CM club.......Network minders, can I have your thoughts please?

[hennipenni]

I'm doing a littlke resaerch and would be greatfull for some input please. Ta

Network minders, how do you perceive your role with regards to other non network minders?

How do non network minders perceive your role?

How much, if any feedback do you give to non members from your network meetings?

I am interesred in becoming a network minder but at the moment the funding isn't available to take on any new network minders so we have to wait for any excisting network minders to drop out, the only problem being that there's a long list of minders waiting.

As a network childminder I have access to up-to-date information & training. I voluntarily work to a set of higher standards.

As there isn't funding are you allowed to attend meetings & training? I would ask to

I love being a network C/Mer as I feel it offers reassurance to parents that I am up-to-date and 'on the ball' - but I think if you can attend meetings & training while you are waiting it would be good

Ive been networked and accredited for a few years now, and as Katy says it is great to have access to extra training and such.

I also like that I have a network supervisor that i can talk things over with (she is brill).

The parents like that I can pull down the 3 year old nursery grant for them. none of my mindees have gone to preschool, all parents preferred to have them with me fulltime as they felt thay got better education, as we go swimming, visits, gym etc.

I'm a Network C/Mer but not accredited for nursery education btw

I also enjoy the ability to chat to the co-ordinator about problems, & to pass decisions by her when I am unsure

Thankyou, Katy we are allowed to attend certain courses whilst we are waiting.

MD, it would be great if I had a network supervosor to talk things through as I sometimes feel a little isolated, having said tht my minder colleagues have been really supportive with the problems I thought I had with E colli.

I just feel that at the moment I would like to do more/offer parents more and use my neglected brain cells too!- am hoping to do my NVQ next Sept.

As a non-network/ex-network childminder I also have equal access to up-to-date information & training. I also voluntarily work to my own set of higher standards.

I have attended all training and everything has been funded.

I am about to start a Foundation Degree locally in Early Years (fully funded) and haven't got time for all the extra network paperwork and interruptions from co-ordinator visits.

Do nurseries have networks?

I am a professional child carer and business woman and can prove my own standards without having to be a part of somebody elses empire.

Being part of a quality-assured network is something that I certainly promote to prospective parents. For all my moaning and whining about paperwork, Ofsted and the like, I think my network is very good.

I have a lovely co-ordinator, she is very knowledgeable about all-things-childminding. She has been extremely helpful whenever I've needed help, even outside her normal working hours. She does monitoring checks on me regularly, but it certainly doesn't interfere with my working day - the children all know her well, and look forward to her visiting.

Most of the CMs I mix with during the week are not on a network. They are not particularly envious of the extra paperwork that I generate. I am more than happy to share any information I get (new guidelines, ideas to improve our practice, etc). We do tend to get information a lot sooner than non-network minders.

Childminding can be a very lonely profession, and having the opportunity to regularly meet with other minders is great. We certainly get more training courses!

(On my negative days, I dream of coming off the network so that I don't feel the pressure to constantly aspire to be better and more professional!)

TP I think you've hit it on it's hea, it's the promoting to prospective parents too tht sways me to want to network, I live in an area where supply far outstrips demand and I wonder if parents see network minders as being more profesional?

I had the first parents around for ages (I am full for anyone under 8), and they just sort of looked at me blankly when I said I am a network childminder. I am the only one at the moment where I live, but it just seems you do the stuff, don't really do anything different as already had the standard, and I myself am wondering why I bothered. Is it really any good? What does it count for at the end of the day?

Not sure this helps but... I don't understand what a network childminder is/does. Yet I'm usually very clued up about stuff in this industry - I've heard of NCMA Quality First, think network childminders are something to do with that, but that's all I know.
So if I don't understand it, what chance do parents have. I don't think you can just tell a parent that you are a network childminder, instead tell them about the benefits you being part of a network, gives them as the service user.

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