A recap of childcare news from summer 2022 plus resources, updates and behind the scenes at MindingKids!
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And so, the summer holidays are over and into the new term we go. I hope you all managed to enjoy some quality time with friends and family and your batteries are re-charged and ready to tackle the months ahead. Unfortunately, it looks like we are yet again in for a bumpy ride!
Hello and Welcome to all our new visitors, and a MASSIVE THANK YOU to all of our loyal members, customers and followers for your ongoing support!
If you are just starting out in the world of childcare or have years of experience, we hope that MindingKids can offer something to help you on your journey.
In childcare news…
💷Cost of Living Crisis
Rising prices continue to be a major concern and we are all feeling it from every direction. With energy bills set to sky rocket this winter alongside increasing food and fuel costs, and industrial strike actions impacting schools, transport and essential public services, it is indeed a worrying time for us all.
Many of us will already be looking for ways that we can save, but for childminders caring for young children in their own homes, this will be especially challenging. How can we keep children comfortable during the winter months with the heating on low or not at all? How can we continue to provide healthy hot meals with both food and energy prices going up? How can we ensure the sustainability of our businesses without passing on increasing costs to struggling families? There is no doubt that this winter will be tough but, as we did during the pandemic, we must stay strong and think of ways to adapt our provision for the benefit of everyone. Why not involve children and families with your ideas to save money and energy and make it fun wherever you can…
Get out and about – The more time you can spend outdoors or on outings the less energy you can use at the setting. There are so many fun ways to learn outdoors and you can also take advantage of the facilities at local FREE establishments such as museums and libraries.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – Think carefully about the resources and activities that you have on offer. How can you reduce costs without impacting play and learning? Try sourcing toys from charity shops or swap sites, go on a hunt outdoors to make treasure baskets from natural objects, or raid the bin for some junk modelling material.
Do things differently – Can you walk the school run instead of taking the car? Can you make story time fun by sitting outdoors…or in the dark with a torch, can you batch cook meals or shop more strategically to take better advantage of discounts and offers?
🤲🏻Help for families
During these unprecedented times, it is important to make sure families check that they are getting all the help that they are entitled to. This Nursery World article reveals that just over half of families with Tax-Free childcare (TFC) accounts are actually using them.
In July the government renewed its marketing campaign for the Childcare Choices website where parents can find out more about the different offers available. There is also a Provider Toolkit which includes a step-by-step guide that will help you check that you have everything set up correctly for your business to accept all the offers.
Taking time to remind parents of the financial support available will not only help them but could also help to ensure your spaces remain full and protect your business income. For those on Universal Credit, there is a new government page which helps to explain the additional cost of living payments and The Money Saving Expert website is worth a visit for the 10-minute benefits check and the Cost of living help guide. It is also worth checking with your local council to see if there is any other help available for those that are struggling.
🔎Focus on Safeguarding
As the cost of living escalates, many families will be pushed to breaking point putting more and more children at risk. As childcare providers we must stay alert to the stresses and strains on parents and show kindness, care and support. The Safeguarding Network explains the impact of poverty on safeguarding and what to look out for.
Potential strikes at schools and industrial action across the country are yet another challenge for families. Parents may be faced with the dilemma of leaving children at home alone whilst they go out to work. New Staying home alone guidance can be found on the NSPCC website which may be useful to share with parents.
The start of a new term is also a good time to double check toys and equipment and review safety procedures. Make sure you take time to:
✔ Carry out a thorough Risk Assessment of all areas to ensure your setting is safe and secure
✔ Consider how you intend to keep children safe on outings and when travelling to and from the setting.
✔ Refresh knowledge of Child Protection and the procedures to be followed to keep children safe from harm.
A new set of resources from The Scottish Community Safety Network has been published including an illustrated ‘Home Safety Map’ which highlights common, avoidable hazards in our homes. Excellent for discussing safety with children and sharing with families too!
You may also find the following resources useful to ensure safety in your setting:
For providers registered in Scotland (Care Inspectorate)….
🥛Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme
Following it’s launch in August last year, uptake of the Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme has been low, particularly amongst childminders. The Scottish government is keen for more providers to register with an aim to allow as many children as possible to enjoy the nutritional benefits of milk and healthy snacks, a crucial factor in tackling health inequalities.
If you are not already registered, you can find out more about the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (SMHSS) here and follow a flowchart to determine whether your setting is eligible here.
🕙Future of Inspection Consultation
A consultation on the future of inspection for all Early Learning & Childcare and school-age childcare settings is currently underway. Views on a proposal for a shared quality framework and inspection process are being sought with an aim to improving outcomes for children and families. It is hoped that a single/shared quality framework would reduce duplicative quality assurance and unsustainable levels of paperwork. The Scottish Government is inviting all those with an interest in their consultation to share their views.
You can read and respond to the consultation paper here by midnight on 28 October 2022.
For providers registered in England (Ofsted)….
