New registration - Can I just check something please?

[Runoutofideas]

I have recently learned on here that most of what my LA told me is rubbish and that I can register directly with Ofsted and speed up the process. Does this also apply to the training course? I understand I can get my application in with Ofsted then complete the course within 6 months, but does this have to be the LA course or can I do the CYPOP5 course with NCMA online, which I could start now rather than wait for another 2 months for the LA course?

This would mean the only contact I would have had with my LA is their pre-reg course which is booked for one month's time. Do I still need to do this if I have done everything else independently? Thanks

Bumping as I am also taking this route

I'm interested in this too.

On the Ofsted checklist it says you have to contact your LA to get on the course as part of the process so I guess you do but I'd be really keen to hear if that is right.

I have completed all my forms and will post omorrow. It says they will endeavour to have them completed in 12 weeks which will take me up to the week after the breifing evening that I'm booked on to. The next course they have for me is 3 weeks after that and involves some numeracy and literacy tests - if I pass those then they will book me on to the course... They won't tell me when that is because if the first 2 courses don't "go well" then I won't get on to the course.

Another question I have (hopefully this isn't a derail as it's the same subject!) do you actually become registered and able to work with the condition that you take the course in 6 months? Or do you still have to wait to complete the course?

God all this cloak and daggers is really starting to get on my wick!!!!

Mrsbigroundbottom - It is frustrating isn't it? As far as I understand it, once you have the certificate from Ofsted, you are registered and can commence minding, as long as you complete the course within 6 months. I would still like to know if I can effectively bypass the LA and do it all independently? Seeing as you end up registered with Ofsted, what involvement does the LA really need to have anyway?

Not sure would be the answer to that! The only thing that iludes me is that in the Ofsted guidelines it does say that you have to contact your LA in order to complete the pre-reg course... but that is the small evening course - not the longer one which costs £200 (it costs that round here, not sure if other LAs differ?)
How much are the one's you mention in your OP? If they are less then this could be why the LA want you to beleive you have to go through them..
If, as you say, we can register and mind anyway then I'm not so fussed about waiting.

To think, my LA coordinator wanted me to have completed the full course before she even gave me my application forms! Jees, no wonder people talk of it taking 18 months to register

Would this suggest that you can ust read the pre-reg brief rather than actually attend?

here

Looks like it MrsBRB! The pre-reg course I am booked on in March is 2 hours long on one morning then the same again one week later. There is no charge for this. The next one is one evening a week for 8 weeks and costs c£240 but they can't give me the dates for it until after the pre-reg thingy. The NCMA CYPOP5 course online is cheaper and you do it at your own speed so could potentially be quicker..... i don't want to just do that though if the LA say "ah well, you didn't do it our way so you are now not registered...."!

would still like to know if I can effectively bypass the LA and do it all independently?

No. You must attend, within six months of registration, a course approved by your LA for the purpose. So if the LA only approve their own course, and they will only let you book that course once you have done the introductory session(s), you just have to go through it. None of this affects the registration process though, it would only come unstuck at your first inspection after registration when Ofsted would serve you a notice requiring you to attend the Approved training within a certain period of time. If you don't comply with an Ofsted Action notice they can ban you from registering for life.

I've emailed my LA coordinator to ask if the NCMAs CYPOP5 course is approved by them and will await their response and let you know what it is! I have just read the powerpoint presentation for the pre-reg brief and it is so simple that I am wondering if I have missed something.
I feel bad as she is a really nice lady but I am not really prepared to piss about sopending hours out of my home paying for babysitters and the like to do something I am capable of doing at home.

But as anchovy says, if this must be then it must be. And at least we know if doesn't affect the actual registration as long as we do it in 6 months.

runoutofideas I challenge you to a who can register the quickest comp

OK thank MrAnchovy - so worth another phone call to the FIS to see if they approve the NCMA course or if I have to do their own? Thanks for your help.

The race is on MrsBRB! Do you want to say what area you are in? I'm in Bristol - hope we're not competing for mindees!

