Just read this online

[Pixie dust]

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/rss/1122679/High-cost-inspecting-childminding-places-revealed/

Hope link works, have just read this on how much it costs Ofsted to inspect childminders compared to other early years settings, this is continuing on from comments made last week .

[JCrakers]

mmm...an interesting read. I'll read it again properly later when I have time as I only scanned through it :D

[AgentTink]

I was only talking to my partner last night about the very last comment.

I would not be surprised soon if the government do change the way childcare tax credits are given. Because if childminders are not registered by Ofsted for EYFS, then we would not have a offical registration number so then parents would not be able to get help. Although all of my parents and my friends are now classed as earning too much come this April and most of them wont be getting any help what so ever. It is a scary thought.

I get a horrible feeling that in the background there is definate talk about de-regulating childminders, and I would not be surprised if the NCMA knew this hence, they are trying to go down a different route by opening their memebership up to other child workers. :panic::panic::panic:

[Penny1959]

The costs do seem very high - but then 1 inspector to register or inspect a childminder for 2 or 3 spaces will be higher than 2 inspectors doing a nursery for 30+ places.

Question I would like to ask - does that include the cost of registering childminders? - as we all know that many have to give up because they do not get any work- and given the number of childminders who therefore register without creating any spaces would distort the figures somewhat.

It is a very worrying time because I can see that finacially the government will want to save money - as this seems an easy option - at our expense. After everything we have done to create a level playing field, to jump through each and every hoop placed in front of us - and then to suggest that we are not worth the cost of registering.


Penny :)

[Mouse]

It all seems to come down to money, doesn't it?

I find it meaningless comparing the cost per child. Nurseries & childminders are not registered per child, they are registered per setting. Why not show the comparison cost per setting? I'm sure the cost of sending one inspector to visit me for a couple of hours, compared to a couple of inspectors sent to a nursery for a few hours would throw up very different figures.

[Pipsqueak]

The road is looooonggggggg.....

anyone else beginning to feel that SQQQEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE of getting rid of childminders....

call me sceptical but i have long thought that childminding was been pushed, shoved and shunted to one side.....

[Mouse]

The road is looooonggggggg.....

anyone else beginning to feel that SQQQEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE of getting rid of childminders....

call me sceptical but i have long thought that childminding was been pushed, shoved and shunted to one side.....

Not only is the road long, but I think it's going to start getting very bumpy...

Having been in this game for a long time I've seen a lot of changes over the years, mainly involving us being brought into line with other childcare providers. I can see it all starting to slip away again :(

[AgentTink]

The road is looooonggggggg.....

anyone else beginning to feel that SQQQEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE of getting rid of childminders....

call me sceptical but i have long thought that childminding was been pushed, shoved and shunted to one side.....


I am with you on this point :(:ohdear:

[Pipsqueak]

with many a winding turn.....

[singingcactus]

I've heard so often on this forum, as well as other groups, childminders saying they do not like the fact that we are no longer able to just care for the children, but now have to jump through so many hoops and be just the same as nurseries which we are not etc. So why, as soon as it looks like we will be able to back to the old way, probably with a similar governing body as the old social service approach, are people immediately getting angry and hostile?

Registered childminders were around a loooong time before there was any other type of registered childcare for the very young, and we will be around for the whole of the future. I am 40 (in a month or two) and my mum was a registered childminder before I was even born! I was a registered childminder before ofsted came along. In home daycare is an approach to childcare that is irreplaceable.

Before everyone starts to get angry and fly off the handle and feel like they've been kicked in the teeth, we need to hear exactly what the alternative will be. Perhaps we could consider some calm and rational suggestions for the politicians involved, instead of all sounding like crazy people. Taking ofsted out of the equation does not mean the end to registered childminding, it just means a different emphasis will be applied. Maybe we can go back to caring for our kids holistically with a more appropriate range of expectations being made on our smaller, in home settings, rather than us all being treated like large nurseries.

[Suebb1]

I 've had thoughts along the lines that childminders may well being pushed to one side. With NCMA, Ofsted and Early years feeling the pinch money wise and with changes coming to NCMA , Ofsted considering deregualting us and less and less money available for training from Early Years!!!!!!:

[primula]

I hear you singingcactus! looking after kids holistically.. with a minimum of paperwork:clapping:

[caz3007]

I may be wrong with my view but perhaps in areas where they are surplus childminding spaces, they should stop paying for new ones to register. There seem to be more and more new ones coming along but the existing ones are having to give up, or are struggling to fill spaces.

[Pipsqueak]

I've heard so often on this forum, as well as other groups, childminders saying they do not like the fact that we are no longer able to just care for the children, but now have to jump through so many hoops and be just the same as nurseries which we are not etc. So why, as soon as it looks like we will be able to back to the old way, probably with a similar governing body as the old social service approach, are people immediately getting angry and hostile?


Not ALL of us wants to go back to the 'old ways'.. you are lumping the WHOLE forum in one category.
I enjoy EYFS,, what I DON'T like is Ofsted interpretation and ever changing ways they THINK it should be implemented

Registered childminders were around a loooong time before there was any other type of registered childcare for the very young, and we will be around for the whole of the future. I am 40 (in a month or two) and my mum was a registered childminder before I was even born! I was a registered childminder before ofsted came along. In home daycare is an approach to childcare that is irreplaceable.

Actually 'registered' care came about roughly the same time as regulated nursery care. There has always been baby minders/farmers etc same as there has always been mini creches/nurseries etc
Registration has 'evolved' over the years and what we consider 'registered' nowadays is different

Before everyone starts to get angry and fly off the handle and feel like they've been kicked in the teeth, we need to hear exactly what the alternative will be. Perhaps we could consider some calm and rational suggestions for the politicians involved, instead of all sounding like crazy people. Taking ofsted out of the equation does not mean the end to registered childminding, it just means a different emphasis will be applied. Maybe we can go back to caring for our kids holistically with a more appropriate range of expectations being made on our smaller, in home settings, rather than us all being treated like large nurseries.



a diffent viewpoint

[singingcactus]

a diffent viewpoint

Sorry pipsqueak - I missed the word some out of the first sentence, I do apologise. :) My mistake.

[Ripeberry]

Well in my county (South Gloucestershire) they are trying to get ALL CMs on a 'exellence' scheme and all new CMs are having to do a course for a minimum of 9 weeks now (used to be 6weeks).
Had a word with my local Developmental worker and she mentioned that 'maybe' in the future it will be up the each individual CM to set their ratios (withing reason of course).
Lots of changes coming, BIG changes so lets just see what happens then we can debate it properly :)