How does your Surestart Centre work with you and vica versa?

[Chatterbox Childcare]

The Education Committee is conducting an inquiry into Sure Start Children's Centres examining the Core Purpose of Sure Start children's centres, their effectiveness and the range of services and activities provided.


Liz Bayram from Pacey will be giving evidence alongside representatives from *****, the Fatherhood Institute and the Family and Childcare Trust. The session will focus on the perspective of parents and users of children's centres and the Committee will be hoping that Liz will be able to offer information about the different ways in which childminders work with children's centres, and how well/not this works across different areas and different types of children's centres, what impact the increasing focus of children's centres on working with vulnerable families is having upon the relationship between children's centres and childminders. It is essentially a fact-finding exercise for the Committee.

Please post any contact that you have with your centre, good and bad and I will collate it into a document and send it to Pacey.

[AgentTink]

1) our childrens centre does not let childminders attend most sessions as they are 'only for parents'
2) lots of groups are for set ages ie under 1's, 2 to 3's, pre-school, so as a childminder i am then not able to attend as i have different age ranges.
3) i have never had a single parent refered to me from our local childrens centre even though it is only 1/2 a mile away from my house. They say they talk to parents about all the services in the local area.
4) when i have asked for support in regards to a child and their speech, i was advised that as a childminder i could not access the service even with permission of the parent
5) when asked when would be best to have a childminder drop in session most of us choose morning due to naps in the afternoon, and a few weeks later they put a session on during a thursday afternoon, and were then not happy when most childminders did not attend.
6) During the stay and play session with out door play, there is no activities set up by the centre worker, and instead the children just roam around trying to find things to do.
7) Out of the 10 childminders in my area I only know 1 really well, and another 2 to say hello to, as there is just no where for us to get together and meet.


All of this is in stark contrast to 2 other childrens center within my area which are fully supportive of childminders, have a chilminder drop in session which is advertised to parents so they can come and find care, with a full open door for childmnders to attend most classes. It is no surprise to know that these 2 areas have childminders who are always full, have great recommendations from the childrens center, parents within these areas actually seek out childminders before nurseries, and that the childminders all work and support each other as much as they can, and they all know one another due to being welcomed into the childrens centers.

[supermumy]

Same as above
My local one doesn't cater for cm so no help with anything and their suppose to and the other local sure start is so busy u have to book and is very clicky it not really welcome

[marnieb]

Yes sadly same here - the centre isn't local to me, but they started a playground at the end of my road in the scout hall, & then told me I couldn't go, even tho it's 3 min walk & I was attending with my own daughter as I had 2 mindees with me as well!!

[The Juggler]

oh here we go - the death knell for children's centres - they have a plan - to make THEM the agencies - i.e. a profit making service to families and CM's - hence no more public spending spent on them

[tori4]

Our C centre begged us to change premises abt 4 yrs ago to join them. = huge big tick on their ofsted report - working with others)

Last yr we got 4 weeks notice to say we couldn't hold our group there anymore- we had sold all our equipment and had not been paying any rent fee since our last venue. Manager didn't even tell us herself left it to the 'receptionist'

At a meeting with the cc manager she kept woffling abt what the could do for us ... Her suggestions.... Helps us get back into work? Demostic violence support group and perhaps send one of her ( 12 yr old ) play workers over to do a music/ messy play session with us :-0 as if we had never done such a thing...

Oh and safe sex advice!! I think our youngest CM is a 29yr mother of two ...

Same manager is also unaware that we have to do any eyfs paperwork or complete a SEF !!

Recently they have refused to give out our vacancy list holder contact details to interested parents encase it looks basis ...( HV work from there too so all parents go there in our town) And when a training provider asked if they cod spk to us abt training ( cause we had been based there b4) they were told we have no CM at this centre/town...

They are also advertising free CM training to all parents with under 5 but u HAVE to be unemployed and on benefits.....

Plus same as PP not invited to anything, allowed to attended any of the 'open' session as these really are for targeted families/babies/single children.

Ref 2yr funding - fellow CM had a vulnerable child placed with her- the centre forgot to mention the parent had serious angry management issues - but suggested she went to meet alone at their home ! Didn't let the CM know when the child's '(support worker' left and was not being replaced .. Oh and as soon as the chd turn 3 told the parent the child HAD to go to nursery now and not CM ( although CM is accredited) and was/is now carering for siblings ....

