CM Club: I don't want to worry you, but ....

[Arfa]

In the Commons recently, Maria Miller (Shadow Minister, Children, Schools and Families) asked the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what qualifications his Department (a) approves and (b) recommends for people working in child care.

In her reply, Beverley Hughes (Minister of State (Children, Young People and Families)
said: "We are committed to creating a highly skilled work force to deliver truly world class early years services, including having a graduate Early Years Professional (EYP) to lead practice. We aim to have an EYP in every children's centre by 2010 and in every full day care setting by 2015. All children's centres offering early years provision must also have a minimum 0.5 of a qualified teacher involved in planning and delivering the service before designation. Centres should aim to increase this to be a full time post within 18 months.

In addition to this, we have put in place qualification requirements for staff delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS); at least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 (as defined by the Children's Workforce Development Council?CWDC) and at least half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 (as defined by CWDC). A new list of full and relevant qualifications will shortly be available on the CWDG website"

No mention of what happens to a childminder who, if you take this answer literally, will have to be a graduate EYP and, possibly, half a teacher by 2015.

As far as I am aware, a childminder would need an NVQ 3/equivalent level within the next few years.

Childminders are basically mini nursery schools now imho, with all the paperwork we do, following the EYFS curriculum etc. The only difference is we have a home setting and have a lot less kids.

This is nothing new. I am currently about to complete level 3, and know several cms undertaking level 4 training. I think this is a positive thing that cms need to do iff they want to be recognised and respected as professionals in childcare.

If you are a childminder offering the free nursery places, then it makes sense you should have teacher style training, and that's why I don't do it (amongst other reasons). I am a child carer not a teacher!

I am doing a level 3 at the moment with this is mind.

Nowt new but thanks for posting anyway

Well, I would suggest that by taking this course of action the government will be excluding many talented childminders who may struggle academically.

If a person has genuine reasons for struggling academically there is lots of help and support available. On my NVQ course there are a broad range of people with different previous learning experences and academic capabilities.

I think this will actually show which cm's want to improve themselves as professionals - can't see that being a bad thing.

I went on a conference recently and sppent a whole day with child carers who had genuine enthusiasm to learn new skills, look at things from other perspectives andgain new knowledge and ideas for resources. The place buzzed with positive energy and it was lovely.

I am assuming that all cms are literate as we have plenty of paperwork already!!

I would have to say that those childminders who go to conferences (and I help organise our own county CM conference, as well as attending others myself) are the type of minders who are far more likely to want to "learn more" and improve their skills.

There are many many CMs who do a wonderful job in caring for children in their care, and forcing minders to take academic qualifications to somehow "prove" their ability is just so wrong.

I have gone partway down the academic route - I am on a network, and it is part of my committment to that which means I have to do it. I don't struggle academically, but I do not want to continue giving up my free time for my job by taking even more qualifications.

CMs are already having problems with paperwork - the ones I see and talk to on a daily basis are struggling. Some of us might manage it, not everyone else can cope with it. It really does not mean that they are no good at their jobs.

Many of the childminders who post here are very professional and dedicated (even if we moan!!), but some of the discussions about assignments etc. are sooooooo daunting to other minders.

I genuinely feel that there should be a choice here - for CMs to choose how they want to work, and for parents to be able to choose what "type" of CM they want too.

The free nursery spaces can only be offered by accredited childminders.

I am currently studying my DHC, yes it is a lot of extra work, but worthwhile. Some CMs have the same opinion as me, others just want to get on with the job the way they have for 20-30 years already, itis especially difficult for them to make this change.

I'm totally with TP here. I don't struggle academically but I already give up so much of my free time as it is and my kids suffer enough of mummy saying 'not now, I must get this done' etc. I'm constantly asking for ds1 to be taken out so that I can get on but then I feel I've missed out on what they've done as would love to spent time 'as a family', life's too short and I won't get their childhood again if I miss out now!! And tbh, I'm so knackered with my own 4 month old ds2 that I just can't fit any more in right now.

Also, was chatting to one of the parents the other night and she said from her pov she doesn't want her CM (me) working hard at night/over weekends and burning herself out as the more tired I get, the more likely the quality of the care I give will slip.

Soooo, I will look at doing this stuff in the future but only when I can realistically manage it without ANYONE suffering!

Sammy - I like the fact you're really positive about it all and that's great and I do to a point agree with you, however, I've also seen how you struggle with everything you have on your plate and that isn't healthy, you really do have a lot of other stuff going on and sometimes health is just more important!

Meant to add that the point TP made about 'choices' is EXACTLY what I think. It should be the Childminder's choice which route to take and a parent's choice which sort of Childminder they want!!!

You are right LT, and I don't disagree with people who choose not to.

TBH if I were not wanting to give up childminding in the near future I would not be doing my NVQ3 - I am doing it so I get a reasonably paid job in childcare when I am 'done' with cm'ing. Not in the immediate future but I know I won't be doing it long term and the reason for that is as you say. I get no quality family time!

DS and I missed out on a party last night, and DS has gone to my mum's tonight so I can do coursework. If you have young children of you own it is too much!

I do think training is the way forward though, it is the redtape/pencil pushing/paperwork that annoys me!