Ofsted chief warns of change for childminder regulations: Nursery World article

[catminder]

Seems to me the article is about 'cost effectiveness' ie. it costs the same amount of money to register and inspect a nursery with 60 children as it does a childminder with 6 children. Therefore, to someone who does not appreciate the valuable work us childminders do, the logical conclusion is to favour the larger nurseries.
I personally didn't feel he understood the role of childminders.

[rickysmiths]

How many of you have had the email through with this is in

Does this sound like the words of someone who hasn't got a clue what childminding is about or how good we are?

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/news/b...eryWorldUpdate

Here is another article:

http://www.cypnow.co.uk/Childcare_an...-EYFS-remarks/

[AgentTink]

His words are direct from the OFsted annual report 2011. Childminders account for 60% of the early years workforce, so yes we do most probably take up a lot of the OFsted inspection budget.

What really gets my goat is that when they talk about gaps they are referring to the fact that 26% of childminders got satisfactory while only 18% of nursery got satisfactory. It is this 9 percentage points which makes then think the gap is too big. However I bet no one has told him that most of his inspectors come out to new childminders for their first inspection and happily state that because we have done the job less than 6 months that we can't get more than a satisfactory.

Since the annual report was for a single year aug 10 until aug 11 I would love to find out of the 11,875 childminders inspected how many we're brand new? I would then love to know out of the 7,407 nurserys inspected how many of them were brand new. I bet there will be a stark contrast between the 2 figures. As all new early settings have to be inspected within 6 months I would bet that there was far more inspections completed on brand new childminders compared to new nurseries.

[chez]

When the man at the top doesn't believe in us what chance do we have!

Heartbreaking after all the work that many minders have done trying to get people to understand that we are as good as any nursery as an option for childcare and early education Ofsted have just started to undo that.

We are as good as them! many of us are even better then local nurserys and therefore we need to hold our heads up and continue to show that we are the best choice for many early years children.

[buildingblocks]

When the man at the top doesn't believe in us what chance do we have!

SO TRUE

Apologies for shouting

I am so upset by this mans comments and he has probably set childminding back years.

I feel am a fairly intelligent person and I actually read the comments "Every time a youngster goes into a childminding setting.. 2 children.. we have to inspect. That's unsustainable."

as meaning that the inspector has to inspect every time a child enters a setting we have to inspect which obviously isn't the case as especially as some local childminders haven't even been inspected under the EYFS.

[EmmaReed84]

Well I take that he thinks very little of childminders . Ignorant
As I have just posted on another thread, I am slowly losing the will to childmind. I now expect increased bashing from all parties who will jump on this stupid mans comments, what hope have we got in the future within this governments plans for Early Years education.
I am seething
Carol xx

I have not read all the replies yet, but came to yours and actually I sat a wrote something like this in reply but didn't post it. I am so sad becuase I love minding so much and this make me not want to do it anymore and I have only been minding since Aug.

I come from a sales and managment backgroud and 2 posts have just opened up at my husbands company for sales people. DH said to his boss and director os sales "You should have tapped my wife up a year ago, she would have been excellent" his boss said to tell me and ask me if I wanted to apply as he knows my backgroud from DH and said he would consider me...

I am not seriously reconsidering my career, spending the rest of my career justiying myself is not for me!

[Winnie]

SO TRUE

Apologies for shouting

I am so upset by this mans comments and he has probably set childminding back years.

I feel am a fairly intelligent person and I actually read the comments "Every time a youngster goes into a childminding setting.. 2 children.. we have to inspect. That's unsustainable."

as meaning that the inspector has to inspect every time a child enters a setting we have to inspect which obviously isn't the case as especially as some local childminders haven't even been inspected under the EYFS.

I'm wondering if his comment here refers to new childminders having a pre-reg 'inspection' followed by a 'proper' inspection within (is it?) 6 mths of registering (& usually have children by then)? With the introduction of the new requirement that training & checks should be undertaken Before Ofsted will register a childminder then surely this burden on Ofsted's finances will be removed, they will only need to inspect once.

[blue bear]

How sad, mass production is cheaper so he thinks this is the best option for our children? For a long time I've been saying the guys at the top want rid if us this just proves it.

[rickysmiths]

Just to make you all feel better he is making similar comments about Teachers. He is generally upsetting everyone, not just cms.

[catminder]

Just to make you all feel better he is making similar comments about Teachers. He is generally upsetting everyone, not just cms.

[DCS]

This week has been a PR disaster for childminding professionals. We were bashed on Panorama, The Wright Stuff and now by Chief Insp.SMW.

