Accredited childminder?

**berkschick** · 18-09-2008, 08:29 AM

I have a parent interested in using her childcare vouchers towards her daughters fees with me when she starts recieving them next year.

I know you have to become an accredited childminder but I dont know how to go about this.

Does anyone know? Is there lots of extra work involved? Am I right in thinking that it it will only cover 2.5 hours of her childcare a day for 38 weeks a year?

**Tatia** · 18-09-2008, 09:03 AM

Call your network coordinator. She'll set you on the path, if it's available where you're at. And yes, it covers 2.5 hours Xs 5 sessions a week at roughly £3.32 an hour though it's actually a sessional rate of £8 something, I broke it down to see how the hours match up to my normal fee.

Not a lot of extra work now that EYFS has come into it. You have to show long, medium and short term planning and obs and prove that you are meeting the early learning goals. You are also required to have at least termly formal meetings with parents to discuss child's progress.

I find myself really enjoying it, now I've been at it for 2 or 3 weeks.

Pipsqueak · 18-09-2008, 09:05 AM

And don't forget that the hours will be increasing to 15hours and they will be flexible. Thats where us childminders will trump the nurseries - as they are going to find it really difficult to accomodate the flexible bit!!

**berkschick** · 18-09-2008, 09:05 AM

I dont know if we have a network - or a co-ordinator! How do I find out?

Pipsqueak · 18-09-2008, 09:07 AM

Speak to your local CIS is and ask for the number for
your development officer, early years team and if there are any networks (formal or informal) in your area.

Good luck with it xxx

**Tatia** · 18-09-2008, 09:08 AM

Yes, 38 weeks a year, as well. Make sure parent knows it's only for term-time and she'll be charged accrodingly for half-terms and hols. You follow your local schools term dates. The term before, you will send in a list of children you think you will be having and they send you a 50% payment. Then, after a few weeks into the new term, you send in your adjusted list and they will then send you the remaining 50% or whatever, if they need to adjust in case you have more or less children than you had initially accounted for.

My weekly money has gone down obviously but I like the idea of a lump payment once or twice a term.

**Tatia** · 18-09-2008, 09:10 AM

Hiya, sorry, didn't know there were other responses as I was responding. Pip, I haven't been told when it's going up to 3 hours a session. Do you have a definite date? It didn't seem imminent when I last asked about it.

**berkschick** · 18-09-2008, 09:12 AM

Thats great, thank you both for your help.

I will give CIS a ring.

Pipsqueak · 18-09-2008, 09:12 AM

Sorry Tatia - didn't mean to butt in hun

We were at our informal CFC meeting the other night and our DO was mentioning it - she didn't mention any dates but I get the impression its not that far off.

**Tatia** · 18-09-2008, 09:16 AM

Sorry Tatia - didn't mean to butt in hun

Silly!

You didn't butt in. Thanks for that about the 3 hours. I'm gonna ask about it again.

**angeldelight** · 18-09-2008, 09:45 AM

I am accredited

We have been told the hours will be increasing

There is some information here

http://www.ncmaccf.org.uk/Templates/...p?NodeID=90257

Angel xx

**Tatia** · 18-09-2008, 11:40 AM

I know the hours will be increasing, it's just nobody can seem to say when although everyone I've talked to seems to think it's not imminent. I would guess, considering paperwork/payment set-up, that they'd have to let us know the term before it changes.

Angel, I didn't realize you were accredited or I'd have been hounding you with questions and asking for advice when I was in the process of signing up!

**Jules12Wed** · 18-09-2008, 01:09 PM

Does anyone know if these hours can all be used on one day. One of my parents wants to put her daugher into a nursery for one day a week instead of sending her to me so that she will get that day free. Can she do that??

**Tatia** · 18-09-2008, 01:12 PM

She can use 2 of her sessions in one day so would get 5 hours of funded nursery education. But you can't use more than 2 in one day.

**Rubybubbles** · 18-09-2008, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by berkschick

I dont know if we have a network - or a co-ordinator! How do I find out?

I don't have a network local

and the Early Years development worker bod still hasn't gotten back to me about any training courses!

thanks need to phone her again hehe

**singlewiththree** · 18-09-2008, 01:18 PM

YES but she will still have to pay for lunch time extra. I currently send my daughter 3 full days to nursery as I work. They class the morning and afternoon sessions as 2 sessions and I pay the extra for lunch or if I was dropping off earlier or later they would have to be paid for. Our nursery sessions are 9-12 1-4

I pay for the extra session on a Weds afternoon.

Paula W

**LisaH** · 18-09-2008, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by Tatia

Hiya, sorry, didn't know there were other responses as I was responding. Pip, I haven't been told when it's going up to 3 hours a session. Do you have a definite date? It didn't seem imminent when I last asked about it.

2 of my mindees have started nursery and the sessions are now 3hrs long, so some areas must have started already!!

**Bella** · 18-09-2008, 06:27 PM

I am accredited and on the pathfinder project in Hants offering flexible 15 funded hours a week and being paid an enhanced fee of £4.10 per hour. we have had this for over a year.

**CCJD** · 18-09-2008, 06:58 PM

hi,if you are accredited can a mum still send their child to a Pre-school ,say three sessions a week (and they claim for them) and you then claim for the remaining session. I personally believe Pre-school is a beneficial experience and would want my charges to attend at least a couple of sessions a week as a good introduction to school but I didn't know if I could claim for the extra sessions to help reduce costs for the parents