Disgusting that people think it is acceptable to try and re-sell Mayor of London Fireworks tickets on ebay and other forums - you should be named and shamed....

With recent disturbing terror attacks, we are seriously re-considering cancelling our family New Years Eve plans which include seeing the Fireworks at midnight by the River Thames.  We have never done this before but really fancied it and secured our tickets legitimately when the tickets were first released.

For obvious reasons these tickets are non transferable and we are told that photo identification will be required by the lead person on the night.  Presumably anyone who cannot provide this will be denied entry.

It, therefore, really angers me that I have seen sellers on ebay trying to sell these tickets on.  Not only is it strictly in breach of the New Year's Eve Firework tickets booking conditions but also leads me to believe that they feel no moral duty to ensure that these tickets stay in the hands of legitimate people.  How many of these sellers will be making any kind of check to ensure that the person they have just sold their ticket on to is not a terrorist, I'm sure none.  They are clearly only trying to make money on these tickets too.  The face value of these tickets is just £10 per person, a mere amount to sacrifice if your circumstances change and you can no longer go.  Not only that if you read the details of your tickets then you actually have until Thursday 3rd December to contact see tickets and get a full refund so why not just do that?

Whilst we grapple with the decision whether or not to change our plans, I hope these people trying to sell these tickets on find it hard to sleep at night.....and that ebay clamps down on them.

These are the sad and worrying times we live in.

High Standards....

These are the standards that I have set myself and anyone who is involved in my business.  Yes it's a tall order to be all of these things all of the time but the children that we care for deserve nothing less.  How can we expect children to grow up with these characteristics if we are not prepared to model themselves.

Call for some 'Sustained Shared Thinking' and a complete review of the Early Years & Childcare Sector (2) - Did I always want to work in childcare?

Background to becoming an Ofsted Registered Childminder

Did I always want to work in childcare?

Absolutely not.  I was a 'career' person and as far as I was concerned being a childminder was not a career choice.

When my own children were born I wouldn't even entertain the thought of a childminder looking after them as, without even doing any research at all, I wrote it off as an absolute no.  My perception at the time was of some grandma like 'woman' down the road that I didn't know and that I couldn't possibly trust with my children.

My preference then (2005-2009) was for a private nursery, again I did no research at all in to this it was just a notion that a nursery would, without doubt be a better choice and have more status too.  I couldn't wait to say "My children go to a nursery".

As it transpired, putting my children in to nursery was just not financially viable and instead we opted to pay my mum to cover some of the childcare, my husband worked nights and cared for my young son for half the day and I applied and was eventually successful in changing my 40 hour a week work pattern under my right to request flexible working.

As I read this back I am completely astounded by my ignorance back then.  A well-educated graduate career woman, with the best of intentions, but with a complete lack of knowledge and understanding about child development and the childcare options that were out there.

It is only really by working in the sector that I have gained knowledge and understanding which has brought into question my past thoughts, feelings and actions about the provision of Early Years and Childcare.

Has much changed in the past 10 years?

Well I'm pleased to say that I genuinely think it has a little bit but not enough by far.  I certainly think that more parents are considering childminders as an equitable alternative to a nursery.  Many parents probably have to consider childminders because they require the flexibility and/or lower fees that a childminder may offer and a few may even understand that a home-based setting, especially for the birth to 3 age range, is actually a wonderful home from home environment in which very young children can thrive.

Since actually becoming a childminder and eventually an Early Years Teacher in a home-based setting I have worked hard to promote childminding as a career and had hoped to share what I thought was a great business model to encourage more to join me in what is a very rewarding career.  It does involve taking on one of the most important responsibilities that you could have, nurturing, supporting and developing our next generation.

Sadly my business model has been stopped in it's prime by outdated planning law......I will eventually get round to this in another post!

There is still so much more work to do to inform parents about their options and allow them to make informed decisions instead of being pushed into decisions because of finances, political agenda and/or media as well as raising the profile of the profession which is 'Home-based Early Years and Childcare Provision'.

Call for some 'Sustained Shared Thinking' and a complete review of the Early Years & Childcare Sector (1)

With the Childcare Bill (HL) 2015-2016 http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/childcare.html having it's first hearing in the House of Lords on 1st June and a pledge from the government that there will be a funding review, I suggest to you that there is much more which needs to be overhauled in this sector than a tweak with the amount per hour that we receive for providing Early Education and Early Years practitioners have been calling for this for a long time.

What I hope to achieve by writing this blog....

Well in the back of mind I guess I naively hope that someone somewhere with some influence will take on board my points and get ready to sit round a table and thrash out exactly where we want to be, tackle the barriers to this and come up with a plan which meets the needs of all stakeholders and is updated to be fit for practice in the year 2015. This is why I call for some 'sustained shared thinking'.  In reality, I know it will end up being just a therapeutic way for me to rationalise my thoughts but I have decided to write it anyway....ultimate outcome, genuinely unknown.

Sustained shared thinking

We spend our time waiting for 'wow' those moments in our practice when practitioner and child interact to solve a problem or extend an idea.  Both parties contribute in order to extend the thinking to reach an outcome which is genuinely open-ended. The word ‘shared’ does not indicate just a sharing of time or resources but indicates sharing of power, direction and guidance.

It seems to me that employing such a method of problem solving would be an appropriate way to make progress in our sector too but most of us mere mortals will never get the opportunity to have our voice heard as the decisions are already made, awaiting just the seal of approval, before we ever get wind of them.

Usually a very positive person who sees the best in things, I have been reduced to seeing the sector as a circuit of outdated, complicated and incongruous systems.

When we should be spending our time focusing on outcomes for children and ensuring that our practice is second to none, we more often than not, find ourselves bogged down by boring bureaucracy and rules which seem to have been out in place to hinder, not help.

My thoughts and feelings on the issues will follow below....

Call for some 'Sustained Shared Thinking' and a complete review of the Early Years & Childcare Sector (2) - Did I always want to work in childcare?

Of course, this article ( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3110689/Parents-reveal-nightmare-childminder-horror-stories-Reddit.html ) enraged me…..I will admit to start with that I don’t usually read tabloid newspapers because as a rule they over-exagerate, sensationalise and often print material that leads to misinterpretation.   Today, however, I happened to come across this article when one of the professional associations who represent my vocation (Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years PACEY, on this occasion) had written a response and directed me to the Daily Mail website.  Thought I ought to have a look…..

Well the article itself was enough to set us back years in the public’s perceptions of Childminders.  The article refers to a number of different childcare providers and I can’t even pick out the one that is an Ofsted Registered Childminder in the UK – I will admit I haven’t read all the comments on Reddit only what was reported in the article.   The article is clearly jumping on the bandwagon as ‘childcare’ is obviously a buzz word at the moment.   “Shame on you Daily Mail”.  With Early Years and Childcare Practitioners morale and aspiration at ‘tipping point’ according to a recent survey conducted by PACEY then this is quite frankly not what we need.

There are many different types of childcare mentioned in the article but, sadly and misleadingly the headline mentions Childminders.  Childcare comes in the form of registered and non-registered providers.

Non-Registered or with Optional Registration

Nannies – these do not have to be registered with Ofsted if they are working in a child’s own home.  That said, many do, in the interests of professionalism, commitment to their vocation and so that parents are able to claim help with childcare costs.

Babysitters – there are no regulations whatsoever which cover babysitting and this should not be confused with the professionalism required to be an Early Years and Childcare Practitioner.

As you read on the tone turns to ‘mom’, ‘daycare’ and quotes daily fees in US dollars.  To confuse anything that happens in the US with the UK is just simply misleading and should not have even been included in the article.

Professional Early Years and Childcare Practitioners registered with Ofsted

Some nannies, as mentioned before.

Nurseries are also included in the article it seems.  To have 15 x 2 year olds would be way beyond the statutory ratios for a Childminder even if three practitioners were working together – the maximum for childminders would be 9 so this leads me to believe that this person is referring to a nursery.  Nurseries follow the Statutory Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and are registered as Childcare on non-domestic,or sometimes, domestic premises.  The lead practitioner in a nursery must meet certain qualification criteria and a % of other staff must meet certain qualification levels dependent on the ratio of children to practitioners that they wish to care for.

Childminders – Ofsted registered Childminders are professional Early Years and Childcare providers who follow exactly the same Statutory Guidance as nurseries – the EYFS.  Their care is home-based.  Their qualifications range from the Statutory Minimum to much much more.  As a bare minimum a Childminder would have completed a preparatory course for home-based childcare which is approved by their own local authority counts as 4 credits at Level 3 and a 12 hour Paediatric First Aid Certificate.  They will also have been inspected by Ofsted prior to starting their practice.  Many childminders are qualified to much more than this such as Level 3 in a relevant course and some, such as myself have achieved Early Years Teacher Status (at level 6) and/or other post-graduate qualifications such as Masters degrees.

Some readers’ comments, put simply, highlight the lack of knowledge there is about the whole sector and why the whole Early Years Education and Childcare system needs a complete rethink.

It's all in the terminology - The difference between 'Early Education' and Childcare for Parents who Work, neither of which are free....

With everyone, even the DfE, coining the phrase 'Free Childcare' coupled with an already complicated system that parents and the public frequently misunderstand, I feel that it is dangerous to clump together 'Early Education places' and 'Childcare for parents who work'. In my opinion, there is difference.  Not in the physical teaching and care given but in the motivations behind it.  The reasoning behind the government's commitment to extend funded places for 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours confuses me as a practitioner let alone anyone else. 

1. Early Education

This is provided in order to prepare children for school and life and ensure that they being given appropriate opportunities to support their development. With the support and teaching from skillful 'Early years practitioners' these children will be developing in line with expectations.  If they are not then this will be identified early and an intervention to narrow the gap will be put in place.

This was identified in the 'The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education [EPPE] Project A Longitudinal Study funded by the DfES (1997 – 2003)'.  Following the study, it was decided that all 3 and 4 year olds would be entitled to 15 hours of funded Early Education.

More recently, disadvantaged' 2 year olds have also become eligible for 15 hours of Early Education which has, in my experience (I am not aware of research and statistics to prove this but I am sure there will be some in time) has worked really well in narrowing the gap in development for those who are likely to developing at a rate which is below that expected for their age.

So for the other 60% of 2 year olds...... well some will be accessing some form of Early Education either because their parents have made the conscious decision to do so at their own cost, some will be accessing it because they go out to work and so they have to, some will stay at home with well-educated, child-led parents who are providing an appropriately supportive environment for learning and development and then there's the rest..... It's these 2 years olds I feel for most - not deprived enough to be entitled to a funded place and yet perhaps not getting the support at home to be learning and developing to their full potential.

