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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

CM Club: NO childminders allowed at ANY surestart groups as of now!

44 replies

PinkChick · 01/02/2011 13:47

This is what i was told via our cm co ordinator last night and today!
They only want underpriveledged parents coming, however admit they will not request proof of income etc from parents to determine if theyre "underpriveledged"!?

So 'every child matter' doesnt apply now??!!, if parents make the effort to get a job, their children miss out on so many opportunities all because the government want the numbers to dwindle so they csn close the centres with no backlash !!!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Rudgey · 01/02/2011 14:03

Has this info come from the Surestart centre or via someone else.? I can't see how they can turn anyone away. lots of Mums and child carers use our centre so they would be hell to pay if they turned some people away.

compo · 01/02/2011 14:05

I'd go to the paper

tbh they're probably panicking because if they're not used by who they're intended for they might get cut
they're not an essential service so are under threat

Original poster

PinkChick · 01/02/2011 14:18

From local council/surestart via our co ordinator!.. Apparently a centre in leeds had space for 10 people, 9 cms showed up at right time, 3 parents showed up later n couldnt get it!!, so complete blanket ban!... However ive just met with 1 centre manager who said were still welcome and shes not happy so taking it back to meeting this wk!
Other cms are contacting ofsted and ncma and im going to write into local paper when i get names etc

OP posts:

lunavix · 01/02/2011 14:19

We have two surestart centres in a small distance in our town. One has a CM group on a tues the other has a normal one on a thurs that noone has said anything about CMs not going to. TBH I don't think a single 'underpriviledged' parent goes there - it's mostly CMs and mums on maternity leave.

Original poster

PinkChick · 01/02/2011 14:24

Exactly theyd be empty if we didnt go!, its come inyo effect today alledgedly!?

OP posts:

RosieGirl · 01/02/2011 15:23

I've been to my sure-start childminders group this morning, no mention of anything there.

It was really busy and they have been trying to get more minders to go, as well as encouraging us to go to the other groups as they feel it is for the needs of any child and don't want to discriminate just because the children are with minders.

Original poster

PinkChick · 01/02/2011 16:12

Maybe its a north east thing? I know its definatly teesside and leeds at min!

OP posts:

twojues · 01/02/2011 19:16

Its in Sutton, Surrey as well!!

We have been to the local paper. Didn't get us anywhere. A few of us have "kicked up a stink" as we have mindees with special needs who are now being deprived of going to music groups, messy play who benefitted greatly from going to the groups

littlemoominmamma · 01/02/2011 19:33

y@up - we've been banned here too, apart from a once a month meeting for two hours, often cancelled and replaced by sing along sessions etc.... (any excuse) and we are always made to feel unwelcome :( All my mums live in the local area and pay taxes, often in low paid jobs with long hours. It seems a shame that their children are excluded.

twojues · 01/02/2011 19:39

How do they know we're not looking after underpriveledged children, just because their with a childminder.

BertieBotts · 01/02/2011 19:39

I hope they don't exclude CMs from ours. I used to go to it with DS a lot and now I'm at uni he goes with the childminder - I met her through the centre. She always says he has a good time there and the staff etc always say it is nice to see him.

looneytune · 01/02/2011 19:46

I'm in Berkshire and we were NEVER allowed to any other session apart from the weekly Childminder drop in group. Funny enough I was chatting to the Network Co-ordinator this morning at group (she's there a lot) and she told me the whole thing is under review and that I 'might' be able to attend on my week off but at this stage we're still banned from other sessions. They also may stop letting any families in the area go unless they are 'deprived' but as she said, how would they know? The other sessions are pretty empty anyway so it seems silly not to let others in. I'd happily pay a toddler group type fee for going than see it close. I guess I'll wait for an update to see what is decided in our area.

PinkCanary · 01/02/2011 19:57

We've been banned from all groups bar Childminder drop-ins since our first children centres opened about 5 years ago. At the time I was livid, coz it meant my own DD was effectively kicked out of a group she'd been attending for 18 months.

Original poster

PinkChick · 01/02/2011 20:17

Would a mn childminders revolt be on the cards then?, seem to get noticed from here???

OP posts:

LesbianMummy1 · 01/02/2011 21:30

this has been going on here for 4 months all childminders are struggling to get children to socialise and there have been huge impacts on some childrens social skills and children with sen's routine. most parents are unaware and parents using childminders are often feeling disheartened as some people choose childminders because their child can follow the same routines they would at home.

Stars22 · 01/02/2011 21:40

Im a nanny. does that apply to nannies in your areas aswell then?? No one has ever told me that i wasnt allowed to go, i must admit not many childminders do go.

LesbianMummy1 · 01/02/2011 21:59

not sure but imagine if you said you were a nanny you would be excluded i even heard of a childminder today who got turned away with her own children because she had an emergency placement of another child with her so was refused entry at a group she always attends

PositiveOutlook · 01/02/2011 22:12

This is disgusting, most of us are parents as well as being tax payers. I understand (maybe) if parents are being turned away from playgroups that are being manopolsed by cmers but a blanket ban is not acceptable. Playgroups and pop ins are my life line some weeks. If a time comes when I have a mid day collection or pick up it will mean I won't be able to go far or visit friends or fellow cmers for playdates, effectively I will be without adult company during the week. Even the thought of it is unbearable.

Also, so called deprived families rarely use these facilities. What a joke.....I am livid.

nannynick · 01/02/2011 22:13

I went to a group on Monday (in West Surrey) and there was no mention of it. I'm a nanny though, not a childminder.

littlemoominmamma · 02/02/2011 09:12

maybe you could move this thread to AIBU where everyone could be made aware of this (my parents were shocked that their children could no longer attend sessions that they really enjoyed)

I only have one little one or two siblings during the day so we do not swamp the groups :) and i am always happy to help out if needed.

agnethafaltskog · 02/02/2011 09:44

What did CMs do before Sure Start was around? Why should the taxpayer subsidise your get-togethers? You can do what I did with DD - messy play and music at home and when "socialisation" is needed go to the local play group.

littlemoominmamma · 02/02/2011 09:53

My parents are "taxpayers" why should their children be excluded?

Many playgroups have closed down locally due to surestart centres.

I do not want a "get-together"? i would just like to take my children to these lovely groups so that they can make friends with other children that they will eventually attend school with.

minderjinx · 02/02/2011 09:53

Same here. My own son was effectively kicked out of his playgroups because I needed to bring someone else's child too. Whilst we're not what you would call deprived, we are not exactly rolling in cash for activities, and nobody troubles to ask the financial position of any of the other families whose children I care for. I have argued until I'm blue in the face about how discriminatory and unfair this policy is, but they just stonewall you. I was told that as I'm running a business I could afford to go further afield and pay for things like soft play instead. Then the same people come looking to place their children with special needs. A bit more support would definitely not go amiss.

PinkCanary · 02/02/2011 12:13

In our area the sure start programme killed off all the other playgroups. Soft play is great, but it's not the same as a playgroup.

mrsthomsontobe · 02/02/2011 15:01

do use not have normal toddler groups in england set up by parents/childminders who form a committee and deal with the paper work side of it. in scotland we dont have anything like surestart. i attend a local toddler group in a community center. we hire the hall from the council. we charge parents £1.50 for first child then 50p there after, we do funderaising events to get money and also apply for grants. all parents help in bringing out toys and putting away, every takes there turn in making snack and in helping at the arts and crafts table. the committee is there to collect in fees, apply for grants, deal with the insurance, paying hall fees, holding meeting to arrange fundraising ideas or summer trip ideas, parties ect. why dont use all get together and do something like that.

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