petition against the early years foundation stage for childminder and anyone else that is concerned about this

Who says that early learning goals decide on by the government are what we all want for our children though? And even if they are who says that the parents don't want to be the ones to teach them?

Personally I plan to home educate DD because I think we place far too much emphasis on early learning in this country anyway. She has lots of great experiences and plenty of opportunity to do new things. However I need care for a short time each week. I chose NOT to use a childminder, despite it being the type of care I'd like for DD, in favour of a nanny. SOLEY because I would prefer that for the short hours my DD is in someone else's care they are engaged with her, not thinking about what boxes an activity might tick. Or planning what they can do next to take it further and challenge her. I have no interest in the Early Learning Goals so long as DD is having fun and being kept safe.

And I think it's exceptionally stupid when I hear about childminders who pick children up from school or nurseries and are still supposed to offer the EYFS to those children while they are in their care too.

Somehow I think some of you have missed the point - the EYFS Framework is far more than just delivering an education programme! The Statutory Framework document contains the legal Requirements that cover safeguarding, suitable people, suitable premises, organisation and documentation.
The four themes that underpin the whole EYFS are about delivering a service that meets the needs of each unique child, working in partnership with parents, providing a safe and enriching environment - these in place will deliver a sound learning and development foundation for every child.
The end products are the achievement of the Early Learning Goals - surely what we want for all our children?
How else is the quality or end product of the service we provide to be measured?

anastaisia - hear hear!! I have harped on about having a choice about this before - the childminder should have a choice as to how he/she wants to work, and parents should have a choice as to what type of minder they want. Ofsted can still do inspections to ensure that the basics are still covered (health and safety, etc). If we want to be accredited childminders and do more of an "educational" service, then we can.

As a network childminder, I accept that I must adhere to whatever rules and regulations the network decides we should work to - that means that I do have to follow the EYFS big time. (It does not stop me moaning about it ).

However, it does not stop me thinking that doing a written observation of a 3 month old baby "doing something," photographing the "something," linking it to an area of learning and then devising plans on developing this further is absolutely mental.

As a parent; I want to be able to choose. The problem as I see it with the EYFS isn't the package itself, but the statuatory nature of it.

I want to be able to choose a child carer for the CARE they deliver and not the education or early learning that they provide. Other parents will want more educational provision. And I would have no problem with the government only funding child carers who follow their recommended framework. But if a private nursery, or a 'private' childminder (I know, not exactly the right phrase) paid for completely by parents, who are happy with what they already offer, don't want to deliver it then why should they have to go through a ridiculously drawn out procedure to opt out.

I have been a childminder since before most of you were born and have seen all the changes and government initiatives over the years. I have also seen some appalling childminders as well as some fantastic ones. I remember the scandalous reports of the babyfarming in the 1960's and some horrendous child abuse cases involving supposed (and often unregistered) childcarers. I Thank God for the current regime of registration and inspection, that affords some protection for all our children.
I really believe that the EYFS is the culmination of years of research and development into finding a realistic and workable framework that delivers a holistic foundation to early learning. Those of you who are worried about the paperwork and record keeping are right to say it is more work- but once familiar with the materials, you will find it manageable and will see the benefits it brings.
Surveys done recently show that where the EYFS is being implemented fully, those working with it are delighted with it.

Or written risk assessments
Or written food hygiene records

I know that this is an old thread which has been resurrected, but I have to disagree about the EYFS being no harder than the B23 - we were not obliged to do written observations with the B23!

Stop worrying!
EYFS is fine and no harder than B23 in my opinion.
I got an overall Good with 6 areas classes as outstanding in my inspection on Dec 23rd and my inspector said the majority of cm's were doing really well and enjoying it. I have to agree.
Sally

im all for implementing the EYFS as an early years provider. However, childminding is still a low status job and unfortunately we do NOT get the same support as nurseries financially and tend to earn less money too....i recently tried to apply for funding for my business and was told that although some childminders in other areas have been able to access this funding, in my borough it was only available to daycare settings with 20 or more children!!! where is the universality in that then? if we are obliged to implement the eyfs fully like nurseries should we not be able to earn and access the same funding as them too then?? as a childminder i enjoy doing my job and have recently finished my foundation degree and am on last year of the BA in early childhood studies.....so am more then enough qualified...but what im wondering is does looking after children in your own home really necessitate you to be qualified? unfornately the days when a home away from home are numbered as you now have to ensure you are like a nursery too...but cheaper!!!

