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Chatterbox Childcare
28-04-2013, 12:21 PM
Hi

You said in another thread that you are writing a list of questions for your LA and I thought that if we all sent the same questions to our LA's then we could compare answers.

Would you be prepared to share?

Simona
28-04-2013, 02:13 PM
No problem...here they are

1. How will you ensure all non network 'independent cms' (IC) get to draw the funding now that the DfE has removed your restrictions

2.Will you provide support for IC in between inspections to maintain quality

3. what training will you offer IC and at what cost

4. will you continue to share information with IC in future

5. will the FIS advertise IC vacancies Will IC have equal opportunity to get enquiries from parents. Will you stop prioritising network cms by directing parents to them and flagging parents to them by text

6. will you provide feedback on inspections so we can address the issues flagged up by inspectors

7. if you continue running a network will you base it on a mixture of peer support and consultants support creating hubs for cms

8. are you setting up an agency for network cms, if so how do you intend to support IC. Will we be included in meetings, CPD opportunities

9. 2 year old funding is £6.10 but drops to £3.50 at age 3. Will you pass on the full funding when the DfE revises the formula

10. will you survey non network and IC on our future needs as you are doing with network cms at present

There are more but are pertinent to my LA and their practice...please add your own and anything I may have missed to do with IC in general

Hope it helps?

I am editing this as I have just received info on how all this works
The DfE will have to send the LAs a 'Revised guidance and Code of practice'...have added this to my list, so we need to lobby the DfE into doing so or the LAs will continue with their current practice, maybe ask the LAs to share the new guidance
Some
Info is also on ncma local for those who access it

Simona
29-04-2013, 08:41 PM
I received a reply...well sort of... but it is a game of pass the parcel now...the DfE says go to the LA and the LA waits for the DfE for guidance!!!

Simona
02-05-2013, 01:33 PM
Has anyone else tried to put questions to their LA? what was their response?
It would be very useful to compare our experiences such as access to funding in September..

is your LA including all good/outstanding cms?
do they still ask you belong to the network?
if so what are the requirements?
is the network in your LA going to continue or have you heard it may be stopped?

Have you been asked what kind of support you want in future...and at what cost?
will they still advertise our vacancies? free or at a cost?

We had a cms meeting last night...still a bit speechless really...but would like to hear your experiences...can you share?

bunyip
02-05-2013, 03:31 PM
I'd have to find someone who can pick up a phone at my LA before I got any chance to ask them a question. :mad:

CLL
02-05-2013, 03:57 PM
I have not had any communication with my LA since I registered. I am going to wait a few months until they have all the info and then ask about funding.

Simona
02-05-2013, 05:50 PM
Many cms take that view...wait until they know more
The only reason I want to find out is that the funding will be a selling point for independent cms....whether for the 2 year olds or just the 3/4

I have told many parents about the 'possibility' of accessing funding in future and their response has been positive...many are still confused how it all works
It could mean we retain children until they go to reception rather than losing them to preschools

To me is part of the planning for becoming 'independent'...not that anyone has been supporting me for years...also how I sell my practice, advertise my vacancies, fees and other services etc

does it make sense?

Bunyip...have you tried the method used in Harry Potter...dropping letters by owl or maybe a pigeon will do!!

teacake2
06-05-2013, 03:47 PM
This may be a silly question, having one of those weekends, but who would you actually try and contact in the LA, what position will they hold I mean,
Teacake2:blush::blush::blush:

Simona
06-05-2013, 05:19 PM
Do you have an allocated consultant or someone with a different title who supports you or cms?
Every LA is different but there is an Early Years team in every council....you could google it maybe and look under childcare...good luck!

blue bear
06-05-2013, 05:36 PM
I've asked three different DO's they all say the same they know nothing. There are no agencies being trialled in our area in September, they do not know what happens to independent childminders, training or the DO. 's own jobs.
One talked about £1000 being charged to childminders who join an agency and a similar annual fee expected for those independent childminders registered with ofsted.

2 year old funding has been set a £4.65 for this financial year. but it goes up for three year olds.

There are no networks here anymore but there is criteria for accessing funding they are waiting to see how much of MGC goes through before saying what will happen in September.

loocyloo
06-05-2013, 07:23 PM
I used to know our head of early years but she moved on! so I sent an email to our FIS asking them to forward it.

