Ofsted registration for nannies

[emily57]

I'm trying to register my nanny so that I can claim tax credits. The nanny has to have done a Common Core Skills Course, which seems to be exclusively run by MNT training. (and costs £150)

I would love to know if anyone has found another company that runs the course, and if not, is this company in cohoots with Ofsted? Seems like a good little earner, if they have no competition...

Many childcare qualifications done in the last couple of years will be Common Core Skills compliant. It's the old courses, such as the NNEB which I did in 1998 which don't quite meet the requirements thus needs the Common Core Skills distance learning course update.

Unit 1 of the Diploma in Home-based childcare is another suitable course, though distance learning route it is more costly see NEC.ac.uk

It's not just the MNT course, don't worry! The ICP, which is the unit 1 nick refers to, is often offered free/subsidised by LEA as it's the childminder pre-reg course.

I did a bit of nosing and asked OFSTED what exactly they thought counted - they referred me to here:

"The Government, and those who have approved the common core as the foundation for basic skills and knowledge, are looking to local authorities and others to use the common core when developing appropriate training.
We have agreed for a temporary period, until training service providers have effectively included the common core into qualifications, to accept the following as meeting the common core knowledge and skills.
 All qualifications on the Early Years and Playwork Qualifications Database (see note below.) People can check if any qualification they hold is on this database by visiting www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/common-core, or by contacting the Children?s Workforce Development Council helpline on 0113 390 7743.
 Training based on the Championing Children resource book (see note below) and the Children?s Workforce Development Council induction standards.
 Training based on these Children?s Workforce Development
Council-endorsed programmes:
 revised learning mentor initial training programme;
 early years professional status;
 early years sector-endorsed foundation degree; and
 foundation degree in working with young people and young people?s services.
 Any other training or qualification where you can prove that it meets the common core requirements."

And then said anything pre-2004 needs child protection updating as the legislation changed. But seemed to imply that existing qualifications on the EYPQD were acceptable.

I have just been through the whole Ofsted nightmare with my nanny and found out the following wrt common core skills training;

My local Lea does the ICP course but is geared at childminders not nannies and includes other topics not related to nannies- more for childminder registration- which apparently is even more complicated. Also in my area there is a waiting list for the LEA ICP course and then the course runs over 6 weeks.

I eventually called MNT and they offered our nanny 2 courses- the ICP or a home study common core skills course which suited us better as my nannies English isn't great yet and we dont live that near London where MNT seem to do the ICP. When I weighed up the waiting time to get my nanny on an LEA ICP course we were definitely better off going with MNT and they were very helpful and efficient. So for us this was the better option -but maybe other people have more helpful LEA's in their area?