Tee hee, no I'm oop north

My friend registered last year before the secret of the black magic box was revealed (i.e. that you don't have to follow the LA process) and she said that we need to take a book or magazine to the courses... apparently it takes 10 minutes to go through each slide and when the group was asked if there were any questions one woman asked (with absolute seriousness) "if the children are watching TV, am I okay to have a little nap on the sofa?"

With people apparently so unsuitable applying, you can understand why LAs like to weed them out I suppose.

Oh god yes indeed Mrs Anchovy, I guess they can't say "The nice lady over there in the corner with the posh accent and boden cape needn't attend the next course"

I have called Ofsted this morning and they said catagorically that as long as we send in the EYC, EY2 and get a health declaration from our doctor's surgery, plus complete the peadiatric first aid course then they will process the registration in 12 weeks.

It is then up to us to make sure we complete the course within 6 months.

Sadly if the LA make you jump through hoops to get on the course then you have to go along with it - this can include pre-brief, tests (numeracy and literacy around here) and then the full course. I have emailed my LA to ask if I can skip the first two as i have read the pre-brief online and Ofsted don't need my literacy and numberacy proved... but I've had no reply yet so let's wait and see!

So runoutofideas it would seem we will probbaly have to do the LA course rather than the distance one - but at least we should be registered in 12 weeks time

Thanks Mrsbrb -that's good news! Will check the course thing with my LA....

Have just spoken to the Family Information Service at the council regarding the course and he told me that actually if it is considered ok by Ofsted then it is ok by them. He said the CYPOP5 course theough the NCMA sounded fine but I should double check with Ofsted. He also said if I was doing it all myself then there was no need to attend their pre-reg course and that I would still benefit from all the support the council offer to all registered childminders, including a pre-registration visit to pinpoint any problems prior to Ofsted's pre-reg visit... MrAnchovy does this sound right or have I found another numpty at the council? They seem to be contradicting each other!

Oh god it's giving me a headache

MrAnchovy does this sound right

Yes, Local Authorities are required to provide support to childcare providers in their area but there is no real definition of what that support should be: some (like yours) seem to have the balance about right, others may believe that support means trying to make sure that childminders can't even wipe their arse without using the official document

I've just registered (literally - my registration visit from Ofsted was on Friday) and I didn't do anything through the LA. I did contact them, and they were quite helpful with information about courses, but they don't run pre-reg sessions any more anyway. You can find all the information they'd give out at the pre-reg briefings online. I guess the rules must be different in different local authorities...

Ofsted are happy with the NCMA CYPOP5 course so I'd be amazed if any LAs had a problem with it. In terms of timings, I sent all my paperwork off to Ofsted just before Christmas, sent them my CRB forms in early Jan and have just got registered, so it turned out to be quicker than I'd expected.

On my CYPOP5 course last week there were a few pre-reg childminders who were and then when I told them that they didn't need to attend the pre-reg briefing to get the registration forms, or to wait until they'd attended the pre-reg before sending their forms in - some of them can't get on one until July!

That was something I learned from MrAnchovy some time ago - there are now several sets of forms winging their way to Ofsted this week that wouldn't have gone for months otherwise!

I know, I feel so horribly smug when I tell people about the way I am doing it. A good friend of mine decided to childmind back in... god it must have been the ealry spring! the next course she could get on was on a day she wasn't free and so she had to wait another 3 months for the next one. It was over Christmas and she has only just had the pre-inspection inpection that the LA arrange to prepare you for your ofsted registration inspection... she will send her forms off when this is completed as the LA have convinced her this is the way she has to do things.

I decided to childmind about 3 weeks ago I think and I have my CRB, app form sent off, first aid course next week and inspection visit shorty after... It's such a shame that the LAs are so controlling over this. But I guess they're just trying to keep their jobs.

When I have completed my registration I'm going to write an easy to follow guide on this board for anyone wanting to set out as a childminder as the advice given by the so call authorities is sooo confusing!