After some inspiration....

[MissTinkerbell]

Finally we are getting somewhere on getting a childminder support/drop-in sorted out - its only taken a year!!! Our village is having a Children's Centre and building work starts on June 7th with an opening scheduled for the start of the new school year.

We had a meeting with the manager on Thursday and she is extremely keen to support us in holding a drop-in and advertising our vacancies, etc.

What I wanted to ask was for those of you who run/attend childminder support groups or drop-ins how do you organise them?

Our childcare advisor has already said that she is willing to attend a session once a month to provide a link to our local early years team and a source of advice.

The Children's Centre manager also suggested that we perhaps have a monthly theme and build on that. Now I know I come from an Early Years teaching backgtround and have loads of ideas but I also don't want to feel as though I'm taking over nor feel that I'm doing it all IYSWIM.

Any advice/ideas or suggestions would be gratefully received.

I so want this to be successful group and one that provides a really good source of advice and support for the many childminders in the viallage and a chance to provide the opportunity for our mindess to experience some outings/visits/events that they probably wouldn't get otherwise.

Thankyou

[mum26]

Hi,

It's great that you have been able and willing to get childminder support set up. I must admit I don't organise one but do go to a childminder drop in quite regularly (although I think they are called professional support in our area now - or something like that!). Ours don't follow themes and it is all quite informal. Lots of messy resources are available for the children to use - there is a trolley to which they can have free access, outdoor play is always on offer too - there is now a lovely undercover outside area should the children not wish to brave the elements, there is an area for role play, baby toys, small world etc. During the morning the children have a snack and a story as well. Our network co-ordinator drops in probably about once a month, an early years advisory teacher does come in occasionally too. Training is also arranged for childminders to attend as a lot of the central training we can access is held on weekdays - whereas here it is in the evening and/or Saturdays.

Hope that helps a little.