2. Childcare for Parents who work - as I have already said parents who are accessing either an Early Years place or wrap around school care because they are at work still deserve and benefit from exactly the same teaching and care but their motivation is care for their child during the hours that they work.  I am certainly pro helping out parents who work as much as possible by subsidising their childcare costs but that is exactly what it should be a subsidy to their total childcare cost and not an add on to a funded place.

An across the board subsidy, probably a % paid by the state for all working parents who pay a registered provider for childcare (a bit like the current tax credits system but simpler and fairer to middle earners) for children of any age would work better in my opinion.  If the intention is to get more people to take up jobs then why not just offer a higher % of childcare costs paid than the current 70%?

Some parents are fortunate enough that their child's Early Education place does coincide with their working pattern and therefore benefits them and their child at the same time but let's remember that isn't the intention of an Early Education place although if it helps then great.

15 hours of Early Education for every 2, 3 and 4 year old
Now back to Early Education, yes I do believe that it should be extended to all 2 year olds and not just those who meet the criteria for being a 'disadvantaged' child.  Let's be fair about it and offer every child at age two, three and four, as a bare minimum 15 hours of learning opportunities that will set them up to be good learners, school ready and eventually good contributors to the United Kingdom.

Whatever the motivations behind Early Years and Childcare places and whether funded places are rolled out to all 2, 3 and 4 years olds the next questions are:

How do we ensure that all places are of the highest quality?

then 

How do we ensure that those providers who do offer places are able to run sustainable businesses?

They are other posts......

My thoughts on an email from Ed Miliband

It is not really my style, or in my business interest, to start getting political BUT at the end of the day we are all going to be faced with important choices to be made in the forthcoming months about who we want to lead us for the next few years.  As a childcare provider, mother, wife, full-time worker, self-employed person, owner of a micro business, employer, Early Years Teacher and many more hats... then I certainly have a number of issues to consider when I think about casting my vote.

Today I received a 'personalised' email from Ed Miliband #nicetouch informing me of the promises he will uphold on a range of issues.

Some looked good, a lot didn't, but what particularly infuriated me was Mr Miliband's pledge to support working parents with 25 hours of 'free childcare for three-four year olds'.  Now while I think this is a wonderful pledge to be making I wonder why Mr Miliband thinks that 3 and 4 year olds stand out for extra funding alongside every other age of child....I think he has missed the point that yes extra funding for childcare and, in particular, the Early Years would be appreciated but that working, and non-working parents for that matter, have children of all ages...

Let's take 2 year olds, for one age range.  Such a wonderful age when many are just like sponges soaking up the whole wonderful world around them.  Frightened, timid and anxious about the separation from their parents at first, understandably - BUT gradually, in the right childcare setting, self-confident, chatty, happy, relaxed, comfortable, resilient, wonderful 3 year olds, ready for the next stage in their learning..... Now Early Education for them is limited to a mere 40% of the 2 year old population, those that are 'classified' and I use the term loosely as most vulnerable but what about the rest?  Surely every 2 year deserves the opportunity for a great start in life and I would ask you not assume that their parents' income can determine this.

My point is that 3 and 4 yr olds already get 15 hours funded education as a given - not means tested, no eligibility criteria, it's just there - a great achievement but let's work toward offering more for other ages as well - I think it is short-sighted and unfair to single out 3 and 4 year olds for additional funded hours.

So on that particular point Mr Miliband, I'm out unless you broaden your age range....and I'm happy to speak to personally about my views and why.   I live and practice in your constituency of Doncaster North so I'm sure you're up here often and you're always welcome to come and talk...

All the Little Caterpillars love the wheeled toys - are they just good fun?

We have been pretty proud of our achievements with the outdoor garden area and many of you will know that we abolished all our lightweight plastic ride on toys over a year ago and gradually started to replace them with higher quality 'Winther' Ride Ons.  We have found that since replacing the cheaper plastic versions children have a better quality play. We used to find that children would take more pleasure in just picking them up and throwing them around than in actually using them to ride on but with these heavier and more robust toys they can't do that because they are too heavy. We have sourced a range, or fleet as I like to call it, of different types and sizes so that all the children can enjoy at least some of them depending on their physical ability.

The taxi.....

The ones, like the taxi above, and the 3 seater encourage children to co-operate and help each other out.  It is undeniable that all the children love playing on the ride on toys. There is never really a day when they are not chosen for play at all.  We are lucky to have the space to create this wonderful decked area on which children can practise their skills in control, balance, spatial awareness and hand to eye co-ordination.  That's not forgetting that there are always opportunities for turn-taking, sharing and generally being friendly and enjoying the company of other children.  To add extra challenge we have installed a ramp and the children learn how to safely manoeuvre themselves up and down it. 

What we have tried to avoid is a space where wheeled toy play dominates everything or that other activities are prevented from taking place.  Fortunately this does not have to be the case here because we have a very large outdoor play area in which children are free to move around at will. 

The few boundaries that we have set include limiting the number of ride on toys out on the decking at any one time to 2.  This means that the decking does not get swamped by them and there is less chance of collision or accident.  The children can choose which ride ons they want out and are encouraged to ask, or indicate by pointing if they do not have the speaking skills, which ones they want at any one time.  We do encourage them to access them themselves where they can but some of these ride ons are heavy and for little ones it sometimes not quite possible.  We also ask children to wear footwear, shoes or wellies when they are outside because if they go over a foot then they do hurt.

