Why is there a need to 'professionalise' childminding??

[Twiglett]

Just wondering really

When I was looking for a childminder I wanted a warm, loving, confident and full of common sense childminder

I actually was a registered childminder for a while and hated the bureaucracy that comes with pathetically wimpy ofsted people and the whole rigmarole

The people I childminded for were happy I took their children .. we met and agreed that our belief systems were similar and everything was fine

I've considered returning to childminding but honestly can't be faffed with all the ofsted malarkey

Is it just me ... the ICP course was pointless (IMO) the house inspection was daft ...

I'm sure if you want to be seen as a 'professional' its great .. but personally I never really wanted to be seen as a 'professional' I wanted to be seen as someone who loved and was good with children and could look after them lovingly and competently like a friend would

just wittering I suppose

I have been a childminder for 10yrs and I think that the whole OFSTED thing and the current goverment policy on childcare is nuts!

I utterly fail to understand how OFSTED can think that a 2 or 3 yearly visit to a childminder can ensure that they are safe and carrying out good practice. OFSTED always seem to me to be rather wimpy and more interested in how many black dolls that I have rather than the standards of care that I offer. As long as it all "Looks good" on the day then that is all you hear of them for at least two years.

Where I live, it was much better in the days of Socail Services vetting childminders. Across the country, standards did vary but at least then you had one daycare advisor for your area. He or she handled your applications, carried out inspections and was accesable in case of problems - it was so much better.

I think the problem is not about childminders becoming professional but OFSTED just being crap!

TOTALLY AGREE!!!!

Oh, I couldnt have put it better!

Paperwork to show that we have done the paperwork.Increasing amounts of red tape but most of it is just silly and is pretty useless anyway as OFSTED dont have the resources or time to check whats going on!

Insane

Hear hear to Isyhan - I also think it's great that we can (hopefully) be seen as professionals, but Ofsted really do let the side down because of some of their pettiness.

I was told that one of the things that they didn't like about Social Services doing inspections is that you were likely to have the same person inspect you every year, and would therefore build up a "rapport" or, horror of horrors, a bit of a friendship!! Ofsted like us to have different people, so inspectors get shipped all over the place.

The Social Services inspector I had was very professional - she would walk in and say, "hello Prisoner, nice to see you," would mention how much some of the children had changed (who she hadn't seen for a year), and then go through all the proper checks that she was obliged to do.

I get annoyed with Ofsted's inconsistencies - a changed-daily hand towel is OK for one inspector, but another inspector will insist on individual hand-towels. Should you or should you not have a fireguard over your gas fire because it has sharpish corners?! We have all heard conflicting stuff like this, but it is exactly some of these relatively daft things that can make the difference between one grade and another.

I think that the day-to-day care, love and nurturing of the children is most important. But you can't really put that in writing.

I had the same problems with OFSTED. My hubby made a fabulous climbing frame (he is an engineer and a timbermerchant). One inspector loved it and spent ages admiring it and asking how he made it etc and on a different occasion a second worried that the children might get splinters. I have also been given conflicting advice about lots of things - it really depends on the inspectors interpretation and this can have a big effect on the outcome of any inspection. I have have several dealings with OFSTED regarding changing my registration and most of the time I have found them incompetent and slow, althrough one lady I have to say was a gem!
As I said before, all of these petty and silly rules just add more stress and take time away from the littlies. I also believe that this goverments obsession with education from birth is crazy and in the long run will do more harm than good. Children need love, security, safety, friends and the kind of stimulation that comes from a family environment - not a programme of silly early years education from birth. I sincerely believe that many childcare workers are increasingly exasperated with having all this thrust down our throats, but dare not speak up for obvious reasons.

Rant over!

I don't think professionalising C/M is necessarily a bad thing - however increasing the beaurocracy is a BAD thing imo

The downside that you have all mentioned seems to me to be beaurocracy not professionalism

valid point, as always KC! I think there is a need to professionalise childminding because
many people still don't know there's a difference between a childminder and a babysitter. When I showed friends & family my ofsted report, they all said they had no idea how much was involved.

One parent at interview said to me "gosh its just like a real business!". I've often been asked when am I going to get a real job?

Some people have chosen nursery care over a childminder simply because they've assumed that the quality of care from someone working alone in their home is less than a group of paid staff. (I'm not trying to say one type of care is better than the other, just that some people don't have all the info before making a decision).

in one way though it's about time people realised how important a job looking after children really is. wish the pay would reflect that