CM Club Has anyone seen this?...

[babydales]

'To all childminders looking after 8s and over.I phoned ofsted today to ask how much the fee is for registering for 8s and over and they told me the fee is £100.00 pounds.When I asked why it was so much Ofsted said they have put childminders in the same category as playgroups and nurseries.NCMA have been very silent about this dont you think!!!! So much for supporting childminders LOL!!! All minders with NCMA should contact them regarding this mattter to ask why we have not received any info on this subject regarding this charge.'

This is an email I received the other day. Any thoughts anyone?

I read somewhere on here the other day that someone had been told we won't have to pay this but can't remember who said it.

We should not be grouped with playgroups and nurseries, a lot of us don't earn enough to justify this big extra fee!

I didn't think that prices have yet been announced for OCR in full. While OCR voluntary registration rate has been announced, it would not apply to a registered childminder, unless they ONLY cared for children over the age of 8 - in which case why are they registered! At least that is my understanding.

I do however expect that registration fees will increase over the next few years, as the OCR is supposed to be self-funding. Though I think that there will be opposition to such fee rises, so will need to watch what happens.

OCR Consultation - July 2006
See page 11, item 25 for details of link between EYR and OCR with comment regarding fees.

Item 27 is also of interest:
"27. The intention is to operate the Ofsted Childcare Register at full cost recovery."

One thing to mention (as I like a good rant occasionally), as a Childminder you can deduct the fee as an expense. As a nanny, the fee comes out of my take-home pay... I can't tax deduct it.

so would this fee be aplicable if i were to want to cre for a child over 8???.. i didnt think i had to DO anything??

As I understand it, it is a voluntary scheme, so you can choose NOT to join it. However, if you are not on it, then parents won't be able to use Tax Credits or Childcare Vouchers.

If that's the case about not being able to claim for tax credits etc, does anyone know WHEN this all comes into effect? It doesn't matter for the mindees I have atm but I'm just wondering?

Registrations under voluntary OCR start 16 April 2007, as far as I am aware. However the old scheme (Childcare Approval Scheme) will continue accepting applications until 30 September 2007. Details obtained from CAS - News

Well that really annoys me as I wouldn't know ANYTHING about it if it wasn't for MN!!! Shouldn't we have got something through the post about this!!

No, because you are a Registered Childminder caring for children UNDER the age of 8. It therefore does not affect you, unless you decide to change to only caring for children aged 8 and above. However, other aspects of OCR and EYR will affect you, so I do expect that you will get details of those as they get nearer to coming into force - which could be as late as September 2008.

me too and im getting 9 yr old in july/set time..it will take me 3 weeks to claim back the costs when she starts until i actually earn anything

As this is getting a little confusing, will try to explain what is happening over the next year or so with regard to registration... at least, as far as I understand it (which could well be wrong).

There will be TWO registers:
Early Years Register - providers caring for under 5's
Ofsted Childcare Register - providers caring for children aged 5 and over

OCR is split into two sections:
Compulsory - providers caring for children aged 5 to 7
Voluntary - providers caring for children aged 8 and over

The OCR ensures that parents can access Working Tax Credit and the employer supported childcare scheme (Childcare Vouchers).

Childcare providers CURRENTLY registered with Ofsted for care of Under 8's will be able to join EYR / OCR in September 2008. Until then you remain on the current Ofsted register.

A consultation is planned for later in 2007 with regard to Fees for EYR and OCR (Compulsory)

DfES has published more information about the outcome of the Ofsted Childcare Register consultation .

PinkChick as long as the parents of the 9 year old are not going to be using Tax Credits or Childcare Vouchers, then you need not do anything as I see it.

I've already had a nice, long letter from Ofsted (dated March 2007). One paragraph says:

"As a registered provider for children under the age of eight, your current registration will remain in place until September 2008 and you do not need to take any action now in relation to the new registers. We will write to you again in 2008 ..."

However, it also says I can make an application to join the voluntary Childcare Register now if I already care for over 8s, with an extra separate fee (no details) and would have to meet the "separate requirements" of the Register.

Guess how cheesed off I am with Ofsted. I do not feel any great desire to contact Ofsted in advance of 2008. I shall just stop having all the big children. Oh, and I think I will stop having little ones too. That would solve all the problems in one go.

thanks nick, bbut the parents will be needing to claim childcare back, so it seems i may have to register for over 8's, is the fee of £100 in place now?

Guess what I've just received through the post.......my letter from Ofsted! They must have seen my message on here about not having one yet! LOL

sidetrack a bit but has any one re-heard from ELC????