How does this sound??? xx
Hi all
Could I please make an appeal for you to sign this petition:
http://www.*****/petitions/uk-g...e-childminders
I am sure you will be aware that here has been a lot of talk about the future of childminding in the government and media recently surrounding the potential deregulation of childminders.
Deregulation is not the way to go as a cost cutting exercise... When the Early Years Foundation Stage/Ofsted were brought in, a considerable number of 'undesireable' minders left the profession because of the paperwork and inspections involved. Childminders that embraced the new system have worked extremely hard and long hours, and in many cases at their own cost (not just financially, but losing valuable time with their own families) to train, adapt and improve their settings and most importantly be recognized as childcare professionals in their own right. If the government goes ahead with these proposals we will once again become simply... babysitters!
How will this affect you as parents I can hear you asking...
* For those of you paying with tax credits or employer vouchers you will no longer be able to use them for childminders, forcing you to give up work or use a nursery - I have nothing against nurseries (a good friend of mine owns a very good nursery right here in Exmouth) however, nurseries can rarely offer you the same low adult to child ratios us childminders can, nurseries also cannot offer those of you who work shifts, weekends or evenings the flexibility you require.
* Under the current Ofsted system, childcare providers are inspected every 3 or 4 years, this helps to maintain standards not just for childminders that value the work they do, but also for children and parents alike. If we are deregulated, you will no longer know who is graded as outstanding, good or satisfactory, you wouldn't know even who has been graded as inadequate. You will also
loose the ability to see who has had a complaint made against their provision, what it was about and how the childminder has worked tirelessly to overcome this complaint and thus improve the childcare service they are offering. Excellent childminders who really care about your children and love, cherish and educate will leave in droves.
* Ofsted currently CRB checks not only us as the childminder, but anyone in our household over the age of 16 (family or regular visitors), we also have to complete Paediatric First Aid before they will issue our certificate. Under the EYFS it is also a requirement that we undertake Safeguarding Training, hold policies and procedures, risk assessments and a daily register. All of this ensures that we service we provide to you and your family is of the highest, and safest, standard; if we are deregulated as childminders then none of this will be available - anyone could claim to be "childminder" - do we really want more Baby P cases???
I am a professional childminder, I believe that deregulation fails to build upon the significant improvements that have been made in recent years in terms of quality and safeguarding, and I genuinely love my job. Therefore, I ask you to sign the petition on behalf of the thousands of childminders up and down the country, the thousands of children accessing loving and caring childminding settings and the thousands of parents who rely on the professional, flexible service we can offer to them.
If you decide to go ahead and sign the petition {
http://www.*****/petitions/uk-g...e-childminders } then please forward this email to friends, clients, colleagues so that we can really spread the word.
Many many thanks in advance,
