I know what I do is unusual but reaaly I get annoyed when people get it wrong

[KatyMac]

I invited the tutor of the local college to visit us as she wasn't sure what a childminding setting was.

She came, she saw & she was visibly impressed

So why did I then get a letter saying 'Oh good - our work placement student can come to your 'NURSERY'

I'm not a nursery

Grr

& yes I know I am being unreasonable

You're not being unreasonable Katy! I'm sure some people will think you are, but a lot of us understand where you are coming from!

I think I'd phone and make sure she hasn't muddled you with someone else.

I doubt most people would know what a "childminding setting" was, especially if it's your house. Isn't that just being a childminder but having assistants?

I feel a tutor on a childcare course should know the differences between the various types of childcare provider.
Can you imagine the shock the student will get when they do go to a NURSERY having been at your 'Childminding Setting'.
Maybe the tutor ranks nurseries above childminders - so maybe it is a complement to be called a nursery!

I phoned & the college is closed

So I'll phone back on Tuesday next week & I guess Monday the week after

A childminding setting is where several childminders work together - we are hoping for it to become a co-operative in the near future

It is in my house - but (as I'm sure Nick will confirm) it is an annex-y type thing - a 42 ft extension

Thanks Justabout - OFSTED said I need to "continue with plans to further enrich children's experiences of other religious festivals and those with different abilities." which tbh I think is a bit unfair as I am quite multicultural/multifaith really

& I forgot to say
a)Nick - I think a tutor should know too
b)I really really can spell really...honest

I have just had another one address to a 'Nursery'

Grrr

This isn't the first time that I have thought that the UK nomenclature for childcare needs clarification!

The way a crèche in the UK is used to mean temporary ad hoc daycare is really odd...

Well I think they were hoping EYFS would sort it out - but it didn't

We now have (I think) Daycare split into to nurseries, preschools, nursery classes, childminders & childcare on domestic premises - which are all registered

But tbh I'm really not sure what else we have.....Nannynick might know

I've never heard of more than two childminders banding together, seems quite interesting to me! Wouldn't like to be you guys heading out on a day trip though

Is it financially benefitial to do that? If you don't mind me asking? I understand the more kids idea, but that would have to be divided into more staff which is why I don't get that. But I think it's a brilliant idea because even if it isn't more benefitial financially, it wouldn mean extra hands, more eyes and all the other social benefits.

How does it work in your setting?

And btw, no, YANBU to get annoyed at that! I would be!

It works very well for us - we can have up to about 6 people working with us

DH & I (& often lots of our staff) have significant health problems so everyone tends to work part-time

Currently we have a lady with an Early Years degree that wants to work for us because she is fed of working for places that take shortcuts.

With 1,4 & 7 children we make a loss
With 2,5 & 8 children we break even
& with 3,6 & 9 children we make profit

Unfortunately, children add up in little bits & pieces & staff like nice simple shifts so that equation above seldom works - & school runs are often a problem

We used to be able to employ extra staff if we were going out or doing an activity which needed a higher ratio or had a child who needed 121 - but since EYFS this has changed & we can't because the rules stat that no more that 3 adults can work together or we change classification.

I think the children end up with very good vocabulary as they 'hear' lots of adult conversation (with sentence construction & grammar) & it makes prep for mealtimes much easier

very annoying

you would have thought that the tutor would have known the difference between a nursery and a childminding setting

I can see why you are annoyed and like others have said a tutor really should know the difference!

I guess it's similar to the way I feel as a nanny when I am referred to as the au pair or worse still as the babysitter!!!

Oh I getting 'babysitting' too

I honestly don't think people mean to be unkind or insulting though - linguistically there is little difference between baby/child and sitting/minding. If people have no experience of childminding as a trained profession, it's not that surprising that they would think minding a child and sitting a baby weren't that different - I suppose you just have to correct people firmly when they make this mistake?

I guess you're right

That's why NCMA were championing a new name for us a few years back

I think your setting sounds lovely btw, if I lived near you I would be hovering waiting for a space

Surprisingly enough I have spaces

I charge too much for the local market.....£3.50 an hour

3.50 an hour and parents still complain

where are you katy?

In Norfolk

That includes food, wipes and all days out etc

everything is included in that price and yep people complain

tell them to come to london and they will pay much more than that!!!!!!

yeah - but I couldn't afford a house in London

Thank you for explaining!

I'm a nanny (in training I s'pose? lol, unqualified but working on that ) but tend to get asked if I'm my charges sister more often than not! Though I have been called my 8yo charges mother before (I'm not even 20 and certainly don't look older!)

It annoys me when people call me a babysitter, not so much au pair though because people who know the family were used to them having APs being me, I'm the first British 'AP' they've had. To be fair though, I was intending on going to an AP job in Italy before this family contacted me via one of the AP websites