She then replied & we email back & forth. I send her lots of links to all the bits everyone finds :-)

tashaleee
06-05-2013, 07:27 PM
Would be happy to go to my LA with a list of questions if someone tells me what I 'need' to ask them :thumbsup:

Do I go with the 1-10 list Simona has put here or is there more?

(PS feel free to PM them to me in case I loose this thread again as no idea how to flag a thread I need to come back to....:blush:)

Simona
06-05-2013, 08:50 PM
LAs are perfectly aware of what is going on...they can read the press as well as we can, they also get emails from the DfE on what to do and what the future holds
My emails to them are endless and their reply very guarded

It is simply insulting to pretend they know nothing...surely the consultation on their future role is clear enough?? also MGC is a common document and they should be able to read and interpret it as we do

Truss announced the 2 year old funding should be set at £5.09...so some LAs will pass on less, at this rate the whole thing is shambolic and the LAs seem to have a rule of their own
usually the 2 year old funding is higher than for 3/4...so that is very interesting as it is the other way round in your LA!

You can ask any questions you like as an independent cm...whatever your worries are try to get clarification...mine were very pertinent to my LA and I got a lot of waffle back
Agencies do not have to be 'local'...you can check @Home Childcare to see they do everything online, how they will do 'face to face' CPD and checks remains to be seen

The figures quoted for registering with an agency are close to what I have seen quoted and the figure for our inspection/registration fee is close too
we can only wait for confirmation but I can see from the notes of my meeting with Truss last year that they are close to what she said it would cost...how we are supposed to save that amount if our inspection happens to be straight after September 2013 is unclear so far ...as is everything else in these reforms!!

zippy
06-05-2013, 09:27 PM
Our fee as independents to be set a £1000 maybe that's ridiculous they have already said it costs around 400 to inspect us how on earth can they justify £1000 per annum, tons will have to quit if that's the case and no new ones will sign up at nearly £100 per month costs before they start

Simona
07-05-2013, 06:06 AM
Zippy...has anyone suggested £1000 per annum? that would be really pushing cms out of business...I can't see any of the unemployed mothers coming into childminding to pay that sort of fee??

if we get inspected every 4 years that means our inspection would cost £4000 for a two hour with an inspector????

Unfortunately we don't know...although I would guess those sitting with the DfE at the task and finish group have a good idea how much the figure may be set at....
I wonder when Ofsted will announce our revised yearly fee?

Kiddleywinks
07-05-2013, 06:46 AM
You can see where this is going
It was claimed it cost £600 a year to inspect child minders
We may have to fund our own short course training, first aid, safeguarding (?), workshops

Or hey, you can always join xx agency for less..... :panic:

Simona
07-05-2013, 07:11 AM
If we paid £600 per year and the inspection is every 4 years that makes it £2400...for a two hour inspection?
I feel this is speculation that will only frighten some cms
I must dig out the NWorld article with the figures they arrived at for inspections...it was nowhere close to this amount!!

Also we do not know how much it would cost to inspect an agency with xx cms on their books...whatever the cost it will be passed to cms??

You can see why I wish ncma had been part of the task and finish group as a 'listener' and 'observer' after all they do have 37,000 members...who is there representing independent cms ?

Kiddleywinks
07-05-2013, 07:36 AM
If we paid £600 per year and the inspection is every 4 years that makes it £2400...for a two hour inspection?
I feel this is speculation that will only frighten some cms
I must dig out the NWorld article with the figures they arrived at for inspections...it was nowhere close to this amount!!

Also we do not know how much it would cost to inspect an agency with xx cms on their books...whatever the cost it will be passed to cms??

You can see why I wish ncma had been part of the task and finish group as a 'listener' and 'observer' after all they do have 37,000 members...who is there representing independent cms ?

I'm not saying it does cost this amount, the lunatic at the asylum said that at the beginning of all the reforms announcements
It's not speculation, and it does frighten the hell out of me

Nursery world worked it out to be £69.21 per childcare place for cm's as opposed to £11.92 for nurseries (2010 - 2011)

My point was, I think the system being introduced will work against trying to stay independent as this isn't what the government wants, so by making the cost of doing so so high many will feel resigned to join agencies as no doubt those fees will be considerably less than 'going it alone'

tashaleee
08-05-2013, 12:14 PM
Has anyone else tried to put questions to their LA? what was their response?
It would be very useful to compare our experiences such as access to funding in September..

is your LA including all good/outstanding cms?
do they still ask you belong to the network?
if so what are the requirements?
is the network in your LA going to continue or have you heard it may be stopped?

