Proposed deregulation of childminders

[Italiana]

The Department for Education and Ofsted are in discussion with the National Childminding Asociation (NCMA) about the proposal to 'deregulate' c/ms. This may lead to c/ms falling under the umbrella of an agency and losing the right to be individually inspected by ofsted. C/ms are very worried about issues of safeguarding and quality of care.
This has been reported in the media by the Daily Mail and The Guardian last week.

C/ms have started a campaign led by the NCMA against deregulation: 'Individual Inspections Matter' which can be found on their website www.ncma.org.uk. A survey of c/ms has found out that 85% want to remain regulated and equally recognized along other providers. C/ms in each area are campaigning many with petitions and approaching their local MP

Surely if nurseries are going to inspect childminders, the nursery nurses themselves should have decent qualifications, training and experience. Never yet met a Nanny MCPhee, Mary Poppins type so mine never went, horrible places. Can you believe that young people are encouraged to take childcare at school and college when they are not capable of taking academic quals. I have friends who teach childcare.

Until all of the local nurseries have "outstanding", I don't want them telling me anything about how to run a successful childcare business.

as a childminder i do not want to be regulated by an agency, we have worked hard to be accepted as professionals, i do not want a local nursery telling me which clients to accept. I worked as a nanny for 30 years and before that as an au-pair, they work in the parents home, do not have to be trained at the moment. Many nannies do have training but ofsted only requires first aid. childminders have to be trained and do ongoing training every year. If we were deregulated many childminders would stop working. Anyone I have talked to has said they would open up nurseries or go on the dole. Please support us and your childs development by signing the petition.

As a childminder I am wondering why the discusion is with N.C.M.A They are not the ruling body of childminders, although they would like to think to they are. I left the association a few years ago and on my last inspection even the ofsted inspector was impressed by the exceptional standard of my new insurer (she was aware of the company I am with but not of their range of support and rescorces).
N.C.M.A are pushed on to us by early years when we register, and no alternative given.
Perhaps if all were given all the facts and real choices parents could actually get the care they want for their children.
Parents choose childminders because they want family based child care, not nursery care, I have nothing against nurseries but it is not everyones choice, that is why we are here. Not to be an extension of a nursery.
Too many changes over too short a time. We have just got to grips with the last change, a new one in september now this.
Let us do what we do best and what we love to do, care for your children as you would yourself.
Happy children means happy parents, my job is done.

At the start of this we knew the DfE, Oftsed and NCMA were in discussion...now we are aware that many other organizations are involved...the PLA (Pre school Learning Alliance) and NDNA (National Day Nursery Association) and believe you me they are very vocal....

It has also come out that deregulation is not just going to be affecting c/ms but others in the Early Years workforce as reported in the media by those interviewed.
NCMA started the campaign but c/ms are doing a lot themselves in their areas...we are very active in mine as we have contacted our MP and written dozens of letters!
In the end it will be our personal input and campaign that, hopefully, will be heard.....any discussions taking place MUST involve c/ms themselves and not just the big associations..

As for being regulated by an agency or even a day nursery...I think that many, actually most c/ms will probably choose to leave the profession than lower themselves to that...so we must keep on fighting to stop it from happeneing in the first place!
A day of action is what we are thinking about....

It's this message, I feel, that we need to get out there. A lot of childminders aren't that worried about not having OFSTED to regulate them: it's only 12 years ago that we were regulated by Social Services.

A daycare nursery chain here is busily buying up the nurseries in Children's Centres: they already own one Children's Centre and are talking on their website about supporting childminders. That really concerns me.

Quite apart from the fact that a private nursery chain is benefiting so hugely from the masses of money that was used to set up the facilities at the Children's Centre for the community!

No Ofsted means deregulation...their inspections are now 47 months apart so I feel I would rather undergo that for whathever stamp of approval they put on my practice and keep my business....bring back Social Services anytime!!!