What happens when demand for the ride ons is more than 2?

When several children all want to play then it's time for turn-taking or perhaps swapping one of the individual toys for one that 3 children can use....negotiation skills!  While children are waiting they may decide to go off and do something else which is fine.  Just pop your name down on the chalkboard (with help if you need it) and wait until your turn comes up (encouraging emergent writing skills).

What next?

We are currently adding additional ramps to add interest, experimenting with different surfaces and introducing a track so watch this space....

Taking on an Early Years Apprentice....

(This post is based on my own experience and current knowledge - anyone thinking of taking on an apprentice should find out as much possible from other sources such as www.apprenticeships.org.uk or their local training provider before making a decision as to whether it will suit them)

So there seems to be an increasing amount of interest in childminders taking on an apprentice.  I hope I haven't, in the past, put anyone off doing this by suggesting that apprentices are unreliable.  Yes I had an unfortunate experience when ours left prematurely but this wasn't necessarily due to the fact that she was an apprentice.  First of all I still believe that the Apprenticeship Scheme is a good one and we are, in fact, currently looking for another one.  The first misconception might be that apprentices are all young or school leavers.  This is not the case, there is no age limit on apprentices so they can be any age.  Clearly the rate that you pay your apprentice may attract a certain age group (ie. a mature person with a family to support may not be able to survive on the minimum apprentice rate of £2.71 per hour) but you do not have to pay the minimum you can of course pay more than that if you choose to.  An apprentice will generally have to work a minimum of 30 hours per week.  I think there may be some instances when less hours are acceptable but this is something you would need to speak to the training provider or www.apprenticeships.org.uk about.  Finding a training provider - you can search for a training provider on the www.apprenticeships.org.uk website or you may know of a local college or provider who offer childcare courses.  Different providers will have different ways of delivering the training and some may require the apprentice to be released for a day a week, for example.  This doesn't suit me and my business so I have opted for a training provider where all the study is independent with the support of a tutor.  Do you have to give your apprentice time off for study? - You don't have to they do it in their own time unless you are super nice and give them paid time off for study. Either way I would make it clear from the outset what your expectations of them are.  Can you take on more children with an apprentice?  Yes you can do as you would with any assistant as long as you stick to the ratios in the Statutory Guidance - ie. 3 in the Early Years and 3 in the 5 to 8 age group per practitioner.  I would register them as an assistant with Ofsted using the EY2 form as you would with any other assistant.  As with any assistant you will need to consider what would happen if your apprentice were to be off sick or leave.....we found ourselves in a pickle when ours left as we had maxed out on numbers.  This is not a problem that is exclusive to apprentices, this could happen with any assistant so it is just something to be aware of.  I suppose the fact is that if you pay an apprentice a relatively low wage then they are more likely to look for other positions on a better rate of pay and may be drawn to another position where the grass looks greener.  Can I leave my apprentice alone with children or do they need to be supervised? If you want to leave your apprentice unsupervised with children then they will need to have a DBS check and hold a 12 hr Paediatric First Aid Certificate (completed within 3 years).  On a personal level I have now stipulated that our successful apprentice will have these before they actually start work with us.  I have also stipulated that the apprentice will be responsible for paying for the DBS check and the first aid course but that I will reimburse them for both after 8 weeks of working with us but you may wish to pay for them for the apprentice.  How long does an apprenticeship last?  If your apprentice is doing a level 2 qualification then these generally take about 1 year.  If they are doing a Level 3 then these can take 18 to 24 months.  Do I have to employ the apprentice at the end of their apprenticeship?  No you don't have to.  I have always made it clear that there may be the possibility of a job at the end but I certainly make no guarantees.  What sort of contract should they have?  I have used a fixed term contract in the past.  All terms and conditions such as entitlement to paid holidays, notice periods etc.... must still be observed but the contract states that the employment will end on completion of their training.  Do I have to pay for any of their training?  If your apprentice is 16-18 then 100% of their training will be paid for.  If they are aged 19 to 24 then 50% of their training will be paid for and if they are over 24 then a contribution may be made towards their training.  Personally I would speak to the training provider about this as sometimes they seem to be able to access funding from various streams.  What is the Apprenticeship Incentive Scheme?  The scheme pays an eligible employer £1500 for taking on an apprentice - there are various stipulations which can be read here:
http://www.apprenticeships.org.uk/~/media/Documents/AGE16TO24/AGE-Employer-Fact-Sheetv16.ashx   My training provider completed all the paperwork for this for me and I successfully received the payment - The apprentice has to stay with you for a minimum of 13 weeks and although it then says that the payment should come through 9 weeks later in reality mine was more like after 26 weeks.  This scheme is due to end on 31st December 2014 unless it is extended once more although there does not seem to be any suggestion of this that I can see at the moment.  I still believe that we, as childminders, can give apprentices a good grounding for a career in Early Years and Childcare.  They will get to work with children of all ages and they can become involved in pretty much every aspect of what we do.  I think it is great that we are able to offer this opportunity.  It is a big commitment though not only financially but emotionally as well.  You have to be ready to support the apprentice through their training and in their work and some may come to you with little or no experience of work at all so your responsibility is not only to employ them but to mentor and support them too.

