AGENCIES....latest updates

[Simona]

Pacey have issued a statement following the release of the agencies names
It is only available to members so not accessible to all....I understand that members have priority but this is an issue that concerns all cms.

http://www.**************/news/news/...agencies.aspx#!

I know that you won't be able to access it here but it is in my Focus Group and LinkedIn for all to read.

I hope other associations will make a statement too accessible to all CMs regardless of membership

[rickysmiths]

It is available on a number of groups on Facebook and was before Pacey released the list so it is readily accessible to non members.

Maybe UKCMA or MM will make it available to their customers as well.

[Simona]

It is available on a number of groups on Facebook and was before Pacey released the list so it is readily accessible to non members.

Maybe UKCMA or MM will make it available to their customers as well.

Thank you for that info

Unfortunately many cms do not use FB as the source to share information or even LinkedIn for that reason
No worries others have come to the rescue and shared so it is now available for all CMs to access

[sarah707]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about Facebook and information sharing.

Facebook is a very quick and easy way of getting hold of latest information. It is a useful tool when used responsibly. Yes, a few people do try to spoil it for the others but that doesn't stop over 4000 people (so far) getting good quality support and advice from our group.

The information from Pacey was shared on Facebook last night a number of times by lots of members - it is freely available now and I am sure they won't mind if it is put on here if anyone wants to share it.

To precis - it was just a reminder of what we all know - that childminders do not need to join agencies and should not be forced into joining.

[Simona]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about Facebook and information sharing.

Facebook is a very quick and easy way of getting hold of latest information. It is a useful tool when used responsibly. Yes, a few people do try to spoil it for the others but that doesn't stop over 4000 people (so far) getting good quality support and advice from our group.

The information from Pacey was shared on Facebook last night a number of times by lots of members - it is freely available now and I am sure they won't mind if it is put on here if anyone wants to share it.

To precis - it was just a reminder of what we all know - that childminders do not need to join agencies and should not be forced into joining.

No one is making a fuss I promise...just asking for info to be shared everywhere so we spread whatever is coming out
I understand it has been on FB a while but no one shared here or anywhere else
I agree it says nothing new...in fact I have seen the same statement before together with the email to send our views to pacey

I have shared the statement here but it is starred out so cms cannot read it.

There are various medium for info sharing...some cms like FB, some the forum and others used a different medium...all that is being suggested is we share it...no one is saying that cms should not use FB if that is what they want to do but some cms have the benefit of being on FB and on the forum so they pick up double information.

[SammySplodger]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about Facebook and information sharing.

Facebook is a very quick and easy way of getting hold of latest information. It is a useful tool when used responsibly. Yes, a few people do try to spoil it for the others but that doesn't stop over 4000 people (so far) getting good quality support and advice from our group.

The information from Pacey was shared on Facebook last night a number of times by lots of members - it is freely available now and I am sure they won't mind if it is put on here if anyone wants to share it.

To precis - it was just a reminder of what we all know - that childminders do not need to join agencies and should not be forced into joining.

'Liked' :-)

[rickysmiths]

Oh I thought UKCMA were members on the Forum but I can't find any trace of them?

[Simona]

This is one of the amendements that the Lords will put in the C&F Bill as it resumes its debate next week

''The Chief Inspector must at such intervals as may be prescribed
inspect all early years provision registered with an early years childminder agency.”

It means ALL cms in an agency will have to be inspected if the amendement is passed as are ALL non agency cms.

Any reaction or thoughts on its implications?

[lisbet]

This is one of the amendements that the Lords will put in the C&F Bill as it resumes its debate next week

''The Chief Inspector must at such intervals as may be prescribed
inspect all early years provision registered with an early years childminder agency.”

It means ALL cms in an agency will have to be inspected if the amendement is passed as are ALL non agency cms.

Any reaction or thoughts on its implications?

Thoughts are that it'll ruin Ofsted/ DfE plans to save money by moving from an individual inspection model to an agency one. Hopefully that'll be a nail in the coffin of agencies.

[Simona]

Thoughts are that it'll ruin Ofsted/ DfE plans to save money by moving from an individual inspection model to an agency one. Hopefully that'll be a nail in the coffin of agencies.

Ofsted or rather the DfE ...it is the DfE remit not Ofsted to set fees....could review our registration fee as we suggested last year
Why has that not been considered if it is a question of saving?

If all cms in an agency can remain inspected and registered with Ofsted what is the difference between them and those who are now calling themselves 'independent'?

Agency cms will pay for the privilege of having a package of support, advice and mentoring (SAM) possibly from their LA who is an agency and they may trust...what about those independent cms not in the agency?

[lisbet]

I just meant that Ofsted and DfE seem to be working to a shared agenda, despite Ofsted proclaiming their independence.

As I understand it, I guess they think agency inspections will save more money because theoretically huge numbers of individual inspections could be done away with. For example, in my local authority there are about 400 childminders. If say 300 of them belonged to an agency, Ofsted would have saved itself the cost of all those inspections, and only need to do an inspection of the agency. (Maybe a 2 day one with a team of 3 inspectors - as in schools?)

I imagine that if they raised the cost of registration for all CMs, then they could only raise it a little without outcry from every current and prospective CM, and so would not save themselves much money on the cost of an individual inspection. However, if they offer cheap registration with agencies, then they could raise the costs of registration significantly for independent CM's and say to any who complained: "If you don't like it, you can always register with an agency instead."

Like you say, if every CM remains individually inspected, a cornerstone of the agency proposal has gone, so hopefully it won't seem so attractive to Ofsted/ DfE anymore.

[Simona]

I just meant that Ofsted and DfE seem to be working to a shared agenda, despite Ofsted proclaiming their independence.

As I understand it, I guess they think agency inspections will save more money because theoretically huge numbers of individual inspections could be done away with. For example, in my local authority there are about 400 childminders. If say 300 of them belonged to an agency, Ofsted would have saved itself the cost of all those inspections, and only need to do an inspection of the agency. (Maybe a 2 day one with a team of 3 inspectors - as in schools?)

I imagine that if they raised the cost of registration for all CMs, then they could only raise it a little without outcry from every current and prospective CM, and so would not save themselves much money on the cost of an individual inspection. However, if they offer cheap registration with agencies, then they could raise the costs of registration for independent CM's and say to any who complained: "If you don't like it, you can always register with an agency instead."

We can follow development next week as the C&F Bill is debated...some of the Baronesses have taken points onboard from those who wrote to them
Yes Ofsted and DfE are joined at the hip
Wilshaw agrees with Gove and Gregory with Truss and it is infantile to say Ofsted is an independent body...Ofsted is the DfE's agency.

Look out for #OBC response...it is due out soon

[Simona]

Confirmation of the amendements by PLA Under 5 magazine

https://www.pre-school.org.uk/sector...A72IB,6S8CG,1#!