I absolutely agree with you. Whilst childminding was envisaged as becoming 'a profession' this view never ever worked whilst I was a childminder for many many years. Some parents thought I was nuts giving them contracts to sign and showing them policies, rules, regulations etc. All they wanted was for their child to have a home from home environment which does not automatically mean they would turn into cabbages because childminders are no noting down every single toilet motion, bit of food eaten, which hand they put their crayon in etc..I too became paranoid about payments on time and giving contact books everyday which were hardly ever returned or remarked upon. I know for a fact that when the children went home happy and came back the next day happy to be with me they were satisfied with my work.
I have completed a BA (Hons) in Early Childhood thanks to all the previous initiatives to make me more 'professional', well it hasn't made me more professional because I firmly believe that no qualification will ever make up for an individual who truly likes children and most important of all is liked back by the children. I think everyone will agree that anyone working with children will automatically know if there is something fundamentally wrong with a child's development. Development will flourish in a 'truly' caring environment not one regulated and monitored on next steps and inspections. Inspections should be carried out to ensure the children are safe, well looked after and most of all happy. Not linked to tables, profiles, specific goals which they will have to do later on in life. I had an Ofsted inspection and went to change a child's nappy while the inspector stayed in my front room having her coffee and filling out more forms instead of seeing what I was doing.

This consistent paranoia about record keeping and monitoring made me leave the childminding profession and if tomorrow the situation changes for childminder with the regulations and inspections then I will be the first one back into the job.

....and I agree with you too.

Sorry I pressed the submit button too soon.
I agree with most of what you say but not all.....knowledge of child development is fundamental when caring for children, not everyone would know if something is wrong with a child and I have supported many parents and colleagues on this in my 19 years of childcare to know this.
Would a lawyer be able to defend you if she/he did not know the law?
Every profession should enjoy the benefits that knowledge brings...why not c/ms?

I too have a degree not because I can like children more but to know how they develop and how to support their learning...it also gives me a bit of knowledge when arguing with the powers that be....including Ofsted!

Any official documents yet from DfE or anyone else?

what kind of official documents are you expecting that would make it 'official'?There are discussions upon proposals and lots of news reported by the BBC as well as articles in various newspapers.....I also have replies from Ofsted, the Department for Education and MPs etc etc.....
Also both Labour and Conservatives have launched a Childcare Commission and the Children Minister has been interviewed several times....

You can always ring any of the depts I mentioned to ask whether 'deregulation' is officially on the govt's agenda!...or even better ask Michael Gove if he is going to make any official statements as he has the habit of deciding pilicies without consulting with others...

Seriousley though...this is a very worrying matter!

Doea DfE have any minutes of the meetings, any draft proposal, or is it still just the thing from CentreForum?

To me it is about cost saving, inspecting individual minders every 3 years costs a lot of money. Is it a justifiable cost or can Government cut the cost somehow?

Hi
I understand what you are saying about knowing about the development of children but that also comes with experience like in any job. My view is that childcarers are quick to look for abnormalities in development, even though they know about child development. I know you have great experience too but the amount of children I have worked with as a Lead Professional for EY's SEN prove that there are many cases that are put forward which are unjustified due to cultural behaviour and upbringing or other reason. EG I looked after a boy who had been picked out for assessment for autism because he was quiet and did not react normally socially - according to his teacher. The trauma of diagnosis he went through and the ridicule from his classmates is unbearable for a child so young. The result was that he didn't have autism and that his behaviour was down to his culture; both parents were Malayan.
With all due respect making a comparison of knowing about child development to a lawyer is not quite accurate. A lawyer may know the about the law but he will never really know whether the accused is really guilty unless there is concrete proof. This is where 'I rest my case' that child professionals may suspect something is wrong but they are not the ones to make decisions about a child and their observations may not be enough as proof.
I am studying for a Masters with a speciality in SEN research and my view is that there is more unnecessary labelling of children which is detrimental to their development. When I was at school many moons ago I remember a couple of children who wrote their b's like d's and vice versa - dyslexia in the making. The other children would just say 'oh you have written the b like a d' and there was help from the teacher but never ever any labelling.

I pressed the button too quickly too!!
Surely your degree in Childhood Studies should have provided you with the perfect platform to question child development more fully? By applying different tactics and posing specific questions to analyse any anomalies. But a childcare worker without this knowledge may take a 'child's development' from a fundamental angle.
I think I have finished!! LOL

I have been a childminder for two years, I want to be individually inspected, parents need to know what the c/m's good at and what they may be lacking in, individual inspections outline the quality of care the c/m can offer and not what the agency can offer. I certainly won't be extending my ratio's, 2 under one years ??? No thank you, it can be hard enough with the ratio as it is at the moment!!! I want to keep the quality of care as it is now. What are the views of c/m re the stat requirement we will have to fulfil re the 2 year progress report that the health visitors currently do? Do c/m get acknowledgement from the gov, local auth, health dept for these? Are we getting paid for them? Do the health visitors know we HAVE to do this? Will they still have to do them also ? If so why are we also given the task?

