Membership & insurance options - independent childminders

[sarah707]

Independent childminders will need to buy their own insurance and might wish to join a membership organisation.

There are a number of different options currently available (prices correct 06.2013) -

Morton Michel - 0845 257 0117

Morton Michel are the oldest childcare insurance company in the UK. They offer a range of free extra benefits for childminders via their Childcare Club.

= Total cost of insurance and free membership of the Childcare Club - £45.00 / year


Pacey - 0845 880 0044

Pacey (formerly NCMA) are a membership organisation which also offers an insurance package and some extra member benefits.

You must be a member of Pacey to buy their insurance.

= Total cost of membership and insurance - £92 / year OR membership without insurance - £70 / year


Pre-school learning alliance - 0207 697 2595

PLA are a new childminder membership organisation which also offers insurance as part of the membership package. You can buy membership and insurance OR, if you are currently insured elsewhere, you can buy membership.

Cost of membership - £42 / year
Cost of insurance if bought with membership - £29.25 / year

= Total cost of membership plus insurance - £71.25 / year


UKCMA - see website for contact information

UKCMA are a relatively new childminder membership organisation. They recommend Morton Michel as their preferred insurance company.

Annual membership - £59.99 or £6.99 / month (see website for special introductory offer)

= Total cost of membership AND insurance with Morton Michel - £104.99 / year


******* (Independent Childminders Social Enterprise) - 0330 440 9898

******* are a relatively new trade association for independent childminders, registered with the CBI trade association forum.

They offer a membership plus insurance package. I cannot find a membership only offer on the website - I will update this information if advised.

= Total cost of membership including insurance - £96 / year or £9 x 12 monthly payments


As you can see, there are a lot of options available for independent childminders


I strongly advise all childminders who wish to remain independent to carefully consider your membership and / or insurance choices and to make sure the membership and / or insurance package you choose is suitable for your needs.

This means contacting the membership organisations and asking them questions!

- What do I get for my membership fee?
- What have you done so far to protect my independence?
- Do you have a place where I can talk to other members and ask questions?
- Do you offer training / books / paperwork?
- How quickly will you get back to me if I have a problem or question?
- How will you support me to retain my independence in the future?

This also means asking questions about the various insurance packages before buying the one that best suits your needs -

- What exactly is covered? For example, is my assistant / trampoline / self-built climbing frame covered?
- Am I covered for buggies / cameras etc that I take off the premises / parents buggies if they leave them with me during the day?
- Do I get legal expenses cover and access to free help lines?
- Do you sell documentation? Do I have to buy and use your documentation to be fully covered by my insurance? And if I do, how much does it cost?
- How will you support me if a parent does not pay me?
- Do you offer a discount if I buy other insurance through you?

Think about what is important to you at the moment when you buy insurance - will you be getting the same level of cover / service if you decide to switch company?

Of course, you can buy insurance on its own from Morton Michel - you do not need to belong to a membership organisation!

I hope you find the above useful... please feel free to discuss the available options and add further relevant information

[FussyElmo]

Interesting and thank you for the information

[Samcat]

Thanks Sarah

[chriss]

What sorts of things does the insurance cover ? Have never given it much thought, only for such things as parents not paying, and we have to have it.

[christine e]

What sorts of things does the insurance cover ? Have never given it much thought, only for such things as parents not paying, and we have to have it.

Speaking as a pacey member your insurance (public liability) covers you against a member of the public holding you liable for any reason and you being proved to be held responsible so that if a child in your care gets injured and you are held responsible then your insurance would pay up. Here is an exert from their insurance summary
The policy is designed to cover you for:
• accidental injury (including death) to children
in your care
• accidental injury (including death) to third
parties occurring whilst you are providing
childcare or caused by children in your care
• damage to a third party’s property caused by
children in your care (subject to £50.00 excess)
• loss or damage to property belonging to children
in your care occurring at your setting or on an
outing with you (subject to £50.00 excess)
• nuisance or trespass

Membership of pacey provides you with a legal service (amongst many other things) that you could access if a parent did not pay you - but this is a membership service http://www.**************/childminde...embership.aspx

[christine e]