Today is the last day to sign.

Yes, you are mistaken MogsO.

I also work with an assistant who isn't a registered childminder, and we are allowed to care for up to 7 under 8's - of whom no more than 6 may be under 5(Early Years).

Well my certificate says I can so I do and that includes 2 under1's.

There are 3 days left for you to sign the petition. Please note, the petition is not asking for the EYFS to be scrapped. Instead, it is asking for it to be downgraded from statutory to professional guidelines and for the more contentious of the learning and development goals to be reviewed.

If you are still not sure about signing, the OpenEYE group present their case against the EYFS in this short video

Tigersmum - how are you able to have 6 under 5's. I thought even with an assistant you could still only have 3 unless your assistant is a registered cm too. I may be wrong though!!

I refuse to do extra paperwork and I also refuse to do a teacher's job when that is not what I am or want to be! We do not earn teachers' wages - nor do we have the back up of the school set up - we're individuals!

I trained to be a Registered Childminder to care for children and encourage them in a home setting - not a school or nursery.

The EYFS is surely going to encourage the resurgance of unregistered, uninsured and untrained minding practitioners! What good is that to anyone?

Three Cheers for tigersmum!

At last!Someone on my wavelength.

well done tigers mum, it nice to know somne of us are here to excel and meets kids best needs also.congrats.

Should have mentioned that itsachallenger and tigersmum are the same person.

Yep Superwoman thats me. I am available to work 7 days a week 24 hours a day but do have a life, thank you very much for wondering, but rest assured I do. I also represent my areas childminders at regional level as well as being heavily involved locally. I am exceptionally well organised and have a social life as well. So if that makes me superwoman then so be it. Ofsted thought so as well and thats how I got an overall 'outstanding' and got to be finalist for Childminder of the Year 2006. So there!

By the way,itsachallenger,you must be superwoman,mustn't you?Or not have a life outside work.Well, the rest of us do!

I think it's bureucracy gone mad!The parents of the children I care for,and all other childminders in my area think this is taking things a step too far.I'm from Scandinavia where somthing like this would not even occur,as the most important thing there,is providing the children with a safe,warm and happy environment in which they can thrive,none of this nonsense created by penpushers.
How are we going to attend these courses?Ask the parents to take time off work?(yeah,right),give up the 2 days we get off per week to enjoy with our families?And for what? No wonder more and more childminders are thinking about leaving the profession.
I have enough paperwork to deal with as it is,come on!!!!

Sorry to highjack, but my experience of Ofsted or indeed all government bodies is to keep those idiots (who cannot find a proper job) in work themselves, trying to control someone else's life, to justify their own position.

None of this is about helping or making the child's time more enriched, through play and discovery. Tests and paperwork never have been and never will be. We are the only country in Europe that follow these worthless notions. Whos says it's useful...the people who want you to fill in the forms. No one else!

I fully agree with mumtoluke. I will not do any of the work needed at the weekends or in the evenings as that time is my family time, my family suffer enough already due to the amount of extra work like courses that I have to do in our family time.

I curently work from 7.30 until 6pm. The children in my care do not all sleep at the same time (would be very convenient if they did but I work around the childrens needs not my desire for them to sleep at the same time). During this time I have on some days anything up to 6 school runs (all on foot as is quicker). I go to various groups 4 mornings a week and play/entertain the children during the afternoons, at this time I care for a very inquisitive 17 month old who I cannot take my eyes away from for a minute. Somedays I don't even get time to have any lunch or go to the loo, how am I supposed to pull in the extra work needed? and besides which none of my parents agree with this foundation stage thing, they just want the children to play and enjoy themselves.

I certainly do not intend to do any paperwork at weekends, Saturday and Sundays are purely for my family NOT for paperwork. I too do not agree with the amount of planning etc, we are not paid enough to work etra hours. I agree with maureenmlove, parents choose us for the homely atmosphere, one of my parents took their child out of nursery because they were spending less time with the children doing - guess what - observations and assessments! She chose me because I take children out, we go on walks etc, we do cooking which covers both science and maths and we do things like festvals (Divali,Chinese New Year, Christmas etc) to extend their knowledge of the world. I'm doing a theme about life cycles soon, we'll be going to collect some frogspawn from a pond and watching the tadpoles grow before returning them to the pond before they grow into frogs. This is the advantage we have, we don't have to plan much, we just go and enjoy ourselves!Children have plenty of testing at school, let them play!