A reply from the Dept of Ed.

[Bambini2]

At last a reply. Think you might find the following quite interesting.

"Thank you for your email and attachment of 24 July, about ‘More Affordable Childcare ’.

The government recognises the important contribution made by childminders in providing quality childcare. Yet the number of registered childminders has almost halved between 1992 and 2011, from 106,000 to 57,500. We want more childminders to enter the profession and we think that the creation of childminder agencies, in addition to support for independent childminders, will help us achieve this.

In ‘More Affordable Childcare’, we announced that all good and outstanding childminders will automatically be eligible to receive government early education funding from September. At the moment local authorities act as gatekeepers to this funding. This change will mean that over 70% of childminders would be able to receive this funding. Less than 10% of childminders currently offer funded places. It will remain the case, however, that a childminder will have to be Ofsted-registered, either independently or with an agency, before they can access early education funding, to ensure that quality is maintained.

The department wants to emphasise that no childminder will be forced to join an agency. Some childminders, especially those entering the profession, may want to join an agency for support in starting up their business, training and development, and accessing parents.

We welcome the input of experienced childminders, and we have completed a number of consultations aimed at parents, nurseries, local authorities, childminders, health professionals, teachers and academics. From March to May 2013 we ran a consultation on ‘proposed changes to the role of the local authority in early education and childcare’ and have recently announced next steps which build on responses to the consultation. We are also currently consulting on ‘The Regulation of Childcare’, until 30 September. Further information is available on the department’s website and can be found here

We are working with Ofsted to make the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) clearer, as outlined in ‘More Affordable Childcare’. Whilst providers should ensure that the individual needs of children are met, the only requirements for written assessments for learning and development are a progress check for parents for children aged two and the EYFS Profile assessment in the summer term of the reception year.

Thank you once again for writing on this important matter."

[hectors house]

Still waiting for my reply - yours looks very similar to the one on this post today response from the department of education to my email about agencies....

Haven't had a reply back to my e-mail to Ms Truss either.

[Bluebell]

"the only requirements for written assessments for learning and development are a progress check for parents for children aged two and the EYFS Profile assessment in the summer term of the reception year."

?? but how else are we supposed to demonstrate planning, and next steps etc to Ofsted standards if its not written down??

#confused

[Simona]

AAARRGGHHH,...if you look at the reply received by another cm and posted on the forum thread 'Dear Mr Clegg' the letters are EXACTLY the same

So the DfE has again a standard reply ...all same response to keep us quiet and mildly reassured that agencies are not compulsory and all cms can access funding...patience is required at present...but lets keep writing...at least we are getting replies even though the same fits all!!