Passing the message on locally

[SammySplodger]

I have been on an EYFS course today and 'More Great Childcare' was VERY briefly mentioned as something we need to be 'aware of', with a general assumption that it will 'happen'. I stuck my hand up immediately and said what I thought about it.

The other CMs in the room seemed to be completely unaware of it. Frankly some were disinterested and/or unconcerned. But we are talking about mostly new CMs at pre-reg stage, so perhaps they haven't fully taken on board the implications.

Anyway: I said my bit and wrote down a list of info sources for them to follow up.

My LA seems to be resigned to it and do not seem to be passing any info on about what will happen in my area. Not sure if this is deliberate, because they don't know or are trying not to scare anyone.... or another reason entirely.

General stench of defeat and lack of information.
:-(

Just very glad I'm a part of this and other Fora / Twitter etc.

[AgentTink]

The same story where I am too. The council has only sent 1 email since it all began, and most other childminders I speak to just want to know when we can look after more children, or are completely unaware but don't seem interested I was sending emails to 80 cm's in my borough about petitions, news articles etc however no on ever replied. So I sent out a email asking who would like to receive further information and only 1 person replied

[lisbet]

Our Childminding co-ordinator wrote an article in the newsletter titled 'More Great Childcare' ??? and asked for our views. I am replying at length and with a list of links to people to write to etc! I really hope they find a way to preserve their current childminder support systems...

[mum26]

I know - I sent an e-mail to our childminding co-ordinator and didn't even receive a reply. I wonder if they know more than they are letting on - or maybe I am just being paranoid! Although I am sharing information on our local facebook pages the LA certainly aren't making childminders aware of the changes afoot.

[Mouse]

I went on a course recently where there were about 30 childminders. The trainer was the one who mentioned the changes, telling us how if we didn't all do something the wonderful LA staff would lose their jobs. There wasn't really any mention of how it would impact on childminders, only how we should all feel sorry for the early years staff.

The early years staff, for their part, have done absolutely nothing. There has been one email with a link to the More Great Childcare report. Even that was just added in among the other general info.

At the course I think there were 5 of us who had heard of any changes. Of the 5 who had heard anything, the info we had was all different, ie. one cm thought we could have 6 under 3s from Sept, one thought we could have 4 under 3s now, one thought agencies were compulsory, one thought they'd be no more Ofsted inspections for anyone. It really was astounding that so few knew anything and that the info we did have was so confused.

[hectors house]

I went on a course recently where there were about 30 childminders. The trainer was the one who mentioned the changes, telling us how if we didn't all do something the wonderful LA staff would lose their jobs. There wasn't really any mention of how it would impact on childminders, only how we should all feel sorry for the early years staff.

The early years staff, for their part, have done absolutely nothing. There has been one email with a link to the More Great Childcare report. Even that was just added in among the other general info.

At the course I think there were 5 of us who had heard of any changes. Of the 5 who had heard anything, the info we had was all different, ie. one cm thought we could have 6 under 3s from Sept, one thought we could have 4 under 3s now, one thought agencies were compulsory, one thought they'd be no more Ofsted inspections for anyone. It really was astounding that so few knew anything and that the info we did have was so confused.

If out of 30 childminders (who are the sort of childminders who attend courses) only 5 are in the loop about changes just think of the number of childminders who don't attend childminding groups, training or are members of NCMA who must still be completely in the dark - as the newspapers seem incapable of reporting the facts correctly.

[Mouse]

If out of 30 childminders (who are the sort of childminders who attend courses) only 5 are in the loop about changes just think of the number of childminders who don't attend childminding groups, training or are members of NCMA who must still be completely in the dark - as the newspapers seem incapable of reporting the facts correctly.

Frightening isn't it?

There's one childminder I bumped into in January who doesn't attend any training, groups etc. She didn't know anything about EYFS having been revised in Sept last year

[funemnx]

I finished my First Aid course this weekend and mentioned Ms. Truss and the proposed changes and NONE of them knew anything about it! Needless to say we all had a long discussion at lunch time!

I think it's appalling that I have recieved no information at all here in Cambridgeshire!

[FussyElmo]

I went to a meeting on friday about the redesign of our early years. It was for all PVI's who offered 2,3,4 year old funding and they were talking as if the MGC was a done deal and that they would be left fighting the schools for the 2 year olds

The nursery managers who were sitting with me were saying there wasnt enough children to go about now and if schools did start taking 2yos in then it would force alot of them to close regardless of the increase in ratios

[Mouse]

I went to a meeting on friday about the redesign of our early years. It was for all PVI's who offered 2,3,4 year old funding and they were talking as if the MGC was a done deal and that they would be left fighting the schools for the 2 year olds

The nursery managers who were sitting with me were saying there wasnt enough children to go about now and if schools did start taking 2yos in then it would force alot of them to close regardless of the increase in ratios

I was qute encouraged by the news this week the there are not going to be enough school places for children & that most schools are already over subscribed. If they can't manage the number of children due to go to school, how on earth will they fit 2 year olds in as well?

[FussyElmo]

I was qute encouraged by the news this week the there are not going to be enough school places for children & that most schools are already over subscribed. If they can't manage the number of children due to go to school, how on earth will they fit 2 year olds in as well?

Our la is a little different to most others in fact I think we are only one of 2 who offer 30 hours funded nursery places in schools. So as long as you are 3 by the 31st of august and get your preferred school you enter nursery in sept and usually by octobers half term you are full time. This leaves all the preschools nurseries cms fighting over the children who didnt get their preferred school.

As of sept 2014 and because of our La needing to find millions of pounds to make up their decrease in government funding they are reducing the schools 30 hour to 15 hours to bring them in line with all PVI's. I think this is concerning the PVI's that all the schools who have suddenly lost alot of their funding will open their doors to obtain the 2 yo funding.

[Mouse]

Our la is a little different to most others in fact I think we are only one of 2 who offer 30 hours funded nursery places in schools. So as long as you are 3 by the 31st of august and get your preferred school you enter nursery in sept and usually by octobers half term you are full time. This leaves all the preschools nurseries cms fighting over the children who didnt get their preferred school.

As of sept 2014 and because of our La needing to find millions of pounds to make up their decrease in government funding they are reducing the schools 30 hour to 15 hours to bring them in line with all PVI's. I think this is concerning the PVI's that all the schools who have suddenly lost alot of their funding will open their doors to obtain the 2 yo funding.

It all comes down to money, doesn't it?

[FussyElmo]

It all comes down to money, doesn't it?

Ultimately yes

[Simona]

There could be a simple solution to avoid the shortage of primary school places...send children at school at 6, which all countries except Finland do. There it is 7 and their attainment results consistently stay top of the world!!!
Imagine how many classrooms would be freed and available to primary children??? while the young would thrive in early years settings over a few years and not need so much support in KS1, it would also save huge sums in pupil premium

The legal age is 5 and 1/4 so how on earth have different govts managed to squeeze children in schools at 4 then 3 and, if Truss gets her way, God forbid at 2!!
Children will never be ready for school at 3 because emotional and intellectual intelligence kick in later...of course they are contained and containment causes problems as is brainwashing them with numeracy and literacy that could be developped by play in high quality settings.

Other countries don't follow our example, maybe time to follow theirs?...wish Truss would do that rather than come up with her waffling about high quality and higher ratios!
Early school has definetely contributed to the high cost of childcare and reduced the children in care to cms, it is also free childcare for parents...if 2 year olds end up in school cms will be left to care only for babies for a very limited amount of time and the fabric of childminding would change for ever!