Can be self-employed or employed under agency model

justgoodfriends · 13-02-2013, 05:29 PM

More info on agencies.

Agency childminders will choose employment status | Nursery World

**wendywu** · 13-02-2013, 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by justgoodfriends

More info on agencies.

Agency childminders will choose employment status | Nursery World

So they are saying that we could be employed and receive holiday and sick pay, sounds too good to be true

**JCrakers** · 13-02-2013, 05:48 PM

Mmmm....right

They're going to pay our tax and ni, pension, sick and holiday pay, maternity pay, etc

Sounds like the wage packet they give us will reflect this....ie a low one

**bunyip** · 13-02-2013, 05:58 PM

Not entirely news. Companies like @homechildcare already directly employ and place childcare workers.

I guess it means we can be sacked as well.

**WibbleWobble** · 13-02-2013, 06:04 PM

Ha ha ha I asked her that question on the mumsnet web chat! I asked her if we were going to be employed so therefore eligible for paye perks!

But how will the purchase of resources be sorted? And assistants? I think it hasn't been thought out... Again!

Wibble x

**FussyElmo** · 13-02-2013, 06:09 PM

Will we all paid the same whether or not we have 1 or 4 children (under 5's)?

justgoodfriends · 13-02-2013, 06:13 PM

The main concern with the minders I've spoken to is that we would no longer be self-employed, so I think people will start to come round to the idea if they are assured that we can remain S/E

Have to admit my FIS does not have a very high profile and it's very difficult to find the online listing of minders, so if an agency were to step in and do a better job finding prospective families it would be advantageous.

**Tunja** · 13-02-2013, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by FussyElmo

Will we all paid the same whether or not we have 1 or 4 children (under 5's)?

If you are employed it will be a wage regardless of how many children. Just think of the running costs of such an agency. The insurance, staff, NI, benefits, training. What happens if they employ lots of childminders, pay them a wage and have insufficient children to go around? Just like the number of childminders with vacancies now. I would like £26000 to match my current income, six weeks holiday and as we have to share the few children available, only one child to mind. How long before these agencies go belly up?
Tunja

**bunyip** · 13-02-2013, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by WibbleWobble

Ha ha ha I asked her that question on the mumsnet web chat! I asked her if we were going to be employed so therefore eligible for paye perks!

But how will the purchase of resources be sorted? And assistants? I think it hasn't been thought out... Again!

Wibble x

.....like invading parts of the world with no end-game plan. Just another case of government hyperactivity disorder.

**4365** · 13-02-2013, 06:37 PM

I think the agencies would pay the minimum wage and place the maximum number of children you could have. This is how they will make a profit and the Government would see childcare costs drop.

I'll be rushing to join one then...not.

Anni

**funemnx** · 13-02-2013, 06:40 PM

If I was going to employed by an agency and recieving the same for minding one child as 6 then why would I mind 6?

**oxfordshirecm** · 13-02-2013, 07:06 PM

Also how would our expensive work? We work from home and provide food heat water light etc each day so are we not going to be able to claim this all back now and be completely out if pocket?

**Bananabrain** · 15-02-2013, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by oxfordshirecm

Also how would our expensive work? We work from home and provide food heat water light etc each day so are we not going to be able to claim this all back now and be completely out if pocket?

Exactly! there are sooooo many possible issues with the supposed agencies, the questions go on and on.
I asked Ms Truss on the webchat how the agencies would be funded. Her answer was that they would be funded from 'various sources' mmmmmmm!
What I want to know is what about all the food that I buy for my mindees. Are the agencies going to bring me deliveries from Asda? and the baby wipes, toilet paper, anti bac, tissues, craft materials etc etc the list is endless.Just like wibble said: it just hasn't been thought through.
The reality is that government ministers simply don't have a clue what we do.

