transformation fund
 

hi just wondering if anyone else has any thoughts on the governments transformation fund for training? I have got some info from our authority as i understand it because we are a sessional group we can only access 2 strands of the fund . we run sessions am and pm every day and also run a before and after school and holiday club. we are unable to register as full day care because of our staff facilities for under 5s however these facilities dont count for the full day care holiday club as the ofsted standards are different. it is crazy however , even though as a child care facility that opens from 7.45-5.45 every day we still cant access the full funding for example graduate training as mentioned in the governments future plans for the private sector. Does this mean that the government thinks sessional care is doomed or not worth the funding effort?
anyone have any opinions on the subject?
sue

i also have read a little on this, but dont know enough yet. but what i have read does indicate that we cannot access this at all, as we are sessional - mornings only for 3 hours. but myself and another memeber of staff who want progression have just started the foundation degree,
i alos think that if this is the case it is awful, i do hope that it is not!!.

Is there any news on them opening up the opportunity to claim on this fund?

well, in the last week a colleague and i who are doing the foundation degree have had a bursary of £750 each to cover books, staffing etc help while we are studying!!!! this is apparently from the transformation fiund and we didnt even apply for it. somehow early years know what we are studying if we are attending and have just paid us the money!!! woohooo
we did have an early years grant from them of the same amount for fees last term, so this may be where they have got the details from
but it was a nice surprise!!
still dont really understand it though, they said that we dont claim it is allocated, just sent!!

Does this vary in LEAs
the foundation degree student here get their course funded from this or a grant of up to 1000.00 to the setting for costs of cover etc. most have the fees paid./

as said other grants from this are for full day care not sessions so to employ a graduate they will get funding for 3 yrs towards wage but not after that,, so question arises for how they will pay the additional wage after that.

we too are sessional all day so open 2 sessions a day with lunch club , cannot change to full day care as no toilet for staff separate to the one children use (what do they think we do now hang on all day!!) :yes:

Have found though that other training we can access has been readily available free, and occasionally able to claim for cover costs too, which can help and means we can get paid for the training hours we do for a change! :thumbsup:

Our worry is that we are being treated as second class and undervalued for the work done at little and often no wage. how can they believe that top class childcare come at a bargain price.:soapbox: