Approved childminder

[JulieA]

I am sure I am just being a bit slow... But could someone please explain what an approved childminder is? I am moving to a new local authority and they have said they have both approved and accredited childminders. I know what accredited entails as I currently provide this, but not sure about the approved bit.

[moggy]

Every Local Authority is different so you will have to ask them for more info. We don't use those terms in my county, but in another county they might but with different meanings even!... so you really need to speak to your own LA to get to the bottom of it.

[CLL]

I would assume approved meant Ofsted registered and approved. I am not sure what else it could mean. Best to call to clarify.

[moggy]

I would assume approved meant Ofsted registered and approved. I am not sure what else it could mean. Best to call to clarify.

...or it could be some kind of local authority 'approval' system, like quality approval or something... could be anything. Why do LAs think up these things?!

[funemnx]

In Cambs we call it Quality Assured - some sort of LA approval x

[lisbet]

Could it be what is called 'enhanced provision' in my LA? It means you have been assessed as suitable to offer council funded placements to children referred by health visitors/ social workers.

[JulieA]

Not straight forward then!

I have asked the new LA but until I have moved and they are notified of me by ofsted they won't tell me anything

Thank you for your responses, I will let you know when I find out!

[loocyloo]

i saw someone advertising as an approved childminder on my local ***** ages ago ... she said she was an 'approved' childminder ... being nosy & interested ( !!! ) i emailed her to ask what it meant as north yorks has 'leading' childminders ( and it was the north yorks page ) ... i 'think' she said she was near leeds? ( i could be wrong! ) and that it was the same as accrediated and meant she could offer funded sessions.

[blue bear]

There are three levels here registered, approved (two year old funding) and accredited (three year and four year fund)

Which area are you moving to?

[JulieA]

Blue bear: I am moving to North Somerset. Literally two miles from my current house, and keeping most of my existing children. I currently am able to offer two year, three and four years and enhanced provision for social services.

[Simona]

My goodness here is another area where LAs have 'labelled' cms according to their practices

An Accredited cm can do funding for 2,3 and 4 year olds not just for 3/4!!
The LA may restrict satisfactory Accredited cms when it comes to 2 year olds or include them if they fit in their basket of measures...one of them being 'approved' or 'quality assured'

In my LA many non network cms are 'quality assured' with the ncma Quality First but the LA ignores that even though that quality assurance was brought in to equal that of network cms?? a real mess

With so many LAs variations sometimes it is even difficult to peer support others from another area when the system varies so much...some standardisation would be most welcome!!