My DO really takes the biscuit!

jumpinjen · 23-03-2012, 06:52 AM

She came on Wednesday and she was so negative - I fought back and gave as good as I got but was still left feeling so low and upset. Some of the highlights were:

The two year olds funding for children in disadvantaged situations - in my area childminders are to help provide this if they wish - criteria are to have a good rating and to be working towards a level three. I meet and exceed these requirements but was told that she will be handpicking the CM's as SHE thinks that we should be registered to provide 3-4 year olds funded places also. I argued that if the criteria were XYZ what right had she to ask for ABC also but got nowhere.

Next she wants me to complete a tick list, and I can't put in my LJ's for example that a child can tie their own shoe laces until I have seen them do it three times and ticked it off three times, that I can't 'move a child on' to the next stage (counting to 20 for example) until I have ticked off three times that they can count to ten and I have observed it three times - I argued against the use of tick lists and backed my argument up with research findings but got nowhere.

Then she told me that to do the 3-4 year olds funded places I have to do the same paperwork as the nurseries. Why? Because I would be 'going up a level' to do it and 'would be teaching' so I had to do more than I did already. I argued that CM's are not nurseries and that paperwork for nurseries isn't suitable for CM setting, that what we offer is unique and shouldn't be squashed into a nursery shape, that my existing paperwork was excellent and really useful, that was no point doing their paperwork 'just for the sake if it', it should support the child's learning and development, I said that there was no mention in the EYFS about teaching, that it was learning through play, and that anyway, I had a teaching qualification but guess what? I got nowhere -

she took pride in saying that our LEA 'asks for a lot more than others' - why? does it make us any better at our job? I am so cross - she never says anything nice just negative things - she even tried to tell me I was over my numbers with just my baby son and one mindee in the house and said it was a major incident and she should report me to Ofsted!!!! She is such a jobs worth - In four years of minding she has never once said anything constructive, just always pushing more and more on us and it isn't even best practice or research based..... aarghhhhh!

Thanks for the rant - feel better now!

Jen x

Penny1959 · 23-03-2012, 07:04 AM

Hugs to you

In my opinion - she has not got a clue

You could if you want to rite a complaint to your LA - but to be honest I would just smile and carry on doing what you know to be best.

The counting one made me smile - so there I am (or you or any of us) making cakes counting cake cases, counting as we spoon into cake cases etc - and we can only count the first 10 - the other 2 (as most cake tins have 12 holes) remain uncounted as if not there! What planet is she on?

Penny

**miffy** · 23-03-2012, 07:37 AM

Grrrrr on your behalf! Whatever happened to DO's being there to help and support you!

But I agree with Penny, I'd just carry on doing your own thing but if she doesn't "hand-pick" you to provide 2 year pilot care then I'd fight it all the way - she has no right to discriminate against you like that.

Sending hugs

Miffy xx

**sarah707** · 23-03-2012, 07:52 AM

What completely ridiculous statements

I refuse to do things if I feel they are wrong - there's a new policy they want me to sign and it has some wrong wording and I simply won't do it!

Dig your heels in. Definitely don't do extra work for less money (which is what the funding will probably offer).

Hugs xx

jumpinjen · 23-03-2012, 08:17 AM

Thanks guys - the bit about the cakes made me laugh - what a good point and no Sarah, it is unlikely that I will be doing extra paperwork for less money but I would like to offer support to local families that need extra support - I don't want a full-on work schedule and flexing around families in this way appeals to me at the moment so I'll be cross if she blocks me - I went to my children's centre yesterday and told them what she said and they want me to e-mail them to conversation so they can bring it up at the meeting that is coming up as they are desperate for places for the two year olds around here - and I have been involved with them for four years and they know me well and would be really happy to place two year olds with me - the EY team have been pushing for CM's and children's centres to work more closely together for years and now they are sticking a wedge in - I've asked to come along to the meeting as a CM representative!!!!

Do we HAVE to have DO visits or can we tell them to get on their bike? Will it affect Ofsted inspections if we do? I wouldn't want to show Ofsted the reports my DO sends me cos they say such silly negative things - it would give Ofsted a bad impression!

Jen x

jumpinjen · 23-03-2012, 08:18 AM

BTW Sarah - I glibly pressed 'print' on your e-book yesterday then went out to walk the dog and came back to a snowdrift of paper everywhere - wow! Such a lot of info- haven't felt this keen on writing a sef for a long time!!!!

