CMs can look after 30 children...Truss proposes...

Simona · 19-02-2014, 03:43 PM

...but how many will take this offer up?

Is she jumping the gun.... or offering us crumbs?

Minders in after-school clubs will be able to look after 30 children each as part of a proposal to make child care more affordable.
Elizabeth Truss, the childcare minister, said on Thursday the new rules would help more women work.
Currently one carer can look after as many as eight children at an afterschool play group

Childcare: minister proposes 30 pupils per minder to help save on costs - Telegraph

**Tazmin68** · 19-02-2014, 03:52 PM

I would to see if there is any house insurance out there that would cover for 30 children. My own house insurance limits me to 8 children with regards to damage to buildings and contents insurance !!!!!

**primula** · 19-02-2014, 03:56 PM

I can just about cope with 3!! let alone 30

Simona · 19-02-2014, 04:00 PM

Truss is referring to cms being able to go and work in schools from 3 to 6pm to help run after school club...so I would assume no insurance needed

She said she is going to 'free us' from the restrains of working from our homes only...not sure who pays our wages or what we would do with the children in our care from 8-6pm...take them along?

**Mouse** · 19-02-2014, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Simona

Truss is referring to cms being able to go and work in schools from 3 to 6pm to help run after school club...so I would assume no insurance needed

She said she is going to 'free us' from the restrains of working from our homes only...not sure who pays our wages or what we would do with the children in our care from 8-6pm...take them along?

That's jolly decent of her isn't it? But I actually LIKE working in my home. That's why I chose to be a childminder and not go to work in a nursery

But thinking about it, I could charge a discounted rate of £2 per hour, per child. That's £60 an hour, £180 a day, £900 a week, £34200 assuming 38 weeks in a school year.

Hmm...that's sounding more tempting now. No over heads, very few expenses. Not bad for 3 hours work a day, term time only

**lilac_dragon** · 19-02-2014, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by Mouse

That's jolly decent of her isn't it? But I actually LIKE working in my home. That's why I chose to be a childminder and not go to work in a nursery

But thinking about it, I could charge a discounted rate of £2 per hour, per child. That's £60 an hour, £180 a day, £900 a week, £34200 assuming 38 weeks in a school year.

Hmm...that's sounding more tempting now. No over heads, very few expenses. Not bad for 3 hours work a day, term time only

I was just thinking the same thing - plus I would expect the school to provide all resources etc as I couldn't bring everything backwards and forwards with me. That means storage needed too.
As a Guide Leader in charge of 12 children as the norm and 24 if the other Leader's busy, the numbers aren't a particular problem as long as you're organised - as Childminders are!

**JCrakers** · 19-02-2014, 04:52 PM

What would we do with our under 5's while we pop off to look after 30 children?

Like we've got nothing better to do....does she think we are sitting twiddling our thumbs?

**Mouse** · 19-02-2014, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by JCrakers

What would we do with our under 5's while we pop off to look after 30 children?

Like we've got nothing better to do....does she think we are sitting twiddling our thumbs?

If Truss has her way the under 5s will be in school anyway, so problem solved. She really has thought of everything

**jackie 7** · 19-02-2014, 05:23 PM

Why doesn't she just attach maternity hospitals to the school so mums could go back to work within hours of giving birth. It could be birding school so the state could control them properly. Then she could invent robots to feed and change nappies. I have just realised she really is a Borg. Resistance is futile she will integrate us!

Simona · 19-02-2014, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by jackie 7

Why doesn't she just attach maternity hospitals to the school so mums could go back to work within hours of giving birth. It could be birding school so the state could control them properly. Then she could invent robots to feed and change nappies. I have just realised she really is a Borg. Resistance is futile she will integrate us!

I tend to agree with you...resistance has been futile as she is marching on regardless so far....... but miracles do happen. Her proposals need to be agreed by parliament...so messages to MPs will help
I hope someone will come forward and stop her in her tracks....Clegg is apparently going to back this proposal as stated in the article because it involves older children...so he has U turned on his concerns for children as he did in the ratio

Worth watching how this proposal will evolve though
I am sure there are many schools who have wonderful relationships with cms.....my experience is that teachers do engage ...past and present headteacher less so

We did approach our school to form a link between the parents and registered cms so we could step in helping those short of care or in an emergency or for holiday cover...all the school had to do was compile a list of cms who collected from the school and pass it to parents

Parents I spoke to agreed but both headteachers emailed me saying 'We do not endorse CMs'...I replied we were endorsed by Ofsted via our registration...no answer.