Arrrgh I could go on-

Oh yer we are not allowed to enter the centre anymore we have to press buzzer and eventually someone comes to the door and half opens it to spk to u ... This is a purposely built building with a £20k outside area and at least x2 store rooms full of toys/resources that no one every get to see let alone touch ...

Oh that felt sooooo gd to get off my chest .. Is this a public survey? Will pacey be asking CM direct as I am sure other local CM would like to share their thoughts too.

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Our C centre begged us to change premises abt 4 yrs ago to join them. = huge big tick on their ofsted report - working with others)

Last yr we got 4 weeks notice to say we couldn't hold our group there anymore- we had sold all our equipment and had not been paying any rent fee since our last venue. Manager didn't even tell us herself left it to the 'receptionist'

At a meeting with the cc manager she kept woffling abt what the could do for us ... Her suggestions.... Helps us get back into work? Demostic violence support group and perhaps send one of her ( 12 yr old ) play workers over to do a music/ messy play session with us :-0 as if we had never done such a thing...

Oh and safe sex advice!! I think our youngest CM is a 29yr mother of two ...

Same manager is also unaware that we have to do any eyfs paperwork or complete a SEF !!

Recently they have refused to give out our vacancy list holder contact details to interested parents encase it looks basis ...( HV work from there too so all parents go there in our town) And when a training provider asked if they cod spk to us abt training ( cause we had been based there b4) they were told we have no CM at this centre/town...

They are also advertising free CM training to all parents with under 5 but u HAVE to be unemployed and on benefits.....

Plus same as PP not invited to anything, allowed to attended any of the 'open' session as these really are for targeted families/babies/single children.

Ref 2yr funding - fellow CM had a vulnerable child placed with her- the centre forgot to mention the parent had serious angry management issues - but suggested she went to meet alone at their home ! Didn't let the CM know when the child's '(support worker' left and was not being replaced .. Oh and as soon as the chd turn 3 told the parent the child HAD to go to nursery now and not CM ( although CM is accredited) and was/is now carering for siblings ....

Arrrgh I could go on-

Oh yer we are not allowed to enter the centre anymore we have to press buzzer and eventually someone comes to the door and half opens it to spk to u ... This is a purposely built building with a £20k outside area and at least x2 store rooms full of toys/resources that no one every get to see let alone touch ...

Oh that felt sooooo gd to get off my chest .. Is this a public survey? Will pacey be asking CM direct as I am sure other local CM would like to share their thoughts too.

I got the above from an email from Pacey this morning so if they have your address you should of got one too

[Koala]

I thought the heading was a joke.

[Mrsh3103]

Everything that happens at my local sure start is invite only. You have to be in the 'click' to get invited. Nothing is offered to childminders & they aren't allowed to go to the toddler group the centre run at the local school!!

[rosebud]

I love my local children's centre and think it makes my job a lot easier. They help me in the following ways.

1. They arrange quarterly meetings with those that wish to attend to find out how best they can support us and to keep us up to date of local changes.
2. Twice weekly stay and play sessions which childminders are welcome to attend
3. Support workers provide me with advice and support when I ask for it - for example if a child has particular difficulties and they also treat me as a professional at all times.
4. Sometimes they arrange activities or specific groups which childminders are not allowed to attend because a) we do have a lot of children, b) our needs are not as great as some parents as we are already trained and c) some sessions are aimed at specific groups. However this is counter-balanced by the fact that they provide a room, resources and outdoor play area specifically for our use every week FREE OF CHARGE.
5. Where appropriate they suggest that visiting professionals also attend our group, for example we had an oral hygienist visit with up to date advice about caring for children's teeth, this was at a staff members suggestion but was offered, not forced on us.
6. They offer parents unbiased information about local childcare by directing parents to the FIS.
7. They employ happy smiling staff who take the time to know all the children by name so that the children love going.

As you can tell I am very happy with my experiences.

[MrsP2C]

My local cc welcome CM's to their stay & play sessions and all the staff are lovely but beyond that I've not really had (or thought to have) anything more from them ie in a professional capacity.

