Local databases of CMs

[SammySplodger]

SORRY long post - but please bear with me - its about our future sustainability and marketing:

In preparation for (possible/probable?) withdrawal of LA & Family Info Service support in our local areas...

I wondered if you could feed back what current databases of CMs exist in your local area? ie: the central point Parents go to when they want to find a Childminder.

Not sure exactly what action point this is leading up to yet, but it would be useful to know how the land lies in different areas across the country so we can address this issue.

In East Sussex and Brighton & Hove:
FIS are automatically given a new CM's details, once Ofsted registration comes through. They have a 'not public' database which they use to answer phone and email enquiries from parents seeking CMs. But the same database is also uploaded into a much larger community information database that I set up for the LA - East Sussex Community Information Service www.escis.org.uk
I will find out what will happen to this data in future. But it's not a major issue in my area because:
Prior to setting up the FIS upload, ESCIS used to record details of CMs on an entirely voluntary basis (we sent CMs a form and they filled it in if they wanted to be on ESCIS). I imagine we will just go back to doing that instead.
In other words: GOOD NEWS - there is still a mechanism in place for Independent Childminders in my area. We just need to ensure parents know where to find it.

Many county library services have a similar online 'community information' database. It is up to individual LA library services to decide what categories they have (some just record leisure and council contacts). This could be a way forward and I will do some further research when wearing my 'other hat' on a Monday in the office.

Taking it down to an even smaller geographical area:

My intention in my own town and surrounding villages is to set up a website to promote independent childminders. This will be a simple signposting site listing the (18-20) individual CMs in the area and linking to their own websites.

We could provide help and advice about how to do this in your area on: www.independentchildminders.co.uk

So back to my original question:
Who holds the database of CMs in your area? FIS, library service or both, or someone else?

[snortlet]

for Northamptonshire its FIS who hold all providers details then local cm association who charge cms to list so only have some on. most work is through word of mouth, childminders own advertising or childcare.co.uk

[Sarsar3NCH]

In Poole (Dorset) it's the FIS, local areas have individual cm groups for the local sub-area and one person that holds a vacancy list for those that take an active part of the group, this is voluntary and a bit hit and miss.

[Waveawand]

In the North West ie Sefton its the FiS, but most parents in this area when seeking childcare (those coming to me ) have either googled local childminder or gone to Childcare.co.uk.

[The Juggler]

FIS hold all our details here but there information is drawn directly from the ofsted database

[jillplum]

In County Durham it is the FIS that holds all the info. Most work is word of mouth or Fis.

[SammySplodger]

FIS hold all our details here but there information is drawn directly from the ofsted database

Which area are you Juggler? :-)

[CLL]

Newcastle upon Tyne is FIS, but most of my queries have come from childcare.co.uk

[lilac_dragon]

My area, Suffolk, I was the local co-ordinator for many years, then was told that the FIS would take over.
They contact me every 6 months and ask me if any of my details have changed.
My library, due to close soon, is a large Portacabin style building, they advertise on a board for the local private Nurseries, and some not so local too! When I asked to put my details up they refused, when I complained the board was taken down altogether, and I was told it was my fault that now, no-one can advertise!!
Library is possibly being taken on by our Town Council, at some point, but don't know about timescale or advertising.
My own work is by word of mouth, and repeat business as my parents have more babies, or as my previous los grow up and bring their own babies to me.

[sarah707]

In Cheshire East the FIS have the database ... it is given out via the library and it is online.

What are you thinking Sammy? How can we get local databases before these things are shut down and we lose people? :D

[Chatterbox Childcare]

FIS hold our database run by the council which is downloaded every 2 weeks from Ofsted and updated.

They send audits out twice a year to get our permission to distribute our details and to update our details.

Searches through FIS can be done online or via the phone line and they are currently bringing in Ofsted gradings and a search by school.

As an Area Representative I hold my groups vacancies but not all childminders which to be part of the group.

Childcare.co.uk also hold our details.

[blue bear]

It's no longer fis here due to cutbacks, the local council have taken it on but it's the worlds best keeps secret and really hard to find, certainly doesn't come up from a google search or anything easy. You have to know the web address which obviously parents don't know and neither do most childminders.
We have a local vacancy holder who is a childminder and gives out childminder details to parents, she rings round every now and again and checks childminder vacancies and the idea is to match what parents what to what childminders have to offer.
A few minders use childcare.co.uk. We are allowed to put up business cards at several toddlers and in the health visitor info book at the doctors. But none of the schools will let us advertise even though they advertise nurseries, pre schools and after school clubs :(

It's still mainly done on word of mouth at the moment.

[AgentTink]

I'm the same as waveawand as I'm in sefton too. I have only ever had one phone call from the FIS list, my work has come from word of mouth, childcare.co.uk and my Facebook page. My children's centre doesn't give out childminders details and it doesn't hold any sort of childminders group, whereas another up the road does have a parent drop in and lots of the cm's get their work from there.

[The Juggler]

Which area are you Juggler? :-)


I am in Sutton :)

[shortstuff]

Im in hampshire. We have FID and its voluntary.

[lizann]

Im in Chesterfield think its FIS I usually get most of my work by word of mouth and recommendations

[SammySplodger]

In Cheshire East the FIS have the database ... it is given out via the library and it is online.

What are you thinking Sammy? How can we get local databases before these things are shut down and we lose people? :D

Well - here in East Sussex it will be up to me and my jobshare colleague at the LA to decide about the data (which is just a weird coincidence!). So I will suggest that we just go back to our previous system of getting CMs to input directly into the database as before. So, happily for us, it won't matter if the FIS stop doing it.

