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'46. The introduction in September 2014 of childminder
agencies, where parents would be able to find a
local childminder by contacting an agency, has
yet to take off. To date, Ofsted has registered five
agencies. As of June 2015, no childminders were
registered with agencies.'
https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...eport_2015.pdf
I'll have a proper read tomorrow.
The bits I read did seem quite complimentary to childminders, so I hope I haven't just read the good bits!
Where can we get a hardcopy please?
I've skimmed it at the min, but it looks pretty good so thanks for the share. No CMs registered with an agency that calls for a big LOL!!!!
This is the bit I found very interesting...incentives to bring those CMs who have resigned to come back??
Ofsted created the crisis and now face reality when 30 hours and lack of places is looming large?
Wilshaw did use praise for cms when last year he told parents to put their child in a school not the 'local cm'.
50. There are 15,000 childminders who have resigned their registration
between 1 September 2008 and 30 April 2015. Pressures on capacity may
create incentives to consider drawing childminders from this cohort back
into the sector. However, the level of performance of these childminders is
less likely to be high, with only 60% good or outstanding. Feedback from
the sector suggests that some resignations will have been in response to
higher expectations in the EYFS about support for children’s learning and
development. Because childminders are home-based and self-employed,
it is also likely to be the case that many inactive childminders are not
taking children because childminding no longer suits their home life and
circumstances.
Another bit that made me laugh is that the EYFS was reviewed by Dame Alice Tickell? that I am aware of her name is Clare!
A quick goggle search tells us that she is Dame Oriana Clare Tickell. Perhaps Alice is his pet name for her :laughing:Quote:
Originally Posted by Simona
I wonder if she has noticed her change of name? I follow her on Twitter...no comment so far.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mouse
Natiou82...certainly a relief no one has registered with an agency yet.....I wait with baited breath to hear about our EY team's own agency as they were the last to be registered recently.
So far they have told us they have passed the registration...will any cm join?
At the time this Ofsted report was published there were actually 6 agencies registered as Agency 12 was registered in June.Quote:
Originally Posted by moggy
We now know they are called City Childcare CMA and listed on the Ofsted website
Ofsted | Search results: Inspection Reports
Aarrgghh! It's Black Friday for me.
Our LA Cm agency has just announced on Twitter they are the 1st in the country to register 'a' CM.
So I went to check their website ....as they posted the link too.
Achieving for Children | Childminder Agency
and finally a price list for registering with an agency- £300 per yearQuote:
Originally Posted by Simona
That we knew for a long time...however...I believe that is just the m'ship package in order to join.Quote:
Originally Posted by moggy
unless this has changed from our last meeting training is in addition and our LA is not cheap....my eyes and ears are wide open shut!
Also ...as mentioned...the agency will support their CMs while at the same time supporting ICMs....conflict of interest to be sure! And I was not the only one to raise this issue
The £300 annual package includes 'Up to 16 hours bespoke training, networking and workshops to add to your CPD'Quote:
Originally Posted by Simona
But what that actually means...?
I found the info confusing so I sent them a tweetQuote:
Originally Posted by moggy
I was asked to email them so they would address this for me.....no thanks!
I remember the info given at the meeting and it does not add up...unless my memory is dodgy!
We will no doubt discover more soon!
I wonder how many parents are flocking to sign up to use that solitary childminder? I wonder how many cms an agency feel they will need before they can start offering their services to parents?Quote:
Originally Posted by Simona
Maybe they offered this cm a free membership :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Simona
I am not really worried whether the cm was 'deregistered' for free or paid a hefty sum to do so or thought that getting a 10% discount was such a bargain!
The main concern here is that there are another 10 cms waiting to do the same and I am sure that will happen.
We can take this seriously, joke or be sarcastic about it but in a way history has been made and childminding will never be the same...some will accept agencies, others never will.
The issue remains the same...there will be 2 tiers of cms and we were unable to stop this from happening.
Also remember talking about agencies is one thing...having one on your doorstep in quite another....they do have a very wide reach
2 CMs are now registered with my LA agency and 12 are in the process of registering.
As a new childminder, with 3 children via the agency ...£300 is not a lot! Help and support to register etc... Though what they will do on the DBS check for £20 is beyond me!
I hate to say this but I think it is quite an attractive package for newbies.
So the issue is how will this effect current independent childminders?...childcare.co.uk are now advertising and more and more parents will be accessing it...but really ...when you think about the access to parents, courses, this forum, advice and Sarah's info ( 👏) we do really well financially on annual costs.
Big thanks to admin for this.
I think ( and hope) that the agencies will Bob alongside current independent childminders, if your ofsted grade is ok or your word of mouth reference is fine, parents won't want to pay an agency either.
Must be an unsettling thought though Simona...it's the unknown.
That is only the basic package....there is much more to pay on top of that....that is my understanding.Quote:
Originally Posted by FloraDora
Attractive?...depends on how cms see this...those registering are CMs giving up their Ofsted registration to return to a Network prescriptive style and I know why they are doing it as I know who is running the agency.
Will it affect local CMs?......of course it will and will have repercussion on CMs as a whole ....competition is only part of it......luckily we have people monitoring this at local level.
My view is that agencies will not Bob along ...they are a threat to CMs after 35 years of trying to achieve equality...it is not a Question of competition ...it is a question of accepting 'deregulation' for CMs and accepting agency as a fait accompli....the vast majority will reject this
I can' t comment on childcare.co.uk or the support given here as I have not experienced it but appreciate the support it provides for many CMs.....the miniute we accept agencies we are doomed and unfortunately it feels like that is exactly what is happening as long as the agency is not on our doorstep nothing to worry about....I differ on that.
At a time when Ofsted is calling for closer links within the sector CMs are being divided in 2 distinctive groups and 2 tiers are being created just like when we had the dreaded CMs Networks...history repeats itself!
Luckily I am out of it but will continue to voice my strong resistance to agencies and what it will mean for CMs in the long run....it is not the Unknown ...it is reality.
Only time will tell.