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smartbear
02-11-2012, 06:58 AM
Hi all - am meeting with Liz Truss today! Well, as part of "roundtable discussion" with reps of all local EY sectors...any messages?

loocyloo
02-11-2012, 07:44 AM
WOW! good luck !!!

i want to know if she has REALLY changed her mind about allowing all minders to have individual inspections! ( she appeared to be anti them, and then in the article in the telegraph appeared to say we WOULD have individual inspections! ) i'd also like to hear her ideas on re-organising the WHOLE early years!

where are you meeting? i'm in yorkshire ....

xxx

miffy
02-11-2012, 07:44 AM
I'd like to know where she now stands on the future regulation (or deregulation) of childminders - have read conflicting reports recently.

I'd like her to know that her argument of working harder (ie having more children) for less money (charging less per hour per child) is fundamentally flawed - I mean would she do that, really? :rolleyes:

Hope you have a productive meeting. Would be interested to hear your feedback

Miffy xx

sarah707
02-11-2012, 08:07 AM
I would like to ask her whether she has read this article and how she would like to respond to it -

Liz Truss’s lies on childcare « Though Cowards Flinch (http://thoughcowardsflinch.com/2012/10/16/liz-trusss-lies-on-childcare/)

:D

smartbear
03-11-2012, 05:22 PM
...well, she did turn up, along with DfE & 4Children. Reps there from CM, nurseries, children's centre, group care on domestic premises, pre-school, schools, out-of-school clubs, playwork, & 2 big nursery chains with settings right across the north of England.So a very busy meeting (2 hrs) & all with their own points to hammer home, so not always easy to get heard/get answered. She's quite good at not hearing/answering:rolleyes:! but being quiet shy CMs we're also quite good at making ourselves heard!:D So we did our best.
Truss was after info, & everyone there was keen to make her listen. Main points she wanted views on were:
1.She's been on a fact-finding trip to France. We'd researched & learned facts about Netherlands, Germany & Nordics but not France - no-one had - so we couldn't refute her arguments. She wanted to know why French nurseries can manage at 1:8 & not us, so we told her. Nursery people said even with highly-trained staff that ratio was too high. We said absolutely not, a compromise to safety & not practicable. She didn't appear to take this on board to be honest, arguing that it wouldn't be compulsory. She's clearly set on expanding ratios across the board for all settings.
2. Re agencies: we said emphatically that we could not see any benefit in an agency system - too expensive, not needed, we want individual inspection & registration & value our independence. We made this point often, & she discussed it though no firm answer: like arguing with soap! Re registration the query was whether it'd be a problem only having 1 register not 3 - said that seemed fine as long as we were on there as individuals.
3. Stated no plans re changing EYFS, emphasis more on flexibility of inspection & individual setting's interpretation of EYFS rather than room size or number of toilets. She specifically asked CMs what we thought so that may be a good sign. Was interested in whether settings would pay for more frequent re-inspections.
I asked whether her fact-finding trips would extend to Denmark or Sweden apparently they're too far away!!! but she will be going to Germany, so draw from that what you will!

Off now to look up French EY system: 1:8??? I guess they're all in individual playpens!

sarah707
03-11-2012, 05:30 PM
Thank you for your feedback!

I wonder why she is asking people to comment and then not listening to what they are saying?? Is it a 'done deal' do you think?

xx

smartbear
03-11-2012, 06:06 PM
Missed a bit: the French CM system is via a creche maternelle which seems to be a room in a nursery where CMs take turns to care for children & parents pay the nursery who pay the CMs. We asked in what way this constituted childminding at all? She said helping socialisation, combating CM isolation, and IT'S NOT COMPULSORY (which seems to be her answer to things you query when she's already made up her mind). We said we do this already through groups & toddler groups, organise it ourselves, not stuck in 1 room of a nursery, CM isolation is a myth, it's actually a very busy social world, what on earth would we gain? She said training & support & introduction to new parents. In other words, an agency. Stated again that in our view that system is not CM.Asked how the French system is funded. "No idea, it's really complicated, we just couldn't get to the bottom of it". :rolleyes:

sarak31
03-11-2012, 06:24 PM
Wow, really can't work out what her agenda is - not sure anyone is listening to what we are saying and my guess is it's already a done deal. I wish truss et al would do their homework properly - I thought that ratios for childminders in France were 2:1 with the ability to apply to extend this to another, I think we can have more here - the 8:1 must be nurseries not cminders.

