NCMA response

[FussyElmo]

http://www.*************/news/news/j...childcare.aspx

[FussyElmo]

NCMA's response in full:

NCMA responds to government proposals set out in More Great Childcare

Government plans in More Great Childcare contain some good news for childminding but significant concerns still remain, says NCMA, the professional association for registered childminders and nannies.

Liz Bayram, Joint Chief Executive, says, "Today’s decision to maintain the current ratio levels for registered childminders will be welcomed by our members and other childminders, who have spent months stating their concerns around proposals to increase the number of children a childminder can care for at one time. We are relieved that, after months of uncertainty, the Department has listened to the professionals doing the job on a daily basis and will maintain the current 1:6 ratio.

"However, increasing the number of under 5s a childminder can care for at one time to four and including two babies under 12 months rather than one, can only be justified if systems are put in place to support childminders to make the quality judgements needed to ensure each child in their care still receives a high quality experience.

"The plan does not seem to link this change to individual childminders holding higher Ofsted gradings, minimum qualifications nor the new Early Years Educator role. We know many of our members do not use their full ratio level at present, because such young children rightly demand high levels of individual attention and care to thrive."

Significant concerns also remain around the plan to offer childminders the option of registering with an Ofsted-inspected agency. NCMA refutes the claim that the number of active childminders has halved in the last 20 years and that this model will help recruit individuals into the profession.

Bayram continues, "Our fear is this will lead to a two-tiered system for childminding and risk its future sustainability. Whilst now only proposed as an option for childminders to choose, it remains based on the widely discredited Dutch system. We believe agencies will confuse parents, may not lead to Government’s desired quality improvements and could damage the hard-earned professionalism that childminders have achieved in recent years.

"Parents rely on Ofsted inspection of individual childminders to reassure them their child will be safe and receive a quality experience in that individual’s care. The current system places childminding on an equal footing with nursery and pre-school childcare. Introducing this approach risks parental confidence in childminding and so its sustainability.

"The Ofsted inspection of agencies will need to be rigourous to ensure the need to make a profit is balanced with the need to ensure quality. The idea that agencies will mean parents no longer need to check a childminder themselves or can find someone else with ease to care for their child if their childminder is ill, fails to recognise how engaged parents are in making careful decisions around the childcare they choose for their child. Parents want to ensure not only that it is high quality care but that their child likes the setting, the childminder and the other children s/he cares for.

"Ultimately the business model for an agency is based on recruiting lots of childminders willing to pay them a fee and, potentially a commission, for placing parents with them. It underestimates how to sustain quality improvement and how to support parents in choosing childcare."

[nipper]

Link not working

Ok is now

[FussyElmo]

I cheated copied and pasted

[Mrs Scrubbit]

Thanks Fussy interesting reading x

[Mice and Toad]

Stupid woman Agree with NCMA, no stupid agency!!!

[bunyip]

Speaking as an NCMA member (i.e. a 'critical friend') I do worry when the organisation spends too much time listening to its own propaganda and not enough time listening to its members.

Parents rely on Ofsted inspection of individual childminders to reassure them their child will be safe and receive a quality experience in that individual’s care.

...no they don't. I was at an NCMA event where a table of CMs worked out they had close to 100 years total experience and had never been asked their grades by a parent.

Most parents appear to be thoroughly confused by Ofsted grades, NCMA's own system of differing membership classes, accreditation, EYP and all the rest of the guff that stems from industry navel-gazing. They (and I) have no idea why there can't just be registered CMs and let that be good enough. I personally think that the only priviledge that my own grading entitles me to is that I can say that sort of thing without being accused of sour grapes. No way would I say I'm better than most other CMs but NCMA want me to.

They should be showing solidarity with their membership and demanding that we all be treated equality, not implying that "some are more equal than others."

[FussyElmo]

Speaking as an NCMA member (i.e. a 'critical friend') I do worry when the organisation spends too much time listening to its own propaganda and not enough time listening to its members.



...no they don't. I was at an NCMA event where a table of CMs worked out they had close to 100 years total experience and had never been asked their grades by a parent.

Most parents appear to be thoroughly confused by Ofsted grades, NCMA's own system of differing membership classes, accreditation, EYP and all the rest of the guff that stems from industry navel-gazing. They (and I) have no idea why there can't just be registered CMs and let that be good enough. I personally think that the only priviledge that my own grading entitles me to is that I can say that sort of thing without being accused of sour grapes. No way would I say I'm better than most other CMs but NCMA want me to.

They should be showing solidarity with their membership and demanding that we all be treated equality, not implying that "some are more equal than others."

And we all know what happened to poor Boxer!!!

[bunyip]

And we all know what happened to poor Boxer!!!

Sorry, Fussy - hope it's not a premonition.

I seem to have OD-ed on the Radio 4 Orwell season.

(Searching in vain for emoticon with little raised fist and POUM scarf).

[FussyElmo]

Sorry, Fussy - hope it's not a premonition.

I seem to have OD-ed on the Radio 4 Orwell season.

(Searching in vain for emoticon with little raised fist and POUM scarf).

MMM what does it say about me I got the reference and kneww the name of the horse.........I appreicate literature

Think we all need our marching boots on

[bunyip]

MMM what does it say about me I got the reference and kneww the name of the horse.........I appreicate literature

Think we all need our marching boots on...........

Fussy, you really must finish your sentences before you click on "submit reply".

I take it you meant to end with "....Truss's face."

[nipper]

My Doc Martens are at the ready...just give me the nod.

I will work harder...

[rickysmiths]

I have been an NCMA member for many years. I have been a childminder for many years as well.

I have no qualms in saying I am better than a lot of the childminders around me. I am. I do more regular training, I am one of the few in a med sized town with approx 50 cms to have completed the Level 3 Diploma (and at the tender age of 58!). I have a huge range of resources for the children that are reviewed regularly and added to often to cater for a new topic or a child's particular interest. I am lucky to have a large house and garden now, that was not always so I spent the first 10yrs of my career minding in a first floor flat. I cook fresh meals for the children every day. We go out often to all sorts of places and often to cater for the children's particular interests like a visit to London to the Natural History before Christmas to see the Dinosaurs.

I have always been inspected as Good and the last twice I have had Outstanding areas. Yes I have found parents do take notice of my Report but actually most of them are not interested in the detail but are reassured by the thought that we are inspected by Ofsted regularly and see it that at least someone is keeping a general eye on what and how we are doing things.

Of course there is a difference between childminders and there has to be a way, like there is for schools etc to at least give the parents who want it a general guide. I most certainly would not want to be lumped in with a number of childminders local to me because what I do and how I do it and the service I offer is a Rolls Royce compared to their Mini frankly.

I think the NCMA statement is positive and I think they do listen to their members for the most part, no organisation who has so many members and represents such a large body of professionals can please all of them all of the time. Unions don't do they so why do you all expect NCMA to be 100% perfect all the time? I think they do more in the background than any of you realise and don't always blow their own trumpet because it isn't always appropriate to do that. Like other they can't work miracles but every little helps and they are all we have.

You all compalin when NCMA don't publish their views and then you do when they do. They can't win can they?

Lets face it UKCMA promised the world to Childminders last April during a big launch on this Forum and where are their comments and support in all of this?

[Tazmin68]

Is there going to be a petition against making us join an agency. As if we are going to where will their costs come from. Let me guess we will be paying a fee. Yet another outgoing. So much for childcare fees coming down.

[sarah707]

Is there going to be a petition against making us join an agency. As if we are going to where will their costs come from. Let me guess we will be paying a fee. Yet another outgoing. So much for childcare fees coming down.

Do you want one?

I am currently thinking about where to take the campaign next...

The amazing success of the current petition has opened my eyes to the strength of feeling out there and spurred everyone on I think to make their feelings known.

I will be starting a thread. All contributions... ideas... suggestions... thoughts will be very welcome.

This is about forum members so all forum members need to get involved if they have a view point

[Tazmin68]

I think we need to make the point that we are self employed and wish to remain so and not be forced to join an agency and then pay fees to an agency as this will result in higher childcare fees as yet another out going. Plus my parents like the freedom to pay me how they wish such as bacs or cash etc, plus by paying us and not an agency it helps with our working with parents. For example in one off situations I have had parents pay me at end of a week instead of beginning how would an agency deal with this. After all IT IS MY BUSINESS.

At least they did listen to the request to leave overall numbers alone at 6 under 8 years.

[bunyip]

I've not read the full DofE document in detail; I've only skimmed through it so I may be wrong. But I don't believe it says we'll be forced to join an agency - I think it's an option. I'm only saying this cos it's so easy for people to read things into reports that become rumours that get spead as if they were fact, and we all end up in a panic.

Can someone please clarify? Where does it say that we have to work under an agency? I can't see it.

[WibbleWobble]

....................four legs good....................two legs bad.................................


wibble x

[FussyElmo]

I've not read the full DofE document in detail; I've only skimmed through it so I may be wrong. But I don't believe it says we'll be forced to join an agency - I think it's an option. I'm only saying this cos it's so easy for people to read things into reports that become rumours that get spead as if they were fact, and we all end up in a panic.

Can someone please clarify? Where does it say that we have to work under an agency? co I can't see it.

Everything I have read today says the networks will be voluntary - well until they change their minds

[bunyip]

Just to clarify.

I am a member and supporter of NCMA and agree with the larger part of their statement. I sincerely apologise for putting insufficient emphasis on my support for the overall message of the statement reproduced in post#2. I wholeheartedly back the campaign for individual inspections.

I hope I've not upset anyone or left them thinking I am disloyal. I will never complain simply because they make a statement, but my underlying loyality will never prevent me from speaking up when I disagree with any of the content of a statement. As I said, I am a supporter of individual inspections. But I have doubts about how some inspections are done, and I find the multiple ways of classifying CMs by different organisations to be confusing and unhelpful.

Excellent point by Rickysmiths - Exactly where are UKCMA in all this? The silence from them is deafening. As the self-professed "preferred association for all childminders", these would-be saviours were going to speak out for CMs because, in their words: "This kind of support has been missing and is long overdue." I don't suppose it would have anything to do with them being cosied-up to a company that publishes arguments in support of the agency model by any chance? Or maybe the nursery-manager half of UKCMA-HQ approves of the way government policy is heading?