Development officer visits!

[green4lynn]

Several of my colleagues have had a visit from a new DO who has had them in tears! She has told them that the paperwork they are doing (planning, obs etc) isn't enough, has given them lots of templates for short, med and long term planning, obs, next steps etc! I know these minders do all these things and were told by our previous DO (who has been off ill for about 4 months) that they were fine. Another minder is due a visit this week and is dreading it. I can't wait til she comes to see me, she is going to be in for a shock! With all the info available on here, I know what we need to do and what we don't! I am not going to be bullied by bureaucracy. My previous DO was lovely and was happy with what I was doing, there is enough paperwork without being given un-necessary forms to fill in!
This woman is going to frighten everyone off from childminding, at least 1 minder is leaving due to the changes and amount of paperwork we are expected to do, even though its not all a requirement!

Do any other minders have DO's who are like this?

Lynn x

[christine e]

Why not file a complaint against her?

[Rick]

A DO cannot force their methods on childminders. You can choose your own method if you wish providing it is sensible and works for you. You could all get together and complain as a whole.

[FussyElmo]

What not wait and see what she does say. At the minute shes new to you all. She might actually think she is helping by bringing the paper work. At least she is bringing paperwork for you to use and not just criticising.

[blue bear]

We had a DO who was an ex ofsted inspector, it wasn't what she was saying that upset people it was more the way she said it. Like hers was the only right way. Development workers work because of us not for us, they are there to offer support and guidance. Childminders do not HAVE to have them visit and they do not HAVE to follow their guidance.

Is there someone you could have a quiet chat with on the local authority team, explain how she is coming across and you are sure she doesn't mean to frighten people and is just trying to give ideas and another way of looking at things etc..

We now have a really lovely DO she offers up ideas without you feeling she is forcing them on you, I sort through what she comes Up with and if I feel it's right for my mindees I adapt her ideas to suit us. She appreciates we are all different and we can all choose how to run our businesses.

[nikki thomson]

What your DO says is purely advice and her opinion that's it, our DO is ok, she's nice enough but does go on, I tend to only see her about once every 2 yrs, I saw her back in nov and that's only because she kept e-mailing me until I finally said yes please do come and see me.
Her hearts in the right place but all that stuffs not really my cup of tea, but if you do ask for help she's very good, but I don't need advice so I wish they'd just leave me alone. X

[teacake2]

Mine has turned in to the witch from hell, so much so that I have said I want nothing more to do with her.
Teacake2