CM club: can someone explain to me the free childcare spaces and if children can use them with me?

[navyeyelasH]

I'm a bit stumped by this, so when children get to 3 they can have 12.5 (soon to change to 15?) hours of free childcare.

To use this as a childminder you need to be accredited - many think being accredited is not worth it as you can not get the full value of your space. So say I charge £5 an hour then the free grant doesn't cover that much. And you can't charge a 'top up'?

Right do I have all the right?

I seem to be getting cryptic message from my EY team that this is changing but they don't say how it's changing etc. They just keep alluding to the fact that I should know it's changing (when I haven't spoken to anyone from there, ever, despite trying!).

So can anyone explain this to me please?

Thanks!

I thought it was from the Term following their 3rd birthday.

Hye nannynick, yes I think you're right I'm rubbish at remembering these things!

Hi Nel, haven't been told anything different down here yet, spoke to the Council lady (who deals with all the funding) yesterday and she didnt mention anything either.

I have stopped taking funded children for exactly the reason that it loses me money.

yep that's right NEL

crap innit

I dont think you can "top up" your fees and you have to be accredited. Our network has been disbanded till September so I cant even get on the network to be accredited. I think it is a lot of paperwork and you have to do a certain amount of training a year but I could be wrong

yy llllll our network has been disbanded since EYFS began

BALD the one here was run by the NCMA, when EYFS came in Surestart took over, and decided that only accredited CM's could be on it, so took everybody that wasn't off.

That left me and one other CM!

I have never seen the Surestart lady who is suppose to monitor us! Great job they are doing.

and another for your area

hmm so nothings changing?

I'm very confused; if it wasn't very very tired I'd go downstairs and find the letter they sent!

Yep you need to be accredited and a member of the network. Thats if your LA is accredited, ours isnt.

The 3yo funding will be for 15hrs per wk from this Sept - is currently 12.5 hrs -

2yo funding is also coming in from Sept, which will be for 10hrs per week.

Eligable from term after relevant b/day.

The hours are supposed to be able to be taken flexibly, so you can clump them together if parent wishes, although maximum hours are applicable for any one day, so instead of doing 3hrs per day, a child can do 6hrs for 2dys and 3hrs another. Although your LA will generally have rules as to how many hrs per day the age groups can do, so worth checking before negotiating with parents IYSWIM.

The funding formula is also changing in Sept, previously state maintaned settings gor a higher hourly rate than private settings, but this will be reversed. The amount is still well below what many settings charge though (think its about £3.45 ish) so financially you could be worse off. On the other hand if parents decide to put 2yo into accredited settings you could end up having mindees for shorter hours anyway. Whichever way you look at it its a bit pants.

AWNW - the single funding formula thing is only being trialled in our area from September the whole run-out has (I believe) been delayed

School nurseries will lose out but I have been told I will be getting £4.95 an hour ??

The phrase "I'll believe it when I see it" comes to mind as we currently get £3.38

Oh & we can (currently) do the 12.5 hrs in any format/grouping/length

Thats interesting KM.

It would be nice if our LA's kept us updated or is that too much to ask

Don't be silly - why would you need to know stuff like that?

I mean you're only a childminder - how would you use that knowledge - all you do is babysit, stick 'em in front of the telly & give 'em chicken nuggets & chips

Naah

We had fruit shoots an greggs for breakfast, lunch n tea and crisps for snack.

we all had maccy d's!

Who do I speak to about this then, my council? I just want to know how much you get paid really as it's near my rate then it's worth the extra hassle but if isn't then there is no point worrying about it!

You forgot the candyfloss and kebabs .
At least we all still have a sense of humour, hahaha

The playgroup I work in (till next Thurs ) claps their hands when a child turns 3 cos they get much more than we charge for a session.

Agree, the fee they pay is total pants for the hoops cms have to junp through to get this money - I won't be applying for accreditation.

And yes, am back to being a FT cm from April - better the devil you know . Just have to fill the spaces now....

My post might be nothing to do with this so sorry if its no help - my DD goes to a private nursery and will get the funding from the 17th April (1st school term after she turns 3) and they've told me she can have something like 5 or 6 hrs per day. The amount an hour I'm getting doesn't cover the hourly fee at the nursery so I will be paying a top up fee.

JanyieB that's exactly what I am talking about a few parents have told me that nurseries charge a top up or "extras" like expensive food etc to make up the rate. But apparently it's not allowed.

I really wish I knew who to speak to about this, might attempt to get hold of FIS on Monday although they are normally useless.

My Early years department is rolling out the new funding to all settings from April. The small pot of money has to be fairly distributed to everyone and so they devised a 'formula' where everyone starts on the base rate of £3.70 ph then depending on how well qualified the setting is they get a few pennies (can't remember exact amount) an hour on top, then depending on how flexible you are with start and finish times you get an extra few pennies added on. So pre-schools operating say 9am-12pm will receive the basic amount + (eg) 20p per hour for having NVQ3 & 4 staff and nothing extra for flexibility. Whereas a childminder with an NVQ3 can receive a higher amount if she/he can be flexible with starts & finishes. Part of the agreement is that under no circumstances can a top up be charged for those free hours, but additional charges can be made for any hours used beyond those funded by the government.

hmm so it sounds like it's not worth it then as I only do am/pm session (8am-1pm/1pm-6pm) and unless I would find children to all slot together to fill the duration I wouldn't want to be flexible.

Plus I'm a new childminder and have no childcare qualifications, only a 2 (non childcare) degrees.

Thats interesting, I didn't know that charging extra wasn't allowed.