Grants awarded to pilot childcare hubs

[Simona]

Grants have been awarded under the DfE's Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise programme...all together 72 recipients amongst them 4Children, NCB and NDNA


Grant awarded to pilot childcare 'hubs' | Nursery World

Is there a link to this announcement a while back??

Unemployed parents to be turned into childminders | Children & Young People Now

[Mouse]

I was just reading that & have come on here as I knew someone would have posted about it!

So, is a 'hub' the same as an agency?

[Simona]

Sue Gregory (Ofsted) is very keen on cms hubs run from Children Centres but there is no mention of this nor where these hubs will be open or what type of childcare is involved....I smell a rat but I hope to be wrong
Hope someone will clarify soon

[mrstom]

I was just reading that & have come on here as I knew someone would have posted about it!

So, is a 'hub' the same as an agency?

Hub, agency...both sound the same to me!

[Mouse]

Hub, agency...both sound the same to me!

It sounded surprisingly like an agency to me. It seems a sneaky way to fund them when we've been told agencies won't be government funded

[justgoodfriends]

Sue Gregory (Ofsted) is very keen on cms hubs run from Children Centres but there is no mention of this nor where these hubs will be open or what type of childcare is involved....I smell a rat but I hope to be wrong
Hope someone will clarify soon

It does say Childminders will be involved "Alongside consortium partners, including the Innovation Trust, OPM, and Contact A Family, 4Children will develop Community Childcare Hubs so that parents can access nursery and childminder support from one co-ordinated source."

[Simona]

So ....the DfE is very busy developing agencies while giving no details whatsoever on who runs them or where they will be

No money is spared in pursuing new cms so that they can be ready for whatever purpose they have picked them for..out of benefits, out of employment and ready for 2014 to take the new influx of 2 year olds???

They are busy changing the inspection framework and possibly dabbling with cms inspections as well...if they leave us inspected at all??
But not a word about how much it will cost Independent cms to have Ofsted on our premises or how much it will cost to sustain our businesses

I am more than sure the EYFS will be getting a new look and direction soon
In the meantime the LAs are playing a game of chasing their own tails and running away from the fact they may soon be decimated

New money seems to be found for new ventures and not a penny spent on existing cms....and we continue to worry about agencies while totally unable to start planning and act as independent

I hate the empty praises Truss lavishes on us while totally ignoring the value of the cms that are pleading for some tit bit of news...

I had hoped the action on 1st June would have galvanised the workforce into joining together against ratios and agencies...but I am not hopeful so where do we go from here???
Blogs have been written, a river of words has flowed... petitions signed, consultation responded to...to no avail

What next?

[Mouse]

I just wonder how much longer can they leave this before making definite announcements and telling us what is really going to happen.

September is only 4 months away. All childcare providers need time to plan for what they will be doing in Sept. There's no point leaving it until the end of August and saying "oh, by the way, we've decided that from next week you can/cannot change your rations, you can remain independent, but it's going to cost you £X. Or you can join an agency - here are the details you've been waiting for for the last year".

Even looking solely at ratios, there will be cms who want to use the proposed changes & take on extra children. We're getting enquiries now for Sept. How do we know whether or not we can take the children on? If they say no to the ratio changes, fair enough...but tell us NOW!!!

[Simona]

I posted a message for ncma to respond to the grant and they have via twitter saying I am keen to hear about this scheme

I replied thousands of cms are not just me!...we need to know how this scheme will affect existing cms who have availability etc
ncma has promised a response soon!

I also contacted Barnardos but no one was available to discuss ...so I will try again later

I also got a tweet from 4Children and they have shared this link

4Children to develop flexible childcare hubs | WorkingMums.co.uk

Why does the DfE insist on funding new cms and not making sure existing ones can fulfil the spaces required for free childcare?
Down to us not to put more pressure on getting answers and ensure we are not overlooked in favour on new cms or our efforts and commitment will be a total waste of talent

[SYLVIA]

I just wonder how much longer can they leave this before making definite announcements and telling us what is really going to happen.

September is only 4 months away. All childcare providers need time to plan for what they will be doing in Sept. There's no point leaving it until the end of August and saying "oh, by the way, we've decided that from next week you can/cannot change your rations, you can remain independent, but it's going to cost you £X. Or you can join an agency - here are the details you've been waiting for for the last year".

Even looking solely at ratios, there will be cms who want to use the proposed changes & take on extra children. We're getting enquiries now for Sept. How do we know whether or not we can take the children on? If they say no to the ratio changes, fair enough...but tell us NOW!!!

totally with you here. I am looking at a possible variation for september to help parents keep their jobs but I dont want to agree to it then have Ofsted say we can't have variations or up our ratios. I feel I'm messing parents about when their jobs are hanging in the balance. Not very professional!!

[Simona]

More information from 4cHildren on their hubs...in areas of need apparently

4Children unveils plans for community childcare hubs | Children & Young People Now

[Mouse]

Thanks for the further link Simona.

It does say "She also emphasised that the hubs were a “completely different” concept from the government’s plans to establish childminding agencies."

The thing is, reading it the way it's explained there, it does sound like a viable proposition. But all I can help thinking is...isn't this what our LAs used to do, or at least, should have done? It now sounds to me like these hubs will be replacing LAs...more confused than ever

[sarak31]

Seems to me they are laying the ground for agencies. They are hell bent on introducing agencies, they know that a lot of existing childminders won't join them but they want them / need them too so they are introducing these hubs (which basically just sound like a central point for parents to go to to source childcare) that will ultimately be turned into agencies. Or am I being too cynical?

[Simona]

I share your thoughts Mouse...it looks like LAs will have less and less support for us and the hubs are another agency 'model' with cms coming under CCentres so fulfilling Sue Gregory's wish

No ..you are not cynical as agencies are coming and since there seems to be no appetite from us the new cms are the target

If the new cms are recruited in areas of needs then yes it is viable...but they should not take priority over established cms
@HomeChildcarer has also been very active on twitter today providing further info on agencies...

I still find it frustrating that ncma won't respond as it is well public now and as for the LAs continuing to dig their heels is just unbelievable?

I have just sent 2 tweets to the DfE asking why they are not removing the conditions so cms can join the scheme for 2,3 and year olds...now off to write to my LA again

[tori4]

I was just reading that & have come on here as I knew someone would have posted about it!

So, is a 'hub' the same as an agency?

Err do they think we are daft..................

[Simona]

More information from 4Children...sounds more and more like an agency model

4Children announce 'Reach Out' programme in national drive to support Children's Centres