Have your say on EYFS review
On 2 August the government launched a consultation on the
review of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
NCMA will be submitting a
response to the Government and is encouraging
all registered childminders to respond. You could also
highlight the consultation to the parents whose
children attend your setting to ensure the home-based
childcare workforce is well represented in the discussion.
You can access the
consultation questions online here.
Susanna Dawson (left), NCMA’s Chair and a registered
childminder, explains why she will be responding to the EYFS Review
– and hopes you will too.
"I have been a registered childminder for 15
years and in that time I have seen a lot of changes. But for me the
best change has been the move to professionalise the role of the
childminder. The unique service we provide can have a huge
impact on children and families and we should rightly be recognised
as professionals.
"When I first attended training to deliver the
EYFS I was relieved to see that the requirements were only covering
what most childminders were already doing. I was pleased that the
emphasis was on play and not on targets. It was also a real boon to
know that registered childminders would be delivering the same
level of care and education as other childcare providers. Finally
childminding would get the recognition and respect it deserves.
"Just like other childminders I’ve spoken to,
whilst I feel that delivering the framework in my setting is
absolutely fine, I have found that the information on the amount of
work we are expected to do and what an individual inspector feels
is enough can be very different. I know NCMA have been in constant
dialogue with both Ofsted and the Government to ensure that the
level of paperwork expected is made clear.
"I would urge all of my fellow childminders to
look at the review consultation and respond. This is our chance to
make our opinions count. I will be responding to the consultation
and will be asking for the EYFS to be kept as a statutory
requirement for all childcare providers, because I believe that to
remove this for registered childminders would be a real backward
step."
Page updated
10/5/2010