Our seasonal news updates summarise the latest childcare news plus which MindingKids resources have been added or revised so you can easily keep on track and up to date.
Hooray! We have made it into February and the days are beginning to draw out again. We hope you have all settled back into routine following the festive break and have some nice plans for the year ahead…we certainly do!
WELCOME to all our new visitors, and a huge THANK YOU to those who have recently purchased resources or signed up for MindingKids Membership. Whether you are new to MindingKids or have been with us for a while, we hope that you will find something on our website to help you with your childcare business.
So what is in the childcare news?…
Screen Time Limits
There is no getting away from it. In an ever advancing world of technology, learning ICT skills has become a fundamental part of children’s education with computers, tablets and other smart devices being used daily in schools, nurseries and at home. In addition to using technology as an aid to enhance learning, children also watch television, play games and even communicate with friends and families via social media, video calls, etc, spending more and more time in front of screens. So, is there a limit to how much screen time is actually healthy? The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have released guidance which states that despite trends implying that increased screen exposure time can have a negative impact on socialising, exercise and sleep (due to displacement by screen time), it is ‘difficult to recommend a cut-off for children’s screen time because of the lack of evidence on the differential effects of various forms of screen time’. Instead they are recommending that families should examine their own screen time routines and decide appropriate limits depending on the age, needs of the child and what screens are being used for. They also recommend that screens should be avoided for an hour before bedtime.
You can find the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health guidance on screen time here
And this Nursery World article debates further whether limits are needed.
In addition to setting appropriate screen time limits, parents, teachers and childcare providers also have a responsibility to ensure children’s online safety. Lots of information and advice can be found on the NSPCC website.
Making Friends and Starting School
A study based on the perception of four and five year olds has revealed that one of the most important things children need to know before starting school is how to make friends. Whilst the results of the study carried out by researchers from the University of Cambridge did show expected priorities such as reading, writing and counting skills, there was a much stronger emphasis on the importance of social skills. Children also highlighted concerns about being lonely, having no-one to speak to or others not letting them play.
Leader of the study Christine O’Farrelly commented ‘Adults tend to zone in more on numeracy and literacy, while children think about all the skills that help them navigate their school environment. We need to support them in developing those skills, not just in the classroom but in the playground.’
You can read the study Reconstructing readiness: Young children’s priorities for their early school adjustment here.
Decline in the number of registered childminders…a worrying trend!
Big changes are happening in the childcare world both north and south of the border but with one major concern…childminder numbers are continuing to fall!
In Scotland the latest Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Statistics Report revealed a drop of 4.3% in the number of childminders registering in 2017 compared with the previous year and in addition to this, a greater proportion of newly registered providers are cancelling their registration in their first year.
In England Ofsted’s latest statistics showed a fall of nearly 1000 childminders in less than 6 months (between March and August 2018). A 2% reduction from the previous year and overall, a dramatic 29% drop in registered childminders within the last 5 years.
With increased demand for childcare places both North and South of the border, big questions need to be asked as to why so many are choosing to leave the profession or deciding not to register in the first place.
Government plans to expand ‘free hours’ and funded spaces appears to be adding an immense amount of extra work and pressure onto childminders and with further cut backs reducing access to training and start-up grants, it seems as though the odds may be stacked against us.
From personal experience, MindingKids understands that working alone as a childminder can often feel lonely with no colleagues to turn to for advice or support. In this time of change it is so important that we all stick together and help each other where we can to get through the challenges ahead. Here at MindingKids we are determined to assist where we can and will be watching the changes with interest, continuing to create relevant resources and guides that we feel may be of help.
Read the Scottish Childminding Association’s (SCMA) concerns here
And PACEY’s view on the decline in childminder numbers across England here
In the North (Care Inspectorate)….
National Standard
The Scottish Government has now published the National Standard for funded Early Learning and Childcare which sets out the criteria all providers wishing to deliver the funded entitlement will have to meet from August 2020. The ‘Funding Follows the Child’ approach set out in the standard aims to ensure parents are given a fair choice as to where they choose to access funded childcare as service providers will be ‘neutral’ having to meet the same requirements.
For childminders looking to deliver the funded entitlement this therefore means that from August 2020 they will need to hold or be working towards an SCQF Level 7 qualification – the same as other practitioners working in Early Learning & Childcare settings and undertake a minimum of 12 hours per year of continuous professional development. Any new childminders looking to deliver the funded hours will also have to evident that they have undertaken appropriate induction training.
You can find the National Standard publication here
And read the SCMA’s response here
Annual Returns
Have you completed yours yet? Each year the Care Inspectorate asks all service providers to complete an annual return to assist with keeping records up to date and inspection planning. The valuable statistics collected help to gain an overall insight into childcare provision in Scotland which can then be shared appropriately with other organisations such as the Scottish Government and the Scottish Social Services Council. If you have not already done so, you must complete your annual return by the 15th February and can do so via the online eForms system here. All registered providers are required to complete a return, even services which are currently inactive. You should refer to their frequently asked questions document or contact the Care Inspectorate if you have any questions or concerns.
