How Long have you been a Registered Childminder and who what do you think of all the new requirements?

[PeaceNLove]

Hi there, I am a registered childminder working alongside my mother who has been a childminder for over 40 years.

Ive seen so many changes since Ofsted has taken over and not sure if they are all for the better.

I remember when i was growing up the house used to be full of kids mum used to childmind, we had the best time and was all loved and cared for equally like a big family.

However now days there are so many restictions and expectations of childminders, its taken away the caring for the child in a 'home from home' enviroment and turning us into paperwork filing robots.

I appretiate children have to be stimulated and to encourage development etc, but should we have to write a novel about it day in day out to achieve this?

What difference does it really make? We have seen so many childminders give up over all this new curfufle they are introducing and have seen great child care providers who have minded for years turn away because
A the paperwork is to much or
B the expectations of a childminder are just so high.

There is not much differnce in relation to what we are to do than a nursery, in fact you have a lot less expectations as a nursery worker. (IMO)

What are your opionis, would love to hear from some 'old school' childminders who have been in the game for a long while.. Those who have quit, those who think its a good thing and those who are stuggling to keep up.

My MIL was a childminder back in the 1970's and she loved it. She would look after the neighbours children and get paid for it, she did craft work with them and took them to the playground.
I'm registering as a CM and i knew about all the paperwork before i started. I know it will be difficult but to me it will be like any other job.
I think it is harder for CMs who've being doing the job for a long time, because everything keeps changing and more is expected of them for hardly any pay.

just bumping (hoping for some more opinions)

Been a registered childminder for nearly 2 years. I hate all the new requirements. I can't keep up either. Haven't filled my EYFS crap in for weeks and weeks now as every time I go to write, my attention is needed by a child. I'll be damned if I'm doing the work in my own (short) time. I have a family to care for thank you very much! I will be telling Ofsted my reasons for being behind too!

I can't even get my accounts sorted. I'm already 6 months behind I'm not a very organised person.

I have been registered for 22 years and full all the time with minded children.

Yes there is lots of paperwork, read it, digest it, file it and that's that.

I give nursery education too, but I will now have to do LESS than was doing before EYFS.

I think a lot of cm's are daunted by the EYFS document, we haven't had any training on it in Herts, apart from what I organised last week, they were all experienced cm's and don't seem to be too fazed by it now they realise that it is actually easier than having 2 separate documents - BT3 and QCA guidance.

I have just lost a years work aoff my comnputer as the logic board has expired, I had backed up, but for some reason the memory stick is corrupt. I panicked to start, but now, I am just thinking, Oh, well, it won't take me too long to get back up and running.

i think that there is too much information out there and cm's are getting overwhekmed by it all.

Keeo it simple and yu will be fine.

P.S. I had minimal paperwork for my Osted, one file 5 sections - the outcomes, and everything was filed against these, clear, concise and simple, I got O/S.

I think my posting from 2/12 at 10:16 in this thread might be relevant to this discussion.

I have been a childminder for 17 years and I have always treated the children I mind as family members. I have seen children from babyhood to college and beyond. I would say yes the paperwork has become too much if you let it. I panicked at first and stayed up really late at night (and in some cases early in the morning). Did it make me a better childminder? Not at first, in fact I found I was so tired some days that all I wanted the children to do was sit and watch tv, read or draw. All my great activities went out of the window and I lost heart. The kids were great they were so patient and amused themselves. I overdid the observation side, writing down every time a child moved, smiled, breathed. To the point where one day one of my 3 year olds said exasparated "what you writing NOW". I overdid the risk assessments, writing down every move we made and the risks attached. I overdid the food and drink records, if the kids had a biscuit in between meals I spent time agonising whether or not they should have had it as I now have to write something unhealthy on my food sheet for that day. I was going round in circles. I nearly gave up and would have done if it had not been for the parents and kids I look after. I cried, had terrible tantrums at night with my husband and kids. We lived on chippy food at night. My husband and kids were living on eggshells.
I did the EYFS level 3 course and finally began to settle down. I began to prioritise. Putting my family and mindees first and foremost. Get back to playing. Then I looked at observations, a tip I was given which saved my job, was only to record things that I would tell more than one person about. You know what I mean, so and so does something fantastic/funny maybe for the first time and you tell their mum, another childminder, your husband, your kids etc. Well that is what is meant by a memorable moment. I record very little now. Next steps I get from the practice guidance. I then made up a Welfare Requirements folder with all my evidence in, including my policies and procedures, certificates etc. all in one place.
I now only do the bare minimum of paperwork, despite my nickname, and i am much happier. I do pick up important stages in the littlies development and record them, whereas before my photos were lovely but not very informative. I do find the information in the practice guidance gives me the language to use, and my parents do like the more informed observations and summative assesments. I do still find it difficult to fill the criteria to work with nursery but all in all I feel yes the EYFS is wonderful for childminders with the right support. I did get o/s on my OfSTED.

I've been in childminding for as long as I can remember, have seen all the changes and lost many childminding friends who couldn't accept or cope with changing legislation and requirements.
In my opinion, for what it's worth, I really believe that the EYFS (once you get to grips with it) is the culmination of years of striving for a comprehensive package to show how wonderful a good childminding service can be.
We have always celebrated the uniqueness of each child, worked in partnership with parents, delivered an enabling environment. We wouldn't stay in business very long if we didn't! Delivering on these themes delivers the learning and development.
What we're not good at is blowing our own trumpet! That Ofsted SEF is a nightmare!
Being able to see what good policies and procedures look like, how to do the minimal observation records, like Paperfreek says, does help to keep us sane. Look at the EYFS in Practice website www.eyfs-in-practice.com
They also offer telephone and/or email support to anyone who buys their Evidence File.