I got my letter from the capital grant funding and this is what im getting..

[sammy]

a laptop, printer/scanner and digital camera ... but only on these conditions:

To prove i care for under 5s - which i do

To submit evidence that i have informed Ofsted through the self evalaution form that i use ict - Havnt done this and dont know anything about this.

Also to attend a 2 days training course on how to use the equipment - these are only held on saturdays, and start in MARCH (cant possibly go as i have no-one to care for my kids, i attend evening courses)
And then just to sign their consent form - which i can do easily


Once i have done all these then i can get my equipment!!

I just feel like i now have to "work" to get the stuff now, i dont mean to be ungrateful, but i feel it unnesessary to have to do all the above, when i could be cracking on with playing on my new laptop!!! tut tut!!

[Andrea08]

YOU LUCKY MOOOO

WELL JEALOUS HUN

i got a awning that makes my home look like a take away or a news agent

im not happy

[DudleyChildmind]

Well done

[LittleMissSparkles]

Well we are getting nothing from our local they have ear marked the money for outdoor play only and nurseries etc are first priority as they service more children apparently the government gave them discretion so there is nothing for us childminders round here yet again

[miffy]

I think you're lucky too

I'd jump at the chance for any of those things free but in my area so far there's diddly squat!

Hope you find a way round the Saturday training

Miffy xx

[sarah707]

To submit evidence that i have informed Ofsted through the self evalaution form that i use ict - Havnt done this and dont know anything about this.

Ok, so on your self evaluation form, in the section about children's learning and development, you just need to chat on about how little Johnny used the digital camera at his house to take photos of things that were important to him in his home life. He brought them back to you and you printed them out (with his help of course) and the 2 of you made a display on the noticeboard. this was such a successful activity that you hope to repeat it with little Jenny next month so she can have her own display.

Hth

[Pipsqueak]

no nothing round here either, our LA have decided how its going to be spent - although we have a really great CDO who fights tooth and nail to make sure we have our share

OK back to your "problems"

you are a minder - see if a colleague can have your children for the day - see if you can do it on a "favour" basis

re your sef and ICT - you have more ICT in your home than what you realise and the kids use it:
remote controls
home pc (do they play games on it etc, use the BBC kids website etc), do you do printing out? - photos and the kids look at them, stories for the kids to read, stuff for themes like Chinese new year - do you let teh children help you decide etc
programmable toys - remote control toys
those little Vtech laptops etc

[sammy]

thanks for your advice and about the sef, but what i mean is i dont know about the self evaluation form itself, ive never heard of it (only on this forum) and in the letter i got. I take it everyone has to do one? I havnt heard anyone in our area talking about it anyway.

So how do i get it?

thanks

[Pipsqueak]

you don't HAVE to do one but it is to your benefit to do one before your inspection. This will give the inspector a good idea about your practice before she gets there and the more you can tell them the less you will have to try to remember to show/tell her.

Give Ofsted a call and ask them to send you your login details

[sammy]

i only had an inspection last march, would i still need to do it?

[Pipsqueak]

you can "store and update" your sef online, so that means you can fill it in and continue updating it over the next three years... like I say it gives the inspector a heads up before they come out to you.... its you telling them what you do, how you do it, why etc.....

it is HIGHLY recommended that you do one but not law

[singlewiththree]

Our local committee are still fighting for our grant but we had an email today about it and have been given the option to reply. Basically the council want to give it to the disadvantage areas who offer the 15hr provision. If we are to get any then we have to be prepared to join a partners scheme and have an annual unannounced visit from a council member to check we are using it properly, we could get a camera, or laptop or outdoor play equipment and apply for funding to support the inclusion of a disabled child. Accrediated childminders get more. I think its worth jumping through the hoops if it could really help improve your service. I don't use my laptop for the children as it has my open university work on it and is my lifeline in the evenings however to get one specifically for the children would be wonderful.

I'm going to compile my response and the responses are all going to the meeting.

[Pipsqueak]

fingers crossed for you then Single!!

[DCS]

a laptop, printer/scanner and digital camera ... but only on these conditions:

To prove i care for under 5s - which i do

To submit evidence that i have informed Ofsted through the self evalaution form that i use ict - Havnt done this and dont know anything about this.

Also to attend a 2 days training course on how to use the equipment - these are only held on saturdays, and start in MARCH (cant possibly go as i have no-one to care for my kids, i attend evening courses)
And then just to sign their consent form - which i can do easily


Once i have done all these then i can get my equipment!!

I just feel like i now have to "work" to get the stuff now, i dont mean to be ungrateful, but i feel it unnesessary to have to do all the above, when i could be cracking on with playing on my new laptop!!! tut tut!!

Unfortunenately, this is the downside of obtaing grants.

In my area, we cant acess this funding, unless we join one of 3 networks, and even then we have to do things like produce a 3yr biz plan (how many cm's have one of those?) and HAVE TO HAVE THE COUNCIL'S LOGO ON YOUR WEBSITE AND LETTER HEADS, if you have them

[tammerisk]

i didn't apply for the grant because it would mean that the stuff i brough would belong to the county council in the end as i thought about an extantion but then i wouldn't be able ot sell my house as some of it would belong to the county council