Independent childminders info and guidance

[sarah707]

I am putting together lots of new information / guidance documents which will be freely available for all childminders including those of you who wish to remain independent.

I will put all the information on the forum of course - but I wanted it on a website where it will stay together because forum posts get fragmented and lost.

This is the intended contents page - This website will contain....

If I have missed any areas of provision you would like me to cover please let me know.

Thank you

[Rick]

I am putting together lots of new information / guidance documents which will be freely available for all childminders including those of you who wish to remain independent.

I will put all the information on the forum of course - but I wanted it on a website where it will stay together because forum posts get fragmented and lost.

This is the intended contents page - This website will contain....

If I have missed any areas of provision you would like me to cover please let me know.

Thank you

Thanks Sarah.....what would we do without you

[Simona]

Very comprehensive...
one issue that remains unanswered is whether new cms (from Sept 2013) MUST register with an agency or will be allowed to register with Ofsted at first then choose an agency afterwards if they wish

Another issue that needs to be clarified is what happens if LAs become agencies...how will they support cms in the agency equally to those who remain independent?

As we all know the IPPR has done a survey and 1000 cms responded, it will shortly reveal its findings.
It will be useful to hear what cms 'fear' most when agencies start operating and as we also know, pacey will soon publish guidelines on why we must avoid joining them....

Interesting times ahead!!

[The Juggler]

thanks Sarah

[Stapleton83]

Thanks Sarah - where do you find the time!

Sam x

[rickysmiths]

Very comprehensive...
one issue that remains unanswered is whether new cms (from Sept 2013) MUST register with an agency or will be allowed to register with Ofsted at first then choose an agency afterwards if they wish

Another issue that needs to be clarified is what happens if LAs become agencies...how will they support cms in the agency equally to those who remain independent?

As we all know the IPPR has done a survey and 1000 cms responded, it will shortly reveal its findings.
It will be useful to hear what cms 'fear' most when agencies start operating and as we also know, pacey will soon publish guidelines on why we must avoid joining them....

Interesting times ahead!!

Why from Sept 2013? What is happening by then? We won't have Agencies by then apart from the experimental ones and we have been told it won't be compulsory to be a part of them. I do think all this talk serves to confuse and worry childminders and panic them. Sept 2013 is not a deadline for new legislation to do with Agencies.

I really don't think all this speculation is very helpful at all. I appreciate all the work Sarah is doing, but again have no idea, unless she is party to information that the rest of us are not, what she is basing all this information needed by 'Independent' Childminders on. Or indeed how she knows what will actually be required of Childminders who choose not to be part of an Agency. To be honest how do we even know that we will have Agencies and maybe all this energy would be better put to campaigning against them instead of preparing what we may have to do if we have them?

[Simona]

Why from Sept 2013? What is happening by then? We won't have Agencies by then apart from the experimental ones and we have been told it won't be compulsory to be a part of them. I do think all this talk serves to confuse and worry childminders and panic them. Sept 2013 is not a deadline for new legislation to do with Agencies.

I really don't think all this speculation is very helpful at all. I appreciate all the work Sarah is doing, but again have no idea, unless she is party to information that the rest of us are not, what she is basing all this information needed by 'Independent' Childminders on. Or indeed how she knows what will actually be required of Childminders who choose not to be part of an Agency. To be honest how do we even know that we will have Agencies and maybe all this energy would be better put to campaigning against them instead of preparing what we may have to do if we have them?

Here we go again Rickysmiths...once again we are spreading panic and you are telling us off and we are so confused that we cannot think straight anymore...
Can't see anyone panicking can you?? and if confused then we ask questions and seek clarification....
I have asked pacey exactly those question many times, just to have matters clardified......shame we have no reply from them on their forum

I was referring precisely to the issue in Sept 2013...these agencies that are going to be piloted (and yes they are whether you like it or not)...how can they pilot if they have no cms in them?? so someone has to join or register with them??

Why has ncma spent a lot of money on a survey by IPPR which will be published soon...to tell us what we already know that we do not want agencies and the dangers they pose??

