Feeling very insulted today...

**sarah707** · 22-03-2013, 12:54 PM

As you all know I sent our www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/mgc analysis of the 'More Great Childcare' plan to the Department for Education...

And I have been eagerly awaiting their response.

Hundreds of you input into the analysis and it was sent on behalf of ALL childminders who wanted to share their concerns about the plan.

Well, today I received a reply.

The Dept for Education thank me for my letter and advise me that the Govt are planning to make changes to ratios and introduce agencies for childminders - and recommend I read 'More Great Childcare' for more information.

To say I feel insulted right now is an understatement

..................

However, their letter has backfired on them! It has simply given me renewed energy to fight their plans!

I have responded to the BBC article asking them to remember childminders - BBC News - Cut nursery staff to child ratio, urges minister

I have Tweeted the latest info from CYPNow - Pressure mounts over changes to childcare ratios | Children & Young People Now

I have talked to MPs and other early years professionals who are supporting our plans - Shaking the Foundations of Quality (Nutbrown) 18th March 2013

I have written a list of things I want clarifying so I can stay independent - Finding out more about what it will mean to stay independent

I am putting a link to our Forum petition all over Twitter again - www.keepratiosdown.co.uk. If others can remind their FB friends I would be very grateful.

AND I have a surprise for you all later if you are VERY good

**Rick** · 22-03-2013, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by sarah707

As you all know I sent our www.childmindinghelp.co.uk/mgc analysis of the 'More Great Childcare' plan to the Department for Education...

And I have been eagerly awaiting their response.

Hundreds of you input into the analysis and it was sent on behalf of ALL childminders who wanted to share their concerns about the plan.

Well, today I received a reply.

The Dept for Education thank me for my letter and advise me that the Govt are planning to make changes to ratios and introduce agencies for childminders - and recommend I read 'More Great Childcare' for more information.

To say I feel insulted right now is an understatement

..................

However, their letter has backfired on them! It has simply given me renewed energy to fight their plans!

I have responded to the BBC article asking them to remember childminders - BBC News - Cut nursery staff to child ratio, urges minister

I have Tweeted the latest info from CYPNow - Pressure mounts over changes to childcare ratios | Children & Young People Now

I have talked to MPs and other early years professionals who are supporting our plans - Pressure mounts over changes to childcare ratios | Children & Young People Now

I have produced a list of things I want clarifying so I can stay independent - Finding out more about what it will mean to stay independent

I am putting a link to our Forum petition all over Twitter again - www.keepratiosdown.co.uk. If others can remind their FB friends I would be very grateful.

AND I have a surprise for you all later if you are VERY good

Ooh the suspense. Yes how insulting Sarah

**SYLVIA** · 22-03-2013, 01:04 PM

Sarah, I really admire your strength. I have not done anywhere near the amount of campaigning that you have and i'm losing the will to try, very fast now. I won't though, simply because of people like you who do so much work on our behalf. Thank you again. Emails and letters going out again this week end

**WibbleWobble** · 22-03-2013, 01:05 PM

very insulting....how very dare they!

Now this surprise......have you borrowed my nipple tassels? i havent seen them for a while........

wibble in suspense x

**sarah707** · 22-03-2013, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by WibbleWobble

very insulting....how very dare they!

Now this surprise......have you borrowed my nipple tassels? i havent seen them for a while........

wibble in suspense x

Ohhhhh ouch!

No, it's not that

**desiderata** · 22-03-2013, 01:34 PM

I would be insulted too x Just proves they dont read things doesnt it !!

**Ripeberry** · 22-03-2013, 01:35 PM

Nipple tassels and hairy balls! Now that would be a surprising sight!

But seriously. I really admire what you are doing

**phoenix2010** · 22-03-2013, 01:37 PM

oh WOW...proof that they really dont care what we think if we really needed it

it makes an absolute joke of the word democracy , doesnt it ?

Keep up the fight , it is very muchly appreciated and although I dont have nearly the knowledge , guts or way with words that you have , just know that we will all be there to back you when needed, Ive never signed as many petitions or written to my MP before now

**The Juggler** · 22-03-2013, 01:39 PM

they suggested you read more great childcare!!!!! do they think we are complete idiots - where do they think we got the information from - it's certainly not from any LA advisors - not round here anyway

looking forward to the surprise xx

**phoenix2010** · 22-03-2013, 01:45 PM

are you setting up an agency ?

**rickysmiths** · 22-03-2013, 01:46 PM

I wonder how all the Self Employed Electricians, Plumbers, Gardeners etc would feel if the government took thier Self Employment away from them and made them register with agencies for work longer be self employed and have someone else tell them what to charge and decide what they will earn?

Oh is that called employment????

**sarah707** · 22-03-2013, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by phoenix2010

are you setting up an agency ?

So funny!

**The Juggler** · 22-03-2013, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by phoenix2010

are you setting up an agency ?

I am going to. I'm gonna charge parents £200 to register PER YEAR, charge them a higher hourly rate than childminders currently do, take a commission so the childminder gets less than she does at present, charge new childminders a fortune to register with me, to do the training courses and to use my services, because that's what Miss Truss wants me to do so that we have lots of new childminders registering, none leaving the profession and so that we reduce childcare costs to parents.

I know this will work because ms Truss says so and I'll do anything I can to support such a well thought out initiative

**AgentTink** · 22-03-2013, 02:00 PM

I believe I made my concerns clear on Twitter......"When will Truss and her letter writing Elf's learn to read"

I have had no joy from my local MP so i am now harassing another local one who oversees another borough however he is on the Children and Families bill committee. I have gone a bit twitter mad today and kept copying him into tweets in all things to do with ratios and agencies

There is definitely hope out there though ... what with Cathy Nutbrowns comments, Busy Bee's retracting their support, feedback from the DfE meetings with people who were helping them to build their agencies model. As each day passes somebody else comes out in support of us. I truly believe that each little thing that each one of us is doing is slowly helping the cause.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE if you are reading this and have not acted yet please do so... simply sign the petition, get your parents to sign the petition, send a Tweet/Facebook msg to a MP, send a email letter to your MP, or DfE, sign up to be part of the DfE consultation on agencies, talk to other CM's in your area, complete a consultation, there really is so many ways to get our voice heard... please please do one of them

**sarah707** · 22-03-2013, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by AgentTink

I believe I made my concerns clear on Twitter......"When will Truss and her letter writing Elf's learn to read"

Oh It was you! Hello Twitter friend

I am trying really hard to get to grips with it....

**shortstuff** · 22-03-2013, 02:13 PM

Is it time to involve the opposition MP's? They like to have something to moan about and it would hopefully then get some coverage in the main commons debates?

Or am i just dreaming?

**hectors house** · 22-03-2013, 02:20 PM

I'm sorry they didn't read your letter properly - you may have just as well written

RE: ratios and agencies

bla bla bla bla

Yours sincerely

instead of spending hours writing specific, detailed letters to people who are supposed to be listening.

Can you give us an idea of when you may spill the beans about your "surprise" - as I am out this evening and wouldn't want to get news third hand tomorrow?