so who didn't benefit from the capital grant?

**sue** · 22-01-2009, 07:08 PM

nothing here in north Oxforshire!!!!!!!!!

**daisychainqueen** · 22-01-2009, 07:16 PM

Hi, I'm in cambridgeshire and got a grant for Outcomes, quality and Inclusion. I got £2800 which was nice!!

This is what they said about it:-

"The funding should be used to support higher quality experiences for young children and to ensure that all children can access services and benefit fully from them."
"The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) has allocated funding to support early years and childcare settings for the period April 2008 – March 2011. The grant has three aims:

• To improve the quality of the learning environment in early years settings to support delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), with a particular emphasis on improving play and physical activities, and ICT resources.
• To ensure all children, including disabled children, are able to access provision
• To enable private, voluntary and independent providers to deliver the extension to the free offer for 3 and 4 year olds in a flexible manner. "

**jellytot** · 22-01-2009, 07:18 PM

im in vale royal, cheshire and we got nothin, was told its not for childminders!!

**kindredspirits** · 22-01-2009, 07:25 PM

thank you ladies - keep 'em coming
daisychainqueen - are you an accredited childminder or not? (just trying to get a basic view on who if any have been given the big bucks)

thanks, anna x

**daisychainqueen** · 22-01-2009, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by kindredspirits

thank you ladies - keep 'em coming
daisychainqueen - are you an accredited childminder or not? (just trying to get a basic view on who if any have been given the big bucks)

thanks, anna x

Afraid so,
and I was given the impression that I should keep very very quiet about getting the money.

**kindredspirits** · 22-01-2009, 07:29 PM

thank you very much, this is becoming very interesting.

**LisaH** · 22-01-2009, 07:47 PM

I'm in Leeds and as far as I understand (meaning the paperwork is difficult to decipher) only network minders are able to apply!! I couldnt join a network if I wanted to cos there isn't one in my area!! Needless to say not impressed

**sue m** · 22-01-2009, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by daisychainqueen

Afraid so,
and I was given the impression that I should keep very very quiet about getting the money.

Which is why I never mentioned it on here!! It was your business.

**kindredspirits** · 22-01-2009, 08:02 PM

don't get me wrong in the slightest, i think its absolutely fantastic that you've been awarded part of this grant, and i am sure it will improve your setting no end - i would just like someone to actually explain why it is being distributed so haphazardly. you never know, they might rethink it in the future!

**madasahatter** · 22-01-2009, 08:07 PM

I'm in Bradford and feel soooooo lucky. I really feel for all you minders out there who have had nothing. We get soooo much support (if we want it) and we were able to apply for up to £2500 before Christmas (will find out in the next few days how much I will get) to support all areas of the eyfs. It was open to every childminder in Bradford, though I know a lot of childminders didn't apply. You had to list what you wanted, approximate costs/suppliers and justify how it would help you meet the requirements of the eyfs.

Two years ago they offered grants to all registered settings (childminders, preschools, private nurseries etc) to support 'meeting ofsted outcomes' I think it was called, where you could apply for anything at all, supposedly to help you address any areas that ofsted had highlighted in your inspection report. Whilst the only requirement I had was to instigate and record a regular fire drill, I was still able to apply for and get replacement car seats (they were getting a bit old), new double pushchair, lots of equality resources, new travel cot and other things running to approx £750.

My advise is to move to Bradford everyone!!!

**Chatterbox Childcare** · 22-01-2009, 08:11 PM

I am in Swindon Wiltshire and we were all given £250.00 to purchase toys/equipment but they linked it to EYFS training.

I also read that the money is being given for 2 years to the council but nothing so far has been heard

**MrsT333** · 22-01-2009, 08:18 PM

My EYSO didint know anything about it...she tried to look iin to but she said it was only for nursery funded cm.

I really wanted some display boards and new activities

**jeanybeany** · 22-01-2009, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by janiefear

I'm in Staffordshire and we've had a camera/camcorder/mp3 thingy (probably valued at about £100 each). Staffordshire are also scrapping our Networks unless you are accredited so that's me off the Network as of April. They say that they are spending too much money supporting just a few childminders but guess which childminders have turned up to all the meetings so far, you've got it - the Network Minders.

Anyway, I'm really enjoying my minding at the mo, paperwork and knowledge seems to be heading in the right direction but access to the Capital Grant might have been nice .

They have funded my first year of NVQ though - suppose I shouldn't be too greedy.

Jane

I am in staffordshire too! I chose the mp3 microphones thinking that you would get atleast two, no just one with a value of £20 (seen a pack of five for about £100). Not really fair when I could have chose a camera but didn't due to having my own and thinking the older ones would like them. Yes they do like it but spend most of the time arguing over it (lol).

I too am in a network and applied to become accredited before I knew about this, but you are right the only cm that go to meetings are the network ones infact no other cm in my area are interested when I tell them about meet ups.

It would have been nice for all cm to be given a sum of money to choose resources to meet EYFS requirements but also meet the cm own establishment and the children's interests in their care. I would love some multicultural dresing up and a dark den!

They do fund training and things like you say, I suppose you can't have everything

**mrsbumbles** · 23-01-2009, 07:38 AM

No not a thing

**don the duck** · 23-01-2009, 07:56 AM

im in sandwell and nothing so far.... havent heard anything so i might give my dev worker a call

**donnadoo2004200** · 23-01-2009, 08:01 AM

There wre 2 different forms in Bristol. Postcode lottery again. 1 Part of Bristol got it £300 another did not. I did not. Why dont they treat us all same, we all have to buy the same things at the end of the day.

**twise** · 23-01-2009, 09:13 AM

I'm in barnet and they have still to meet to discuss what the money is used for. i did manage to talk to one of the senior childminder coordinators the other day and she said that no decision has been made but all childminders will be given a digital camera ....(have seen the digital cameras they provide and they are the cheapest of the cheap and to be honest I have one already) with regard to the the rest of the money you will have to send a proposal in and they will evaluate blah blah blah.

So it looks like the money is earning a nice bit of interest in the London borough of Barnet's account and childminders will be thrown a few scraps as and when they see fit.

Tracy

**elaineg** · 23-01-2009, 09:35 AM

Hi Im in Newcastle upon Tyne, we were given £1500 to buy things linked to EYFS and have been told we will be getting more in April but dont know how much yet.

love Elaine XX