Early Years Foundation Stage - Anyone doing training?

[Mum2Luke]

Have just finished the 2nd part of my EYFS training and the general feeling is we cms are getting fed up with the likes of OFSTED forcing us childminders to do more paperwork.

We look after the children, take them to tots groups and do activities when time allows, we feed them and give them all the love they need so why more? We are not paid to do observations and assessments, nursery nurses are and if they wanted that the parents would use them, but they choose us because we have a home from home environment and family atmosphere.

Tonight they were saying OFSTED may mark us down if we don't make files, take endless photos and do obs. I look after a 20 month old and a 4yr old, I am losing the baby as his mum is having a baby and not returning to work and the 4 yr old is at school all day. I've not had a phone call for minding for months, I'm going to have to give up and look for part-time work. I have an NVQ Level 3 but cannot fill places as I am in competition with 3 private nurseries in close proximity (within 1 mile) to my house. I want to do all this but when I've no kids in the day I don't go to tots as there's no point.
Am going to look for a job in a creche/nursery as a bank nursery nurse that fits in with my own 5 yr old child.

[Megsdaughter]

it was really demorilizing especially as when the 'Good' came in as the highest I had the only good in this area for a long time, and had worked hard to get there

[bloodsuckingLOONEY]

TOTALLY AGREE.

Actually.....I reckon we should start a thread about how childminders are NOT nurseries and about all this paperwork and ask all childminders and parents what they think, how important it is for the care of their children etc - could be very interesting and if it go big enough - we could email it to OFSTED from 'Mumsnet Childminders Club' or something?!!!

[bloodsuckingLOONEY]

Of course we'd all include their inconsitancies!!!

I'd be well happy to set up an email address and send them a copy!!!

[Megsdaughter]

yes

[Mum2Luke]

Hey, thanks for all your replies, I agree with Looney, lets set up a petition from all of us childminders and send it to OFSTED. Maybe parents might sign too if they agree that we are doing more than our share of (non-paid) training and mounds of paperwork as well as trying to look after children.I don't know about you other cms but it is costing me a fortune in printer inks and laminating pouches printing out photos, doing policies and laminating things like place mats that the children have done.

I can see alot of very good childminders leaving the profession simply because we are exhausted and people doing it uninsured and unregistered. We don't earn enough to buy nursery-type furniture etc and not everyone has room for a conservatory/playroom to put all the toys anyway.

The other evening at the training session the quality team were suggesting ways to do obs and using evidence but what do alot of parents do when you guive them what the child has done? They leave it in the car or worse still in the bin! They don't see the point in all of this stuff we do and nor do we!

[bloodsuckingLOONEY]

Yes.....see thread set up to send to OFSTED.....I've now set up a group on Facebook too