You are more than welcome to take a look at our Early Years Apprentice job description and person specification here:
http://issuu.com/eharris1974/docs/apprenticeship_opportunity_2014/1

Crawl in, sit in sandpit - should I stay or should I go?

So Summer is pretty much over and our crawl in, sit in sandpit that we created a couple of months ago is looking a bit waterlogged and soggy!  So the question is do we keep it..... The official sweeper upper 'my hubby and co-childminder, Mr Caterpillars' has been grumbling about the amount of sand finding itself into the house and our assistant has even reported it in her hair in the shower!  I am, however, reluctant to let it go!  None of us can deny that it has been the source of much pleasure for all the children.  They absolutely love it and what an area for learning and development....It has been used for imaginative play, for counting, for finding, for digging, for making sand castles and to be honest just a really good sensory resource.  Even on a wet day they gravitate straight to it and have no hesitation in jumping in whatever it's consistency!  Surprisingly no parents have complained despite it being in everyone's shoes, nappies, socks and all manner of other places.  Probably because they have seen the photos I have sent of their children having so much fun.  I think we will keep it as long as we can, after all it has taken on a whole new personna now it's a bit wetter and I can envisage many more learning opportunities in it's wet state! If it really becomes unmanageable then I am keen to cover it with a decking lid which can be removed on fine days - #somethingforyoutobuildmrcaterpillars

We'll see how it goes....... 

Crawl in, sit in sandpit - should I stay or should I go?

Sir Michael Wilshaw you think you're opinionated.......

Not playing the sympathy card, but just saying, that nowadays I am normally too busy to write blogs and get on social and professional media, or least as much as I'd like to.  I happened to come across an article today though that I really had to comment on because I was that worked up by its content!

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/ofsted-chief-sir-michael-wilshaw-headteachers-should-not-be-afraid-to-say-youre-a-bad-parent-9708134.html

So after finishing work at 6.45pm and then writing up and emailing 10 daily diaries for under 5's to parents, I have managed to sit and have a good read of the above article.

Sir Michael, we are certainly on the same wavelength if, to quote the article "His mission? To improve the lot of children — particularly those from deprived backgrounds: “For poor kids especially, education is their only chance.”

I am too and that is the reason, after all, that a year ago I embarked on the Early Years Teacher Programme and received confirmation from the National College of Teaching and Leadership just a few days ago that I am now an Early Years Teacher.  Oh and by the way I am a local childminder too.

This is my personal statement that accompanied my application to the programme eighteen months ago.

I have been registered as a Childminder since September 2010.  I currently work with six children under the age of five, three of whom are babies, two of whom are toddlers and one who is a young child.  I entered the profession late in my career having spent fourteen successful years working in business and administration prior to that.  Like the children in my care, who I support and encourage to reach their potential, I also challenge myself to be the best that I can be.  The EYTP would be a challenge that I am excited to undertake and confident that I can achieve.   With recent and on-going changes in the childcare sector, I feel that now is the perfect time to demonstrate that excellence in teaching, learning and care can be achieved in a childminding setting.   Often childminders are perceived to be second rate to other childcare professionals and for me to complete the EYTP would be acknowledgement that the gold standard in childcare can be achieved in a home-based setting.   Moreover, I am committed to and passionate about providing the best early years teaching and learning in my local area.  I work in an area which is 30% disadvantaged (Adwick Children's Centre Area Report 2012) and at our local nursery, which is attached to the school, 'most children enter with skills that are well below those typical for their age' (Ofsted report 2008).  It is critical that children in their early years are given every opportunity to thrive and it would be fabulous if this were not based on their backgrounds or the area they live in. Sadly, this is not usually the case and it is the children from disadvantaged families, of which there are many in my locality, who really need the knowledge, understanding and exemplary practice that an EYT can offer.  I feel very strongly that all children should have access to the same standard of opportunity and just because they live in this area or because their parents/carers opt for a home-based setting this does not have to mean that quality is affected.  I employ three assistants in my business and I am always keen to share best practice and support them in as they become better childcare practitioners.  I am also the Doncaster Facilitator for PACEY Local, a peer support network for childminders, nannies and childcare professionals working in nurseries.  This role has not only enabled me to use peer support to improve my own practice but I hope has helped other professionals to network, avoid isolation, be reflective and ultimately become better practitioners.  I keep up to date with developments in childcare by networking, reading and by using social media.  My recent improvements to my setting include introducing the Mud Kitchen, introducing Forest School for the under 5s and creating secure online Learning Journeys for parents/carers to access and interact with on my website.   I believe that childcare is on the brink of change, improvement, challenge and getting out of its comfort zone and I want to be a part of that and the children of Skellow need me to be a part of that.

I feel as strongly today about my objectives as I ever did.  So you can see I believe we are agreed on what the outcome for children should be but I'm afraid I do not agree with you on the way in which we should get there.

I am not adverse in any way to there being a range of options for parents and whenever a parent comes to visit me I actively encourage them to consider, not only other childminders, but also other settings as there is no one size fits all and what suits one family and one child may not suit another.  But to be looking to expand school-based nurseries to accommodate the growing need for 2 year old funded places which I assume is what Sir Michael is alluding to when he says "With poor families now getting 15 hours free provision of childcare, the Government should try to ensure they go to a school-based nursery, not the local child- minder.” is absolutely ludicrous if you don't mind me saying so.

