Childminders and Childrens centres

Childminders and Childrens centres

by: Karine - 06-03-11 10:55

I am interested in how children centres are promoting their local childminders and how local childminders are working and supporting the children centre?

Do you have a Childminding Development Officer working closely within the centre to promote Childminders services? If so what are the benefits or the barriers to doing so.

How does your website promote childminders, particularly Network Childminders who could work with outreach and Health Visitors to support local parents and teenage parents?

Very interested to see what centres currently offer and if so what is working or not working.

Equally if you are a childminder how are you promoted within the centre e.g how are you featured on their website, promoted as Extended childcare, childcare for 0-5's and over (extended).  are you promoted via your outreach worker, Health visitor.  Do you have representation on Advisory boards etc.,

by: Karine

Do we not have any childminders reading nurseryworld that have an opinion on childrens centres? 

I am undertaking research at the moment and would really appreciate any feedback that you can provide.

Thank you in advance

by: me

most childminders i know read EYE or their own magazine who cares. far better at addressing the issues that cm are concerned with NW is too group oriented

by: Annette

Sorry, 'me', I have to disagree with your comments. Nursery World has a large number of subscribers who are childminders and many follow us on Facebook, although not many seem to contribute to the forums at the moment.

Nursery World is very inclusive of childminders and frequently runs relevant news and features. In fact, Karine, you may find this feature useful for your research, 'Vital links' (Nursery World, 18 August 2010) on the benefits of close links between children's centres and childminders.

Other recent articles include: 'Qualification tools for childminders' and 'Welsh NCMA issues manifesto'. With childminders also following the EYFS the vast majority of practice features are relevant to them as well as group settings and the National Childminding Association (NCMA) regularly contributes responses in our news stories. 

'Who Minds?' is the title of the magazine for NCMA members. Whereas, I would argue that EYE (ie Early Years Educator) is very much focussed on practitioners working in schools.

by: Karine

Thank you to me and Annette. 

Annette, thank you for the links I will take a look at this.  I know that their are many professional childminders who do read Nursery World and attend the events advertised, so keep up the good work!  Would be good to see some more information in print though about childminders working with childrens centres - or have I missed this?

by: Annette

The feature that I've provided the link to was also published in our print edition - all the features online have also been in the magazine.

by: Tunja

Sorry Me I also disagree. I like nursery world. 'Who minds' is too basic. I also write posts for this and other more childminder related blogs. I contibute to 'Childcare' too. Karine may find somrthing in there for her research.

There is little current childminding research published. The NCB is just comming to the end of a large childminding project and they may have some information you can utalise.

Google may locate some childminding research for you.

by: chrissy

hi. I am a newly reg childminder but have been a HLTA for a long time. my local services are limited in my opinion. there are 3 centres in my town only one offers real services to childminders.

My DO is very inexperienced if truth be told and the local council wont say if they are closing.

According to my DO i am listed on the FIS but no one seems to be able to access it.

as regards to 'me' - nursery world is  a far better publication than most, I assume your not using the information to it fullest.

regards

chrissy

by: Karine

Thank you to all your replies.

I too subscirbe to other publications.  I also do get the Way Ahead and sadly this does not challenge Childminders or provide sufficient information for those who have reached BA or EYPS level.  It also does not feature enough about working with Childrens Centres.

Its interesting to hear about Development Officers, I think sometimes the local authority does not give them sufficient time to progress with the centres.  From responses I have gotten from other sites, some childminders say that they do not feel wanted or welcomed in the centres.  On the other hand centres are saying that some childminders do not observe a code of practice in relation to good working communication with peers and to include the children they are looking after.  So it is catch 22 really.

Makes some really good reading and investigation.  Trouble is all the research seems to highlight the areas that are working really well and the positive aspects.  I wish research and publicists would highlight what is not currently working, this means speaking openly with both centre staff and childminders to see why some childminders do not access the centres and why some centres do not fully welcome childminders.

Its only through open and frank research the powers that be can take the bull by the hornes to move situations forward.

Sorry Annette, this was not having a go at Nursery World - but publications in general.

by: playpal

Hi,

I have worked in 2 different Children's Centres as a senior EY worker. One was based in a town and we held a regular weekly Childminders group which was well attended. Sometimes they organised it themselves and sometimes we had an input to support planning or suggest different activities. The Development Officer also regularly visited. I think we discontinued advertising individual childminders as it was felt unfair to those that didn't attend (I may be wrong)

My current position is in a CC serving a large rural area and although we did organise regular sessions for childminders it was so poorly attended that we have cut them right back. I do appreciate the difficulties of transporting children some distance to attend a Children's Centre. All childminders details are available through FIS and that is where we would direct anyone.

In my personal opinion, and I stress it is my personal opinion based on over 3 years experience in two different Ccs, many childminders are not particularly motivated to find out more about planning or how we can help them to develop their practice. They seem to look upon it as an easy option (I'm certain it is not,,,I couldn't do it) and Ofsted as an unnecessary nuisance. The EYFS seems to be almost optional. I really don't mean to be rude or disparaging but this is what I have observed. I know there are many excellent and motivated childminders out there and I have met some, but equally there are others who just do it because it fits in well with their own children's lives and enables them to earn a little money.

I hope this helps you with your research.

by: Hils

I work with childminders as a network Co-ordinator and in my borough all CC's are expected to work in partnership with childminders as part of the core offer. This works very well, as some CC's wished to use childminders to provide care for the under 3's, as several CC's do not offer childcare at all. Childminders work in partnership with the Centres, and are given support through network co-ordinators, childcare staff, teachers, teaching consultants and extended services teams. Childminders are welcome to use the Centres at all times, as they have a CRB so can access all parts of the Centres. This involvement has really helped break down barriers and has educated both Childminders and staff who now have a much better understanding of each other's roles and responsibilities, leading to more mutual respect.

We have enjoyed joint training/events/outings, and a network member who is currently working towards EYPS has used both a local CC and childminder colleagues to support her work.

Network childminders tend to be very committed and attend on average 30 hours of training a year (in their own time in the evenings), and 70% are level 3, 30% level 4 and 20% level 5 and above. They are all very professional, motivated and committed and all deliver the EYFS very well.