Supporting Partnerships All LAs Need To Know About CMAs Sarah Read, Early Years Manager Action for Children 6 November, 2017
Aims of the session Offer support to Local Authorities interested in setting up as a CMA or wishing to work with CMAs in their local area Offer support to those considering setting up as an agency, either now or in the future Share experiences and best practices of existing childminder agencies Access to the most up-to-date information on childminder agencies
The current picture 10 Childminder Agencies registered with Ofsted Up to 36 childminders registered with each agency More going through the registration process 30 hours childminders vital to this agenda Partnerships are key
The 10 Childminder Agencies St Bede Childminder Agency The Northumberland Church of England Academy Trio Childcare Connections Ltd Daryel Care Leap Ahead Achieving for Children City Childcare Childminding Agency Rutland Early Years Agency Limited @Home Childcare Suffolk Childcare Agency Dandelions Northfleet Nursery School
Local Authorities establishing a CMA
How? As an in-house model Working with other organisations to set up a CMA in a local area: Schools Maintained Nursery Schools Training providers Childminders Other early years provision/organisations
Considerations for Local Authorities Trading Arm Business plan, SWOT analysis Staffing Application / registration Consultation with childminders Events for childminders Provision for Ofsted registered childminders
How Local Authorities can work with Childminder Agencies in their area
Working with Agencies in your Local Authority Quality of provision Safeguarding Sufficiency Funded places
What do you need to have in place? Mechanisms to provide checks for prospective childminders registering with an agency Systems to find out which childminders are registering with the agency and in which areas Regular dialogue to ensure that a two-way sharing of information is maintained Looking ahead regular dialogue to establish how an agency in your area could support delivery of the 30 hours
Discussion What are the benefits and challenges for Local Authorities when working in partnership with Childminder Agencies? What are the benefits and challenges for Local Authorities when establishing themselves as a Childminder Agency?
How CMAs currently work with Local Authorities Rutland Early Years
@Home Childcare Childminder Agency: Partnership working with LAs
Background Registered as a CMA nearly 2 years ago Flexible home childcare provision since 2005 Quality home-based childcare for all families Training provision Social enterprise Cover Notts, Derby, Sheffield & Leicestershire areas
Working in partnership with Nottinghamshire Increase the number of childminders able to provide funded places Regular quality improvement and assurance of childminders to help improve outcomes for children and close the gap Register more childminders to improve sufficiency in target areas Key partner in early innovator bid for the 30 hours local focus is flexibility and parental engagement
How do we add value to Local Authorities
What are we doing as a CMA? Start-up support with the registration process from start to finish all under one-roof approach Robust procedure for registering childminders Sharing of information strengthens safeguarding Provide regular quality improvement support to help preserve the high standards of childcare within the LAs
What are we doing as a CMA? Regular quality assurance inspections Increasing the number of childminders available to provide funded places Increasing the number of Good and, eventually, Outstanding childminders
What are we doing as a CMA? Equipping CMs with the knowledge and skills Regular CPD training Funded Level 2/3 qualification training Mentoring: each CM has a dedicated SAM (Support, Advice & Mentoring)
What are we doing as a CMA? Become a childminder recruitment campaigns in hot spot areas Beginning to join-up with schools Marketing and advertising to help fill CMs vacancies Business support e.g. employing assistants
Partnership At the top table with the LA: Attend strategic meetings Share information Analyse data Invited to be on interview panels Feel valued: Genuine Partnership
Achievements Registered 38 childminders Can now register some childminders in 2 3 months start to finish Effective judgement from our Ofsted inspection Proving and refining our CMA model for effectiveness, quality and growth Beginning to be able to afford to employ staff Beginning to offer career progression opportunities for childminders Authentic partnership with some LAs
Challenges Being a pioneer Lack of funding Conditions are not in place to incentivise childminders to join agencies Some LAs are still not signposting us Lack of understanding amongst existing Ofsted registered childminders Admin intensive Cannot be our sole focus as a business
What s next? Continue to review and refine our model Diversify
Q & A
Developing a Statement of Purpose
Setting up a CMA When setting up a Childminder Agency your statement of purpose should contain: Aims and objectives Organisational structure Arrangements for registering providers Training and monitoring providers Ensuring provision is of a sufficient standard
Setting up a CMA Communication Safeguarding Enforcement action Alternative arrangements for when one of it s registered providers is unable to provide childcare Additional services or facilities offered
Support Available Action for Children are continuing to support CMAs Information events Bespoke visits Registration support Telephone and email support Toolkit
Support Available Supporting new organisations to become ready to register with Ofsted Supporting existing CMAs: o Forum o Regular meetings o Marketing toolkit o Ongoing telephone and email support
Toolkit https://foundationyears.org.uk/child-minders/
Further Information Contact Us: E: CMA@actionforchildren.org.uk D: 07734 165642 W: Foundationyears.org.uk/child-minders
Additional Partnership Working Childminder/CMA and school partnerships: Roadshow type events across the country Bespoke visits to schools Bespoke visits to childminder groups Production of a wrap-around toolkit Advisory board 2 national partnership working events October/November London and York
Continued Learning from Hubs Working with existing Hubs to extend and develop partnership working with childminders Re-work of the Hubs toolkit