Twitter #EYTalking to be co-hosted by the DfE

[Simona]

A date for your diary for those who participate in these discussions on a Tuesday night...21 Jan at 8 pm

The topics for discussion are in this article and yes agencies are on the agenda or the recruitment of cms as well as how to encourage more schools to offer early years and out of school childcare!!!


Nurseries twitter chat to be co-hosted by Department for Education

[sarah707]

So they want new childminders - and schools to take younger children and open longer hours -

WHAT ABOUT US!?!?

Very disappointed to see that we are being sidelined yet again

I have no wish to take part in something that is promoting everything except the people who are working so hard right now

DfE are clearly not listening to us AGAIN

[Simona]

So they want new childminders - and schools to take younger children and open longer hours -

WHAT ABOUT US!?!?

Very disappointed to see that we are being sidelined yet again

I have no wish to take part in something that is promoting everything except the people who are working so hard right now

DfE are clearly not listening to us AGAIN

The questions have been set by the DfE...it does not mean we have to give them the answers they want or hope to get from us....I intend to be there and put my questions to them.
I certainly won't rush into telling them how schools should be extending their EY offer and childcare or how to recruit new cms...on the contrary I would like to know why they are not looking after current cms and not replying to our questions.

We have been complaining they are not listening to us and this, in my view, is an opportunity to ask questions and tell the DfE what we think

Sad if we lose it but we are all free to do as we like!

[sarah707]

Ok! Right! Positive engagement head on...

Hi Laura, thank you for your email and press release.

I am very disappointed that, despite the work a lot of Childminders are doing to raise the profile and needs of those of us who are currently Childminding, the focus of this discussion appears to be to further push us out of the market by bringing new Childminders on board without carrying out any local sufficiency audits first... and getting children into school earlier and for longer.

How can we remain sustainable if the pool of children available to us is dwindled? They have taken our local authority support, free training etc... now they seem to want to take our children away!

And further, we have written to DfE asking for answers to our questions – concerns that affect Childminders now. We have sent this open letter – it is in a section of the Forum you can read without membership – and we have not received a response -

Put independent childminders first!

I find it unbelievable that their focus is on new Childminders and school care when we are here, providing high quality care and education with very little (and often no) local support and no answers to questions we need answering! We have tried to engage – they are clearly not listening – I wonder what more we can do...

Best regards,

[Simona]

Ok! Right! Positive engagement head on...

Hi Laura, thank you for your email and press release.

I am very disappointed that, despite the work a lot of Childminders are doing to raise the profile and needs of those of us who are currently Childminding, the focus of this discussion appears to be to further push us out of the market by bringing new Childminders on board without carrying out any local sufficiency audits first... and getting children into school earlier and for longer.

How can we remain sustainable if the pool of children available to us is dwindled? They have taken our local authority support, free training etc... now they seem to want to take our children away!

And further, we have written to DfE asking for answers to our questions – concerns that affect Childminders now. We have sent this open letter – it is in a section of the Forum you can read without membership – and we have not received a response -

Put independent childminders first!

I find it unbelievable that their focus is on new Childminders and school care when we are here, providing high quality care and education with very little (and often no) local support and no answers to questions we need answering! We have tried to engage – they are clearly not listening – I wonder what more we can do...

Best regards,

Oh dear we are starting the new year in what I feel is a bit negative....never mind it is bound to happen when so much remains unanswered and that is causing lots of frustration...it is becoming very palpable.

First of all the DfE have been asked to co-host #EYTalking a while back...I know because I followed the discussions on twitter for a while....they have agreed...Good! personally I look forward to it but I also look forward to all the tweets when they are collated.

Lucy Powell MP has also been asked to co-host #EYTalking and she too has said yes very recently ...so I would say that too is positive because the Labour party too is making promises that will need to be answered...so here is another good opportunity to question those who promise a lot to the electorate but fail to ask providers first or those who continue to appear or write in the media a lot of waffle about the reforms.


As cms will have noticed the agenda for #EYtalking has been set by the DfE ,,,,#EYTalking usually has a topic for discussion but I have never seen this before...lets see what happens
some of us received an email with the press release....the questions are really an eye opener (I admit I had to read them twice myself)
but I wonder why the DfE is asking those questions after all they never listen to anyone so why ask us how to make their policies a success?
well there have been signs that nothing is really moving or bearing fruits in one or two of their reforms...or that is the way I see it personally.

again I feel CMs must take the opportunity to participate and make their opinions heard....the press release says there will be opportunities to extend the discussion beyond the 3 points on the agenda...lets take it.

A lot has been written about agencies, the EY reforms and much more but cms continue to be left without some vital answers...letters have been sent and tweets and comments posted on FB...the result has been complete silence but, judging by the speeches given by Truss, she is definitely listening to what is being said or written in letters!

We are all weary of all this but I feel this is not the time to give up...you ask very pertinent questions Sarah but no one can answer them here
because they have been asked before and not got a reply...lets try something different.

