Council withdrawn it's start-up grant!

[tiger79]

I've just had a phonecall from my local council to say that they are withdrawing my start-up grant due to council cuts since the new coalition govt!

Luckily I did my first aid course in June and that has all been paid by them but I delayed getting my NCMA membership until my Ofsted registration came through. Now it looks like I'm going to have to pay for the membership, liability insurance and toolkit myself.

Been checking on the net to see how I can save a bit of money, but I can't get the public liabilty insurance without becoming a member. Plan to make some of the forms myself, but didn't know if I can make my own contract forms or whether they have to be NCMA or Morton Michel? Plus not sure whether to get insurance through NCMA or MM.

If anyone has already made up some forms themselves and is willing to share them, I'd be ever so grateful.

Thanks

[funfunfun]

I got a start up grant but wasnt from the council it was from "success"

[sarah707]

You do not need to be an NCMA member to be a childminder. Lots of childminders do not belong to the NCMA.

The NCMA is a registered charity that lobbies the Govt on behalf of childminders and offers extras including insurance through a recommended insurance company.

However they are just one of 2 choices for insurance... the other is Morton Michel who are an insurance company.

If you are looking to cut back on your start up costs this is one saving you can make and maybe join NCMA in the future when you are earning.

Hth

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I think that if you are a new minder 1 year with NCMA will be money worth spending. You will get an idea of everything regarding paperwork and then once you know what you are doing make your own (this is what I did)

[SandCastles]

I know exactly how you feel, I was told the same news but as I had enrolled on the courses already (long waiting list) then they will put 50% towards, but to my horror the toolkit, membership and insurance with NCMA was also scrapped until my ICP tutor took me under her wing and said she had some of her budget left over and would fund me as she thinks I would make a great childminder. How grateful I was to her, without her I don't know what I would have done. I did consider doing my own forms, but the toolkit had everything in I needed and so I felt more confident filling in contracts etc.. using their stationery.