sarak31
03-11-2012, 06:28 PM
I might be wrong but re funding I seem to think (and not sure where I read it sorry) that the French system allows parents to 'tax deduct' their childcare costs - therefore more affordable for them - but truss wouldn't like that as would make for less taxable income going into the gov on the face of it (although common sense would say it would increase taxable income as more would go back to work).

blue bear
03-11-2012, 06:51 PM
Nou Nou is a familiar name. The correct title is Assistante Maternelle Agréee. Here is a website where you will find lots of information (if you read French!)

Syndicat Professionnel Des Assistants Maternels et Assistants Familiaux (SPAMAF) / Assistante Maternelle (http://www.assistante-maternelle.org/)

I am an Assistante Maternelle. The registration process is fairly painless though a fair amount of paperwork to fill in and a couple of home visits plus a day long 'seminar' locally. You can be approved to childmind up to three children. The pay is poor - nothing like UK rates.

I look after an English boy part time. I have had a fair number of requests for full time placements from French families but I don't want to work full time as I've too many other things to do.

If you have any specific questions please ask either on this thread or by PM.
I found this on a forum,it say up to three children

smartbear
03-11-2012, 09:17 PM
I might be wrong but re funding I seem to think (and not sure where I read it sorry) that the French system allows parents to 'tax deduct' their childcare costs - therefore more affordable for them - but truss wouldn't like that as would make for less taxable income going into the gov on the face of it (although common sense would say it would increase taxable income as more would go back to work).

She might like it very much... since it would benefit higher taxpayers the most & those struggling on lower incomes not at all.

smartbear
03-11-2012, 09:20 PM
Nou Nou is a familiar name. The correct title is Assistante Maternelle Agréee. Here is a website where you will find lots of information (if you read French!)

Syndicat Professionnel Des Assistants Maternels et Assistants Familiaux (SPAMAF) / Assistante Maternelle (http://www.assistante-maternelle.org/)

I am an Assistante Maternelle. The registration process is fairly painless though a fair amount of paperwork to fill in and a couple of home visits plus a day long 'seminar' locally. You can be approved to childmind up to three children. The pay is poor - nothing like UK rates.

I look after an English boy part time. I have had a fair number of requests for full time placements from French families but I don't want to work full time as I've too many other things to do.

If you have any specific questions please ask either on this thread or by PM.
I found this on a forum,it say up to three children

So is this actually CM as we know it? Is there any education involved at all? And is the seminar the only training?

blue bear
03-11-2012, 09:47 PM
French Mamma - Pregnancy & Parenting in France (http://frenchmamma.com/2011/08/making-sense-of-the-different-options-for-childcare-in-france/)


Try looking at this site, hopefully it works , it explains the different types of childcare available in France. It's interesting that nursery is free from age 2. Through to age 6 when they start school. From briefly searching the web you do the seminar and have a home inspection, then put in your application, you are granted a permit for up to five years with how many children you are allowed. The pay seems really poor, think I read €1.66 an hour.

blue bear
03-11-2012, 10:07 PM
Missed a bit: the French CM system is via a creche maternelle which seems to be a room in a nursery where CMs take turns to care for children & parents pay the nursery who pay the CMs. We asked in what way this constituted childminding at all? She said helping socialisation, combating CM isolation, and IT'S NOT COMPULSORY (which seems to be her answer to things you query when she's already made up her mind). We said we do this already through groups & toddler groups, organise it ourselves, not stuck in 1 room of a nursery, CM isolation is a myth, it's actually a very busy social world, what on earth would we gain? She said training & support & introduction to new parents. In other words, an agency. Stated again that in our view that system is not CM.Asked how the French system is funded. "No idea, it's really complicated, we just couldn't get to the bottom of it". :rolleyes:

Crèche maternal are generally state funded and you have to put your name down as soon as you know you are pregnant as they are heavily used and are hard to get a place in. They are not childminding it's day care.
The French still have a birth rate lower than the death rate and so try to encourage parents to have more children by heavily funding childcare, can't see Truss coming up with the money for this sort of set up.