Telford LA Agency Trial

[SammySplodger]

Just found this:

http://www.telford.gov.uk/press/article/2070/trial_scheme_launched_to_recruit_more_childminders

Very disappointing, not much focus on benefits for children, parents or Childminders!
Focus appears to be on income for LA!

[Mouse]

I find that really strange.

They're using money intended for another project to fund the agency. They're aiming to recruit new childminders to provide the places for 2 year olds - the group that needs good quality, experienced childcare.
And like you say, it all seems to be aimed at providing income for the LA.

It's not quite what I imagined an agency would be :huh:

[SammySplodger]

I find that really strange.

They're using money intended for another project to fund the agency. They're aiming to recruit new childminders to provide the places for 2 year olds - the group that needs good quality, experienced childcare.
And like you say, it all seems to be aimed at providing income for the LA.

It's not quite what I imagined an agency would be :huh:

I wonder if this is what Truss envisaged?!

[rickysmiths]

But they have to be self funding and the people running them will want to make a decent profit for themselves otherwise why would they bother to run it?

[SammySplodger]

But they have to be self funding and the people running them will want to make a decent profit for themselves otherwise why would they bother to run it?

...which hopefully means the penny is dropping - CMs won't want to sacrifice income (never mind the rest of it..) parents won't want to pay massive fees. So where IS the profit exactly?
:-)

[AgentTink]

I am glad that a agency is using money from another pot to complete the trial, because come September 2014 they will not be able to do this and so will have to make money from childminders themselves to pay the fee's of running the agency, and this is were lots of agencies will encounter problems.....like all trials...they work when they are trials as they have money thrown at them and the benefits are free...however when they have to stand on their own 2 feet then there will be different story altogether......:rolleyes:

[Simona]

Two interesting points in this

1. The trials will last until March 2014 so not as we were led to believe end of 2013

2. Cms will be relieved of the burden of setting up their business

I understood those who wanted to join would be relieved of some of the burdens of running their business...so if the LA will help them start up does it mean they will have to continue running their own business, do their paperwork and financial affairs?
unclear really...at least to me...although it says they will be offered 'business support', at what cost I wonder?

As for profit, no LA will do this for nothing as they will want to be paid...their model is based on their network which would have been free to cms to access before...wonder what will happen to the network cms who decide not to join this agency now and what they think of this?