I have to say that my personal opinion is that a home-based setting is my preferred environment for 2 year olds but I am willing to concede that not every home-based setting has the quality of teaching that Sir Michael or any of us would like and that some school-based nurseries may be the appropriate setting for some 2 year olds.   But instead of shooting us all down, making us feel inadequate and threatening to take away our option to care for funded 2 year olds, why not give childminders the support they need to be better. To become Early Years Teachers, childminders need degrees and most cannot afford the current cost of a degree - edging on £9000 pa I believe even though many would be more willing and able undertake one even if it took them three or four years. So let's have some funding there please.....

The powers that be seem to be all to quick to band around sweeping statements that affect the morale and the motivation of of all Early Years Practitioners but especially childminders who often already feel isolated and inadequate and I would like to know how often 'they' actually get off their  "sofa in ..... Holborn office" and come out to the grass roots.  Sir Michael you are more than welcome to come to our setting anytime, talk with me, my husband who is also a registered childminder, our assistants, anyone of the 31 children we care for and their parents.  If you then feel that our Little Caterpillars aren't meeting or exceeding age related expectations and aren't ready for their next stage of learning then I may be willing to consider your proposal to expand school-based nursery provision.

I could go on further and ask how you would expect school-based nurseries to offer pick ups and drop offs to 2 year olds like we do or how you would expect school-based nurseries to accommodate different shift patterns or extended provision requests, will they be prepared to work into the school holidays?  Do you also intend that school-based nurseries continue with a ratio of 1:4 2 year olds?......we have 1:3 and we believe that vulnerable 2 year olds need that but that's our personal choice and I don't blame any nursery if they are operating within framework ratios. 

Perhaps, Sir Michael, you would prefer it if all registered childminders that are currently providing places for vulnerable 2 years old decided to stop immediately?........ Ooh would that cause a problem for sufficiency?  It certainly would.  Instead your support, thanks and appreciation would not go a miss.

All that is not even before I've come to the headline for the article....

Headteachers should not be afraid to say ‘you’re a bad parent’

Is that really productive?.....Parents come in all shapes and sizes and from all backgrounds, working in partnership with them is key - telling them they're a bad parent, where is that going to get you?  You have to find a way to connect with them that suits them and their lifestyle - parents evenings, homework.....it may not work for them so you have to look for another way this is basic stuff....

This from a man that we all look up to we all want to get the seal of approval from, (hanging head in despair)

I'm also a community governor - what on earth does that mean?  “Where you’ve got poor governance, why not pay governors?” Pay governors for poor governance OK now I'm lost.........

One of your local childminders - Emma Harris BA (Hons) EYT

School readiness and what age are we talking about?

one of the key findings of the document http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/are-you-ready-good-practice-school-readiness is that there are various views on the definition of school readiness and whether the term refers to readiness to start school on entry to Year 1 or the start of entry into reception.  This is not helpful.....The precise characteristics of school readiness and the age of the child to which it applies are interpreted differently and there is no nationally agreed definition!  For most parents 'school' is when children start going to 'full-time' school in reception but I have personally heard other professionals refer to 'school' when they actually mean nursery places so 3 and 4 year olds!  Is it any wonder that we are left wondering whether the children in our care are meeting expected levels of development or not?

In my setting, it is our aim that children are working towards their individual next stage of their learning journey.  Who are we to say what this next stage will be - nursery, reception, Year 1 or even another provider which could be at any time.

The EYFS early years outcomes, alongside my knowledge and understanding of child development, guide my assessment of each child's stage of learning and development and as that applies to children until the term following their 5th birthday, then surely they have until that time to achieve the early learning goals.  I work in partnership with nursery schools (at 3/4 yrs) and reception classes (at 4/5 yrs) to continue to support children to reach the early learning goals.

If a child is developing at the expected stage of development for their age then by the end of the EYFS (end of reception year) then they should be ready for school (ie. Year 1).

So I suppose in effect I am saying that 'school' in my opinion is the start of Key Stage 1 because until that stage children are working towards the early learning goals of the EYFS which is a joint responsibility between all those providing care for them.

The worry is that with no agreed definition that children are being pressured into unrealistic goals and practitioners are feeling disheartened that outcomes for children are not as they had expected when in fact we should be concentrating on all the wonderful things these children can do and not what they can't do.

Question number 2 to the DfE - Answers on Childminding Agencies required please

Question number 2 for the DfE regarding Childminder Agencies is "If you are registered with an agency and that agency ceases to exist either by choice or worse still because for some reason it does not continue to meet the required quality standards (whatever they turn out to be), where does that leave the individual childminders within it?"

If the have relinquished their right to an individual Ofsted registration then surely they could not immediately practise again as an Ofsted registered childminder could they? What are their options - can they immediately join another agency (if there is one to join) or do they have to go through the whole registration process to become a childminder again?

What happens to an individual childminder's reputation if the agency, for some reason, does not meet the required standard?  I don't really need the DfE to answer this one, I already know the answer.  Building up a reputation as a Childminder is the most important bit of marketing that you will ever do, it is certainly not something I would be willing to put at risk. 

Please don't tell me that it unlikely that a Childminding Agency would fold because stranger things have happened!

Questions to the DfE.....

Even after the DfE co-hosted the #EYtalking session on Tuesday, there are still so many questions that we need answered regarding childminding agencies and the future for us as independent childminders.  In fact they didn't really answer any questions on childminder agencies at all!

