Quote Originally Posted by sarah707 View Post
We have been thinking about the changes in the Govt on our Independent childminders Facebook group...

So... the Govt reshuffle has taken place and Gove and Truss have been moved on. While for many in early years this has been seen as a cause for celebration, I would like to inject a note of caution for those childminders who want to stay independent of agencies.

Last time I spoke to Ofsted about childminder agencies they said that our assurance we don't have to join them comes from Truss - and none of us know what might happen if she was no longer there! Well that time has come - she is no longer there - and I think we need to be proactive and make sure her replacement knows our feelings on agencies.

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The decision was made to write to Ms Morgan and ask for her support...


Dear Ms Morgan
Congratulations on your new post as Education Secretary.
I am writing on behalf of childminders throughout the country who are hoping that, with your new appointment, the Department for Education will start listening to us.
We have, as Ofsted figures show, lost a lot of dedicated, well trained and hardworking colleagues over the last few years. While Ms Truss has been pushing on with her agency plan, completely ignoring all opposition from thousands of childminders across the country, what she has failed to realise is that one of the biggest reasons for childminders leaving the profession is her agency plan and the rhetoric surrounding its introduction.
Ofsted tell us we are too expensive to inspect and not good enough … DfE keep changing the rules with which we have to comply … we are told we are too expensive when many of us work for very little money … Ofsted inspectors place more and more barriers in our way … we are downgraded at inspection by Ofsted for sometimes quite ridiculous reasons … there is a huge amount of uncertainty and confusion. Is it any surprise that childminders are leaving in their droves?
Over the past few years we have sent petitions, lobbied MPs and members of the Lords, had local and national meetings and informed you via our representatives in Pacey, PLA and UKCMA that we do not want to be railroaded into joining agencies. Yet DfE seem intent on removing our Local Authority support and introducing childminder agencies and hard selling them as the only option for childminders in the future.
We have a letter from Ms Truss clearly stating that agencies will always be optional for established childminders – we would like your reassurance that her promise is still true now she is no longer in office. We would also like to be assured that childminders who choose to stay independent of agencies will receive access to local support, training and promotion equal to those childminders who join agencies.
Thank you.

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If you have any suggestions, please let me know
I have several...if I may...sorry if I differ in opiniuon

One suggestion is that we mention all the 4 associations representing CMs not just PLA, Pacey and UKCMA ....
the fourth one being a Social Enterprise and Trade Association and extremely pro active on behalf of CMs....but we are unable to mention here as we are unable to post links relating to Pacey...UKCMA hardly speaks and PLA gets reported a lot...quite a variations I think.
can anyone tell me what UKCMA does apart from having links to this forum and Morton Michel...again linked to the forum? do Cms know what MM are organising with the DfE? do people know they met Truss with the 4 associations recently...was it reported why?

Fair is fair...the forum cannot speak on behalf of all CMs as many have different opinions and views


Second...I do not think it is wise to scare CMs in believing agencies can be made compulsory...
something tells me it cannot be so but we have to wait and see....let's research this before we put fear in more CMs.

Third...while some CMs grieve over the loss of support from their LA ...some do not as they never had any support for many many years and were left to fend for themselves while the LA concentrated on the few Network CMs

152 LAs are very different and several are turning into an agency...or considering it
We have begged for them to continue supporting us but some are only really looking after their interests...lets not forget that LAs are the ones controlling the funding and refusing to increase it
From the many posts here some LAs are still supporting CMs and still imposing strict conditions...so if they are still operating why ask for that to continue?

So some of us are looking for support elsewhere and seeking training from other sources...all is to be paid for anyway but at least it will be challenging

Four...Ofsted inspections have been altered thanks to the Ofsted Big Conversation and lots more is to come...yes CMs have had problems but so have preschools and nurseries but few CMs have joined OBC and input in that effort

Five....Nicky Morgan, DfE, Cameron have all received pleas to nominate an Minister for EY or childcare...so far all the tweets from several people on Twitter have been ignored and PLA request to DfE to comment has been turned down
Concerns have been raised about this

I think we are missing the point of what is to come with 'school leading 'EY' and that may be the reason we have no minister for EY ...we will see.

Sorry to disagree but there are CMs who see things differently and must be respected for their different opinion