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Is there an Agency in your Area?
Just as the title says really.
I'm in Berkshire and I am not aware of any here either existing or proposed ones.
Just, as today is the day they are supposed to be coming in I was wondering what's happening in your areas.
I not after a pro/against agency debate just was curious what's around.
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Nothing at all in my area. There's never been any talk of agencies here, so it'll be interesting to see if any pop up now. Can't see it happening, but it'll be interesting to watch where they do start to appear.
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Yes - its called My Agency and there is only one Childminder on the Books (ME) and one person running the agency (that'll be ME again) - I'm happy with the situation and have no intention of changing it
Other than that I have not heard of any other agency setting up
Celest
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Not heard there is one round by us
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None near me either and not heard of any being proposed.
My goodness Mrs Truss must be reeling in her amazing success!!
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Nothing here either. Went to a LA meeting a while ago and they had no info about one in this area
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We have one here - Trio childcare connections - offering bronze, silver and gold memberships that give support to independent childinders with training right through to full membership when everything is available.
Look here for a bit of information : https://training.triochildcare.co.uk/membership-info
Last edited by Chatterbox Childcare; 01-09-2014 at 02:12 PM.
Reason: wrong link
Debbie
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Im fairly close to @homechildcare , they were a nanny agency originally , and offered training for childminders ( level 2,3 , first aid) - but have now also become a cm agency.
I don't know anyone at all who is even interested in joining.
In fact when I had my inspection in August the inspector said she had never come across a cm who was intending to join one.
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Shared by Pacey today : makes interesting reading - December !
Ofsted have now released their childminder agency handbook<http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/news/childminder-agency-handbook-published-today>, with information on how to register an agency and very late on Friday the DfE published their promised guidance for agencies Ofsted | Childminder agency handbook published today . So we can now start to finalise the information our members need if they are considering joining an agency (if and when one opens in their local area). Ofsted makes clear that the registration process will be lengthy, with any agency applying to register on September 1 only likely to be up and running just before Christmas.
Debbie
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Has anyone in East Sussex come across Total Childcare Services Ltd?...they are preparing to be an agency and are featured in the October EYE issue and fully endorsed by 4Children Sue Robb
Childminding : Total Childcare Services
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Originally Posted by
Chatterbox Childcare
We have one here - Trio childcare connections - offering bronze, silver and gold memberships that give support to independent childinders with training right through to full membership when everything is available.
Look here for a bit of information :
https://training.triochildcare.co.uk/membership-info
So they aren't offering any more to their 'Gold' members than Pacey already offer their members at the mid price and offer it to Independent Childminders! Once you pay anything to the Agency for a Package and membership you loose your Independence and inspection.
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Originally Posted by
Simona
Has anyone in East Sussex come across Total Childcare Services Ltd?...they are preparing to be an agency and are featured in the October EYE issue and fully endorsed by 4Children Sue Robb
Childminding : Total Childcare Services
Yes I have they are a Husband and Wife Team who used to be Police Officers who had difficulty getting childcare to cover their shifts.
They are building a big Nursery and are really emphasizing outdoor play. They want to Employ Nannies and Childminders (yes that is right Employ cm) to cover 24/7 childcare for parents. If the Employed Nannies and childminders don't have any children to care for in a day they will be expected to work in the Nursery.
For Childminders who do have children in their homes an Expense Allowance will be paid to cover expenses and equipment will be loaned recognising that an Employed Childminder would no longer be able to file a Self Employment Tax Return and offset Expenses.
They have suggested that the more qualified and experienced Childminders will be paid more.
They will dictate working hours and that includes late evenings, overnight, and weekends so goodness knows what a childminder would do with their children if they had any.
There was a local meeting last week and one childminder with two under 8s of her own asked what would happen and they said they wouldn't employ her!!
Apparent the owners did not provide any refreshments. He was asked many questions by the childminders present and went away reeling and in their words 'with a very great deal to think about!'. They said it was clear he did not fully understand how childminding works or how highly qualified many of us are.
They are now waiting to see what happens next. All this was on Face Book and I know you are not on Face Book.
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Originally Posted by
rickysmiths
He was asked many questions by the childminders present and went away reeling and in their words 'with a very great deal to think about!'. They said it was clear he did not fully understand how childminding works or how highly qualified many of us are.
They are now waiting to see what happens next. All this was on Face Book and I know you are not on Face Book.
This is what I find most worrying, that people with no experience at all of childminding can set up an agency. How on earth is that going to benefit anyone?
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Thanks for sharing that RS as I am not on FB
In the EYE article it says the wife is still working as a police officer
Their website states that they have just employed a teacher for their agency...so that is how they will pass the knowledge test on EYFS while they have none!
It would be good if that cm who attended the meeting would write to EYE
They are on twitter too @TCSChildcare...so following them now
The Ofsted handbook also say it will take 16 weeks to register (p21)....so December is the likely date an agency will be up and running
Plenty of time to spoil their Christmas
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Originally Posted by
Mouse
This is what I find most worrying, that people with no experience at all of childminding can set up an agency. How on earth is that going to benefit anyone?
Nothing surprises me at all now! I just hope that common sense will prevail. Seems like Alice in wonderland runs the country these days lol.
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Originally Posted by
Simona
Thanks for sharing that RS as I am not on FB
In the EYE article it says the wife is still working as a police officer
Their website states that they have just employed a teacher for their agency...so that is how they will pass the knowledge test on EYFS while they have none!
It would be good if that cm who attended the meeting would write to EYE
They are on twitter too @TCSChildcare...so following them now
The Ofsted handbook also say it will take 16 weeks to register (p21)....so December is the likely date an agency will be up and running
Plenty of time to spoil their Christmas
Anyone remember the fuss back in 2011 when two friends got told off for un-regged childminding, then turned out they were police officers! I wonder if they are the same people?
EDIT: I need to read the EYE article.
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Originally Posted by
rickysmiths
Yes I have they are a Husband and Wife Team who used to be Police Officers who had difficulty getting childcare to cover their shifts.
They are building a big Nursery and are really emphasizing outdoor play. They want to Employ Nannies and Childminders (yes that is right Employ cm) to cover 24/7 childcare for parents. If the Employed Nannies and childminders don't have any children to care for in a day they will be expected to work in the Nursery.
For Childminders who do have children in their homes an Expense Allowance will be paid to cover expenses and equipment will be loaned recognising that an Employed Childminder would no longer be able to file a Self Employment Tax Return and offset Expenses.
They have suggested that the more qualified and experienced Childminders will be paid more.
They will dictate working hours and that includes late evenings, overnight, and weekends so goodness knows what a childminder would do with their children if they had any.
There was a local meeting last week and one childminder with two under 8s of her own asked what would happen and they said they wouldn't employ her!!
Apparent the owners did not provide any refreshments. He was asked many questions by the childminders present and went away reeling and in their words 'with a very great deal to think about!'. They said it was clear he did not fully understand how childminding works or how highly qualified many of us are.
They are now waiting to see what happens next. All this was on Face Book and I know you are not on Face Book.
Well where we live! Our local Authority granted permission for a new Nursery able to offer 140spaces! This will be on an industrial estate in an old office block. I am unsure the exact details but it may have links to a haulage company branching into childcare? I doubt this is an agency but 140spaces is HUGE compared to all the other Nursery settings already established in the same area and around the city.
Makes me wonder, how can anybody think that amount is ok? I thought the ratio fuss back along was bad enough.
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