I feel the ratio debate is taking over from the agency threat as the latter is certainly taking second place...this worries me a great deal

RATIOS
At present cms are taking advantage of the 'exceptional circumstances' when they judge and assess taking on more children...I believe most cms doing so find this is working for them and are complying with the EYFS12 by not exceeding 6 children under 8...right??
There will be the odd cms who are abusing the system but this is up to the DfE and Ofsted to address and it could be done in a simple accountable way...

Preschools and nurseries already have the choice to increase their numbers if they employ a 'graduate' but apparently they are not taking advantage of this...this bothers Truss a lot and it was also reflected in the ratio consultation as a question...

so we have a reform of the qualifications in order to take on more children...how long will that take?? and why exclede cms from getting a level 3 as it is still voluntary??
also Truss has stated 'we will grant the higher ratios'...does she mean DfE or Ofsted?? she wants us to be independent in making decisions but that does not sound like giving us more flexibility to choose...right??

My understanding is that Truss is proposing cms look after 4 children under 5...2 being babies...what is the difference between this and what we already do???


AGENCIES
This is a minefield because we are totally in the dark who is setting them up, who they are, how they will be inspected, how they will monitor cms quality and so on and on
So until we get a firm response we will go on speculating but one thing is clear: the huge majority of cms are against agencies and pledging to stay independent...right??

Enter 'Childcare hubs' ...we do not have all the information but it looks like they will be recruiting new cms...in areas of need...to develop a new childcare model..that word pops up too often!
According to 4Children this is already in existence...did you know about this?

(All statements in brackets are taken from the National Prospectus Grant so I am quoting)

Grants have been provided by the DfE to 4 Children 'bring together daycare and cms to develop a financially sustainable model for a more flexible childcare offer'
I was also informed this includes recruiting 800 new cms
Lots to read in this...sustainable model?...could be an agency model that needs to sustain itself as agencies are not funded by the DfE...so why the initial grant and why take this away from LAs who have always recruited new cms??

Action for Children is given the grant to 'support recruitment, start up and training of 630 new cms to help meet demand for free childcare entitlement (I feel this should read 'subsidised free childcare' by the provider??)
So these unemployed mothers will be recruited as cms...come off benefits and then subsidise free childcare??

So here we have new cms going straight into funding 2,3 and 4 year olds maybe??? how can they be when we still fight some of our LAs for inclusion???
Will they claim from September 2013 and if so, how can they become high quality so quickly...or...are they being prepared for 2014 for the 2nd influx of 2 year olds??

Barnardos are given money to 'improve the availability and flexibility of high quality childcare and increase parental employment'
We now know that ncma has withdrawn from this scheme, apparently because there was an issue with the 'agency' being involved

NCB have been given money for 3 projects one being 'develop accredited training routes for practitioners using a multi-media approach with a focus on supporting 2 year olds'

We know that ncma is involved with NCB and Action for Children but have no details as yet

From what we understand new cms have to be registered with an agency in future...right??
So is ncma involved in recruiting new cms who will have no option but to register with an agency?
who will the agency be? the CCentre?

While this news came out last week we also heard often the word 'childcare hubs'...what are they?
are they what Sue Gregory has been pushing for when she said she wanted cms to be working in CCentres??
what is the difference between an agency and a childcare hub?

One worry for me is how will independent cms advertise their vacancies?...will parents have any choice or will they be directed to CCentres and childcare hubs??

In the meantime ratios are the buzz word...I get very frustrated because I feel agencies should be alongside ratios
Everyone seemed to get excited that Cameron may be rethinking on ratios but no one is rethinking on agencies...or are they?
I really think we are taking our eyes off agencies and there are appearing in various models...

someone tweeted the other day that ratios rethink is a 'foot in the doo'r and agencies will follow...are you sure??
I am not convinced because, in my view and it is my view, ratios will be put in the new EYFS 13 (I bet that will withdrawn from the website in August to be reformed with ratios changed when republished)

Also ratios do not require any money spent on them ...it is just a question of changing the EYFS again but agencies or childcare hubs are being funded now and the projects starting already

For me ratios were never threat but agencies are...in all current campaigns 'agencies' seem to be an 'add on' rather than running side by side with ratios...right??

So many unanswered questions!!