Speaking as a pacey member your insurance (public liability) covers you against a member of the public holding you liable for any reason and you being proved to be held responsible so that if a child in your care gets injured and you are held responsible then your insurance would pay up. Here is an exert from their insurance summary
The policy is designed to cover you for:
• accidental injury (including death) to children
in your care
• accidental injury (including death) to third
parties occurring whilst you are providing
childcare or caused by children in your care
• damage to a third party’s property caused by
children in your care (subject to £50.00 excess)
• loss or damage to property belonging to children
in your care occurring at your setting or on an
outing with you (subject to £50.00 excess)
• nuisance or trespass

Membership of pacey provides you with a legal service (amongst many other things) that you could access if a parent did not pay you - but this is a membership service http://www.**************/childminde...embership.aspx

oh dear been ************ out once again hopefully if you are interested then you can work out what is missing

[chriss]

thanks for that, you sign up for these things n then dont give it much thought

[Simona]

Thanks Sarah...this breakdown is very useful for comparison
At last good to see PLA now have insurance for cms provided by Royal Sun Alliance (same as Pacey and some other associations)

In addition PLA provide two levels of insurance for cms...according to the level of cover you need that can be upgraded when neded ...that must be useful for those starting out
check it out here
https://insurance.pre-school.org.uk/

There is a huge difference in cost and so much choice now for cms...all that remains is to opt for the association who you think represents cms best!

[sarah707]

oh dear been ************ out once again hopefully if you are interested then you can work out what is missing

I have given contact numbers for all the organisations in my original post Christine

[rickysmiths]

oh dear been ************ out once again hopefully if you are interested then you can work out what is missing

Yes it is starred out because pacey don't have a link on their website to this forum. Bit daft when pacey is a professional organisation that represents childminders and early years workers and provides no services that would be in competition to this or any of its sister sites.

The cost of their insurance is £22 per year and is with Royal Sun Alliance but you have to be a member of pacey to take advantage of the cheap insurance.


******* their Public Liability Insurance is also Royal Sun Alliance.

I would also like to point out that all the organisations listed are Registered Charities and non profit making except UKCMA which is a profit making private company. I think that should be clear.


Thank you Sarah for listing all the different organisations but isn't it a bit previous because we have no idea yet if there will ever be such a thing as an Independent Childminder. It is going to be at least 14 months if ever before any Agencies will be set up and if the campaigning is as successful as for the Ratios then indeed there will be no Agencies.

We all need to write to Lord Storey in the House of Lords to express our feelings about not having Agencies and how they won't reduce the cost of childcare for parents nor will they raise the quality of childcare but more than likely lower it. We need to get our parents to write and our friends. It is the House of Lords who will be passing the bill allowing the instigation of Agencies and this will happen in October 2013 so we have to get writing.

[sarah707]

Thank you Sarah for listing all the different organisations but isn't it a bit previous because we have no idea yet if there will ever be such a thing as an Independent Childminder. It is going to be at least 14 months if ever before any Agencies will be set up and if the campaigning is as successful as for the Ratios then indeed there will be no Agencies.

Agencies are happening right now Rickysmiths.

Around 60 of them will be starting up in September this year across the country as pilots including a large number of LAs, with a remit to register new childminders (they need thousands of new ones to offer the funded places) and to bring in as much established childminder business as they can to make themselves financially viable as quickly as possible.

Some are already operating such as athomechildcare - ready to start recruiting childminders the moment Govt gives them the go-ahead. Others such as Lancashire LA are in the process of preparing their member offer and already selling how wonderful their agency will be to childminders in their area.

Childminders must make a decision - in some areas this decision must be made sooner rather than later - join the local agency or strike out on their own. The word that the majority of childminders are using to describe this is to be independent of agencies ie. independent childminders.

We have been advised that as soon as childminders join an agency they will lose their Ofsted registration. Do you really truly think Ofsted will re-register them all if the Govt changes their mind??

As you know the Childminding Forum is very much against agencies for childminders and has campaigned long and hard to stop this happening - but it is happening - right now - in a county near you so we have to help members prepare for it! We are doing this in many different ways ...

My post is offering alternatives to give all childminders an overview of what is currently available. I have included all the member organisations and insurance options and I hope I have done so as respectfully as possible without showing any bias for my own preferences.

Every company has a phone number in my original post to offer all members the opportunity to contact them - except UKCMA who do not have one - so no need for links and stars.

