to feel very sorry for my CM (Ofsted related)

[ScatteredMama82]

My CM is a lady nearing 60. She's been a CM for 30 years. I think, due to ever-increasing paperwork requirements over the last few years she's been struggling with her Ofsted inspections. She got 'needs improvement' end of last year so they came back in the spring and she got 'inadequate'. I'm shocked and think it was very harsh. She's got another inspection this week and she says if it doesn't go well she's giving up. I'm gutted (for her and for my kids - they adore her). She's like their Granny, she does loads of stuff with them and provides excellent, nurturing care. I've written a letter to support her, but having seen her report I'm not sure she's addressed all the things she should have. It's not safety-related, it's more things like 'not assessing learning needs and documenting outcomes and next steps'. That's not what I send my kids there for. I send them there because it's like a home from home where they get cuddles if they need them, she made potty training a breeze as she's done it about a thousand times, she dealt with separation anxiety amazingly well. She just isn't very good at the paperwork side of things! I really hope she gets through the inspection ok.

My grandsons went to a wonderful childminder like that. She was closed down by Ofsted for a couple of days because a neighbour complained about cars parking for pick up and drop off - literally a few minutes twice a day. It caused no end of problems for the parents.

I understand why Ofsted became involved with childminders generally as there were some who provided no stimulation at all but it was a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Oh that's crap. When my kids were little if you wanted the whole "early learning" thing you chose a nursery, you chose a childminder for more home style care. I think a lot of parents would still prefer that careers spent time with the kids rather than on filling out forms. Hope she gets through for both her sake and yours.

Sorry, carers! I should proof read before posting.

What a shame for her.
We never used a childminder as we work strange hours so have always used babysitters,obviously no paperwork just lovely and nurturing childcare.

This is why I gave up childminding. I loved it so much, but Ofsted made my life a misery and I ended up hating it. I wonder if Ofsted are deliberately phasing childminding out as I know so many excellent childminders who have given up.
And now we have this ridiculous 'free hours' BS its not even worth their while

its Not just CM, I used to work for the CQC inspecting Care Homes and many very caring ones were marked down for minor paperwork issues and some very clinical ones who weren’t service user focussed scored well for having all processes very clearly defined. Ideally there would be a balance but as one Care Home manager told me “I feel we would score better if I locked the residents in their rooms all day and just did paperwork “

It's all wrong. There's a reason it's called 'child-minding' and not 'school'. God forbid children actually enjoy themselves there without the childminder having to document what they have learned and identify next steps. If only we could inspect Ofsted and give them 'next steps'. I'd shut them down in a heartbeat.

she does loads of stuff with them and provides excellent, nurturing care
She sounds great and exactly what I'd want in a childminder.

My mum worked and my brother and I went through three different childminders.

This was between the end of the eighties and 1996 or so (by the time my youngest brother was done).

Not one single placement did anything other than put us in front of the TV and provide a drink of squash if we were thirsty enough to ask.

My mum used to bang on about the cost of it.

And we experiences bullying from the childminders older kids in two of the placements.

WTF is all this curriculum bullshit and paperwork, none of that could have existed when I was there.

Ofsted marked my lovely childminder down because she didn't have a box of crayons, pens etc that the kids could help themselves to. Instead they have to ask when they want to do drawing etc.

Because, you know, she's looking after toddlers and doesn't want pen on her walls.

She does loads of crafts with them judging by the crap my daughter comes home with but that's not good enough because it's not "free flowing" or some other bollocks.

Honestly I could cry for her, most of the kids in our village have been in her care at some time or another. They do so much with her, she takes them to farms, they walk miles through the woods and she really does do the basic early learning stuff like phonics, numbers, colours but she doesn't document it the 'right' way. It's bollocks.

Could you or other parents help her get the paperwork systems set up so that it shows located she taking the right steps?

