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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

eyf..................again

13 replies

jillyj · 15/06/2008 12:10

hi. i am in the process of doing a newsletter for my clients. i thought it would be good to add a piece about the eyf and what it means to parents. can anyone help me, it only needs to be short but to the point. i really dont know where to start.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Shoshe · 15/06/2008 12:21

Dont know how to write it either, but who ever does, can I borrow it as well

MindingMum · 15/06/2008 13:03

ooh, nannynick are you about?

I haven't a clue

nannynick · 15/06/2008 14:07

I'm not sure what it does mean to parents.

Calling Katymac... can you help on this one?

squirrel42 · 15/06/2008 16:30

There's a PDF leflet/poster thing here with some very basic info about the main principles parents might find useful.

The official EYFS section on the DFES site has a resources page with loads of links, leflets and other stuff, the majority of which is probably no help but someone with a lot of time on their hands might find a gem! That's here.

The trouble is none of that is likely to actually mean much to parents, who want to know the practical stuff like will it affect the activities or care you can provide, will you be chasing after their kids with notebooks trying to make "observations" on them every five minutes and will your costs go up!

Original poster

jillyj · 15/06/2008 20:19

glad its not only me then. thanks everyone.

OP posts:

KatyMac · 15/06/2008 20:20

Sorry chaps not a clue how it will benefit parents (or childminders tbh)

It will make OFSTED's life easier eventually

KaySamuels · 15/06/2008 21:48

I have just had the same problem. I just explained that it meant all childcare providers were working from the same framwork, that it was for children from birth to 5 years, rather than two seperate frameworks, birth to three and foundation stage.

Parents always look at me blank when I bring this stuff up, don't think th realise what it involves for childcarers or how it affects the kids tbh.

ThePrisoner · 16/06/2008 19:43

The parents I mind for are looking forward to me implementing the EYFS as much as I am.

OFSTEDoutstanding · 16/06/2008 19:47

My parents have told me not to bother when I told them what is going to happen come September. They said they will contact OFSTED and tell them if they wanted me to be spending my time doing this they would have chosen a nursery for their lo! I think I have managed to put them off that idea though if it will get me out of the paperwork maybe it is worth a go

ThePrisoner · 16/06/2008 19:52

It would be interesting to see what would happen if parents refused to sign permission forms for taking photos, and put in writing that they didn't want any kind of formal observations being done or written down, and had strong objections to any kind of planning!!

Arfa · 16/06/2008 23:59

According to Beverley Hughes, the Children's Minister, parents will be given the right to ask for their child to be exempted from the EYFS. All of my wife's parents will be doing this and 3 of them are teachers and 1 is a careers officer.

To gain exemption, parents must apply directly to the setting concerned. Unfortunately, the regulations governing this have not yet been laid before parliament and we are getting close to the summer recess. However, if the regulations are not in place by September, but you already have a letter from the parents requesting exemption what would Ofsted do then?

Original poster

jillyj · 17/06/2008 11:16

ooooh, what a great idea. may ask my parents to do this. what joy, and no more stress. bet ofsted will think of something else though.

OP posts:

Arfa · 17/06/2008 20:29

Unfortunately, I don't think it will be that easy.

For a start, parents will only be allowed to request exemption on the grounds of "religion or philosophy". Then paragraph 4.3 of the Statutory Framework says "Such exemptions will only be granted in exceptional circumstances and where the provider can demonstrate that every effort has been made to comply with the requirements".

What may help, though, is the number of parents who may decide to request exemption. Beverley Hughes has said that the DCSF don't expect there to be many requests because there weren't many requests made under Birth to Three. However, they may be in for a surprise because while Birth to Three was voluntary, EYFS is statutory so there may well be a greater desire to gain exemption. We'll just have to wait and see, but the more parents who request exemption the better because the case for the EYFS to be downgraded to professional guidelines will then be that much stronger.

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