Bearing in mind that they will be expecting childminders to actually sign up to these agencies in September, and nobody is going to do that without knowing all the facts, could they please come up with answers to some of our questions? 

Question 1 - So if a childminder joins an agency and relinquishes their right to an individual inspection by Ofsted, they are are then presumably not an Ofsted Registered Childminder anymore?  What happens then if they are approached by a family outside of the agency?  Presumably they would not be able to take that business? Or does the fact that you are registered with an agency also entitle you to take on any other business as well?

If it is the former then agency childminders will be completely reliant on the agency for their business.....

BBC News - Agency childminders would have Ofsted opt-out http://bbc.in/1jIZ5Nb

Steam coming from my ears listening to Jeremy Vine Show about raising the National Minimum Wage

Whilst driving to drop one of the Little Caterpillars off home I happened to catch the tail end of a debate going on about raising the National Minimum Wage.  In complete agreement with caller Margaret (if you were listening) that this will most certainly have an adverse effect on micro businesses like mine.  I have been pretty proud of myself for developing my business to such an extent that I am in a position to employ other people but I could have just as easily decided not to expand and continue to work alone and this would almost certainly been the case if the minimum wage we're set so that it didn't make it worth my while.  As it happens I have created a job for someone in my local area which although a drop in the ocean is a small part that I  doing to reduce the unemployment figures.  So would it better for me to employ someone on a low wage or not employ them at all?

Some callers we're talking about the NMW not being adequate for people to live on - well surely this depends on the person - everyone has different circumstances and not everyone has household bills to pay, young people still living at home with parents for one.  For them they might just be grateful for the opportunity to get some experience and have some spending money in their pocket.  With the right employer this might just give them the right set up for life.  Then some callers mentioned exploitation - really?  Well I can't really speak for huge companies, making huge profits and yes morally they should take a look at themselves but for those us who are making very modest profits it's not that we don't want to pay more it is simply that it doesn't make business sense to do so.  I can assure you that I am not sitting on a big pile of money and paying the NMW just because I want to keep it all to myself!  My views on people going for jobs on any wage or indeed those going for zero hour contracts is that you have the choice to do so.  No-one forces someone to go for a job on a low wage or on a zero hours contract they can always go for another job or not go for one at all - that's their prerogative  and I think it should be mine to decide what I pay them.  Some callers thought that having a NMW was actually detrimental because some employers opt to pay the legal minimum because they can.  I agree with this too - I would prefer to see it left to market forces.  Clearly in order to be paid more you would have to prove your worth which is not a bad thing.  My final point is that being self-employed gives you no right to any NMW whatsoever - whilst I built my business up I worked for way way less than the minimum wage for about 18 months. I persevered, worked hard and long hours and it came good.  These are the traits and the work ethic that we should be instilling in the workforce of today.  I will always endeavour to employ the best quality people and I know that this will mean paying them a decent wage so together the team and I will work build the business to the point where this is possible.  Let's hope we are not stopped in our tracks as we strive to get to that point.

I am wondering why apprenticeships offered by Childminders are not mentioned in this letter which was sent to me today via www.foundationyears.org.uk

http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2013/11/Early_Years_Apprenticeship_Bursary_Doubled_to_%C2%A33000.pdf

Is it just a minor typing error or is that apprentices working for Childminders would not be eligible even though we do, alongside nurseries, school nurseries and children's centres offer early learning places for two year olds?

Is it felt that Childminders cannot offer quality Apprenticeships?  Well I'd like to confirm that I am a Childminder and I do have an apprentice and I feel that I am offering her a quality apprenticeship equal to that she could get at a nursery, school nursery or children's centre!

Q2. How will childminder agencies help parents?

So many parents struggle to find the right Childminder do they?  Why exactly?

Perhaps they struggle to find one that will take their children from 6.15am - oh by the way we do - perhaps they struggle to find one who will take their children after 6.00pm - oh by the way we do - perhaps they struggle to find one who will take their children on a Saturday - oh by the way we do!  Perhaps they struggle to find one who will accept less than 10 hrs a week - oh by the way we do, perhaps they struggle to find one who accepts different hours each week - you guessed it, we do!

I am really not meaning to be self-righteous because we work the hours we do by choice and we absolutely love it and it keeps us in the manner to which we have become accustomed!  But how are agencies going to change this?  Belonging to an agency will surely not mean that you suddenly have to change your hours of working to suit them - or will it?  Parents want flexibility, without doubt, but will an agency have the power to set the working hours of a childminder, I doubt it.

Matching service - there are so many out there already what makes an agency think they are going to stand out from the rest?  The majority of new business comes from word of mouth/recommendation FACT - why do you need to pay an agency for that?

Quality/Quality Assurance Regime - that is what Ofsted is all about - we have all endured inspection and grading to ensure that we meet the minimum, and more often than not over and above the minimum, standards that are required.  How is an agency going to be better than Ofsted?  It will also be confusing to parents if we don't all follow the same quality assurance regime.  How can you compare if you're not all working to the same scheme.

Providing holiday and Sickness Cover - Yes it's always a worry and it can't be helped if it happens but generally parents would rather plan their holidays around yours, find family cover or even take the day off work rather than send their children to a completely new provider for a few days.  Matching a Childminder and a family is more than just matching up availability, it's about relationships and I feel that is what will be lost with an agency who will be looking at slots and numbers - anyone who can use a spreadsheet could do that.