Gender Equal Play
The Care Inspectorate and Zero Tolerance, a charity working to end men’s violence against women, have joined forces launching a campaign to encourage and positively promote gender equal play in early years settings. A new resource guide has been published to help boost awareness encourage gender equality from an early age. Launching the resource, Maree Todd, Minister for Children and Young People said: “Evidence shows that gender stereotyping from a very early age has an impact on the decisions that girls and boys make about their future subject and career choices.
“This guide explains the importance of challenging gender stereotyping and provides ideas and examples for early years professionals of existing good practice.”
You can download the new resource here.
New Bookbug App
The Scottish Book Trust have launched their new Bookbug App to compliment their early years programme which helps parents and early years professionals to encourage reading and the love of books amongst children. The app includes a library of songs and rhymes, the ability to build your own playlists of songs and rhymes and a search function to help find bookbug sessions in your local area.
The app is available to download free from the App Store and Google Play. Find out more about Bookbug here.
Looking for more ways to promote learning around stories and encourage reading? Take a look at our collection of Story Activity Packs.
In the South (Ofsted)….
Changes to Inspection Framework
Ofsted have published a consultation on proposals to the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) which will take effect from September this year. The aim of the changes is to shift inspection focus away from performance data and more towards what and how children learn. The new framework looks to discourage a culture of ‘teaching to the test’ and instead focus on the quality of education and how it is delivered. For childminders and early years practitioners it is hoped that the proposed changes will reduce the pressure of completing endless observations and assessments to demonstrate children’s development and instead focus more on showing how they actually interact and engage with children to support them in the learning areas.
The consultation is open until 5th April 2019 and can be read here.
Ofsted Annual Report
Ofsted’s Annual Report was published in December revealing that more than 9 out of 10 early years providers achieved good or outstanding in their most recent inspections. Well done everyone!
Safeguarding was highlighted as priority, emphasising on the importance of keeping children safe whilst also allowing them to experience risk. The report also called for greater focus on the ‘substance of education’ which for the early years will mean recognising the importance of early literacy, language and numeracy skills. Ofsted are looking for innovative ways to encourage learning, recognising the importance of play and the way learning links to children’s long-term memory.
Find the Ofsted Annual report here
Petition to Increase Funding rates
A petition urging the government to increase funding rates for the 15 and 30 hours funded childcare now has more than 10 000 signatures, enough to trigger a government response! Started by Shaza Haq, the owner of Little Hands Montessori, the petition is calling on the government to increase funding rates in line with rises to the national living wage in April in order for settings to survive. The petition will run for 6 months and if more than 100,000 signatures are received then it will be considered for debate in parliament.
Read more in this Nursery World article here
And sign the petition here
MindingKids News
So what’s happening behind the scenes?
Here at MindingKids we have had a super busy start to the year! Welcoming lots of new members, receiving more requests for customised and new resources AND working hard in preparation for the new website which is is due to be launched within the next couple of weeks. It is safe to say, there has never been a dull moment!
NEW WEBSITE!!!
Yip thats right….after over a year of planning and working closely with our developers at Design33 we are over the moon to announce that after some final testing, the new website will be up and running in the next week or two. We are confident that all of our members and customers will like the new look and find accessing resources and the app vastly improved with a more prominent login and better navigation across the site. In addition, there is the introduction of a dedicated section for new childminders or those in the process of registration and also a Hot Topics section offering further guidance on common issues. The site will be launched with 3 Hot Topics published: Preparing for Inspection, Managing your Accounts and Understanding GDPR. Further subjects will be added over time prioritised by demand and current issues.
Whilst we are confident that the change over will go smoothly, our developers will be on hand throughout the process to ensure any teething issues are resolved without delay. If, when the new website is launched you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance. We hope that you love it as much as we do!
MindingKids App
We are delighted to have been receiving further positive feedback from our app users. It is great to hear how the app is working in live settings, helping to record and share information and reducing the amount of time required. As mentioned in our Autumn newsletter, we are looking to expand the app features further with our next project being the introduction of a function to assist with managing expenses and accounts.
If you have not already tried the app, you can do so for FREE here and learn more about it’s features in the App-Guide.
Tried the app before but fancy another go? No problem, contact us and we can grant you with a 2nd trial absolutely FREE!
Since our Autumn 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 Resources
Updates / Amendments
Accounts Pack – Record of Payment Form
A new Record of Payment Form was added to our Accounts Pack to assist with keeping on top of payments received for each child. Record payment dates, amounts, any deductions and discounts, then request parents to sign to avoid any disputes.
Coming Soon…
By popular demand… Animal Action Cards!
AND don’t forget to download our FREE Valentines Day Activity Ideas Sheet!
Thank you to all for your continued support! Keep a look out for more MindingKids News soon!
Many thanks! Cheryl & The MindingKids Team! xxx
