BBC R4 at 8:10 this morning Elizabeth Truss

[Gherkin]

Elizabeth Truss was on radio 4 this morning. Her main points were:
* childcare too expensive for parents @ 25+% of parents wage rather than Europes average of 11% of parents wage
* not enough available childcare
* wants a system similar to the Netherlands
*suggesting nurserys are used to train & inspect childminders
*deregulation from Ofsted.
*change to ratios from 3:1 for under 5's to a ratio similar to countries in Europe (France 4:1, Germany 5:1) in the hopes that it opens up spaces and brings costs down.

There were other things mentioned but I cannot remember it all.

Personally I do not want a nursery training or inspecting me especially as the local nurseries round here are graded lower than most of the childminders. Why would we drop prices if we had more children? It would cost us more to have more children. Also I do not think I would want 5 under 5's at one time. I have a variation for 4 but only because its for an existing family and because it is short term.

[JCrakers]

I don't get it...I've had no phonecalls for childcare in 2yrs...where is all the shortage of childcare? Surely the phonecalls should be flooding in?

I've got spaces...

How can we inspected by nurseries when basically at the end of the day we are competing for business? They're not going to give us outstanding are they when they've got a good?
There's so much stuff going around but has anyone actually asked the childminders that this whole thing is affecting....No..that says it all doesn't it

[BucksCM]

Make me wonder if she actually knows what she's talking about!
Is she just looking at it from her side ie to get more childcare spaces and how to do it?
Has she actually spoken to cm and got their side and found out that what she's propsing is NOT going to work!!

[*daisychain*]

makes me so mad after years of working in a nursery I decided to become a childminder so I could do the job how it should be done ! where do they get off thinking that childminders are any less qualified or suited to the job than nursery workers

[marnieb]

well, my local nursery has been closed - under investigation for being over their numbers, how can they say that a business like that has the right to inspect me???????

This has not considered us at all - the fact that I cannot have any more childtren due to lack of space means I cant lower my fees.

[sarahjane]

Just wondering if nurseries are expected to reduce their fees too? I know that in our area childminders are very much the cheapest option for childcare

[Smiley]

Here's the link to email the radio programme

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jeremy-vine/contact/

[mum2two]

If there's not enough spaces now, how on earth does she think changing the system to rumours we've heard, therefore how many of us say we'd quit, is going to help the situation???

Less childcare, yet more demand will only push prices up!!

I too do not want to be inspected by a nursery. At a recent meeting we were given stats on my area, and in the immediate area I live in not even a 'good' nursery.... And I want them inspecting me because...?!?!

xx

[JCrakers]

I've just listened to it on iplayer...interesting when they say Sheffield has the lowest priced childcare at £4 per hour when I charge £3.50 in leics...lol
Can they get any statistics right ?

[Mouse]

My personal view is that the government has caused this and is now trying to backtrack on what it has done over the years.

When I first started childminding (approx 17yrs ago), I was a childminder...pure & simple. I provided care in my home. I was registered and inspected annually by social services. My over heads were relatively low, my paperwork was limited & my fees were cheaper than a nursery because I was a childminder & it was understood that we charged less.

Then, grading came in. I was always graded good, so was able to charge slightly more than other cms in the area. Parents expected more from me & they got it. I was no longer just a 'childminder', I was now a childcare provider. I enjoyed the rise in status.

Then, over the years, Birth to Three, Every Child Matters, Ofsted & EYFS came along. More & more was expected of me, bringing me in line with nurseries. So now I think, if I'm doing the same as nurseries & providing the same as nurseries, why shouldn't I be charging the same as nurseries? My status has grown to such an extent that if the government wants me to be equal, I'm entitled to charge an equal amount.

So the government has shot itself in the foot. By making us 'professional' they have raised our profile & ensured that many childminders are, in fact, offering better services than nurseries and charging accordingly. Now they seem to be wanting to put us back to the same position we were in 17yrs ago. I was content with it then as that's how things were and that was all we knew. But having been elevated to the position of professional childcarer, I'm not going to be dumped back down without a fight!

[mrstom]

I've just listened to it on iplayer...interesting when they say Sheffield has the lowest priced childcare at £4 per hour when I charge £3.50 in leics...lol
Can they get any statistics right ?

Interesting - the average here in Stockport is £3.50 per hour so some minders must charge below that.

Obviously they haven't a clue what they are talking about.

