Hi everyone! With all the news about big increases in Ofsted registration fees, the changes to the childcare registers and Ofsteds proposals to publish childminders names and addresses on their website, I AM FEELING A BIT PESSIMISTIC about the future of childminding and need cheering up! Several of my childminding colleagues and myself have been feeling a bit paranoid lately that the powers that be want to do away with childminders and this is just fuelling our paranoia! Our early years team have assured us that they still want us, but that in our area there will be a 3 tier system of childminders- those who take their icp, those who do quality assurance and the top notch c/m who are accredited. I would have to be in the bottom tier although I have my CCp and am 2/3 way through nvq3 because I can't afford to do the q/a and we are not allowed to be accredited in our area without it, also I mainly care for birth to threes who aren't eligible for the funding. I really love my job and the families I work with but feel increasingly that many childminders including myself may give up because of all the extra beaurocracy and the fact that like most people in childcare, pay definitely does not reflect the resbonsibility ,the care that we put in and how most of us are prepared to go the extra mile for the children and their families. I would love to hear what everyone feels about this topic hopefully something that will inspire me to carry on!
Sorry for venting!