yet another cutback

[christine e]

Hi

Just received a letter to say that the Nottinghamshire Support Childminder scheme is being withdrawn from 31st March 2011. In Notts there is a team of about 30 childminders who support newly registered childminders for which we receive a bursary. Sadly this is ending by the end of the month.

Christine

[mama2three]

Do you remember the questionnaire we all had to fill in saying how we rated each of the ncma services Christine? Apparently it showed that this was the least valuable part. I have to say I agree , but then thats because I got no support whatsoever from my support minder , not even met her til a training session! As with so much the problem is with consistency , Im sure there are some amazing support minders who will be sadly missed. It will also put more pressure on the do's - but with the funding cuts I think it was preferable to them having to cut their hours / reduce network meetings etc..

[cas2805]

That's such a shame and a valuable tool. I would have loved support or even a chat with CMs when I started. Hope you can sort something out x

[Sammie]

This is such a massive disappointment as i am a pre reg and was really looking forward to having some sort of support off a child minder!!!

[christine e]

Do you remember the questionnaire we all had to fill in saying how we rated each of the ncma services Christine? Apparently it showed that this was the least valuable part. I have to say I agree , but then thats because I got no support whatsoever from my support minder , not even met her til a training session! As with so much the problem is with consistency , Im sure there are some amazing support minders who will be sadly missed. It will also put more pressure on the do's - but with the funding cuts I think it was preferable to them having to cut their hours / reduce network meetings etc..

Hi Kath

I do remember you saying this but I think your's was in the minority. I contact mine at least monthly and many are in contact much more frequently ~ research showed that the number of newly registered childminders giving up during the first year has greatly reduced since the introduction of the support childminder scheme. Of course the questionnaire would have been filled in by all childminders many of whom would have had no knowledge of the support childminder scheme because they have been minding for longer than the scheme has been around (about 5 years).

Cx

[mama2three]

Hadnt considered the responses from the minders without scheme experience tbh - they would obviously value other parts of the service higher. It is a real shame that there need to be any cutbacks at all . tough times .

[Penny1959]

That is shame.

The support childminder scheme in my area was withdrawn a while back (at the time that I worked for LA) We had some support childminders who were very good and some who were not so good

However on the whole it was a worthwhile scheme - in my opinion it was the management of it that was the problem. Those that were not so good should have been given further guidance or training. (hasten to add scheme was not managed by me)

Anyway sorry your scheme is to go - although to be honest in you get left with any support from the LA either via NCMA or independantly - you should count yourselves lucky in these days of cuts.

Penny

[christine e]

Do you remember the questionnaire we all had to fill in saying how we rated each of the ncma services Christine? Apparently it showed that this was the least valuable part. I have to say I agree , but then thats because I got no support whatsoever from my support minder , not even met her til a training session! As with so much the problem is with consistency , Im sure there are some amazing support minders who will be sadly missed. It will also put more pressure on the do's - but with the funding cuts I think it was preferable to them having to cut their hours / reduce network meetings etc..

Hi Kath

I do remember you saying this but I think your's was in the minority. I contact mine at least monthly and many are in contact much more frequently ~ research showed that the number of newly registered childminders giving up during the first year has greatly reduced since the introduction of the support childminder scheme. Of course the questionnaire would have been filled in by all childminders many of whom would have had no knowledge of the support childminder scheme because they have been minding for longer than the scheme has been around (about 5 years).

Cx

[miffy]

I am sorry to hear that but not surprised.

If the decision has been based solely on the questionnaires that were given out at network meetings then it's very flawed as the questions took no account of whether you were using/had used the service at all.

I think it's just a case of figures being manipulated to prove what you want them to - very sad though when Notts had been so proud of the way support minders had helped to stem the flow of cm's giving up within 12 months of registering.

Miffy xx

[The Juggler]

This is such a massive disappointment as i am a pre reg and was really looking forward to having some sort of support off a child minder!!!

doesn't mean you won't get the support hon. We have no scheme here but I volunteered as a support minder at my local children's centre. As the DO or the CC manager if she knows a good or helpful local minder who'd be prepared to have a chat with you if not you have us

[jan]

Hi all
I would like to know who tells our new minders that there is know support now

[christine e]

Hi all
I would like to know who tells our new minders that there is know support now

Remember I am a Nottinghamshire childminder and only commented on the fact that the scheme is being withdrawn here, it may still run in your area

Christine

[Mouse]

Same here. Our scheme has been been stopped already, with it being officially wrapped up on 31st March. I've just spent this morning sorting out the paperwork & getting rid of anything I won't need anymore.

I suppose the problem with a lot of these schemes (support scheme, networks etc) is that they are expensive to run, but only benefit a relatively small number of childminders. The rest were getting very little support at all. Our local authority is now trying to come up with ways of supporting ALL childminders...but with a very much smaller budget. I think out networks are the next thing to go.

[rickysmiths]

Hi

Just received a letter to say that the Nottinghamshire Support Childminder scheme is being withdrawn from 31st March 2011. In Notts there is a team of about 30 childminders who support newly registered childminders for which we receive a bursary. Sadly this is ending by the end of the month.

Christine

Hertfordshire cut their Supprot Childminders a year ago.

Our NCMA development workers go on 31st March.

[rickysmiths]

Hi all
I would like to know who tells our new minders that there is know support now

Troble is and I don't know what others experience is.

I know in this area alot of the new cms obviously think they know it all, because only one of about 12-14 of them has ever come to the cm group or any of the local toddler groups and most of them never phone their support cm back despite many messages left. What can you do. There was the support there and they were not using it. I actually can't blame Herts for axing it.

So note to all you new starters USE YOUR LOCAL SUPPORT MINDERS IF YOU HAVE THEM or you will probably loose them.

[FussyElmo]

Ours was finished a few years back before all the cuts came into force

[christine e]

Hertfordshire cut their Supprot Childminders a year ago.

Our NCMA development workers go on 31st March.

I was talking to one of your dev workers yesterday and she was still working on ways to support you even though she only has a few weeks left in post ~ really felt sorry for her but admired how she was still focused on supporting you.

Cx

[Mcgons]

Sorry to hear yours is closing.

Ours is continuing (lancs). The number of support childminders has reduced but they think they can run the scheme on a limited budget. I found it so helpful when I started (though not everyone has) and I'm now part of the scheme too. We have some mentoring training this month.