📣Government Consultations in response to Huge Fall in Childcare Providers
At the end of June Ofsted published it’s figures revealing the biggest drop in childcare providers for 6 years with the number of childminders continuing to fall at an alarming rate. A combination of low funding rates and perceived unfair inspections on top of pressures brought on by the pandemic and cost of living crisis has brought so many to breaking point, adding yet further to the childcare crisis. With an aim to encourage more childminders to join and remain in the early years sector the government are currently holding consultations on some proposed changes.
Views on ratio requirements are being sought to determine how changes to staff:child ratios might affect early years provision.
A separate consultation is also being held with regards to funding formula with an aim to obtaining up-to-date to ensure the funding system remains fair, effective, and responsive to changing levels of need.
Find and respond to the proposed ratios and regulatory changes here.
Find and respond to the proposed updates to the early years funding formulae here.
Both consultations close on 16th September so don’t forget to share your views!
📑Childcare Register Guidance Refreshed
Guidance on the registration requirements for the Childcare Register has been reformatted and reorganised to make it easier to read and understand.
Find the updated guidance here.
If you are new to childminding or looking to start up you can also find lots of useful information on our New to Childminding? – Start Here page.
📙Updates to Early Years Inspection Handbook
New requirements set out in the Early Years Inspection Handbook are now in force. A third section has been added to the handbook which sets out in further detail how the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) will be applied in specific contexts including childminding and out of school settings. It is hoped that that new guidance will help to better clarify the inspection process.
Further changes can be found in the Summary of Changes information.
If you have not been inspected for some time or believe you may be inspected soon, make sure you have a good read through the guidance to ensure you are prepared. Find the updated Early Years Inspection Handbook guidance here.
Ofsted EIF inspections and the EYFS guidance has also been updated and worth a read to dispel any ‘unhelpful inspection rumours’
You can also find top tips to ensure you are inspection ready on our Preparing for Inspection Hot Topic page.
And you can use our Service Evaluation Resources to make sure you have considered every aspect of your care.
🆓Funded SENCO training
Best Practice Network has been appointed by the Department for Education to deliver SENCO training across the country. It is hoped that up to 5000 Special Educational Needs Coordinators will be trained over the next two years. Training will be delivered nationally but with a focus to provide much needed support in disadvantaged areas. Available to childminders and early years staff working in group-based settings, the Level 3 EY SENCO training is fully-funded by the DfE. Places are limited and all candidates must meet criteria outlined by the DfE.
Find further information on the New Early Years SENCO Programme here.
And at MindingKids…
👍Supporting our followers from Wales
In time for the roll out of the NEW Curriculum for Wales we added New Outcomes to the MindingKids APP and made updates to our Learning Journals and Individual Planning & Progress Summaries. The new app outcomes and updates to the resource packs will allow providers to monitor development and share learning progress in relation to the five developmental pathways of the Curriculum for funded non-maintained nursery settings or the Curriculum for Wales Areas of learning and experience. We hope to create more resources to support Welsh providers over the coming months including Curriculum for Wales pocket cards and a Welsh Childminder document checklist.
🌐Patiently Waiting
Lots of work has been going on in the background with regards to our new website and app developments. We have seen demos in action and are confident that the result will be a huge improvement on our current set up. We are waiting patiently on the finishing touches, but fingers crossed we are nearly there!
♻Resource Revamps
We are continually looking for ways in which we can improve the quality of our resource packs and keep them up to date. Our Parent Information & Marketing Pack is currently on our target list along with its customisable options. Keep a look out for news on this very soon!
Since our Spring News Update the following resources have been added, updated or improved…
Remember MindingKids Members have unlimited access to all MindingKids resources immediately as they are added or updated! Click here for further details!
New and Updated Resources
NEW Learning Walk Plan – Prepare for Inspection and be ready to Showcase your Setting. Packed with inspiration, ideas and useful prompts, this resource pack will allow you to put together a successful strategy to accentuate the high quality care service you provide.
NEW 2022 / 2023 Academic Activity Planner! – Set out your topics, themes and activity ideas for the entire academic year. Includes a handy list of special dates and festivals.
NEW Visual Timetable! – Set out a clear routine for the day or schedule activities for the week ahead with this flexible visual timetable resource! Create a bespoke Visual Timetable to help children understand routine, provide motivation, reduce anxieties and support transition.
NEW Beach Risk Assessment! – Consider the risks involved and take necessary precautions to keep everyone safe. Included in Risk Assessments Pack alongside more Outings Risk Assessment templates.
NEW Assistant Risk / Benefit Assessment – Identify and minimise any risks whilst also acknowledging the benefits an extra pair of hands will bring. Now included in Childminder Assistant Employment Pack!
We have also…
⭐Added a NEW Hot Topic Page – Logging Learning – YOUR Way! – Consider the various approaches to monitoring development, tracking learning and sharing progress, and find the best solutions for YOUR setting!
AND…
⭐Introduced NEW Outcomes to the MindingKids App – plus revised the Learning Journals and Individual Planning & Progress Summaries to support the NEW Curriculum for Wales!
Coming Soon…
⭐Revamped Service Information Booklet
💥Improved Customisable Marketing Resources!
Thank you to all for your continued support! 💖
Cheryl & The Minding Kids Team! xxx