I hope cms who can will join in that session or at least take an interest and express their opinions

[Jayse74]

I can confirm that we will be the first casualties of this drive to get schools offering childcare!

We have had confirmation just before school broke up, days before christmas. But it was not done in anyway that would count as respect and I see it as rubbing our nose in the dirt! A parent also did something which I cannot be certain of whether it was deliberate but it sure seemed that way to me, this was the real confirmation we are just nothing to them. We really do bend over backwards to offer a good service to parents but are paid back in a way that is just terrible.

I know this is a but silly but we counted on one hand the parents who really do think we are worth it! the rest, we did not even get "Happy Christmas" from them!

It hurt ALOT! We are just a stop gap nothing more and to know that sooner rather than later I will not be working with my Wife anymore. She has already began to plan her future that could potentially be out of this sector, whatever numbers we do have left will eventually go towards the temptation of wraparound childcare on a school premises.

I will still continue to big up, defend and stick up for all registered childminders even if I no longer work in it anymore! I will never forget the good times and all the brilliant outcomes we have had.

Maybe my Wife has a future by moving towards a managed setting, employed as a staff member or something. I sincerely hope so, she has worked really hard to earn respect and acceptance only to have it all downgraded and laughed at by everything we look up to!

[Simona]

I can confirm that we will be the first casualties of this drive to get schools offering childcare!

We have had confirmation just before school broke up, days before christmas. But it was not done in anyway that would count as respect and I see it as rubbing our nose in the dirt! A parent also did something which I cannot be certain of whether it was deliberate but it sure seemed that way to me, this was the real confirmation we are just nothing to them. We really do bend over backwards to offer a good service to parents but are paid back in a way that is just terrible.

I know this is a but silly but we counted on one hand the parents who really do think we are worth it! the rest, we did not even get "Happy Christmas" from them!

It hurt ALOT! We are just a stop gap nothing more and to know that sooner rather than later I will not be working with my Wife anymore. She has already began to plan her future that could potentially be out of this sector, whatever numbers we do have left will eventually go towards the temptation of wraparound childcare on a school premises.

I will still continue to big up, defend and stick up for all registered childminders even if I no longer work in it anymore! I will never forget the good times and all the brilliant outcomes we have had.

Maybe my Wife has a future by moving towards a managed setting, employed as a staff member or something. I sincerely hope so, she has worked really hard to earn respect and acceptance only to have it all downgraded and laughed at by everything we look up to!

When CMs will no longer have the 'freedom' to be as flexible as they are and offer such tailored service as we can offer now then some parents will understand what they have lost and failed to value and respect....
I say 'some' because there are those who really appreciate CMs

When schools will be open for the whole day and mainly offer the 15 hours of free education (for them it is truly free because the teachers do not subsidise it and schools actually get higher funding) I wonder who will they turn to for the childcare?
Yes we can guess what the answer will be ...so parents will realise that you can't have 'education' unless it is linked to 'care'...will cms then be valued again?
is that the reason why the DfE is asking how they could recruit more in the profession?
I would start by valuing those who are in it already and stop the bashing which is getting very tiresome indeed!

I have experience of working in a day nursery, I managed my own preschool for years and now as a cm I can see that our flexibility cannot be compared to other settings simply because of the nature of our job and what we can indeed offer.

The huge majority of CMs go beyond their duty in terms of paperwork and service offered, in keeping updated and staying afloat when support has disappeared...how do they do it?

So yes I can see that many CMs will be looking at alternatives but as you say they will continue to carry the torch for CMs....we have not become a disposable commodity, on the contrary...my view of course.

[Simona]

Ofsted Big Conversation is advertising the #EYtalking session on 21 January when the DfE will be co-hosting and wanting answers on 3 specific topics which they have themselves set for us to comment on.

Those on twitter will have a wonderful opportunity to input and we know all comments will be collated

This is part of the message

Below is an invitation to connect to #EYTalking - 21st January 2014 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Department for Education will co-host the popular weekly twitter conversation.

This is a slight departure from our #OfstedBigConversation purpose but nevertheless I felt it was worthwhile sharing with you as we are entering a new climate of communication, debate and partnership.

On the agenda is a discussion regarding the proposal to offer Early Years provision in schools. There is a huge amount of concern in the sector about this proposal, and fully justified too! However, we do need to talk about this and give the Department for Education the views of the sector, who are after all the Early Years specialists.

The CM's are going to LOVE agenda item 2. I can hear the screams here in Hampton Court...

Tune into #EYTalking and be part of the conversation...


This is the agenda
The Department has set the following discussion points and is keen to communicate as widely as possible across the sector on the following issues:
•how to encourage schools to offer more Early Years and out-of-school childcare, including in partnership with PVI providers;
•how to encourage more childminders to enter the profession whether independently or as part of an agency;
•how to help parents make informed choices about childcare, including knowing how to demand a quality service.

Apologies if it looks like I am promoting twitter but I am not on FB, like many other CMs, so here is our opportunity to ask direct questions

[Simona]

If you want to join twitter on 21 Jan but are worried on how it works this is a guide on how to use the social media

Twitter for Beginners - YouTube!

Join us on the night and then if twitter is not for you leave it and return to your favourite social media but it is important we input our views on the topics set by the Dfe especially agencies...let them know how you feel

[Simona]

For those interested Lucy Powell MP will be co-hosting #eytalking on Tuesday 28 January 8pm
It will be useful to question her on the proposed 'universal' childcare and lets see if she listens to out concerns about our rising costs and how her party will address them

[Simona]

Is anyone joining twitter tomorrow night and put questions to the DfE?

[Simona]

If you joined EYTalking tonight I hope you enjoyed even though the answers on agencies were quite short coming ...but that session was a real marathon, there must be hundreds of tweets and once collated it will be a pleasure to read...I couldn't keep up!

[Smiley]

How do we access the collated tweets?
I bet your head was spinning

[Simona]

How do we access the collated tweets?
I bet your head was spinning

They are being put together and I will post them
I can't remember how many questions I asked...2 year olds took a lot of the time, funding and last, but not least, I prompted some agency questions as time was running out...but she avoided all of them and sent us a link of Agencies Q&A ....we had already seen them

The DfE woman co-hosting said 'we are listening'...oh dear ! ...AARRGGHH!!

[Simona]

My head is spinning now!!!!!...I just walked into my kitchen cupboard door and nearly knocked myself out!

[Smiley]

That made me laugh, which I needed as that woman has just been in BBC1 talking about high quality settings and 2 year olds as usual all the talk about nurseries!!

[Simona]

That made me laugh, which I needed as that woman has just been in BBC1 talking about high quality settings and 2 year olds as usual all the talk about nurseries!!

Well I survived that knock but slept in this morning as a result...just as well I am not working until lunchtime!!

Which woman??? I missed the news...Truss I bet?

Yes it looks to me as if when referring to all these proposals it is always 'nurseries' that are mentioned...for a while CMs were kind of added on but no more or rarely

I was also really surprised that in the agency tweets/debate last night only cms really participated...I am so worried no one is really that interested ...are they aware of the consultation due out soon? will they respond like we did the ratios?


I found a tweet after the session ended from one of those who participated telling me I was being.... wait for it ....'HARSH' with the DfE when I rebuffed the co-hosting woman for sending us a link to agencies Q&A that was very old and we all knew about...the tweeter suggested we had to co-operate and listen if we wanted better outcomes for children? beats me if that is not what I have been doing!

Well if that person only knew that we have been so very patient waiting for answers...it will be interesting to see the collated tweets....I will take it on from there

Now for next week and Lucy Powell MP.

[Simona]

That made me laugh, which I needed as that woman has just been in BBC1 talking about high quality settings and 2 year olds as usual all the talk about nurseries!!

Truss was talking about the report from the Sutton Trust which is making headlines this morning...rightly so!
Another mess Truss has got herself into.

[sarah707]

I made as many comments as I could but it was so fast moving I struggled to keep up - I had a few things I wanted to say and I did feel I made my point.

I commented that a lot of CCs are not welcoming childminders (ours has kicked us out and lots more too) - DfE replied to me to say they should - so I confirmed they are not! See if they 'listen' to that

[Simona]

I made as many comments as I could but it was so fast moving I struggled to keep up - I had a few things I wanted to say and I did feel I made my point.

I commented that a lot of CCs are not welcoming childminders (ours has kicked us out and lots more too) - DfE replied to me to say they should - so I confirmed they are not! See if they 'listen' to that

Yes it was very fast moving and anyone can continue to input into the discussion after as long as you use the #eytalking
The first question on the 2 year olds went on for 35 minutes...with many expressing their views on that plus many others that were not part of the discussion but she must have got the message...that si why I asked if we could move on to agencies

I suppose it is hard to host this type of conversation but the woman gave rhetoric answers ..it could have been Truss answering really....rather then focus on ours...

it was in my view clear she was not prepared for the questions and by the answer she gave on CCentres not aware of what is going on...same old story really: govt pushing on with policies without knowing what is going on at ground level...

as for agencies what did she really say? nothing!
The 3rd question on how to demand high quality childcare was hardly touched...I think parents know how to do that don't they? or is the argument all around 'affordable' childcare for them and pressure on us to deliver on such low funding which you rightly pointed out and which many CMs are refusing to draw...pacey have pointed out that very well.

I think the Sutton report vindicates us...another example of a policy hardly thought out and no joined up thinking!
but it will be another high calibre report that will be ignored because Truss thinks her policies will work...
if so how come only 92,000 are accessing funding out of the 130,000 that should do so? and while looking at expanding provision in schools why does she not look at what is available currently and how to encourage more providers to take 2 year olds?

On we soldier in an effort to be heard !