Reliability - that is a joke - so you are telling me that someone working for themselves, who relies on that income to survive is less reliable than someone who knows that if they don't work that day then someone else will step up to cover them?  Well yes if one of the main advantages of going through an agency is that sickness and holiday will be covered then what is to stop me from taking whatever time I want off, at short notice? - Nothing because I know the agency will cover it - or will they? 

What are Childminder Agencies?

So the www.foundationyears.org.uk website has published some information on the formation of Childminder Agencies which are being trialled as we speak with the intention of their roll out by September 2014.

Despite a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon in Doncaster, which I could be enjoying in my back garden, I feel compelled to sit and comment because I feel so strongly that the introduction of these agencies will have an adverse effect on both childminding as a profession and the Early Years and Childcare sector as a whole.

Q1. What are childminder agencies? Agencies will be ‘one-stop-shop’ organisations that will help childminders with training, business support, advice and finding parents. They will also provide a valuable service for parents who want to find a high quality childminder.

Childminders can already access training, for those of us that choose to attend, there are numerous workshops run by our (Doncaster) Local Authority which are excellent and cost at most £5 or £10, great value for money and I go on as many as I can.  Incidentally many Childminders don't - will undertaking training be an absolute requirement if you join an agency?  Well it certainly should be...

Business support - again this is available in a number of different ways, LA, PACEY Local, PACEY, HMRC webinars you've just got to access it.  Much of it is free...

Finding parents - well generally parents find you....... where their child is concerned they usually come via word of mouth and recommendation from other parents but where there is the need to promote your business then www.childcare.co.uk, Familiesinformationservice, PACEY and many more do the trick.

Advice - well this generally comes from other Childminders, it comes from being out there  at PACEY Local meetings, Childminding networks, EY Talking on twitter on Tuesdays, at Children's Centres etc....

Parents finding childcare - I seriously question that this is a problem - how many parents are sitting at home fretting that they can't find a high quality provider for their children?  Why would a parent trust a faceless agency more than they would trust a friend or relative who recommended a childminder?

Whilst we are talking about Ofsted Inspections...

Read a good blog by Jennie Johnson Chief Executive of Kids Allowed yesterday who raises some valid points about Ofsted's new inspection regime.  Jennie's blog is here http://www.kidsallowed.com/social/ofsted-their-new-culture-of-fear-and-why-it-is-dangerous-for-children/

At a 'PACEY Local' peer to peer support meeting on Tuesday, coincidently, we also spent a lot of time talking about Ofsted and how subjective their inspections seem to be.  

The stories you hear about different providers' experiences, it's no wonder we're all confused!  I genuinely don't want to sound like I'm undermining Ofsted Inspectors' judgements because I am sure they are all very well trained in what they are looking for and that their overall judgement can be trusted....but even Ofsted cannot deny that their opinions seem so inconsistent!  

One provider being told that the sole reason they got a good grading and not an outstanding was because they didn't have a sandpit.  So is that a requirement now then, that no-one without a sandpit could ever possibly get an outstanding grade?  I am guessing not and that it was just that inspector's opinion - shame for that provider.

Then another story of an inspector who said that he felt he could never give an outstanding grade in the area of safeguarding because if something happened to a child next week then his grading of outstanding would be questioned - what?  That is ludicrous, isn't it and would surely mean that if all Ofsted Inspectors took the same view no-one would ever get outstanding!

Then there's the stories of of those inspectors who say they would never give outstanding on a first inspection.  I know that it is possible and some obviously do but I'm sure many don't.

It's all very well doing the very best that you can do but sometimes that doesn't seem good enough, even though it's good enough for other providers.  We should all, including Ofsted, be giving providers the encouragement and support to achieve better grades not making them play a guessing game.  To quote Jennie "setting high standards and expectations, recognition of a job well done and a bit of carrot is a far better way to get people to perform" 

I know that complaints about Oftsed inspections aren't anything new and I notice that Nursery World published an article on it back in May http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/article/1182705/nursery-complaints-ofsted-inspection-rise  Obviously my fellow childminders and I are not alone in our feelings as nurseries also seem to be frustrated by the inconsistencies in inspections.

Although I don't really know whether a tick list kind of inspection would really work in practice, it would surely help us all out in knowing what Ofsted's opinions of best practice are.  Perhaps your grading should reflect the explicit minimum standards that you need to meet in each category this would demonstrate a certain level of quality to parents.  Those minimum standards could be as demanding as Ofsted likes, the higher the better in my opinion.  Those going over and above the minimum standards in each category could get recognition for that in the form of the narrative that the inspector writes which describes the positive things they are doing to exceed the standards but that would not directly affect the grading per se.  It would then be down to parents to read the narratives to get a feeling for how that provider exceeds the minimum standards.

So do I believe that what we need to do to get a certain grading should be so prescriptive?  Well why not?  We do it when we set minimum statutory requirements.  It's all very well wanting the sector to raise the bar and I have absolutely no problem with it being more difficult to achieve an outstanding grade but please give us some non-moveable goal posts.  I wouldn't dream of expecting anyone to achieve goals without making them SMART and yet there seems to be nothing specific about Ofsted's gradings, it is pretty vague.

So would this take away a providers' empowerment to do what they wanted in their setting?  Well no not really, no-one is saying that you can't go over and above and most would because we do what we do for the children not for a grading.  Would this mean that providers would do the bare minimum to get a certain grading and no more?  No I certainly don't think so.