Now obviously there are massive differences between different library services round the country (as previous posts confirm), but I'm thinking that a possible way forward is for us to ask our library services to include us in their community information database, if they have one (sadly not all do).

I can legitimately do some research into this on a Monday while I'm 'wearing my other hat'.

It might be that the 'ask' needs to come from someone with more clout that just little old me though! Any suggestions who?

[Simona]

It is the duty of LAs under the Childcare Act 2006 to provide sufficient childcare and also the means for parents to access it...FIS or other depts will do that by advertising...many cms have business by word of mouth of course

One thing you can do to clarify, if you are unsure, ring your EY and ask how to they advertise your vacancies, you can even ask if your FIS will be in place or cut back?...what will happen in future for independent cms??? and a so on and so on...get them to give you an answer so we can plan ahead and not worry?

I have approached my LA to find out if to deliver the 2 yo funding I have to get into a network (they insist on it the DfE tell me otherwise...who is right?)...once they answer I will decide how to take that forward...

[loocyloo]

north yorkshire have all cm details with FIS, although i think you can choose to have your details made 'public' on the 'interactive maps'.

i think childrens centres have a list of local childminders ... but that might just be leading childminders ( accrediated ) who offer funded sessions.

[lilac_dragon]

A little thought here guys.
I'm not as computer literate as I'd like to be, so it may just be me being dim, I accept that, and please feel free to put me right!

It seems to me that when we do start to advertise ourselves we need to be careful what words we use to describe ourselves as far as the Internet search engines are concerned.
If we type in Childminder, childminding etc lots of details come up for us and whatever else we've typed in - eg Suffolk, Kent, Essex etc.
However, someone described themselves in the discussions as an Independent Professional Childcarer, which I quite liked the sound of, but out of interest I typed it into the Internet and the majority of info came up with Independent as the main word but not much in the line of Childcarer.
Parents aren't necessarily going to cotton onto the fact that we've changed our "brandname" as such and if they type in Childminder, which is how they universally think of us they're surely going to get "Childminder Agencies" before anything else.

I know this is a picky detail, and we are a way off of deciding this, but it needs to be thought of.

[Simona]

You are spot on...as I said in the post about contracts the name we use to reflect the fact we are 'independent' will be the most important factor....as you say google cms and you will be directed straight to agencies!!

[SammySplodger]

A little thought here guys.
I'm not as computer literate as I'd like to be, so it may just be me being dim, I accept that, and please feel free to put me right!

It seems to me that when we do start to advertise ourselves we need to be careful what words we use to describe ourselves as far as the Internet search engines are concerned.
If we type in Childminder, childminding etc lots of details come up for us and whatever else we've typed in - eg Suffolk, Kent, Essex etc.
However, someone described themselves in the discussions as an Independent Professional Childcarer, which I quite liked the sound of, but out of interest I typed it into the Internet and the majority of info came up with Independent as the main word but not much in the line of Childcarer.
Parents aren't necessarily going to cotton onto the fact that we've changed our "brandname" as such and if they type in Childminder, which is how they universally think of us they're surely going to get "Childminder Agencies" before anything else.

I know this is a picky detail, and we are a way off of deciding this, but it needs to be thought of.

Exactly! THANK YOU! Fab point!
We can feed it into the website: We need to agree a 'job title' to alleviate confusion for Parents. Perhaps this can be the next thread?!

I will also look into tips on search engine submissions and meta tagging for our own individual websites - to add this into the marketing document... if Sarah hasn't included this already :-)

It is also really easy - and FREE- to be listed in Google maps. You just need to know how. Once done, it really highlights your business in a Google search.

[Optimalstar]

Hartlepool still has FIS for what it's worth. 2 of my children came via another cm, she didn't have the space, 2 came via leaflets I posted and one came via a search of cm in the area. All are part time so not as busy as it appears. Enquiries have came from parents searching the internet(my own website and childcare.co.uk I imagine). FIS have called to ask if they can pass on my details but those never seem to result in a call let alone a visit or work.

[sskent08]

childcare.co.uk is good but very expensive, there are alot of parents and childcare providers on their. It would be interesting to know how many actually have the membership?

[Simona]

Maybe like LAs the FIS (I know they are part of it) also needs to realise they need to standardise their service or they may just disappear
Surely in future they should see their role as providers of business for independent cms or we may just have too much competition from agencies?

Ia anyone aware of any LA who is engaging with cms and looking into a crystal ball? the consultation of their role is open to them as well so they should come up with a response detailing why they are needed and what they will provide in terms of support and training?

[Smiley]

My LA have only emailed the childminders who offer the 2, 3 &4 year old funding about the consultation so it would seem they are not informing the majority

https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=consultationDetails&consultationId=1889&external=no&menu=1

[lizann]

Not heard a thing from my la no email no letter, but then again they were never very helpfull to start with. I just used to get a phone call weeks after ofsted visit just to say very good you got good blah blah blah that was it

[blue bear]

The la here have taken the route of denying all knowledge of any changes, they have not heard of liz truss and the proses apparently.

[Kiddleywinks]

The la here have taken the route of denying all knowledge of any changes, they have not heard of liz truss and the proses apparently.

:eeeek:
Now that really is burying ones head in the sand!



How can they NOT know?! Ridiculous :panic:

[Simona]

Smiley Same thing happening in my LAs ...network cms get all the updates the rest (overwhelming majority) get none!
I would call that 'exclusion' and in fact 'discrimination' on who they choose to inform and serve considering they get funded at tax payers' expense?
So I have written and await a response

Will they ever realised that this is not the time to be choosy on who they inform and who they leave in the dark?...mind you we seem to be ahead of the game and we will also have a say on their future role via the consultation?

An LA who has not heard of Liz Truss? I know it is April the 1st soon... who is the fool?