Maybe you have missed the feedback from the 3 conferences I attended last week....the topics were real, the people I met were real (pacey CEO was there in the flesh) and the attendees even more real and aware of what is being proposed...and very worried
Ofsted Sue Gregory was real as was the Ofsted workshop as was HMCI who addressed the conference and spoke of agencies... and got a bit unsettled by the questions
My LA applying for info about agencies is real, @Home Childcare is real and setting up agencies

Maybe you should ask your representing association to get the details for us ...two of those conferences were attended by them
I doubt that things will go 'exactly' according to Truss' plan but, so far, we have pilots coming and as Ofsted have said at the conferences, they cannot decide on our future inspection etc until agencies are sorted first...reality !!

I have also read your comments and your worries elsewhere ...why are you not worried here then?

The list created by Sarah is comprehensive...couple of things missing Sarah and will discuss with you as gathered from the conferences

If you don't want to prepare for the 'eventuality of agencies' that is your prerogative but please don't stop those who are being cautious and reflecting on what MAY need to be in place!!

I also would like to point out that both PLA and NDNA have arranged conferences for their members...PLA last week ...NDNA next week I think ...that is where members discuss and tell the management of their worries
where in ncma/pacey conference? September I think? too late by then

[rickysmiths]

Here we go again Rickysmiths...once again we are spreading panic and you are telling us off and we are so confused that we cannot think straight anymore...
Can't see anyone panicking can you?? and if confused then we ask questions and seek clarification....
I have asked pacey exactly those question many times, just to have matters clardified......shame we have no reply from them on their forum

I was referring precisely to the issue in Sept 2013...these agencies that are going to be piloted (and yes they are whether you like it or not)...how can they pilot if they have no cms in them?? so someone has to join or register with them??

Why has ncma spent a lot of money on a survey by IPPR which will be published soon...to tell us what we already know that we do not want agencies and the dangers they pose??

Maybe you have missed the feedback from the 3 conferences I attended last week....the topics were real, the people I met were real (pacey CEO was there in the flesh) and the attendees even more real and aware of what is being proposed...and very worried
Ofsted Sue Gregory was real as was the Ofsted workshop as was HMCI who addressed the conference and spoke of agencies... and got a bit unsettled by the questions
My LA applying for info about agencies is real, @Home Childcare is real and setting up agencies

Maybe you should ask your representing association to get the details for us ...two of those conferences were attended by them
I doubt that things will go 'exactly' according to Truss' plan but, so far, we have pilots coming and as Ofsted have said at the conferences, they cannot decide on our future inspection etc until agencies are sorted first...reality !!

I have also read your comments and your worries elsewhere ...why are you not worried here then?

The list created by Sarah is comprehensive...couple of things missing Sarah and will discuss with you as gathered from the conferences

If you don't want to prepare for the 'eventuality of agencies' that is your prerogative but please don't stop those who are being cautious and reflecting on what MAY need to be in place!!

I also would like to point out that both PLA and NDNA have arranged conferences for their members...PLA last week ...NDNA next week I think ...that is where members discuss and tell the management of their worries
where in ncma/pacey conference? September I think? too late by then

Why ' Here we go again' that is not very nice. Am I not allowed to have a view or are you the only one who is allowed to Simona? I'm sorry but you are not the only person on the Forum and we have always been allowed to discuss things. We are all allowed to have our views are we not?


You have been saying that a lot of things will be coming in in Sept and the fact of the matter is they are not.

The Pilot Agencies are just that and they are in one part of the Country only not all over and it is interesting that no Childminders in that area have posted one bit about what is happening have they and surely there must be some on this Forum?

You are not the only cm going to Conferences and finding out what is going on.

As Ofsted have said, they can not prepare inspection frameworks for something that doesn't yet exist. So how can cms prepare for something that they have no idea of yet? Why are Agencies an 'eventuallity'? We have got rid of the higher ratios by campaigning, why not Agencies as well? Many LAs don't want them, well the ones that we at the Conference I went to last week and they were from all over the Country.

I think it was a shame we have spent the last year campaigning on behalf of the Nurseries on Ratios instead of getting behind the Agency issue a year ago, we might then have made a huge difference in our own destinies and I don't see the Nursery Chains campaigning against cm Agencies. Oh of course not because they will set them up and make money out of childminders

I have never said I won't prepare for Agencies but I have too much to do to spend time 'preparing' for something of which I have no knowledge yet.