I am sorry if you do not feel it is appropriate. I do not understand your comments to be honest i can only imagine for some unfathomable reason you are being mischievous.

I have had a lot of very positive feedback and gratitude for sharing the information

[Simona]

Until Sept 2014 when the agencies will be up and running...'if' all goes according to Truss' plans that is... cms will need insurance so that everyone is clear

The choice we have means cms can choose how much they want to pay ...as it is RSA for most I doubt the package for one association will be better than the other but the 2 tier in PLA is certainly excellent especially for newly registered cms who may not have as much equipment to ensure at first but can bump up the premium when they want to.

M'ship is very variable and overall has gone up a lot for pacey.

For me personally it is not the cost of the insurance, never has been, but the 'representation' that association will provide for cms and its influence with govt and policy makers.
Look forward to getting my info pack tomorrow !!

Agencies will start in Sept and unless I am wrong 60 will be piloting which means they are hard at work setting up for the trials!!

May I suggest we keep agencies out of this thread...this is purely for financial matters and to allow independent cms, that's what we are unless we opt for an agency, to choose who to belong to if any at all. and choose the right insurance and membership
Representation for independent cms will be crucial in future

Plenty will be said about agencies in the next few months and lets not forget that MPs rise on 18th July which means the CCommission should be responded to by Truss before then and various consultations will be addressed as well including the role of the LAs and she will have to name the 60 at some stage which we hope is soon so we know where we stand and which LAs to write/engage with to stop them from turning into agencies in future.

[Mouse]

Thank you Sarah. My insurance is due in Sept, so that's very useful for me, regardless of what's happening with agencies.

I plan to use your questions to compose an email & send it to them all before I make my decision.

[rickysmiths]

My understanding is that elements of Agencies models are being piloted around the country, but not a complete Agency that any childminders will actually be able to join in the way that is proposed from Sept 2014 and so they will loose or jepodise their Ofsted registration at this stage.

This is why the pilots are a nonsense because they are not going to be anything like the full blown Agencies so even after this 'trial' stage we will probably no wiser than we are now.

I am not trying to be mischievous at all Sarah and I am disappointed that you feel this from my post. I just feel it is odd that no links to the pacey web site are allowed on the forum any more as they used to be. I tried to help a member the other day who was asking about paperwork and I couldn't post a link, it just seems daft to me that a year ago we could and now we can't.

I do see what you are saying about agencies but I have been lead to believe something different. Surely if a childminder does join a trial Agency and they then decide they don't like it or it isn't for them just the same way as the 'Agency' will be able to change the way it is doing things I would argue that any childminder should either retain or beable to be re registered with Ofsted Independently. Otherwise it is not a Trial is it.

[FussyElmo]

Yes it is starred out because pacey don't have a link on their website to this forum. Bit daft when pacey is a professional organisation that represents childminders and early years workers and provides no services that would be in competition to this or any of its sister sites.

The cost of their insurance is £22 per year and is with Royal Sun Alliance but you have to be a member of pacey to take advantage of the cheap insurance.


******* their Public Liability Insurance is also Royal Sun Alliance.

I would also like to point out that all the organisations listed are Registered Charities and non profit making except UKCMA which is a profit making private company. I think that should be clear.


Thank you Sarah for listing all the different organisations but isn't it a bit previous because we have no idea yet if there will ever be such a thing as an Independent Childminder. It is going to be at least 14 months if ever before any Agencies will be set up and if the campaigning is as successful as for the Ratios then indeed there will be no Agencies.

We all need to write to Lord Storey in the House of Lords to express our feelings about not having Agencies and how they won't reduce the cost of childcare for parents nor will they raise the quality of childcare but more than likely lower it. We need to get our parents to write and our friends. It is the House of Lords who will be passing the bill allowing the instigation of Agencies and this will happen in October 2013 so we have to get writing.

Ok this may sound negative so I apologise in advance. What chance do we have of the lords vetoing the children and families bill just on the basis of the childminder agencies. There is so much in that bill adoption etc which needs changing in this country. After all the agencies are not compulsory

[Mouse]

Ok this may sound negative so I apologise in advance. What chance do we have of the lords vetoing the children and families bill just on the basis of the childminder agencies. There is so much in that bill adoption etc which needs changing in this country. After all the agencies are not compulsory

I think that's why we have little hope of the idea being abandoned. For every objection we have the reply is 'well, you don't have to join an agency' or 'well, parents don't have to use an agency childminder'.

