Make Childminders Exempt From EYFS

[taffy101]

I have submitted a petition to the no.10 website to make childminders exempt from the Early Years Foundation Stage. If you agree with these sentiments please sign the petition

Here is a link to the petition:

petitions.number10.gov.uk/anti-EYFS/

I will post a copy of an email I am circulating so you can copy and paste to circulate too if you wish.

Many Thanks

NB I am not a childminder, just a concerned parent!

not read the entire thread, but I do feel eyfs should be used in a less formal way for child minders.
generally speaking mums who want a child minder want a substitute mum. If they wanted a strict educational regimn then nursery is the place

Just a quick post as I am in middle of painting but have been watching this thread just need to find time to post properly.

Why does anyone feel EYFS is too "educational", "structured" etc? As far as I can see EYFS learning through play; you don't have to structure the learning. I also don't think it asks you to judge a child and their progress?

MAybe I have it wrong or am taking it too simply?

I have signed this and am also in full agreement

I want to be a childminder
I am confident that local parents would be happy for me to childmind their kids

But the eyfs is putting me off 100%

I cant be faffed with taking obs photos of the kids and what they are up too
I dont want to write endless written reports and obs
I dont want to study the eyfs and be endlessly quoting it and refering to it

Childhood is about play and learning through play - I cant do that with children (other peoples and my own) and spend however many hours every week writing stuff down and sorting out photos

Thus I wont be a childminder - which is a great shame

I second the idea that we should be able to choose - childminder or childminder eyfs

As a parent I would probably choose a childminder (ie not one who can quote eyfs in her sleep)

Navy, we have to have comprehensive obs and assessment files for each child - regardless of the hours we care for them - and we have to show how our obs 'inform future progress,learning and development'. 3 obs a year - I wish .Obs have to be linked into assessments - assessments are supposed to indicate where the obs is in the file and which of the 6 areas of learning and development are covered by the obs.

Parents place their children with a cm because they want the home from home environment - yes, eyfs is supposed to be play and child led but there is still planning to be done. And yes it is too structured for a cm setting - doesn't take account of the 'spontaneity' of our setting or the moods of the children. I want to be able to get down on the floor, interracting with the children, taking them on outings, 'watching' them learning from the experiences and activities we do - then feeding that back to parents - not putting post-its all over my walls when I see what I think will make a 'good' observation' for the child's file. I share all of our experiences and the children's achievements with parents - and they do the same - without having to be told I need to write them down in 2 or 3 different places.

I also can't do the paperwork while the children are here, so that eats into my 'family' time. However, when I start my job as deputy playgroup leader in September, all of this is done within my working hours because there are other staff there. That, in my opinion, is why it is too much for cms - not because we 'can't' do it but because we don't have the time and we don't get paid the same wage to do the same job as nursery staff or reception teachers. I've loved being a cm but it has changed so much in 4 years. As a previous post said, EYFS should be a 'guidance' but not statutory for cms.

I've used cms in the past - infact will be placing ds with last cm when I start work - and as long as my children are happy, having fun and learning at their own place then I'm happy with that. I don't want a cm who is stressing about their upcoming Ofsted inspection - and believe me have been there as a cm myself. The cm I will be using is brill with the kids and they all love her - don't care about daily diaries etc for the sake of a school run.

Right, off my high horse now - sorry if gone off on a tangent - off to take my Tamiflu to get rid of this bloody swine flu....

Ignorant question alert!
Do cm HAVE to do all the obs and assessments photos etc?

Is it possible to cm and not do all that?
What is the minimum you could get away with timewise re paperwork per child per week?

I am just starting to Home Ed my kids - I wont spend ages writing assessments and obs on them so I am no way going to want to do stuff for cm kids that I dont feel the need to do for my own (hope that makes sense)

You don't have to do it for your own children, but if you are a cm you are doing it 'for reward' [loosely translated as wages] so you have to comply with eyfs fully.

You could cm but not do it, but then when ofsted come out you would be placed under an 'action' as it is a statutory requirement and they may even state that you aren't complying with the requirements.

Think very carefully about being a cm - especially if you are about to home-ed your own children, as I'm not sure how that would count towards your ratios.

Also, get a copy of the eyfs bumph and read through it so that you know exactly what you're getting yourself into.....

Yurtgirl, taking photos is a good way to evidence what children are doing but I personally have always taken photos of my mindees enjoying their activities and doing something funny/silly and see it as no different to taking photos of my own kids (although, the only photos I seem to take of them these days are ones where perhaps they have had one too many and I may snap them riding that porcelain bus in the bathroom then post it on their facebook - they are now adults by the way) - It's great for parents to see photos of what their children get up to during the day. I just show them the laptop and they can just scroll through them as often or as little as they like then I put on CD for them at end of year. It's a lovely record of achievements too.

EYFS is causing alot of paperwork, there is no doubt about that.

As a mum who found childcare costs rediculous for my circumstances, I became a childminder. I have thorouhgly enjoyed all the courses and really like producing the folders of evidence. But I get behind at times. I have the cost of my time, printer ink, and disinterested parents/schools who dont want them.

I feel the children have benefited. Thats the whole point isnt it? To ensure the activities are tailored to the needs of the child. Yes we can see a baby pulling up on a chair but have we noticed which schema they are following or how often they make references to being ready for potty training. When we are all busy, we can miss the subtle signs that the EYFS forces us to look for (if we do it prpoerly).

Taffy101: Could you please email me on arthur dot adams53 at tiscali dot co dot uk then I can email you back. It's about the petition.

Do holiday clubs have to follow all this? If not couldn't childminders rebrand themselves during the hols as holiday care and pick up obs and planning again in September? After all nursery and rec children aren't being 'processed' through the summer and will not be any the worse for it.

hocuspontas: Nurseries would still need to follow the EYFS during the holidays. Holiday care (play schemes etc) would not because they are looking after school age children and the EYFS doesn't apply to that age group.

At last someone who is doing something about this.

Hi pinkchick1 - do you have an update on this then?

Oh dear ... I quite like EYFS.

I do agree there should be 2 different kinds of CM though.

I don't do formal education. I do learning through play.

This is nearly 5 years old. I think the petition is dead in the water and anyway the EYFS has been reviewed and is due another change soon.

Well spotted nomdeclavier

Urgh!!!!!!

I hate when I read through a thread only to find out it is old, completely void and has been pointlessly resurrected.

Note to self: Check date of original post and only read if there is a valid update.

I'm a childminder. Have a degree in early years. My home looks like a mini nursery and that's how we live. I've been graded outstanding and struggle to get taken seriously as an early years professional despite being a nanny/nursery manager for years! I charge £3 an hour and that includes two cooked meals and all snacks!
By getting rid of the need to follow eyfs you are turning childminding back into babysitting and that's not what childminders want. We want to be taken seriously and be seen as equal!

As Bonkerz says.... I am a highly trained eys professional working in a nursery but I will be starting as a childminder soon and I'm really disappointed (and frankly quite shocked) with this petition. Using the eyfs is what has changed people's opinions on childminders. Years ago people thought that they just sat them in front of the tv and kept them warm, safe and fed. When people realised they were offering the same standard of education (which is entirely play based) as nursery, childminders became viewed as professionals. If you are not offering an environment that covers the eyfs anyway then you are not fit to be a childminder IMO.

However just seen its 5 yrs old so hopefully there is no one still pursuing this!