[blue bear]

Our children's centre has just lost a most fantastic manager so I'm waiting and watching to what changes might happen, up to now:

1)childminders are seen as an extension of the child's family and are welcome to everything.
2) we have a specific childminder session on a Tuesday afternoon (was Wednesday morning but changed due to poor attendance) where by the childminders draw up a list of future activites and the centre staff provide the resources and set up plus clean away after us all free of charge.
3) as there is a nursery attached most parents go to the centre and ask about the nursery but they are not too good at offering up childminders as an alternative even when they have long waiting lists but will give out childminder details if a parent specifically asks for a chikdminder
4) we have two centre managed by the same person and put reach session to which childminders are just s welcome as other parents or carers.
5) when we have asked for ideas or training they have provided it free of charge, onlY thing is they can't do evenings as not insured due to restrictions on planning permission.
6) they hold quarterly training/info sessions for childminders in an evening at the other site, it is poorly attended.
7) toy library is really hard to access they don't seem keen on lending the toys out for some reason (not just to childminders) hoping this will be better run under new manager, I'm going to offer to run it on the childminders session.
8)they frequently invite us to sessions we don't regularly attend if they have visitors coming in like a cooking session, or zoo lab, music session etc.
8) some of the staff are really lovely and friendly, other never speak to us even if they are the only staff there.
9) the 2 year o,d vulnerable funding is delivered through the centre, we tend to be a last resort with very little communication upfront or support during cre from the centre support worker.
10) most of us don't attend the non childminder sessions as the staff are quite often unorganised and come accross as uncaring, can't be bothered. And find the sessions are not appropriate for young children.

[Sweetpea]

Our children's centre has CM specific group weekly which they charge for. They share their planning with us. If enough CMs want training, they run it for us. They were super useful by sharing info and forms when I first started and helping me. The staff always know most of my children's names and smile and are friendly.
Yes, they have affected some of the attendance of other local groups by their own activities being so popular. But now there is still more groups on than before locally.
When they make cutbacks they explain why and I can understand their position sometimes too.
If I ever needed them to help with a child I believe they would as they always offer advice if we need it.
I don't believe they are reaching the most hard to reach groups though as these children are in the pubs with their parents or in front of the TV instead of walking into their local centre where someone may grass them up to social services. This is a shame

[Tinkerbell1979]

I love my children's centre, every Thursdsy is playgroup just for childminders which is free. We all bring a piece if fruit for snack and a the kids know one another :-)

[Tinkerbell1979]

Oh and often during group we here 'we have a parent needing......'

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Last day for replies - bumped up so please add in anything you think is good or bad about your local surestart centre

[Kirstylob]

My childrens centre has gone down hill over the last year. They were very good and friendly,then 2 staff members left and the receptionist changed and was replaced by a very unwelcoming woman who seemed to find childminders as annoyance. We were then told that the only group that was open to everyone as a drop on play session was closing and offered a session just for childminders. It seemed idea, but the condition of having the group was that we weren't allowed to attend any other sessions on offer. They haven't stopped moving the goalposts since we started using it.
Not at all supportive. Its a real shame, its only been running a few years but everything they offer seems to be aimed at very specific people and not childminders!

[munch149]

I have a few local centres and have attended them all on different occasions both for childminding and for my daughter all of the staff are lovely, friendly, helpful and welcoming. I do believe that I would not be able to go to all of these if I weren't a parent too

Centre one: I have been to for Breastfeeding support group with my own child, they have a dedicated childminding group with staff which is excellent, you can book out the soft play and sensory room for yourself any time as long as available. Provides training on occasions although now most isn't local.

Centre 2: I have used for a baby group for my own and minded children when I have only had those under 18 months, have attended baby massage with my own child, go to a play and stay with minded children, have attended parenting courses som which are particularly suitable for me as a childminder (story sack course, healthy cooking), run antenatal groups as well as health clinic where I can seek advice if needed. Run a creative kids group (in a separate building) which I know childminders can attend. Also ran a Breastfeeding group however lost funding. Have gone to fun days with minded children

Centre 3: have attended fun days with minded children, ran forest school days which I went to with minded children, have a stay and play group and childminding group also (however not as well used or supported).


Even if I don't use all of the services it is helpful to know about them so I know where I can send parents to get support. I think it is fantastic what they do and what they provide and the staff are amazing. Through them I have met other childminders, made friends, socialised the children, got activity ideas, successfully Breastfed my child, and generally been made a more confident childminder and parent

[Chatterbox Childcare]

All submitted so no more comments please