Have you been asked what kind of support you want in future...and at what cost?
will they still advertise our vacancies? free or at a cost?

We had a cms meeting last night...still a bit speechless really...but would like to hear your experiences...can you share?

OK my LA is 'awaiting consultation feedback' before they apparently know what they need to tell us.... :rolleyes:

However my source (who handles all my payments) knows nothing of funding changes for September - as far as they are aware there are no changes at this time...

So in other words I know nothing ....

Personally I dont think anything will come out before the end of June from LAs - I know for a fact that mine have their budgets in place until next April 2014 so they dont expect much to change before then.... time will tell of course on that one...

Simona
08-05-2013, 01:03 PM
We seem to have two distinct situations...LAs who have been very co-operative and opened up the funding to all cms removing any conditions and those who still say they know nothing and hold on tight to their conditions

Judging by the comments that have resulted from the BBC report (cms not even mentioned of course) it is obvious that LAs are aware but want to keep things for themselves as the consultancy company led by James Hempsall is working with all LAs not just the few

If the scheme flops the DfE can take all the blame


BBC News - Free nursery scheme '55,000 places short' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22338342)

tashaleee
08-05-2013, 01:09 PM
We seem to have two distinct situations...LAs who have been very co-operative and opened up the funding to all cms removing any conditions and those who still say they know nothing and hold on tight to their conditions

Judging by the comments that have resulted from the BBC report (cms not even mentioned of course) it is obvious that LAs are aware but want to keep things for themselves as the consultancy company led by James Hempsall is working with all LAs not just the few

If the scheme flops the DfE can take all the blame


BBC News - Free nursery scheme '55,000 places short' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22338342)

Simona is it optional for LAs at the moment to choose what to do though? Is it still their choice for September or has it been made regulatory in that we will be on an equal playing field regarding payments (which I wouldnt object to as mine is one of the lowest) and that every childminder can offer it?

zippy
08-05-2013, 04:39 PM
[QUOTE="blue bear;1247096"]I've asked three different DO's they all say the same they know nothing. There are no agencies being trialled in our area in September, they do not know what happens to independent childminders, training or the DO. 's own jobs.
One talked about £1000 being charged to childminders who join an agency and a similar annual fee expected for those independent childminders registered with ofsted.


Just what I read here, scared the life out of me, you replied something like you'd heard talk of similar amounts hope it's not true :-(

Simona
12-05-2013, 05:22 PM
LAs still have a duty to provide sufficient childcare spaces
This scheme is no different but they are digging their heels in and not allowing cms to do the 2 year old funding which means there could be a shortage
Also the reason why the DfE wants new cms businesses opening up for the next influx of 2 year olds in 2014

Read this article for more details
Conference report: Two-year-old programme is on track | Nursery World (http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1179763/Conference-report-Two-year-old-programme-track/)

I have met James Hempsall last Friday and we had a long discussion on LAs (especially mine who is not budging from their conditions and prefer to wait for the DfE to issue the guidance)...some he finds very engaging ...others not so!

He will be at the conference on 5th June with the DfE and that is why I have asked for cms comments on their experiences...please do so the longer the list the better
I intend to take all the comments with me to show the different barriers cms are having to climb

(I am copying the comments but WITHOUT revealing any names)

If the LAs won't comply the DfE will remove the conditions for them but I feel it would be better for them to comply now so cms can get an idea of how to plan for September

Funding for 2 year olds opens the door to 3 and 4 and as independent cms this will be a selling point...what remains to be found is how we claim the funding but that will be announced by the DfE I am sure
I will make sure I get that question answered

Funding for 2 year olds is different to that of 3and 4 and that will be reviewed (see consultation on LAs changing role)

This is the conference I am going to...if you have any questions I will take them with me!
Delivering Free Pre-School Education: Extending the 2-year Old Offer (London) (http://www.westminster-briefing.com/home/event-detail/newsarticle/free-pre-school-education-extending-the-offer-to-2-year-olds-london/)

Simona
27-05-2013, 11:07 AM
Has any other LA opened the funding to cms from September or are there still barriers?
I am still collecting evidence from cms which I will present to the DfE at the conference on 5 June

As said before your name will not be revealed..all I am collecting is evidence of practice from LAs and what barriers are still in place.
It looks like some LAs are clearly getting the message while others still waiting for DfE guidance...I think that it is clear what the DfE wants so why some LAs insist on more guidance beats me?

