Conference: Delivering the 2 year old funding

The programme (Achieving 2 year olds is its formal title) is now close to having 100,000 places secured
LAs are opening the scheme to cms but please keep asking them to be included...do not give up
There was no talk of belonging to a network..at present it is for good/o's cms and satisfactory where there is a need
Looks like in future satisfactory will not be included

The guy from DfE gave usual rhetorical speech...same as Truss really
He said scheme will help children as EPPE proved in their research but would also help mothers get back to work or extend their hours at work
Spoke of agencies, Ofsted becoming sole arbitrer of quality (no one agreed with him) and LAs being freed in future so they concentrate on being 'children's champions' but providers would also be free to look for own support and training (all were concerned at LAs diminished support)
He also said LAs would provide support if they were asked...so I get the feeling they will not disappear but training maybe at a cost

He kept saying the 'govt thinks' so I asked him why instead of thinking they were not asking those at ground level who thought otherwise of the policies especially agencies which cms do not want especially when 71% are high quality

His reply was that parents are not really aware of what cms do (strange when Truss praises us all the time?? we need to sell ourselves better maybe?)

Sue Robb of 4Children spoke and said 'cms are key to delivering 2 year old funding'

Purnima Tanuku of NDNA floored him with evidence of Ofsted inspections causing concerns, the Free Entitlement not covering costs and not being 'index linked'
She said NDNA has been approached about cms agencies but stated 'there is no demand for them or interest to join' and NDNA are not interested either in becoming an agency
She was absolutely brilliant and to top it all she stated the govt should praise what we do well although all are willing to raise standards even higher

James Hempsall gave his latest on the places that he needs to achieve...he also said cms are vital for the scheme

I was the only cm ...all were from LAs or CC, one Educational Psychologist.....but all very supportive of cms

So agencies are still our threat and Wilshaw our big enemy, we stand firm and 'do not join any' while for the 2 year old funding you just need to be persistent as LAs cannot exclude us...any barriers or additional restrictions will be removed

More or less that is it...keep the pressure up on your LA

Thanks for all the info x

Thanks Simona - glad to see others are negative about agencies and not childminders alone. I cannot see how they are going to work without Government funding to subsidise them. More bureaucracy surely means more costs to someone.

I did contact my LA earlier this week and ask if I still needed to fill in their very long form to be able to deliver funding - they said yes and in view of government plans they may need to amend form to ask even more questions and for more evidence!:angry:

One more bit I forgot to tell you...the DfE wants to allow schools to take 2 year olds (Ofsted really and Wilshaw in particular I gathered)...they will be in classes with teachers and getting used to the school environment from early on...!!!

They intend to remove restrictions for schools to apply for younger children and something to do with their inspection...another idea no one agreed with because schools are bursting at the seams and have a problem with capacity as it is and everyone agreed schools are not the best place for 2 year olds...

I am sure he mentioned cms getting used to being in schools too...at this stage I was a bit angry and may have misunderstood but I doubt it!

None of this was preeceded by: if we get our proposals through...sounded like a done deal for him!

I can't wait to get to the PLA conference on Friday and listening to Sue Gregory and I am also attending the Ofsted seminar there...

Interestingly I was contacted by my LA last week as an existing 3 year old provider with the explaining that the restrictions had been changed and that they were no longer allowed to put their own criteria in place and would I like to sign up for delivering the 2 year old funding so keep plugging away so it looks like things are changing.

Sam x

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Originally Posted by Simona

One more bit I forgot to tell you...the DfE wants to allow schools to take 2 year olds (Ofsted really and Wilshaw in particular I gathered)...they will be in classes with teachers and getting used to the school environment from early on...!!!

They intend to remove restrictions for schools to apply for younger children and something to do with their inspection...another idea no one agreed with because schools are bursting at the seams and have a problem with capacity as it is and everyone agreed schools are not the best place for 2 year olds...

I am sure he mentioned cms getting used to being in schools too...at this stage I was a bit angry and may have misunderstood but I doubt it!

None of this was preeceded by: if we get our proposals through...sounded like a done deal for him!

I can't wait to get to the PLA conference on Friday and listening to Sue Gregory and I am also attending the Ofsted seminar there...

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A school in my town already takes 2 year olds. I assume they did the pilot. The school is in an area of high unemployment with no childminders and two small nurseries, no idea if they offer funded places.

Thank you for the feedback Simona! It sounds like you had a very busy day.

I think it is very positive that they are saying they need childminders for delivering the 2 year old funding - we are clearly key to their plans.

We just need to get our heads together and suggest a different inspection model perhaps?? :D

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Originally Posted by sarah707

Thank you for the feedback Simona! It sounds like you had a very busy day.

I think it is very positive that they are saying they need childminders for delivering the 2 year old funding - we are clearly key to their plans.

We just need to get our heads together and suggest a different inspection model perhaps?? :D

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Especially if the Nurseries can't take on extra children per adult now ratio plans are scrapped, they are going to need all childminders to delivery the funded places.

It appears that no one can locate our elusive Minister for Childcare for an announcement on ratios but I heard she is attending the Achieving 2 year olds conference today which is for LAs (yesterday was for providers)...if anything I hope she will give them a clear idea of what they need to do to include cms and we won't get any more silly answers

Absolutely right Sarah cms must be at the heart of it...sad that some LAs really appreciate us while others play games

Nursery World tweeted that the LAs are none too happy at their changing roles but no more than that
If I get a link to it I will post it for you

feel sorry for those 2 year olds who will be going into a school environment. No bias here, but surely the best place is a home from home environment. CMs are an obvious choice, before nurseries, to provide a more secure environment. But how do we promote ourselves ?

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Originally Posted by Simona

One more bit I forgot to tell you...the DfE wants to allow schools to take 2 year olds (Ofsted really and Wilshaw in particular I gathered)...they will be in classes with teachers and getting used to the school environment from early on...!!!

They intend to remove restrictions for schools to apply for younger children and something to do with their inspection...another idea no one agreed with because schools are bursting at the seams and have a problem with capacity as it is and everyone agreed schools are not the best place for 2 year olds...

I am sure he mentioned cms getting used to being in schools too...at this stage I was a bit angry and may have misunderstood but I doubt it!

None of this was preeceded by: if we get our proposals through...sounded like a done deal for him!

I can't wait to get to the PLA conference on Friday and listening to Sue Gregory and I am also attending the Ofsted seminar there...

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No Simona, I suspect you didn't misunderstand at all. They were saying the same thing back in November & we were very definitely saying no. Still, she also said we would just have to get used to ratios changing & look at the news!!!!

thanks for the feedback Simona

Smartbear...you are right I did not misunderstand
2 year olds in schools was debated at the PLA conference and today views expressed it will not suit young children
Looks like 'schoolification' of children is on PLA agenda too, something else they are ready to fight

Have also seen people here I met at the conference on Wednesday and they went back on Thursday as it was repeated for LAs and Truss addressed them...she was apparently nervous...well considering the ratios had crashed she had every right to be!