So.... when they are forced to run these clubs and they turn to cms will they endorse us then?
My school does run an after school club but it is from 3.15 to 5.30pm ...so no use to parents.....lets watch this space

As Mouse says below it could be appealing to some.

**SYLVIA** · 19-02-2014, 06:45 PM

What are these 30 children supposed to be doing during these hours. I can see it getting out of hand with the numbers involved. But I for one wont be doing it, nor will I be collecting children at 6 and having them for the 15 mins it takes for parents to actually get home. Most of my mindees are here after 6 so these clubs would not work for them. Perhaps they will make them stay open even later. Apparently doesn't seem to matter how it effects them being there till 6 so another half hour or so won't hurt them

**wee_elf** · 19-02-2014, 09:56 PM

I am a little confused.....what would I do with my own little one when I went to work in a school for three hours, put her with another CM - oh wait they will all be at school with me!!!

Simona · 19-02-2014, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by wee_elf

I am a little confused.....what would I do with my own little one when I went to work in a school for three hours, put her with another CM - oh wait they will all be at school with me!!!

Have asked Truss that question on twitter but got no reply...one minor detail she has forgotten to address due to her China trip being mostly on her mind!!
Hope she gets to walk along the China wall to give her time to reflect.
Told you #trussology...can be very confusing !

**Mouse** · 20-02-2014, 12:17 PM

I know this is old, but it is still quite relevant

Cardboard boxes recognised as ‘child minders’

**Maza** · 20-02-2014, 12:23 PM

Poor kids. So after a hard day at school they are then to remain in a school environment with such a ridiculous adult/child ratio that they won't get any TLC, comfy chairs, quiet spaces, adult input etc.

What happens if one is unwell, some of them have an argument, one is feeling sad, one has wet themselves etc. How would the one adult cope then? Who can sit with them and play a board game to make sure no one cheats or to explain the rules? Who can sit and help them with their homework? What happens at handover time when one adult is trying to check that each child goes with the correct adult and the others are cranky because they are just exhausted? Is there any paperwork that needs to be done for the kids, such as scrap books?

**wee_elf** · 20-02-2014, 01:25 PM

Indeed #trussology - love it!!

**tess1981** · 20-02-2014, 03:39 PM

phew..

.. im over worked just reading that

**maisiemog** · 20-02-2014, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Simona

Have asked Truss that question on twitter but got no reply...one minor detail she has forgotten to address due to her China trip being mostly on her mind!! Hope she gets to walk along the China wall to give her time to reflect. Told you #trussology...can be very confusing !

Perhaps she's in china looking into building robots in their factories to replace us completely. Oh and my sister loves #trussology but worries nobody will know what it means...although maybe we could somehow exploit the mystery in it?

**gef918** · 20-02-2014, 04:26 PM

Stupid woman. She lives in a fantasy world.

**Jiorjiina** · 20-02-2014, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Simona

We did approach our school to form a link between the parents and registered cms so we could step in helping those short of care or in an emergency or for holiday cover...all the school had to do was compile a list of cms who collected from the school and pass it to parents

Parents I spoke to agreed but both headteachers emailed me saying 'We do not endorse CMs'...I replied we were endorsed by Ofsted via our registration...no answer.

So.... when they are forced to run these clubs and they turn to cms will they endorse us then?
My school does run an after school club but it is from 3.15 to 5.30pm ...so no use to parents.....lets watch this space

I think the head teachers misunderstood your intentions, and meant that they don't promote any one childminder over any other.

I do think the idea of one adult trying to control 30 fractious and overwrought children after school, in a school environment is a recipe for disaster, frankly.

Perhaps what we need is some kind of 'Undercover Boss' type of show where politicians actually have to spend some time working in the jobs their portfolio covers, without anyone knowing who they actually are?