As SMW expresses doubt in us, why should any other user groups take us seriously? Thanks SMW for setting childminders back twenty years

All we childminders know that our job today is not what it was some twenty years ago. I believe the lack of positive /balanced/ insightful profile of childminders in the media lies firmly on the doorstep of the NCMA.

Why is it that our sector is always portrayed in a biased light? Yet the sorry “our” NCMA remain silent. We childminders are doing our bit on an individual basis, the results of which are measured in increased grade attainment of Good and above on inspection, under the EYFS in its current format. The NCMA really need to follow the National Day Care Trust’s blueprint, recruit some dominant eloquent personalities who can really raise our profile.

SMW says;

'My view is that we should really look at the future of how we inspect early years, and particularly childminders, to make sure that the very large numbers of children in childminding settings are given a good delivery.’

This implies that Childminders are failing the children in its care; however the inspection statistics do not reflect this. Having said that, how is this really measured? In the past, I’ve had children come to me from a nursery setting I get permission from the parents to request information of the children’s progress, but I’m met with a brick wall. When children leave my setting, the schools they go on to are not interested. So much for working in partnership

Then says;

‘I think the issue is for childminders it becomes childminding, care and support, rather than subscribing to the EYFS education goals.’

I would like to know the empirical source of this statement. This comes after a time when OFTED outsourced is inspection role. Perhaps Tribal under tendered their contract and want to relinquish its responsibilities earlier than planned? Is it that schools have reported that children who enter reception from a childminding setting have not attained specific outcomes for their age? Again, where was the NCMA in all this?

Considering its been proven that a home based environment is bet for the under 5’s, Imagine if the NCMA wielded the kind of influence mumsnet has. There would be NO doubt as to what role, scope and value of a childminder is.

[buildingblocks]

Just to make you all feel better he is making similar comments about Teachers. He is generally upsetting everyone, not just cms.

The difference is thought that it won't bring down (sorry can't think of the word I want to use) the reputation of teachers like it will affect us (really hoping it doesn't)

[crazyXstitcher]

Imagine if the NCMA wielded the kind of influence mumsnet has. There would be NO doubt as to what role, scope and value of a childminder is.

They SHOULD have that influence. We pay our fees for that influence. Maybe we should take over Mumsnet (free site) and get them on side

[green puppy]

What was said about us on the Wright stuff?

[Katiekoo]

Well, what an insult.

I don't know what to think, but it feels like they've put us up there on a level playing field and are now saying we can't be there because they messed up finances and can't afford us to be...

I agree - it seems that actually he's only interested in Childminders because of the financial issues of registering us. Is it really so expensive to register us?

[DCS]

What was said about us on the Wright stuff?

The generalisation that Childminders in the south (ie London) are far too expensive and charge £10 per hour.

Childminders in general are too expensive.

They lot's of phone call's from the parent perspective but only one call from a CM up north. What a lovely balanced view

Another missed opportunity by the NCMA.

[ninagee]

This is the link to the actual Houses of Parliament Education Meeting on ParliamentLiveTV.

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Pl...eetingId=10373

Go to the the timeline of 1:06:00 to listen to the discussion.

Nina

[DCS]

removed, wrong thread.

[mindingmummy08]

It read to me as though he was implying childminders are treated by ofsted the same as nurseries etc but we are not giving them same level of care and therefore are a waste of their funds, saying things like "My view is that we should really look at the future of how we inspect early years, and particularly childminders, to make sure that the very large numbers of children in childminding settings are given a good delivery."

Honestly if they don't want to give us the same level and respect as nurseries etc and if we're not going to be given credit for everything we do in the media then why don't they just let us give care instead of enforcing the EYFS and then its up to parents if they want care or learning and therefore wether they choose a childminder or nursery.

I'm so angry this week at the way childminders have been made out to be inadequate and overpriced when it is the complete opposite.

[TooEarlyForGin?]

How sad, mass production is cheaper so he thinks this is the best option for our children? For a long time I've been saying the guys at the top want rid if us this just proves it.

As well as agreeing with MANY other comments, I too hold this belief, I really feel they don't like the fact they can't "control" us as much as other larger establishments.

As someone else has also commented, I watched a programme about Early Years in the scandinavian countries, and they are actually making their nursuries look like homes, with homely kitchens which children can freely work in, sofa's, smaller homely rooms, normal furniture, table lamps and they understand that young children will thrive in a more "home from home" environment. There is no pressure to have to formally "learn" it was beautiful, just like the early years should be. Many (not all, I hasten to add) nursery's are not a natural place to raise a small child.

I actually thought that the review of the EYFS was pushing more towards what we do already, have a more rounded "holistic" ethos for children in a more natural environment.

Another stupid bureaucrat trying to make his mark.