in my local authority, the start up grant is now £300. what they failed to tell us was
a) we can't spend it how we wish
b) only covers this ncma starter pack, ncma membership and insurance (which does not total 300)

I would have preferred to buy some multi-cultural stuff instead.

would like to hear your views

cecile
x

Surely its got to cover more than that? I would question it babe x

tbh you're lucky you get a start up grant, in my area and lots of other places there isn't one but saying that i would still question it :)



xx

Our grant also includes ICP course, first aid and food hygiene. These might also be covered in grant if you are not paying for the courses.

I think they do expect your NCMA pack and insurance to come out of your grant then you usually spend the rest on things you need

So what do they expect you to buy with the change then if this is correct ?

I would question it I just think they have failed to explain it to you

Good luck keep us posted

Angel xx

My start up grant I think was £436. £136 was for NCMA stuff, first aid, food hygiene, icp and the remaining £300 was paid back to me when I provided receipts for safety or multicultural items.

£300 seems a bit much just for the NCMA bumpf so I would do a little questioning.

amanda xx

Hi you all seem to be lucky at getting loads of money for you start up grant. I have received my grant and its only £150 and i have used £88 on my first-aid course. how im going to buy my memebership and insurance and all the contracts with the rest i dont know.

Emma.

Ours was £250 when we started but £200 when we finished:rolleyes:

We had to buy NCMA or MM packs, membership & insurance. It covered our ofsted membership fee & also our doctors fee on the health check docs but only to the value of £20.

We had to purchase it all & keep receipts then send of & were then refunded by cheque.

At least your getting somesort of help :)

Can you not purchase safety equipment with the remainder of the grand i.e. stairgates, first aid kit etc - this is what the grant goes towards in my area (+ NCMA of course).

We must be lucky round here because I got £400 and could spend it on anything connected to childminding. I bought allsorts including playbark for the back garden and sand for the sandpit.:)

...I am sure it can go towards caurses?

I didnt get one! There is no money apparantly.
We do have access to free trainings though.

Jana x

In Oxfordshire the tutors have been asked not to call it the start up grant any more, but to refer to it as start up funding, this is because as you said you do not actually get any of the money. Until recently the fund here used to include:

Ofsted Application Fee - £20
Medical Report - Up to £30
Fee towards 1st aid - £40
ICP - £110
NCMA start up pack (incl Insurance) £136.95

However since 1st April childminders can only claim
NCMA Start up Pack
ICP course

Basically the money pot is a little less I think! but, I have delivered ICP's that have had people from Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, and in Wiltshire they have hardly any funding so the Oxfordshire childminders going away happy to getting what they do.

There are quite a few areas that get no funding, I have had to register 3 times in the past (due to moves) and I was grateful for any funding I could get.

Kelly

My start up grant I think was £436. £136 was for NCMA stuff, first aid, food hygiene, icp and the remaining £300 was paid back to me when I provided receipts for safety or multicultural items.

£300 seems a bit much just for the NCMA bumpf so I would do a little questioning.

Mine was the same as Mandy's. I didn't receive cash butthe grant paid for NCMA, ICP, First Aid and all safety equipment I needed, including fire blanket.

...I am sure it can go towards caurses?

I didnt get one! There is no money apparantly.
We do have access to free trainings though.

Jana x

So much for ours being one of the richest counties in the country :rolleyes:

we had to have ncma starter pack, ncma membership and insurance which came to £174.00 then we gave in receipts for the remaining total and i got the money back into my account about 8 weeks later i put in receipts for safty gates, and toys, and first aid kit

My start up grant consisted of NCMA toolkit, insurance, etc and all the courses= icp, first aid, etc.
I also got my doctors health declaration form fees paid for as well. X