Open Family Services - The New ChildcareLink?

[nannynick]

Have you heard about Open Family Services?

www.openfamilyservices.org.uk

No me neither, yet they have been going for 7 months now. I don't know how many local authorities are uploading data but back in early October OFS reported that they had over 60,000 records so that's a start.

So have a look and if you are a childcare provider and you are not listed, contact your local Family Information Service and request that they upload your data.

No childminders in Norfolk......

Thanks Nick

It seems to think Norfolk means "Norfolk Road, ABERDEEN, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK". Searching by county doesn't seem to work: you have to put in "Norwich" or whatver.

But that won't help because the relevant Local Authority is not in the list (no idea if that is up to date) of authorities that have signed up to provide data to this free service (using the systems the previous government made each of them pay for to feed the central Family Information Directory that the current government correctly pulled the plug on to stop more money pouring down the drain).

One of the sponsors of this service gives her view here.

Norfolk FIS use OpenObjects it appears See the URL here. So integrating with OFS should not be that difficult, "Open Objects ? no charge, organised via one single email" (source)

So I guess it's something that Norfolk County Council are not wanting to do for some reason, not due to cost or complicated integration. KatyMac, next time you meet with Early Years do mention it to them... why are they not getting involved?

The search system seems a little tricky at present... with luck that will improve. I personally like Postcode radius search type search facilities for finding childcare providers, support groups etc as it is usually Local information that most people would be searching for I feel.

I emailed mine asking if it was a funding issue and they confirmed that they have heard of it and looking into it but that yes, funding issues have got in the way so far.

Stockport are subscribed to it. We all had a letter, so I logged on and there I was. I have already had 1 call this week from it, although have no spaces so it seems to be working.

I personally like Postcode radius search type search facilities for finding childcare providers

ISTR that it was intended to include the necessary Post Code data in the FIDy but on consultation with the NCMA it was decided that childminders would be better off without people being able to find out where they were (except that addresses including post codes are already available on request from LA FISs anyway)

I emailed mine asking if it was a funding issue and they confirmed that they have heard of it and looking into it but that yes, funding issues have got in the way so far.

That smells of laziness and/or BS to me - every LA had to implement the link to the FIDy by ? some time in 2010 which they did (at huge expense) so all they have to do is provide the same link to OFS instead, it shouldn't cost more than an hour of IT support costs (Tribal's charge of £3,000 mentioned on the page Nick linked to is outrageous - but they have made so much money out of this project already that this is a drop in the ocean.

I don't normally take opinionated positions (not in public anyway), but this whole thing has been such an unholy mess from beginning to end with DfCS, Ofsted, ministers of the previous government and the NCMA all contributing (togther with a raft of private contractors naturally taking advantage of all the money being thrown at them).

Do you know sometimes, MrAnchovy, I could become very fond of you. You just say it like it is