Would anyone recommend becoming a Network CM?

[AbbaFan]

We have a new Network Co-ordinator, who I already know as she comes to our CM group.

She is asking everyone to sign up to be a Network CM.

It sounds like alot of extra work, so I am not sure what to do.

well worth doing. they are really supportive, and you can access all the training free (expt first aid) i dithered for ages but im glad ive done it. get her round, see what she has to say, you can always change your mind.

I'm a network childminder (should I say that as I allow the children to use the internet??), and would recommend it to anyone. As 12 said they are very supportive, offer good training ( I had to miss fussy eaters last night as ds3 and 4 not well enough to be left with babysitter and lots of other things that I can't think of the words for!!! Having a mum day, and very little sleep so will come back later after I've done the school run and had a big coffee!

Thanks for that.

I have been told that I need to do at least 2 days training a year - which I do already anyway, and then have 4 monthly visits.

She mentioned something about being able to claim the funding, if the child is with you and not at playgroup. Anyone one know anymore about that?

2 days training, I was told 18 hours, so I suppose thats 2 days.

You can claim the funding if you are an accredited childminder, sorry I'm not accredited so don't know much more.

You can only claim if accredited, but you can only become accredited, if on a network, so well worth going on.

Our Network is brilliant, Coordinator, has organised small sessions, about every term, to just brain Storm things we have been not sure of, its great.

Sorry for hijack - shoshe someone was looking for you on health

Mums can you link Lovie? cant find it.

Sorry shoshe, was watching the saga continue from last night on chat, I have just noticed that you found it (when I went to find the link). Sorry again

I am from Staffordshire and have been told by other childminders (who are members) that they are getting rid of the Network. Does it depend what area you are in?

As a Network member I thoroughly recommend it and am surprized at how few replies you have got singing its praises. Perhaps all the Networkers are busy doing that extra paperwork you mentioned and have no time for talk sites?

Joking- There was extra paperwork initially filling in a large form on all aspects of your practice. But forcing you to look at these can only be good and it highlights training needs you didn't consider. After that there is a yearly risk assessment (You should be doing a yearly one anyway so this is no extra work). A briefly yearly review on your practice regarding the five outcomes (stay safe, stay healthy etc) which if you cant complete in a quater of an hour then you shouldn't be a childminder.

The visits are wonderful. A coordinator visits your home and is at your beck and call to give you advice. It is the equivalent of having a personal business advisor who does home visits for FREE. They will observe what is going on with the children and suggest improvements.

You get to tell your parents you are committed to providing a professional and cutting edge service and have gone to the effort of joining an organisation with standards higher than Ofsted with 12 times more frequent inspections. You get to tell Ofsted you are a very reflective practitioner with all the work you've done to improve your service.

I cant think of a single bad thing to say about being in a Network apart from it takes between 6-9 months to join one and I have heard that some have waiting lists on top of that. To become accredited then takes a further 6 months during which you need to prove you are a capable educator by producing all the records you should be producing anyway for EYFS (so no extra work there either)

I hope I have explained that a Network is a huge benefit to you and the children in your care.
Hope

Thank you all

I am definitely going along to the meeting, to find out all the details.

I am really interested, and as I already know our network co-ordinator, it makes it much less scary!

Personally, not in a million years.