Hi all, I'm new to all this and just wondered what pacey offer and whether it's worth joining? Thank you :-)
Printable View
Hi all, I'm new to all this and just wondered what pacey offer and whether it's worth joining? Thank you :-)
Pacey are a professional organisation that campaigns on behalf of childminders (and the childcare sector now).
For members they offer some free on-line courses/webinars and some pay for ones. They offer cheap PLI insurance to their members ( you have to be a member to buy their PLI). They offer discounted products and stationary such as contracts, accounts books, accident, medication forms etc. Advice, legal help, in England Face to face support with and associate. Fact sheets, help videos etc. Magazines 4 x a year. Some training available local (depends on area). On-line log for CPD.
The most important thing they offer though is to campaign for childminders/childcare sector.
There are other groups that do similar things PLA (Preschool learning Alliance) for example and have similar benefits to Pacey.
MM (Morton Michel) are just an insurance company that offers some benefits to policy holders.
I am a member of Pacey - I have my insurance with MM which is more expensive than Pacey's but my choice.
I'm a member, albeit a rather disappointed one.
IME they are great when you're starting out, but not much help if you're want to develop much beyond the basic level.
TBF, I think they are completely hamstrung by a membership who want far more than they're prepared to pay for. We can't expect the services of a truly 'professional representative body' if we want to pay a pittance for it. :(
I'm not a member. During the registration process any information they gave me ranged from fluffy to wrong. PACEY provide the childminder support in my area (this is separate to the membership, but still linked to pacey) and the admin is terrible- really short notice for training opportunities, conformation and logins for webinars not sent out until 20 mins before, wrong attachments being sent out, out of date links on a new iso1 form, no visit from a DO....
Although I will say my new DO seems very knowledgeable and up to date- I've even had a visit from her!
I use mm for my insurance- I used them for my nanny insurance so they were the first place I went for childminding insurance.
I'm sorry but you are wrong. Pacey working in LA areas are soley employed by the LA and work to their remit. They are not controlled by Pacey head office at all. If their service is bad then this may well be down to the quality of information and support the Pacey staff get from your LA. It is nothing to do with Pacey HQ.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lal
If you are not happy complain. But please don't infer that their bad service is the way Pacey behaves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rickysmiths
They use the same name and logo- perhaps they should do more to separate the two. I have also received incorrect information from PACEY head office. So, as yet I am yet to find reason to join, which was something I intended to do until I asked a question and was given wrong information.
Im not a member and never have been :D When I started 7yrs ago I did all my own paperwork and didn't want to shell out £80ish (or whatever it was, cant remember exact figure)
Over the years its not done me any harm not being a member.
I have insurance with Morton Michel.
Its an individual preference :thumbsup:
Im not sure what they offer as i've not looked for 7yrs. Im sure others will tell you :D
Can I ask what you pay for your insurance with mm? My pacey membership renewal and insurance is £83 so want to work out my options! Thanks
£50 at the minute if you are mainland UKQuote:
Originally Posted by fran90
Thank you for that
I can't speak for other regions, but AFAIK, the local pacey office in my area is paid for by the LA; provided with premises by the LA; and working to the LA's remit. BUT - they always refer to themselves as "xxxxx-county pacey" on all documents and when answering the phone or working anywhere. So it's very hard not to infer that their bad service is a reflection on the wider pacey organisation. Especially so as 95%+ of the time, their answer to any question is to refer you to pacey HQ at Bromley. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by rickysmiths
I personally moved away from PACEY, when I queried how much of my direct debit was going towards the 'group fees' and the breakdown of the bill, the lady sounded very uneasy when she replied £20. They rang me back to say that it was an error, and should have been £5. Had I not asked the question of the breakdown of the bill, they would have charged me four times for my group fees.
When talking to other members, one friend also had been over charged.
I wrote to them about this matter, and I never got a reply.
I have Pacey insurance because it covered what I needed with regard to my over 8's which MM did not. Whichever way you decide to go, check the content of the policy and make sure it is what you need
Apart from Pacey there is also PLA ...as mentioned...and the Independent Childminders Social Enterprise...the latter represent CMs only and is a trade body...something we really need!
UKCMA is another but they have now ceased to operate...announced very recently
All 3 associations offer PLI via Royal Sun Alliance