What did we all learn from our Regional ARM's?

[Pipsqueak]

We had a great workshop and key note speaker Phil Andre - he was fab. Speech was about diversity and equality and the evolution of to todays Equaity Act 2010.
And the workshop was about Religious Festivals -covering Diwali, Holi, Ramadan and Freddie Mercury' religions Zorroastrianism.
Very interesting and Phil Andre is a really lovely bloke.
the other workshop was online safety and was very interesting.. lots about social networking but nothing we don't really know already.
http://www.northerngrid.org/




There was talk as well about NCMA lobbying government that childminders should be receiving (clients) childcare element of tax credits directly. Apparently this has been a burning issue in the NE and the NPF's will be raising it. I personally do not want this.

[christine e]

We (East Midlands) held ours on Saturday and we had a great music workshop provided by The Music Man (Craig Trafford) which was great fun.

I'm sure the idea of paying childminders the childcare element of tax credits was put forward as a resolution at last year's conference - I voted against as I am concerned that they (tax credits) would pay us too much (as they often pay out too much) and then try to claw it back from us

Cx

[Playmate]

We had a great workshop and key note speaker Phil Andre - he was fab. Speech was about diversity and equality and the evolution of to todays Equaity Act 2010.
And the workshop was about Religious Festivals -covering Diwali, Holi, Ramadan and Freddie Mercury' religions Zorroastrianism.
Very interesting and Phil Andre is a really lovely bloke.
the other workshop was online safety and was very interesting.. lots about social networking but nothing we don't really know already.
http://www.northerngrid.org/




There was talk as well about NCMA lobbying government that childminders should be receiving (clients) childcare element of tax credits directly. Apparently this has been a burning issue in the NE and the NPF's will be raising it. I personally do not want this.

Our focus was on making time for yourself, so we had a yoga instructor to talk to us and did some relaxation exercises - we were all nearly asleep! Great fun though
I was at the last conference when the motion was passed about tax credits. The way I understood it was more along the lines of vouchers rather than direct payment to us - but maybe I mis understood

[Pipsqueak]

I voted against last year too.
Playmate there was no talk of vouchers instead. Regardless I still don't want it - I do not want that responsibility of someone's money

[Playmate]

I voted against last year too.
Playmate there was no talk of vouchers instead. Regardless I still don't want it - I do not want that responsibility of someone's money

I think so many Childminders were fed up that people calim the money and then tell the childminder they can't afford childcare etc.etc. Personally I wouldn't want the money paid straight to me either - vouchers would be fine. In fact it makes no difference to us we ask for payment in advance and if they don't pay its no childminding - harsh probably, but in 18 years I have never had a none payer or been mucked around with money at all

[christine e]

I think so many Childminders were fed up that people calim the money and then tell the childminder they can't afford childcare etc.etc. Personally I wouldn't want the money paid straight to me either - vouchers would be fine. In fact it makes no difference to us we ask for payment in advance and if they don't pay its no childminding - harsh probably, but in 18 years I have never had a none payer or been mucked around with money at all

I have never had anyone owe me money in 20 years - the worst thing I have had is someone forget to pay on a Friday and brought it on the Monday but to be honest it has been me who has said leave it until Monday they have always offered to pop round later. I do appreciate though that I have been very lucky and that many people do have problems with parents paying but if ever I had someone owe me more than a week's money I would just tell them not to bother coming again

Cx

[The Juggler]

We (East Midlands) held ours on Saturday and we had a great music workshop provided by The Music Man (Craig Trafford) which was great fun.

I'm sure the idea of paying childminders the childcare element of tax credits was put forward as a resolution at last year's conference - I voted against as I am concerned that they (tax credits) would pay us too much (as they often pay out too much) and then try to claw it back from us

Cx

that is exactly what worries me. I would be happy with it as long as the onus for overclaiming/overpayment lies with parent to be paid back. After all our fees are our fees, regardless of what they are claiming.