Thanks, Jen

**primula** · 23-03-2012, 08:42 AM

Is there another DO that you can ask to see? I find some of the things that she said to you really ofensive and I think you should consider making a complaint about her, if she is like this with you (and you sound like you very much know what you are doing) how intimidating is she with new minders? She doesnt sound very supportive at all! Not professional at all- Do you know any other minders that have had dealings with her and what they think? Dont let her get to you she is in the wrong.

**The Juggler** · 23-03-2012, 11:05 AM

tell her to take a hike. those checklists are awful. observe. you know when they do something new and you will then see when they can do it properly.

yukky, yukky ticklists

**sarah707** · 23-03-2012, 11:47 AM

Originally Posted by jumpinjen

BTW Sarah - I glibly pressed 'print' on your e-book yesterday then went out to walk the dog and came back to a snowdrift of paper everywhere - wow! Such a lot of info- haven't felt this keen on writing a sef for a long time!!!!

Thanks, Jen

Oh heck!!

**Tatjana** · 23-03-2012, 02:25 PM

What a ridiculous woman!

I would put in a complaint about her, if nothing else it will take her off her high horse for a bit.

No you don't have to have a DO visit you. Last time I saw mine was a couple of months after I registered...nearly 3 years ago!!

**singingcactus** · 23-03-2012, 03:44 PM

Jeez, she's a piece of work! No you don't have to have them visit - although I don't know if getting the funding changes that. I had never heard of them till one wanted to visit me about 5 or 6 years ago. I said okay come along. OMG I could have happily strangled her by the time she left. She wrote a report telling me to do things that I was clearly already doing, and all sorts of other toff! I wrote a letter back as a complaint but didn't even receive confirmation of receipt I won't have one of them back in again, waste of a morning and really cannot see what the point of them is. Don't think they exist up here where I currently am, but won't have one of them come anyway.
Sure they are nice people to their friends, just pointless to my work.
Hope you've calmed down a bit after your pointless visit too. I would recommend writing in though, even if they ignore it you'll feel better knowing someone has read your complaints.

**AliceK** · 23-03-2012, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by Tatjana

What a ridiculous woman!

I would put in a complaint about her, if nothing else it will take her off her high horse for a bit.

No you don't have to have a DO visit you. Last time I saw mine was a couple of months after I registered...nearly 3 years ago!!

Same here. Mine waited until I'd had my inspection and then decided to come and visit me. Never seen or heard from her since

xxx

**loocyloo** · 23-03-2012, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by singingcactus

. Don't think they exist up here where I currently am, but won't have one of them come anyway.
.

i think they do

i've got one! called a 'childcare sufficiency officer' or something! but only 5 or 6 for whole of north yorkshire! mine is really nice

i have to have visits as a 'leading childminder' ( what they call accrediated childminders providing NEF plus i also am part of the pilot for 2yr olds ), about once a term ish.

jumpinjen · 25-03-2012, 06:34 PM

Gosh you lot are lucky of yours never visit - I want to do the funded two year olds so can't tell her to get lost but have decided to just say yes and no next time she comes and offer as little information as possible so she doesn't start picking at me. I feel better having spent a weekend working on my sef and realised how much good work I do and have put some other ideas into practice too! Thanks for your replies - saw Monkey on Friday and she swapped hers so perhaps I can try that if all else fails!

My daughter is hanging over my shoulder begging to add 'funny faces' onto my message so I'm going to let her let rip!

Here goes:

Sorry about that- Jen x

**Boris** · 26-03-2012, 07:01 PM

Oh Jen, what a horrible woman. She sounds like one of the DO's in my area. You're not in Coventry are you????

jumpinjen · 31-03-2012, 03:26 PM

Hi there - no not in Coventry, in Wolves! Maybe she covers both areas - I'm sure she's a witch so could be in two areas at once! My husbnad has suggested she is extra nasty cos she feels threatened by me but I don't see how she can feel threatened- I'm nice to her, I just don't back down, and we do different jobs so what is there to feel threatened about?

Jen x

**jumping j** · 31-03-2012, 05:56 PM

I'm lucky enough to have 2 visiting me at the moment.

1 for the 2 year pilot scheme and 1 to become accredited!!
Heard nothing from either of them for the first year and even had a comment that they didn't really know anything about me!!!
One of them offered to come out before my first Ofsted inspection and then rang me 2 weeks after the inspector had come out to see if I needed any help before my inspection!!

Both have been helpful and supportive, now they know who I am, although they both seem a little flaky and I seem to have done a lot of the chasing to get the ball rolling!