I had a long chat with a journalist today who is writing an article for Nursery World magazine about childminder agencies.

I made it very clear at the start that I am not in favour of agencies and neither are most of my colleagues.

She asked me about the Lords debate where the motion to wait until the consultation was over before setting up agencies was rejected earlier this week. I said we felt that was a great pity and that we feel the Govt are trying to push agencies on us, regardless of what we say.

Baroness Morgan of Ely made a very good case against agencies starting up including explaining that they weren't going to do our paperwork for us - and that's the bit cms want help with more than anything. She deserves a medal but sadly they didn't listen to her.

We chatted about who (if we wanted them) should run agencies - the private sector or others. I said that if the private sector are nurseries then they are not, with respect, going to put childminder needs first as they are in direct competition with us.

I said that, remembering we do not want agencies, the more palatable solution would have been to give LAs a clearer role - less paperwork burden and more help and support. However, they are not only introducing agencies before the consultation period is over - they are also taking away our LAs which is causing a lot of problems for childminders.

Apparently agencies are saying that we need them to network with other providers - well we wouldn't have needed them if they had left our LAs in place and given them extra support to help us ... I made that clear as well.

The final question - would childminders be prepared to pay £700 for a re-inspection (NOT inspection - that wasn’t mentioned - so don't panic!!) to try and raise their grade from unsatisfactory or requires improvement.

I explained the history of the £700 and how it has been bandied around for some time as the apparent cost of inspecting a childminder. I tried to explain how much £700 is in real terms to a childminder who earns £3.50 / £4 an hour or less in some areas of the country.

I said that many childminders believe if Ofsted inspections were fairer in the first place we wouldn’t need re-inspections.

I said that I am part of the Ofsted Big Conversation group which will be meeting Ofsted soon to discuss inspections and is working towards a better inspection system for all early years providers including childminders.

I hope I did you proud