Quick question (if anyone knows) - does Elizabeth Truss have any background in or knowledge of the childcare sector or is she just a random MP?

[pipandbaz]

Like I said on another post its not that childcare is expensive its more the case parents wages are so low! My husband earned more 20 years ago.
£3.50 an hour for your child is less than boarding a dog in kennels.

[rickysmiths]

Why would I want the 'Satisfactory' Privately run Day Nursery regulating me for goodness sake. What qualifications do they have to do that and of course its in their interest to downgrade us all isn't it

I think even I would give up if they ever suggested a system like that.

[AliceK]

Why and how do they think childminders should charge less?? How do they honestly think they can bring down the cost of childcare? When you become a parent you have to make sacrifices. You have to accept that either one of you gives up work and stays at home to look after your child(ren) or you must pay to put your child in childcare. Of course you will have a lot less disposable income but that's what comes with having children. When I was a single mum with an under 1yr old I worked full-time and had to pay for my DS to go to a childminder. Did I complain? NO. There were times when I honestly couldn't even afford to buy milk I was so broke. You choose to have children you have to make sacrifices and a lot of those are going to be financial. If any of my parents begrudge me charging them what I do (which can be as little as £3.75 per hour), then they can jog off and look after their own children. I cannot and will not lower my fees, end of!!! I would rather go and work on the tills at a supermarket and get paid a better wage.

xxx

[rickysmiths]

My personal view is that the government has caused this and is now trying to backtrack on what it has done over the years.

When I first started childminding (approx 17yrs ago), I was a childminder...pure & simple. I provided care in my home. I was registered and inspected annually by social services. My over heads were relatively low, my paperwork was limited & my fees were cheaper than a nursery because I was a childminder & it was understood that we charged less.

Then, grading came in. I was always graded good, so was able to charge slightly more than other cms in the area. Parents expected more from me & they got it. I was no longer just a 'childminder', I was now a childcare provider. I enjoyed the rise in status.

Then, over the years, Birth to Three, Every Child Matters, Ofsted & EYFS came along. More & more was expected of me, bringing me in line with nurseries. So now I think, if I'm doing the same as nurseries & providing the same as nurseries, why shouldn't I be charging the same as nurseries? My status has grown to such an extent that if the government wants me to be equal, I'm entitled to charge an equal amount.

So the government has shot itself in the foot. By making us 'professional' they have raised our profile & ensured that many childminders are, in fact, offering better services than nurseries and charging accordingly. Now they seem to be wanting to put us back to the same position we were in 17yrs ago. I was content with it then as that's how things were and that was all we knew. But having been elevated to the position of professional childcarer, I'm not going to be dumped back down without a fight!

This is all very true Mouse. I think there are good and bad in all but I know I put a lot more into my children than the local nurseries and always have. Why because I take them out. We go all over the place, visit museums, farms etc etc and all that is paid for out of the fees the parents pay me. I do charge less than the local nurseries.

I have like you gone along with all the 'improvements' to raise the outcomes for the children and as you say the Government haven't thought it through. This is one reason Nurseries are so expensive because all the staff have to have a basic level of qualification and they have to pay at least min wage, holidays, sickness and maternity pay.

[adele1985]

makes me so mad after years of working in a nursery I decided to become a childminder so I could do the job how it should be done ! where do they get off thinking that childminders are any less qualified or suited to the job than nursery workers

same here I became a childminder as i belive I can give the chldren in my care alot more than any nursery could. I dont mind the long hours that a childminder does or the paperwork on weekends and evenings as i know that its for the benifit of the children i can honestly say i very rarly make a profit as most of it goes on new resourses ect which i enjoy buying as i know it benifits the kids

could a private nursery say that - i dont think so at least the ones i worked in couldent new toys where brough out when ofsted where expected other then that some weeks the kids didnt even have paper to draw on unless staff brought it in them selves

this is getting me so mad
i wish i had the writting skills to write to this woman but i woundet know where to start

[loocyloo]

this is getting me so mad
i wish i had the writting skills to write to this woman but i woundet know where to start

i don't feel i have the writing or word skills to write 'properly' but i am so mad about this that i have written anyway! (spell check is my friend ) i just read through what was said and wrote my comments in reply and pressed send! go for it!

[rickysmiths]

I have now emailed Ms Elizabeth Truss! Quite long I have put it on one of the other threads.