, but can you honestly see them saying it's OK for just anyone to look after children?

I WISH the government would release some FACTS, so all this speculation would stop. Changes are going to happen whether we like it or not, but not all change will necessarily be bad. If we knew what was going to happen we could at least aim our fight in the right direction instead of panicking about things that might never happen :rolleyes:

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That is the question, I think by they could and certainly in the next 3-4 years which is prob how long any de reg package would take to put into effect.

There are about 40 cms in my town so 120ish EY children. There has already a Planning application in the last month for a new Day nursery for 60 children so a couple more and yes we all could easily be out of work. I have had far less calls this year than normal and at least 75% of the people I and others have seen have gone to one of the already 6 Nurseries within a 3 mile radius of us. I also know that in the town next to us one Nursery is increasing from 24 children to 62 from this Sept because I know who they have employed as the new Nursery Manager to put this all in place, so if one has done it there is nothing to stop others is there.

I know this may sound defeatist but sadly I do see childminding reducing a lot over the next 4-6 years. I think there may be an increase in Nanny/Au Pair type care for those who want care in the home, I hope I am proved wrong.