Letter to Huffington Post

[sarah707]

As promised I have written to Huffington Post asking for their support.

If you would like to write to them as well, to back up my plea for their help, their email details are here - Contact Us.

This is my message!


Hi, my name is Sarah Neville. I am an Ofsted registered childminder and early years writer.

As I am sure you are aware the early years is currently in crisis following the ‘More Great Childcare’ plan released by Ms Truss MP.

I am involved in a campaign, along with thousands of other childminders across the country, via the Childminding Forum - Campaigns and Petitions. The Childminding Forum is the biggest online community for childminders in the UK with over 22,000 members.

Our aim is to stop the ‘More Great Childcare’ plan before it can damage outcomes for our children and threaten the sustainability of the many thousands of established childminders currently working throughout England.

It has been suggested by a number of childminders that I make contact with you and ask if there is anything Huffington Post might be able to do to support our campaign.

So far we have -

- Produced a response document to the Government’s ‘More Great Childcare’ plan – www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/mgc – and sent it to Government and news agencies

- Given childminders ideas for letter writing – which at the moment are getting either ‘party line’ responses or no response at all

- Encouraged childminders to complete all available online consultations – many of which are heavily weighted in their questioning to give biased results

- Produced a leaflet and other information for childminders to distribute to make colleagues, local authorities etc aware of their concerns

- Challenged Ms Truss and Northampton Childminding Association over a request made to Northampton childminders that only those who agree with her plans are invited to a meeting to discuss them!

- Supported a petition against changes to child ratios which we believe will lower outcomes for children and put children at risk – www.keepratiosdown.co.uk – which currently has 22,500 signatories.

Our campaign is being organised via the Childminding Forum and we would very much appreciate support from the Huffington Post.

I am happy to provide the information – I already write for a number of publications and organisations including Child Care magazine (Practical pre-school), Home Childcarer magazine (Morton Michel), Childcare.co.uk (Babysitters, Childminders, Nannies, Nanny Jobs, Private Tutors - Childcare.co.uk) and many more and I am a moderator on the Childminding Forum (sarah707).

I look forward to hearing from you.

All the best etc


Come on guys let's have lots of letters going out to news agencies... you are welcome to use my letter as a template

[4365]

I am just about to write to them. I am doing one letter a day (seven so far) as my tiny bit. Sarah and others are fantastic in doing this but it is up to all of us to shout out and play the numbers game. Lets shame them into listening.

[sarah707]

I am just about to write to them. I am doing one letter a day (seven so far) as my tiny bit. Sarah and others are fantastic in doing this but it is up to all of us to shout out and play the numbers game. Lets shame them into listening.

Excellent attitude and great support!

[The Juggler]

Sarah I'm going to have a go at sending one to our local this week