NVQ3 for childminders, does it make them better?

[Ripeberry]

I'm just asking as our area wants ALL CMs to achieve this qualification by 2015. All very well if you are young and just starting out.
What about the CMs who do the work because they love looking after kids and don't have any fancy qualifications?

Most courses cost £600-1000 and they have withdrawn funding, but then expect you to have this qualification.

EYFS is nothing compared to what they want us to do in the future. There will be a huge shortfall of CMs as not all of us can afford the course fees and to be frank don't have the TIME to do it!

I know how you feel.. Luckily I am in an area where it is currently funded.
It seems to be all about the paperwork now and not the children.
I think it is a good thing to have for the future use should you need it.
I've just completed a 10 hr day and now am starting to do the big clean.. I can only imagine what its going to be like when I venture onto the NVQ.. What about my family?

I've just been offered this course for free and it's the last time they'll offer it - so was the last time too

Funnily enough, I have to work for a living as a CM strangely! Weekends are out too as I have a family of my own.
Plus I can barely keep up to date with my accounts, never mind an NVQ!
I have NVQ 2 in Childcare and Education so they can like it or lump it as far as I'm concerned

are they not offering to fund it at all?

That'll be a problem as the NVQ is being withdrawn and replaced by the new diploma for the CYPF!

I do think a level 3 can help a good practioner become better though.

CYPWF even

Ripeberry, of course it is worth doing. Childcare, like everything else is constantly changing. You need to keep your knowledge up to date, to avoid being left behind.
The EPPE project proves that children achieve more when they have better qualified carers.

I do believe that you get out of training what you are willing to put in. So if you 'get into' your NVQ, QF, DHC (all these accronyms lol) or even your foundation degree, it equips you to evaluate your practice, a chance to learn something new and perhaps tweak your practice here and there or even proveto yourself that you are doing a great job and its evidence.

Most professionals need to update their knowledge and skills occasionally, it can give you new vision.

Of course there are many carers out there who, despite having no qualifications or formal training are excellent providers, however for all those excellent providers there are a few more who aren't! Not to mention training and courses are only beneficial if you are open to learning something new and applying what you have learned.

yy I did CACHE level 3 finishing last summer, over 2 years

I shoehorned it in betweeen work/children/partner/hobbies

It was bloody hard, bearing in mind that it was 25+ years since I last wrote an essay but I learnt SO MUCH and improved my setting immeasurably

I had to pay £5 per unit, the rest was funded but that was withdrawn from April this year I understand so I was lucky

I agree with ripeberry, I also want to spend time at the weekends with my own children,
My husband works 6 days a week 7.45 - 6-7pm sometimes later, so we only have Sundays as a family.
There is also the fact at this present moment in time, I just cannot afford to 'brush' (NNEB trained 20+yrs ago) up on my skills.