christine e
27-05-2013, 11:15 AM
I'm in Nottinghamshire and I am not part of a network. At the start of the summer term I started with a funded 2 year old - all good and outstanding childminders can access the funded 2 year old places but at the moment childminders need to be accredited to access the funded places for 3 and 4 year olds but this might be changing.

winstonian
27-05-2013, 03:25 PM
I am in Derby City. Someone from the council has just been out to assess my learning journeys and has recommended me to be able to offer funded places for 2,3 and 4 year olds. It went before the committee and they approved it. I am graded good and didnt need to do anything else. At present I am full and have no one using the funded spaces but we all know how quickly these things can change so I thought I may as well go for it.

Simona
04-06-2013, 08:13 AM
The conference on the 2 yo funding is tomorrow...link below if you want to take a look at the agenda
Has any cms got any good news on inclusion for the funding or still no idea?
Please let me know ...I will be printing cms responses today at lunchtime and take with me tomorrow

I am still waiting for a reply from my LA but have plenty of emails with evidence of their barriers to cms in my area

If you want your views heard let me know

Mcgons
07-06-2013, 08:49 PM
Has any other LA opened the funding to cms from September or are there still barriers?
I am still collecting evidence from cms which I will present to the DfE at the conference on 5 June

As said before your name will not be revealed..all I am collecting is evidence of practice from LAs and what barriers are still in place.
It looks like some LAs are clearly getting the message while others still waiting for DfE guidance...I think that it is clear what the DfE wants so why some LAs insist on more guidance beats me?

I've only just had chance to catch up with this forum so a few days late replying on this thread, but I've been able to have funding from my LA (Lancs) for 2 year olds over the last year as they have been piloting it but I personally haven't had any children for this. The rate is higher than 3/4 FEYE but not sure how much. Have been at a meeting this week and from Sept the funding is open to all childminders I think, graded good or outstanding, and there is also extra funding as in a lump sum of money to enable providers in certain areas to be able to open up spaces that are needed. It can be for resources/equipment or staffing/training etc. I am a cm in an area they need spaces so will get priority for this. I can apply for funding before end of June and again beginning of Oct. For me it would mean taking on an assistant as all my spaces are filled so having to think about it and also need to read through the stack of papers I was given.

Sorry if I'm missing another thread, I'll try and keep up a bit more! I'm at a LA meeting in a couple of weeks as a support cm, so will be trying to find out as much as poss from them regarding agencies as my network coordinator thought a couple of months ago that our networks were stopping.

Simona
08-06-2013, 08:39 AM
No problem...keep asking your LAs they now know they have to allow cms to draw the funding...DfE clear on that!

karen m
14-06-2013, 12:30 PM
Am not on network but a. Couple of friends are and from what they can gather it is still upto the LA , this is Runcorn/ Widnes .

tashaleee
14-06-2013, 01:56 PM
Has any other LA opened the funding to cms from September or are there still barriers?
I am still collecting evidence from cms which I will present to the DfE at the conference on 5 June

As said before your name will not be revealed..all I am collecting is evidence of practice from LAs and what barriers are still in place.
It looks like some LAs are clearly getting the message while others still waiting for DfE guidance...I think that it is clear what the DfE wants so why some LAs insist on more guidance beats me?

Simona my LA (as of yesterday) are STILL refusing to acknowledge this and are stating that they havent been told anything official so nothing changes for our area in September...

Is there any official documentation out there I can send on to my LA?

Simona
14-06-2013, 04:26 PM
Yes there have been a few articles in addition to the 'Achieving 2 year olds' conference on 6 June for LAs which Truss addressed and, I understand, LAs now have no reason to doubt that cms must be included

My LA is still awaiting confirmation but they have had it now

Childminders deemed key to two-year-old offer | Children & Young People Now (http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1077488/childminders-deemed-key-offer?utm_content=&utm_campaign=130613_Daily&utm_source=Children%20%26%20Young%20People%20Now&utm_medium=adestra_email&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cypnow.co.uk%2Fcyp%2Fnew s%2F1077488%2Fchildminders-deemed-key-offer)

Hope this helps...also if you look at the thread 'Feedback from the 2 year old conference' (in Petitions and Campaigns) there is the official statement by pacey, who attended the conference and heard Truss say clearly cms must be included

Good luck