Advice needed: NCMA membership

[gingertoo]

Hi everyone,

Just starting out on the childminding registration process and would like a bit of advice re NCMA membership...

Would you recommend joining?
Would you recommend using their insurance package or have you sorted out your own?
Do you use their paperwork (contracts, registers etc ) or do you create / buy your own?

It all seems a bit expensive, but I'm new to this so have not really got anything to compare it with IYSWIM!

Thanks

After 5 yrs of childminding and a member of NCMA I switched to Morton Michael this year. It's half the price of NCMA and to me you get just the same benefits. You get public liability insurance, advice/legal help, you can use your own paperwork or buy theres. I know several CM's that have switched from NCMA to MM and they have no complains about the service just like me.

Thanks saz, I'll have a look at that - it will be good to have something to compare

Anyone else got any thoughts on NCMA memebership?

Like Saz, I have always been a NCMA member, but am also switching to Morton Michel.

Mainly because it was cheaper with the same benefits, but also as I dont feel we are getting as much out of the NCMA as we used to.

That's interesting, thanks.
At the childminding briefing they didn't mention that there were other providers of this insurance. I'm glad I asked! I can now have a proper look into all the options.

Any further thoughts on NCMA / Morton Michel and the benefits / disadvantages of each would be much appreciated...

Also the paperwork side - Would you recommend using your own paperwork or the pre-printed ones that you can buy from NCMA / MM??

Sorry for so many questions but it's good to hear from people who are actually doing the job rather than people who are talking about it in theory!

Sorry, just read that and it doesn't make sense! They did mention that there were other providers of insurance but only named NCMA.......

I would go with ncma for the first year and then change once youre used to the paperwork, the accident book they supply with the kit is very good,but you can buy it seperately, check the kit out online

I'm doing my 12 hour first aid course at the moment and there are about four other childminders on there doing their refresher courses, ALL of them said not to bother with the NCMA, they reckon it's not worth the money.

If you go through NCMA you have to use their contracts otherwise they won't help if you have a dispute and the insurance isn't validated.

Morton Michel allow you to chose what contracts you like ie: theirs, your own, bought ones etc. I don't know anything about MM personally as I have always used NCMA but others that are with MM seem pleased with the service and i havn't heard anything bad about them.

I choose NCMA because of the ad on bits you get such as NCMA staff in local sure start centres, freebie training courses etc I'm currently doing NVQ 3 free through NCMA would have cost me loads otherwise. So being NCMA suits me atm, whether I change later possibly as others are cheaper and you get the freedom to choose contracts, I do think NCMA are expensive its just cost me 30 odd quid to renew contracts which is a bit verticle imo.

Hmmm - that's given me alot to think about - thanks

Will take my time and have a look at both providers.

atworknotworking free NVQ sounds very interesting. How does that work, if you don't mind me asking? Do NCMA provide funding for you to do the course or do they actually run the courses?

I use MM rather than NCMA,I switched some years ago.All training is available to all c/minders through Sure Start.And or the local children's centres. I too am doing the NVQ3 and was fully funded, you can also get funding from Train to Gain. the courses are run by your local college.

After 5 years with the NCMA, I am also going to MM. I don't feel the NCMA really support childminders as they should and are more expensive. I am currently doing my NVQ 3 through my LA and although the cost started at £75 they have recently informed me if I complete it during the next 18months I won't have to pay a penny (suffolk)

Like Saz, I have always been a NCMA member, but am also switching to Morton Michel.

i was a nanny before becoming a childminder and had my nanny insurance with MM.

When I became a childminder it made sense to keep everything with one company so got my childminding insurance with them too.

I use their contracts and paperwork and think it is fab and very easy to use

You need to realise the distinction between two elements of NCMA:

the membership to NCMA - this is the part that lobbies on behalf of ALL childminders (not just paid up members) to government and other agencies. they tackled Ofsted for example about the proposed registration increase from £30 to £100 plus. they tackled the FSA about food hygiene.
NCMA is the professional body - like a union

the other element that makes up NCMA is its outsourced extras such as insurances and legal service.

whilst there has been much said recently about the OUTSOURCED services and NCMA is trying to listen and rectify it is always worth being an NCMA 'member'. get your views heard at regional meetings and national conferences, get things heard from the grass roots level. without the membership element there would be no professional body to stand up for us in what is essentially an isolating job. NCMA have worked very hard for years to ensure we seen and received as professionals and whatever we think about the other element of NCMA we owe it to ourselves and each other to support our professional body.

steps of soap box

Well said Pippin. I am an NCMA member for all the reasons you suggest but I have my Public Liability insurance through MM for all the reasons everyone else suggests. Its the most expensive option but I feel I get the best of both worlds.

In hampshire New CM's are tied to NCMA for the first year, as they undertake the training.

was with ncma when first started. (free) when it was up I started using MM. This is much cheaper.

However ncma is good at giving avice when needed.

I have not really had any problems with MM. I would still renew my membership again when this expires.

My colleagues and I are leaving NCMA after 25 years as we have no representation or support in our county anymore.

NCMA wil only support you if you use their paperwork and contracts and I resent being old how to run my self employed business.

MM have great paperwork and lots of other added benefits.

NCMA are in desperate straits losing members left right and centre, they are not the organisation they were, I know things change, sometimes for the better, but not NCMA.

I was a stalwart member and ran the county association for 10 years, I was also a support minder, we no longer have anything for new minders and the training available through county council is non existent and pointless.

I ditto what alibubbles has said. I am still with the NCMA, but only because I have so many other things to do (childminding-related!) that I haven't got around to changing to MM yet.

I was always under the impression that the NCMA would represent the views of childminders, but was very disappointed with what I saw as their support for the EYFS, with little acknowledgement that most childminders were struggling big time.

I was also on our county committee, which folded recently as there was no funding available any more.

I have given up being any kind of "campaigner", as I don't think there is anyone out there listening.

I have only recently become a childminder, and joined NCMA as we were funded this for the first year. I am concerned that their paperwork - contracts, child record forms, attendance records etc etc are so expensive - there's no way I will be able to afford to buy refills, but then I will not be able to call on their legal help if I start doing my own contracts. And I bought one of their diaries - what a joke - £8 and there is hardly any space in it and nothing special about it at all. So I'm already a bit disillusioned with them.
I know NCMA offer advice but to be honest with the internet, it is so easy to get support and advice - I use www.childmindinghelp.co.uk forum all the time.