**hectors house** · 15-02-2013, 08:59 AM

Look at what has happened with having "agencies" to organise dairies to deliver our free milk entitlement - the lack of communication between the agencies and the NMRU is shocking. I am still getting threatening e-mails from Scotts for aparently not completed validations but the NMRU say I am completely up to date!

Will this happen with agencies supplying our mindees?

**SYLVIA** · 15-02-2013, 10:05 AM

I thought I read somewhere, that childminder and parents will pay the agency and that they will be self supporting. So am I going to pay them to pay me? She can't possibly expect minders who have been working for many years to jump in for her plans without full, open and honest discussions, face to face, first. And she seems to think that will happen, but only with minder who are in favour or open minded to agencies! This whole thing and especially this woman are just a joke

**sarak31** · 15-02-2013, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by funemnx

If I was going to employed by an agency and recieving the same for minding one child as 6 then why would I mind 6?

Because otherwise you would get sacked. Being employed will probably mean a contract of employment which will state that you can look after up to 6 children and will be obliged to have as many of those 6 that they deem necessary. that's one of the points of these agencies - more accessible childcare, it isn't going to increase places if they allow us to just have 1 or 2. This lack of control is why we need to fight this. We will be working harder for a lot less money. It's fine for those of us who can choose to leave the profession, but what about most who rely on their income at the moment as their family income. They may have 3 full timers and be earning x amount but then will be taken close to minimum wage (depending on their qualifications). As with all of this, it just isn't thought through - this will put people out of work or certainly affect their income badly and not all of us from a financial point of view will have a choice if we continue or not if (or when) agencies do become compulsory.

I think this picture is inevitable (just my opinion) because the only way it will work is if childminders were employed and the agency took the rest of the profits - they just aren't going to be sustainable otherwise. If it allowed self employed childminders that paid 5% of income - say 10 childminders that's not going to be enough to pay wages of those that administer the agency, provide the training etc and make profit. I just can't see that working - I think it will end up being on a employed basis and that isn't going to be good for a lot of us.

**Ripeberry** · 15-02-2013, 10:19 AM

I won't be in an agency. I will work with the number of children that I want. What about problem parents? Will we be forced to take them on? And parents will in the end choose who they want. What if they want you but you don't want them?

**sarak31** · 15-02-2013, 10:30 AM

As an employee you won't have any choice.

That's why this isn't good. ms Truss doesn't seem to realise if we wanted to work in this structure we'd work in a nursery. Why would I turn my house upside down, take the personal risks of working alone with children, affect my families life when I could work for the same money in a nursery. Which I obviously don't want to do or I would be doing it!

**SYLVIA** · 15-02-2013, 10:57 AM

Just a thought but if we receive a wage, what will happen when the parent asks if they can come 15 mins earlier tomorrow or arrive an hour late home because the train was cancelled. Do we have to tell the agency that we want paying over time. I have to say that if my parents are late due to train cancellations bad weather etc, I may not charge them but I would charge if the agency had told me I had to have that child! .So then the parent will be charged more in the end. Agencies will take away the personal touch that childminders have with parents and families

**Ripeberry** · 15-02-2013, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by SYLVIA

Just a thought but if we receive a wage, what will happen when the parent asks if they can come 15 mins earlier tomorrow or arrive an hour late home because the train was cancelled. Do we have to tell the agency that we want paying over time. I have to say that if my parents are late due to train cancellations bad weather etc, I may not charge them but I would charge if the agency had told me I had to have that child! .So then the parent will be charged more in the end. Agencies will take away the personal touch that childminders have with parents and families

That's the thing isn't it. Would parents even want to use an agency themselves? What if they did not want to use a particular CM. What if the kids didn't get on, could they change minders when they wanted? And what about any changes to hours/days? Would they have to deal with the agency or the CM direct? Sounds like it's turning into the kind of 'agency' I had to deal with as a Home carer. You were always at their beck and call and felt that if you did not accept certain work then you would not be getting the 'better work'.
What a nest of chaos Truss is making for herself!