Sorry me again - free childcare spaces for 3 year olds.

[navyeyelasH]

Ok after a long hunt and lots of misinformation I now have it from the horses mouth that if I were to become accredited I get paid in the region of £3.88 a lot less than a currently charge.

I can't charge a top up. I also can't charge an inflated rate beyond the free 15 hours (so say a child comes for 20 hours. If I lose, (for eg) £5 by operating the free 15 hours I can't then charge £1 extra per hour during the other paid for 5 hours.)

I can charge extra for food and outings. So per 10 hours I would have to charge an extra £11.20 and I could only do this if I could allocate it to food and outings.

I can deal with all that. It's silly but I can cope just.

But I have to be level 3 qualified and become accredited. I personally think my setting is much better than some nurseries around here yes they are automatically (I think) qualified to draw down the funding.

That is annoying! Why are nurseries automatically accredited whereas CMers aren't even though we al work to EYFS? Hypothetically a satisfactory nursery would get it but not a non qualified 'outstanding' CMER, both working to EYFS?

Is there a reason for this. Is it because nurseries have a pre-school 'teacher'.

It's because nurseries would have to have a level 3 member of staff (or higher)
The government thinks (rightly or wrongly) that qualifications are important

I didn't know that KatyMac, I have worked in loads of nurseries as a temp without childcare specific qualifications.

I just feel it's such a contradiction; we're expected to deliver EYFS (with or without qualifications or funding in our area to cheieve said qualifications) in the same manner and standard as nurseries but we're not entitled to the same funding.

crap innit

(I have a level 3 qual and it was so so hard to fit study around work family and ongoing paperwork wrt CM)

The only advantage to being accredited that i can find is that one may ,a big may mind you, be able to draw on extra funding if any grants become available

and as there are none in my area I see no point

rant rant rant

Yes but a nursery must have a level 3 so it's the same for them

Difference is they might have 10 staff & 1 level 3 vs you having just you who must be level 3

But Nurseries will have to have someone with a degree by 2015..........

navy - this all sounds like a nightmare for you. I was charged a top up many years ago for dd1 - have they stopped that now then? I would like to say though that the nursery I use for dd3 really does have a fully qualified teacher on staff (I've seen the certificate ) I'm sure you're right and some push their luck but not all.

Nel, I have been accredited for years, and it is not worth it, there was at one time a difference between accredited and not, accredited had to follow the National Curriculum for 3 and overs for a start and keep observations and planning on the Birth to 3 matters.

Now that is done by every CM with the EYFS framework.

As we all no the financial reward is nil, in fact is negative for most CM's.

The number of Networks has dropped, so there is less chance of being accredited.

By not being able to offer the Education Grant CM's lose children at 3, soon to be at 2.

Even for Private Nurseries, it is not viable because of not being able to 'top up' the fee.

Is this a way to do away with CM's and private nurseries and bring all children into state run nurseries do you think?

I was once the temp qualified 'teacher' in a nursery! For 2 weeks!! As I do have 2 degrees, but neither are childcare related.

I do work alongside another childminder who is actually a fully qualified primary school teacher. Would she be counted as level 3 then do you think as we have been told she doesn't count.

The reason I want to do it is because we have 5 children who will all be three in about 16 months and each parent wants to use their free hours with us. But we can't.

But KatyMac how are we qualified enough to deliver EYFS but not qualified enough to drawn down funding? That's what gets me.

If they said, "ok you only have to do EYFS if you're a CMer with a level 3 qualification", then I'd be less cross. But they don't. They expect me as an 'unqualified' CMer to deliver the exact same 'curriculum' as a nursery with less access to funding.

That isn't fair

I'd happily do a level 3 qualification BTW actually want to but it's taken me 5 months to find out about this scheme and I'm having no luck with info about funding for courses!

Shoshe DH says exactly the same WRT state nurseries. We pay tax to fund state nurseries,then they undercut us, offer wider resources,funded trips etc and the government wonder why people in business are peed off - ARRGHHHHH!

Oh and I worked (briefly) at a nursery that couldnt take the grant payments - cos they were so crap needing support, so its not necessarily given that all nurseries can access it.

I didn't renew my memebership with the NCMA this year, and wrote to them listing why...... it was a long list, but topping it was the fact that they have fully supported everything that the government have thrown at us without pushing to make sure that with the "professional" status we are given with funding, grants, support, and equal rights with nursery's and pre-schools especially as we are doing exactly what they are doing and there is only one of us (gets off soap box smiley).

I got a very standard reply, telling me how hard they are supporting us, and that the majority of childminders have embraced the EYFS (in other words I am a pain) and I was welcome back anytime Unfortunately I like MM's paperwork much more.

atwork so long as they are good are satisfactory they get it, cmers have to be good or outstanding.

shoshes - I think you might be right.

I'm reading the code of conduct for a workaround!

Well Navy that place must have been really crap then. Whats a workaround?

it just means a way of offering the service without losing any money.

Paretns can voluntarily top up their fees I think - you'd have no legal recourse for a parent not paying the top of course but it might be workable.

The code of practice is massive and totally drivel -who writes this nonsense?

Navy - if you have a degree & childcare experience you can do your EYP - you might be able to do the 4 month or 6 month pathway

Google it

Once you are an EYP you can claim more money when the single funding formula

I am educated to degree level and because of this i can not draw on any funding to do level 3 (or what is about to replace it) or EYP. Unless of course I'm able and willing to pay to do it myself [hmmm]

and yes we are losing out around here because of the funded places. Shoshe i have thought along the same lines as you and I'm pretty sure that is what will happen.