to be annoyed at the correspondence side of childminding.

[LittleMrsHappy]

Ggggrrrr, Im currently a Social Worker for child protection initial response team, and have just done my ICP training. Im doing childminding as I want to leave Social Care. (far too many reasons to state why)

Now I have issues with the childminding paperwork side of things for this reason, which I cannot get my head around.

Foster carers do NOT have to do risk assessments, EYFS, registers, etc.... or any paperwork/filing etc.... and thy are placed with vulnerable children with all sorts of backgrounds/behaviour issues etc...

Its just something I cannot put into perspective, and am at a complete loss with it.

I know they are different in terms of a business, but not in the sense for the car of children.

Childminders have to meet more legal requirements that a foster career and Im fining that hard to comprehend

Totally bonkers isn't it, Foster carers should have to do them same if not more (although maybe EYFS not as important as a lot of the other stuff).

Foster caters really don't have to do risk assessments? What about fire escape plans?

Although not a CM I think they do as much paperwork as I do teaching and certainly as much child related stuff in terms if ons and planning as I did in a nursery. Then there's the business side of things....education in general seems to have to meet more paperwork than any other sector I know. I see the point of some of it and why foster carers wouldn't have to - registers for example - but I find it shocking they don't have to at least risk assess!

They have to have fire plan, and blanket, but that's all.

No, going to the shop and do a risk assessment etc, nothing on par with what childminders have to do.

I am completely bewildered by it

Childminding has changed beyond recognition over the years hasn't it. It's not longer considered a second rate type of childcare, its actually a professional childcare service as I am sure you are discovering. We are moving into the the business of 'edu-care', like it or not.
All that said, i do not mean to 'do down' foster carers and the terrific job they do. I am just trying to point out how misunderstood childminding is and sadly its an uphill battle to get other professionals to take you seriously.

There can be LOT of paperwork to go with EYFS but some people do more, some do less, its finding what fits for you. once you have most of your day to day stuff up and running then you just have a few bits to do each day an dif you get yourself organised then you can get it down to a managable amount. I would say that I do between 15 minutes to half hour per day paperwork - depending on how many children I have and i get most of it done during lunch or sleeps. Of course it depends how many EYFS children you have.

As professional childcarers we have to know about child development and make risk assessments - no different to a nursery. As a parent we don't have to know anything do we - some people don't even have common sense as i am sure you appreciate given your working background. So, why given that parenting (even fostering) is one of the most important jobs in the world aren't we given a manual.

Starting childminding can be daunting but hang on in there, its extremely rewarding and fun.

Visit the childminding forum (www.childmindingforum.co.uk) and find loads of help, support, advice, understanding and resouces/signposting.

Hi LittleMissHappy, yes childminding does at times create paperwork.

This September will be 2 yrs since I started. Everyones experience is different. It depeneds on how many kids you have yourself (at home) and how many kids you mind also. I can imagine that childminders who have their own children (that are quite young) it requries effort to find time for the paper work.

I have four kids of my own, the youngest being 5. I childmind 6 children who come regularly (term time) of which 2 also come during school hols also.

During the Easter I took one week off. I spent time with my own kids, doing some paperwork but not as much as planned.

When you finish minding you have to care for your own, therefore its not always possible to do paper work in the evening.

Some childminders are up to date some are not. I have realised that not everyone is in the same situation, therefore I aim to do whatever I can.

We as childminders are the one who have to keep up to date with EYFS etc. Just do your best!!

Childminding has many rewards such as flexible hours .

All the best!! try to enjoy your day regardless!!

it doesnt suprise me at all.. after all the treatment of children in care is appaling as is the treatment of foster carers...

with childminding you can do the bare mininum of paperwork as in risk assessments etc or you can do lots and lots with daily diaries and obs etc...

all Ofsted assessmwnts are totally arbitary as they havnt actually written down what a cm actually REALLY needs to offer in regard to paperwork, each inspector judges by different criteria and the whole process is a mess.

heres a thought, just give the kids a great day send them home tired and happy and look after them as you would your own and enjoy the flexibility of working for yourself and of course the money...

the body, I dont think its a thought about sending children home happy and tired in my care, its second nature! and irrelevant to what this post is about.

Pippin, excellent post x