I was going to echo above re healing to see up the paperwork. They can do it all online now. Theres a online system so itsit's just uploading some photos and ticking boxes

@DelphiniumBlue I would happily - I'm a QA Manager so writing procedures and doing paperwork is my bread and butter. However, she only told me about this earlier this week and her inspection is on Friday. I think she was mortified by it all really. Her daughter runs a nursery so I think she'll have been helping her with it.

If you really don’t want to lose her you could go round and help her prep for the inspection? You obviously truly think she’s fab, so lend her a hand!

Ah cross post. I’m feeling sad for your babies.

Wow, that's really shit. We have a great childminder that both my children have been with since they were 1, they love her. She's very good at keeping on top of the paperwork. She missed an Outstanding rating for not having any children's books in the native language of one of the other mindees, which seemed a bit harsh.

I feel very mixed about this thread. I feel sorry for her as an individual, as Ofsted inspections are hugely stressful, but this is not a new thing that has caught her out - the need for all childminders to document children's outcomes and think about their next steps has been part of EYFS practice since the statutory framework of 2008. She would have been taught how to do this during her initial training to register as a childminder, there are support networks for childminders and tons of material online. PACEY sell ready-printed diaries that childminders can use to record next steps in an easy way. Hopefully she has engaged with some of this support since her last inspection.

I do know that a childminder can still be doing something without writing it down for inspection purposes, but unfortunately that wasn't really working before and the quality of settings was very variable when the sector was less regulated.

The country pumps tens of millions of pounds into early years settings, via the free entitlement, in order to try to give all children better outcomes and a more equal starting point when they get to school. Even if a childminder isn't taking on children on funded hours, they would have indirectly received publicly-funded money via training or support from their local authority. So some degree of inspection and monitoring of quality is essential.

You could still employ her as a babysitter/family friend. She wouldn't need to be registered with Ofsted for that and your arrangement could continue happily as it is.

I’ve written a letter to support her, but having seen her report I'm not sure she's addressed all the things she should have. It's not safety-related, it's more things like 'not assessing learning needs and documenting outcomes and next steps'.

Your childminder sounds great, and your children are clearly safe and happy with her - I know it should be the only thing that really matters, but unfortunately it’s not these days. If she’s committed to continuing with her job then these things need to be done - other childminders do it too and in my opinion it’s not that hard to achieve what you’ve mentioned there.

She's like their Granny, she does loads of stuff with them and provides excellent, nurturing care

Which is what you need in a CM FFS. The world has gone stark, raving bonkers.

I agree with what PP are saying, that other CMs do manage it and there is support out there to help them meet the requirements. I guess mine is just 'old school' and from what I hear she isn't alone. To me, meeting EYFS teaching requirements is not what I pay my CM to do. If I wanted that I'd use a nursery. It's almost like there needs to be 2 levels of registration (meets EYFS standards/doesn't) and parents can then choose the setting that suits their expectations. For what it's worth I'd choose my CM any day. There is an alternative CM in the same area, she gets 'good' ratings but her setting feels impersonal and strict.

@Lollygaggles that would only work if she came to my house. If she's paid in her own home to look after children that aren't family then she needs to be registered.

I feel very mixed about this thread. I feel sorry for her as an individual, as Ofsted inspections are hugely stressful, but this is not a new thing that has caught her out - the need for all childminders to document children's outcomes and think about their next steps has been part of EYFS practice since the statutory framework of 2008.

That's not the point. There should be a place for the type of unstructured, small-scale, home-from-home type care environment which has been proven to be most beneficial for under-3s. Parents who choose this type of care, like the OP, aren't looking for an educational setting - they're looking for someone who can, as far as possible, fulfil a parental role. The state doesn't check that parents have documented their learning plan for their own child.

To me, meeting EYFS teaching requirements is not what I pay my CM to do. If I wanted that I'd use a nursery. It's almost like there needs to be 2 levels of registration (meets EYFS standards/doesn't) and parents can then choose the setting that suits their expectations.

I do completely agree with this. After all a nanny or au pair or grandparents can give fantastic nurturing childcare without having any EYFS qualification/meeting certain EYFS standards. Basic childcare outside your own home and EYFS education should be allowed to be two separate things.