CM Club: CM Numbers fall for 9th successive quarter

[Arfa]

Here we go again!

This time by a net value of 1,014. Last quarter it was 1,671 and the quarter before that 700. Some people thought that the big drop last quarter was due to the change in registers and CMs who had already given up not re-registering. Apparently not.

You can find the detailed figures here.

Meanwhile, if Ofsted have ever given you cause to be annoyed, there is a petition on the No 10 web site that you may like to sign.

Arfa I can't seem to look at the figures it just opens the excel spreadsheet frontpage but not any information.

Can you help?

Instead of it being an ordinary report, they are now 'interactive spreadsheets'(!). Firast click on the tab at the bottom with the title 'Providers and Places'. Then, depending what you have selected in the drop down boxes (cells B8 and B12), you can either look at the figures for the whole of England or by local authority.

Don't get me started on Ofsted .

If you read recent reports on the website, there are so many inconsistencies in the inspection process across the country and from inspector to inspector.

I've just raised a complaint with them against my recent 'judgement' - watch this space. Not holding my breath, but at least I've said my piece.

BTW - I will hopefully be one of the statistics on the figures for next qtr

Signed the petition today. Wont hold breath though, this government just doesnt listen.. look at the Gurkas..

Now that Joanna Lumley has sorted out this government and their shoddy treatment of the Ghurkas, perhaps she could start to champion CMs.

absolutely fabulous darling.. to rite..

Late last night, I noticed that, despite the fall in CM numbers, the number of childcare places provided by CMs had risen by a massive 34,000 so I emailed Ofsted today to ask them why.

It turns out that, because there are now 2 registers, Ofsted are adding the number of child places from each register together. So, because some of those places may overlap, Ofsted are actually double counting making the numbers useless to local authorities or anyone doing research. On top of that, because Ofsted group childcare into CMs and everybody else, people can't find out the number of after school clubs, for example, in a given area.

I don't know how much it costs to produce these reports, but it looks like they are a complete waste of money.

Also, the explanation above doesn't explain why the number of places jumps so much between quarter 1 and quarter 2 of the new registers. I would expect there to have been a difference from pre to post EYFS, but not from 2 consecutive quarters that are both using the same collation method.

Ofsted

So are they trying to convince us that EYFS has had no effect on the numbers of cms . Hasn't ncma released a similar survey - based on a 'TINY' proportion of childminders surveyed 'v' childminders registered. I've heard of another 2 cms today giving up - bloody good cms too - because of this.

Haven't signed petition, because I do believe childcare providers need some form of regulation to give parents peace of mind - just not convinced the current legislation is 'it'.

But who inspects the inspectors? Shouldn't someone who wields so much power be subject to even stricter regulation than the people they inspect?

As for the petition, even if every one in the country signed it, it won't get rid of Ofsted. It will, though, show the government that perhaps there is a better and more popular way of carrying out inspections.

Also, it is the number of childcare places that has been inflated, not the number of CMs.

Ooh me me me I am now a statistic.

I am now working in a lovely day nursery and am not regretting my decision one iota.

underpaid... I remember your thread on that, are you jumping ship too???

I'm a newly registered childminder, registered late January and twice now Ofsted have tried to come out to inspect me (give me a chance) and anyway i've go no-one on my books (very quiet around here, even for established CMs).
Anyway, Ofsted have finally told me that they won't bug me now until early December or until i start minding.
I'll tell them when i'm good and ready and have children settled in.

Sammy, seriously thinking bout it - waiting to see result of appeal to Ofsted. Have just had enough .

Really pleased your job going well - hopefully will be me in a few months time . What's it like to have a job you like without the paperwork and crap wages

It's lovely underpaid.

As DS is four I could only mind two under fives, and hourly going rate in my area is £2.65. So £5.30 before expenses, training, breakages (I had a lot of these due to a destructive child), unpaid paperwork hours. For all that hassle and stress. My inspection was the final straw too. In a way I am glad I had it as it made my decision very easy.

I honestly dont regret it. The pay is more per hour than I was getting, and I can leave work at work. Plus I share my day not just with lovely children but grown ups too! I take DS in with me and get staff discount (and hopefully some tax credit help too).

SammyK - pleased it's all going so well. Must say it's rather tempting!!

LT I can only see more cms leaving too. I was talking to another member of staff at the nursery, explaining how it is easy to sort out obs, planning etc when there is a big team of you, but when there is just you, it all has to wait til the children go home.

CMs cant put up their fees as they would price themselves out of the market, so it's either put up with it or make a change.

I am so glad I did it. I have only been in new job a week and the difference in me, and in family unit is great.