Why is there a need to 'professionalise' childminding??

in one way though it's about time people realised how important a job looking after children really is. wish the pay would reflect that

valid point, as always KC! I think there is a need to professionalise childminding because
many people still don't know there's a difference between a childminder and a babysitter. When I showed friends & family my ofsted report, they all said they had no idea how much was involved.

One parent at interview said to me "gosh its just like a real business!". I've often been asked when am I going to get a real job?

Some people have chosen nursery care over a childminder simply because they've assumed that the quality of care from someone working alone in their home is less than a group of paid staff. (I'm not trying to say one type of care is better than the other, just that some people don't have all the info before making a decision).

I don't think professionalising C/M is necessarily a bad thing - however increasing the beaurocracy is a BAD thing imo

The downside that you have all mentioned seems to me to be beaurocracy not professionalism

I had the same problems with OFSTED. My hubby made a fabulous climbing frame (he is an engineer and a timbermerchant). One inspector loved it and spent ages admiring it and asking how he made it etc and on a different occasion a second worried that the children might get splinters. I have also been given conflicting advice about lots of things - it really depends on the inspectors interpretation and this can have a big effect on the outcome of any inspection. I have have several dealings with OFSTED regarding changing my registration and most of the time I have found them incompetent and slow, althrough one lady I have to say was a gem!
As I said before, all of these petty and silly rules just add more stress and take time away from the littlies. I also believe that this goverments obsession with education from birth is crazy and in the long run will do more harm than good. Children need love, security, safety, friends and the kind of stimulation that comes from a family environment - not a programme of silly early years education from birth. I sincerely believe that many childcare workers are increasingly exasperated with having all this thrust down our throats, but dare not speak up for obvious reasons.

Rant over!

Hear hear to Isyhan - I also think it's great that we can (hopefully) be seen as professionals, but Ofsted really do let the side down because of some of their pettiness.

I was told that one of the things that they didn't like about Social Services doing inspections is that you were likely to have the same person inspect you every year, and would therefore build up a "rapport" or, horror of horrors, a bit of a friendship!! Ofsted like us to have different people, so inspectors get shipped all over the place.

The Social Services inspector I had was very professional - she would walk in and say, "hello Prisoner, nice to see you," would mention how much some of the children had changed (who she hadn't seen for a year), and then go through all the proper checks that she was obliged to do.

I get annoyed with Ofsted's inconsistencies - a changed-daily hand towel is OK for one inspector, but another inspector will insist on individual hand-towels. Should you or should you not have a fireguard over your gas fire because it has sharpish corners?! We have all heard conflicting stuff like this, but it is exactly some of these relatively daft things that can make the difference between one grade and another.

I think that the day-to-day care, love and nurturing of the children is most important. But you can't really put that in writing.

Oh, I couldnt have put it better!

Paperwork to show that we have done the paperwork.Increasing amounts of red tape but most of it is just silly and is pretty useless anyway as OFSTED dont have the resources or time to check whats going on!

Insane

TOTALLY AGREE!!!!

I think the problem is not about childminders becoming professional but OFSTED just being crap!

I have been a childminder for 10yrs and I think that the whole OFSTED thing and the current goverment policy on childcare is nuts!

I utterly fail to understand how OFSTED can think that a 2 or 3 yearly visit to a childminder can ensure that they are safe and carrying out good practice. OFSTED always seem to me to be rather wimpy and more interested in how many black dolls that I have rather than the standards of care that I offer. As long as it all "Looks good" on the day then that is all you hear of them for at least two years.

Where I live, it was much better in the days of Socail Services vetting childminders. Across the country, standards did vary but at least then you had one daycare advisor for your area. He or she handled your applications, carried out inspections and was accesable in case of problems - it was so much better.

I agree about there being too much paperwork. Parents get annoyed about it all and what gets me the most is that people can make themselves look Outstanding yet be really bad carers (not saying that is the case as most I know are great, it's just the odd one or two).

One of my outstandings at my first inspection was because I had x paperwork. This doesn't make me an outstanding childminder (btw, my overall grade was good, not outstanding but that's pretty much because a) I used to change the towels every 2 days instead of every day and b) I didn't jump up and down and do a little praise dance because someone said 'please'!!)

