End of an Era .....

[TooEarlyForGin?]

If we lose NCMA childminders can say goodbye to being consulted in any future government consultation or plans. But even after consultation - did the government ever take any notice of what they said anyway??? and look at the way the new OFSTED chief is going - do you really think he is going to listen to anyone with his attitude

When fees are pushed up again, and they will without objection, who will stand up for us??? I and several other childminders wrote to NCMA about what we felt with regards to the introduction of the EYFS and how it wasn't focused at all at childminders and how they should stand up for us - they didn't.....they said the majority of their members were fully supportive - strange all the CM's local to me weren't

How many people on here voicing their negativity actually went to the forums, completed the online survey? Not many I suspect I wrote 2 letters and an open letter to who minds about how I felt the NCMA was not listening to its members, after a very lukewarm response my final letter was my resignation letter, amazingly after a long tedious resignation letter, a couple of years later I was asked to take part in an on-line survey to ask why I had left the NCMA - who wasn't listening?

And look at the recent TV high childcare costs programs and the awful attack by the new OFSTED chief SMW where is the voice of the NCMA.

[TooEarlyForGin?]

I would be very interested in a new group. I understand it would take a while to form a voice. But even with lots of members on this forum, just a singular voice would be good, making lots of noise.

[buildingblocks]

I understand the reasons why people left and it always seems to come back to insurance. I think NCMA should ditch insurance and stick to policy and then they would be known for supporting.

I wonder if new childminders understand that when NCMA withdraw from areas supporting childminders it is because the areas local authority itself who has withdrawn the funding

Debbie I agree with what you are saying and I think in the past that was true it was about the cost and insurance. but it seems to me that more and more members are now leaving because they don't feel the NCMA are about representing childminders any more.

I was lucky an went to Conference in November for the first time but on talking to the board members about the issues raised I felt they were not interested and minds had already been made up - and I will be the first to admit that may well be just the way I was reading it.

[buildingblocks]

I believe that the representation will be stronger. The membership is not for the Managers/owners of other settings but the actual workers who are employed.

I can see the positive in mixed training, better relationships and have often heard on here that the nurseries won't get involved or communicate. This could be a good way forward to promote harmonious working together

Time will tell but please be open minded until the actual structure and membership details are known.

Hopefully the one positive on widening the membership - and I am all for home based childcarers joining but not nursery/Pre-school as they are so different. will be that those nursery workers who attend the trainings that I am on in an evening will view me differently and not as the one last year who asked me why I was there as I was only a childminder and didn't need to do the EYFS (not some 18yr old but the deputy manager of the setting).