Forthcoming election- how will you vote?

[motorwaymadness]

so... in the interests of fairness I have asked all the candidates standing in my local area a face-book question or used their contact form to ask them this:

As an undecided voter, can you please tell me what your party will do about childcare costs if they are elected?

How do you intend to safeguard MY future as a childcare provider?

I have already warned my parents that if the new government increases their "free" hours, without actually paying for them, then I will have to stop offering them.

I dont actually offer the free hours at the moment, but i know there is a shortage of childminders in my local authority, so they are going to be short in providing enough funded places.

Im under a lot of pressure to sign up. But i think I'll wait a little longer.

but funnily enough I dont think i have missed out on any business because i'm not providing the free hours.

I'm a cm and I'm a bit worried about this. I Don't offer funded places, but am concerned that if all 3 year olds get the extended funded places I will either have to offer the funded places , possibly at a loss compared to what I charge now or lose the child to nursery.

I don't really know what the answer is to the cost of childcare. As a cm my places were limited because of my own children, so although I didn't have to pay childcare, I wasn't earning to my full potential, which was very unfair.

Have any of the candidates got back to you yet?

Just one, but I haven't managed to speak to him yet

One of the parties say that you will no longer need to be registered to look after kids (i.e. you can pay your mum) BUT what does that mean with regard to Ofsted? Does it mean all the mums will have to join us or that Ofsted will no longer apply to cm?

Questions, questions!

Morton Michel have given a summary of all the main parties' childcare manifestos, that may or may not be helpful.

www.mortonmichel.com/manifestos/index.asp

According to Sam Gyimah, the Conservatives will continue with the Childminder agencies. They think they are a good thing.

Labour think the Childminder agencies are a failure and will be abolishing them, according to Alison McGivern.