Some parents I know are actually being put off childminders because it's become too OTT and all they wanted was a home from home for their lo.

That's my view on the subject Off now to pick kiddy winkles up from nursery

I know this is going to wind people up but..Im now a childminder but before that I didnt consider looking for a childminder for my oldest girl because I thought all childminders were were young girls who plonked your child in front of the TV all day. If professionalising the job does anything it may help to stop that misconception. We had this discussion in nursing years ago but you may be quite glad one day when it is a profession and the government are trying to stuff you that you are part of a profession and you have a professional voice. It helped nursing because we would have been completely shafted by the Torries in the 80s otherwise. Sorry to rant!!

it's all people that work with children, we have ofstead come to our playschemes too. there are so many rules and regs now. we spend far too much time on paperwork etc. it's so annoying

that said...ive worked in several nurseries in the past and not one of them was up to date with paperwork etc till they knew ofsted were coming!!

zoe,i totally agree, certain courses are vital but some are just ridiculous arent they?!!!
and now we have to show taht we are working from birth to 3 framework! ffs if i done all that ofsted wanted me 2 id have no time with the children i mind! if id wanted to do alll that id have opened a bloody nursery!
i think alot of cms feel the same way.

My CM had her ofsted. The inspector turned up on a day when she didn't even have any children! What is the point of that? She was asked about having a sword in her toys but pointed out that they were encouraged to allow the children to choose new toys and the child in question has an interest in knights/castles/Ivanhoe etc and had chosen it in Toys R Us. Was DS btw.

She was also reprimanded for not having her ofsted certificate on display. It is now blu-tacked to the door of the playroom. She used to keep it in a folder which she showed to new parents at the initial meeting but that wasn't good enough.

im so glad im not the only one who thinks like this! the first aid course is vital. ive been encouraged to do the food hygiene course. i think its all common sense, surely. anybody knows that you dont use a knife to cut raw chicken and then use te same knife to cut the veg! i want to be at home, looking after the children, enjoying them and enjoying my job. i know im a good childminder, but i get stressed worrying about having to convinced the ofsted inspector that im doing everything they require!

I agree.
My dd has just started with an after school chilminder (lovely girl,has been in the children's nursery for years)
The paperwork is staggering
She also has to fill in a diary for dd every day.
To me,the longer she spends doing paperwork,the less time she spends with the children.

I don't nned a book.I ask her what she has done and eaten when I see her.

the prisoner, my "could come across as bit rude" comment wasnt aimed at you,
fistfullofnappies.......
"Well, parents do want to be 100% sure that all is safe, even stuff that isnt obvious, like covering water butts"
i have to say i wasnt a cm when ss done the checks but my sis was and it seems alot less hassle then and alot less crap to do 2 keep ofsted happy.
ffs ive worked in nurserys where the level of care is pityfull and on many occasion was left on my own in a room with 14 under ones! ofsted need to put more effort in2 spot checking nurserys than making sure cms have enough paperwork to get them a decent ofsted inspection report!!
i was inspected late last year and got a good, the inspector told me that had i done more birth to 3 planning i would have got a outstanding, wot a load of bollox!

smeeinit - I get a bit sarcastic when it comes to discussing Ofsted, sorry!!

What I meant to say is that if I chose not to tell Ofsted that I had something potentially dangerous (a secondhand car seat bought from a shifty-looking-geezer from a car boot sale, for instance), then they just wouldn't know. Social Services dutifully asked every year - "have you replaced any car seats/where did you get them from?" I would have had to tell a blatant lie to avoid mentioning the car boot purchase, whereas you just wouldn't say anything to Ofsted because they don't necessarily ask a direct question.

Can I please say that this is not the way I conduct my business - I don't know any dodgy chaps doing car boot sales, I just can't think of any examples!!!

Parents are assured that we have safety checks, but do they know that this relies on us to be honest (and I do know some shifty-looking childminders!!!)

at the risk of sounding a bit rude(thats not the intention i promise!)
i have to say it would take a real shit cm to think that covering a water butt isnt obvious!!