[Simona]

The House of Lords can ask for amendements or changes in any Bill which means it will have to go back to the House of Commons for further debate...the Lords can delay a Bill in that way, they rae also informed by the Party they represent!
Lord Storey is Lib Dem so Clegg has to do a bit more homework and info sharing!

I will be finding out this week which ones we need to write to.....each party has one representing 'education'.
Lord Storey, I am sorry to say, despite being an ex Head teacher or such like was not aware cms get inspected by Ofsted? and that is the very reason we are against agencies: loss of registration and inspections?
Ofsted has been around for a while?

There is a lot in that Bill but each section will get a thorough looking into but we need those blessed Lords to be aware of current practice!!!!!!!!!! including cms inspections!

And the LAs will also be able to turn around and say: we are supporting cms by setting up agencies!! NO WAY!

[oxfordshirecm]

Thanks Sarah for the insurance info- I recently joined mm but only because I didn't get on with pacey but i never checked what I was covered for so this post has made me think I had better call them tomorro lol

[rickysmiths]

The House of Lords can ask for amendements or changes in any Bill which means it will have to go back to the House of Commons for further debate...the Lords can delay a Bill in that way, they rae also informed by the Party they represent!
Lord Storey is Lib Dem so Clegg has to do a bit more homework and info sharing!

I will be finding out this week which ones we need to write to.....each party has one representing 'education'.
Lord Storey, I am sorry to say, despite being an ex Head teacher or such like was not aware cms get inspected by Ofsted? and that is the very reason we are against agencies: loss of registration and inspections?
Ofsted has been around for a while?

There is a lot in that Bill but each section will get a thorough looking into but we need those blessed Lords to be aware of current practice!!!!!!!!!! including cms inspections!

And the LAs will also be able to turn around and say: we are supporting cms by setting up agencies!! NO WAY!

Well said Simona.

Of course we can change things Fussy. That is why Bills have a reading in the House of Lords. It is not just to rubber stamp what the Commons have agreed to it is to monitor and to make a judgement as well. Just because Agencies is a small part of the Bill does not mean that that part can not be questioned and sent back to the Commons for further debat and change.

I find the complacent view very sad. It is as if you have accepted Agencies will happen and there is nothing you can do about it. That is so WRONG.

We have got a chance to get things changed if we fight in the right place and it saddens me that this Forum although it fought openly for the Ratios which didn't really impact Childminders. It is not appearing to fight so hard and openly to get Agencies stopped.

We have so got to get information out as 'a single voice' to our parents, family and friends. Especially parents because they need to realise that their choice in childcare is going to be reduced and in reality the cost will likely go up and as far as Agencies is concerned I am sure the quality will go down. Why would you improve your resources and step out of the box and incur costs taking children out and about if you can't claim your expenses back?

I think we have very short memories because a few years ago the law changed regarding the Self Employed being given work regularly and by the same Company or Organisation. HMRC said that if a person continually worked for the same company or organisation that they were not actively seeking contracts elsewhere then they were effectively Employed by that Company and they were NOT Self Employed so therefore that Company or organisation should Employ that person and then they would be protected and receive Employed persons benefits.

Now, if the proposed Agencies do what has been suggested and don't allow us as individuals to receive the 2-4 year funding and parents pay their fees to them and then the Agencies pass the money on to us, we will in the eyes of HMRC be EMPLOYED. If thei is the case we will no longer complete a Self Employed Tax Return and will mo longer be able to off set the Expenses we incur in doing our job. So no buying of new resources, no buying of basic equipment, no book, no craft materials, no food, no heating, light, water insurances, no car mileage or allowances and so it goes on. Whatever anyone says this scenario is a reality and it is this that scares me half to death because it is this aspect that Mrs Truss has very clearly NOT thought through. It is exactly these concerns, real concerns for the core of our business and the direct impact it will have on the children in our care that we need to SHOUT to the Lords and our parents about between now and October. If we do we have the same chance as we did in defeating the Ratios in defeating Agencies if we fight hard.

[angeldelight]

Thanks for the information Sarah

Angel xx