Instead of preparing for Agencies why not put all that energy into fighting against them?

[FussyElmo]

Rickysmiths there was a petition against agencies it got the grand total of 1017 people to sign it.

[Simona]

Sorry Rickysmiths I never said you were not entitled to your opinion...I said you keep telling us we are spreading panic

I feel all cms here are fighting against agencies...each one in her/his own way
As for my part in fighting agencies I joined the fight more than a year ago...there is plenty of evidence on that... and have consistently said ratios were taking our focus away and also said nurseries need to stand behind us on agencies now as we stood behind them on ratios...well documented

Yes I am sure others go to conferences as I do...I fed back as asked and it looks like many cms here appreciated it...what I have not seen is anyone else's feedback on whichever conference they attended
What I have fedback is what the powers that be are saying not my invention...

The eventuality of agencies is real...unless they get defeated in the Lords...and even LAs are preparing for them, not sure as you are which part of the country...can you share?

All associations are saying they will 'support cms in remaining independent' why would they say that if the threat was not real??

[rickysmiths]

Rickysmiths there was a petition against agencies it got the grand total of 1017 people to sign it.

When and where was that? It wasn't promoted on this Forum the way the Ratios one was. I know there is one up and running now but we are not allowed to post a link on this forum about it.

[FussyElmo]

It was all over fb and twitter

[mama2three]

When and where was that? It wasn't promoted on this Forum the way the Ratios one was. I know there is one up and running now but we are not allowed to post a link on this forum about it.

I really don't understand why that would be. Ive signed the other petition and surely we are all fighting together? Why cant we put a link to the petition here where many hundreds of cms will see it? Im sick of petty politics , everywhere from the touchline at my sons football upwards. We don't need it here too, the only way to defeat truss is if we work together surely?

[Simona]

Let's clarify here...

We had a petition a year ago against the deregulation of cms (I still have a Tshirt with that logo printed on it and if you look in pacey local also a photograph with other cms campaigning at our local fair, I think it was in July) ...that was closed

I also started a petition on the Labour Party website exactly a year ago...it is still there, it has few signatures but I am not worried or pushing cms to sign...it is their choice

A few months ago another cm started a petition on twitter...I posted the link in the forum. The cm has not done anything about it but that is still open but not advertised anymore

There is a petition on 'scrap More Great Childcare'....it involves many issues...If cms want to sign that one it is freely available for them to do so. It asks for us to be consulted on agencies and that is what we have been told will happen

What is the fuss?
People cannot be made to sign a petition unless they want to, it is not compulsory ... and whatever we are doing, individually or in large groups matter...
we are being listened to...not by Truss or Ofsted but by those who will fight against the agency proposals on our behalf where it matters: the House of Commons and now the Lords, that is the democratic process!

[rickysmiths]

No one has suggested that people are forced to sign a petition. Just that they are informed about it and have the opportunity to sign it. If they are not told where and how to find different things then how will they know?

[sarah707]

No one has suggested that people are forced to sign a petition. Just that they are informed about it and have the opportunity to sign it. If they are not told where and how to find different things then how will they know?

I have no idea why you have chosen to hijack this thread to talk about something you know we do not promote on our forum Ricky.

To be honest, you have made me cross. I thought we had a respectful professional relationship.

The forum, through my writing, is offering help and support to all childminders throughout the country - childminders who join agencies and childminders who want to stay independent of agencies.

Why is that so wrong? If it's not needed for agencies then great! It will still be out there for everyone to access.

As I wrote to another childminder earlier -

Our aim is to help and prepare childminders to overcome the threat placed on their businesses by agencies. We are doing this by ensuring every childminder has all the facts at their fingertips to remain independent and sustainable.

All this information will be freely available and accessible for anyone who wants it to help enhance their professional development.

While others are, in my personal opinion, wasting time fighting against something that is already in place - and for a consultation that we have already been promised - I prefer to support childminders in practical ways.

I will of course respond to any consultations in the future negatively and I have written a lot of information against agencies, which has been fully advertised and supported by the Childminding Forum.

However, we have to remember that some of our members might wish to join agencies - and be respectful of their right to choose.

I hope you understand and respect my personal - as well as the Childminding Forum's - position. Thank you.