That is exactly what we are fighting against Nic002...keeping the quality of care and independence to run our businesses.
sorry Kamy you lost me. I can feel your anger but we are talking about deregulation and I don't have a degree in Childhood Studies as you assume but have qualified in special needs.

Individual inspection matters but how often should it be done? The current 3 year cycle is costly... it looks to me as though one thing that may be being considered is to more towards an inspection cycle similar to how nannies are inspected now... a percentage are inspected each year. That still maintains individual inspection but does not put a time pressure on the regulator, other than getting a certain percentage done each year (say 25%).

One of the issues in the past was that inspections had to be done by a specific date... back in 2003, Ofsted got behind on inspections and had to catchup. Meeting a time schedule I feel pushes up the cost. So to help reduce the cost, a reduction in the frequency of inspections I feel makes sense... especially for providers where the regulator has had no complaints.

There has been registration of childcare provision since 1941 (Registered Daily Guardian Scheme) with legislation coming in later (Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948).

I find it hard to believe that Government would be proposing to stop there being the requirement to register with some government organisation. They may well be looking at how to reduce costs and how to make the process simpler, whilst also providing more local support for childcare providers.

Over the years there have been changes to how things are regulated... remember pre-Ofsted? There will always be changes in my view but I can't see it ever being totally de-regulated.

I am particularly concerned by the proposal that we will be inspected by an agency. On my last two inspections, I have been graded higher than the local nurseries and children's centres: outstanding in all areas, including education. I don't want to be overseen and monitored by an agency that doesn't understand childminding and has a lower grading than me, especially if that agency happens to be my competitor!

I would be pleased at a change in ratios. I work with another childminder and we can easily cope - have done with the variations. To my mind, it has been the restriction in ratios that has pushed up costs for all settings.

I also think that the way OFSTED works is making regulation of childminders expensive. I was astounded that every variation is put to a meeting! Is this what Sir Whatisname is talking about when he says we have to be inspected with each new child? We have to submit reams of paperwork - it must take forever to wade through it all!

But what has really angered me is that childminders are being singled out. Why are we deemed so very expensive? Why are they targeting us when they talk about reducing childcare costs for parents? Are nurseries not just as expensive, if not more, to inspect? Don't they charge higher fees? Why is the first priority to focus on childminding? I suspect it's because the nurseries are bigger businesses and can fight back much harder than we can.

I suspect cost is lookef at on a per childcare place level. Some nurseries provide 16 places, others could provide 116. Costs the same to inspect both. Childminders provide 6 or less under 8's places.
Childminders are first to be moved to a lower cost inspection process, then I wonder if smallnurseries would be next.

In my Utopia world, the Government would be honest. When they say "free places for 3&4 year olds, they would not force providers to chose between subsidising it themselves or getting parents to subside it.

Likewise, when they say "we will reduce childcare costs", they will mean that parents will pay less, and not refer to their admin costs!

Deregulation is not just for c/ms...we thought so at the start of all this but if you listen to those interviewed and articles in the media the whole workforce is under threat.

If only those delivering childcare were allowed to input into any research we would find suggestions to reduce cost to parents and providers alike...it is not rocket science and beaurocracy and red tape starts with Ofsted... they lead the tables...all that useless paperwork required for useless evidence when one simple procedure would do...
watch out for Ofsted new inspection framework...due out any day...lots of savings there!

Meg Hillier MP did an 'adjournement' in the House of Commons yesterday raising her concerns about deregulation. She was exceptionally well prepared and has researched the subject very well.

Listen to her here but do not expect a lot from Sarah Teather in response!!
www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=11032

Looks like deregulation is beginning to get out in the media a lot more

So you don't sit through the whole day's business, the relevant bit starts at 14:30:43 and lasts until 3pm.

If you want to see this in written form, you will have to wait until Monday for publication of Hansard [http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/by-date/#session=62738&year=2012&month=6&day=6 here]].

There is not much there from Sarah Teather though, just a confirmation that details of the Childcare Commission to look at affordability and availability announced by the PM on 19 June will be made available soon.

So you don't sit through the whole day's business, the relevant bit starts at 14:30:43 and lasts until 3pm.

If you want to see this in written form, you will have to wait until Monday for publication of Hansard here.

There is not much there from Sarah Teather though, just a confirmation that details of the Childcare Commission to look at affordability and availability announced by the PM on 19 June will be made available soon.