Quality Assurance Scheme
More parents are asking questions about Quality Assurance when
deciding on which childcare to use.
The National Childminder's Association (NCMA) offers a wide
range of services to childminders and parents regarding issues such
as insurance and training. They operate both locally and
nationally. Childminders can join NCMA Approved Children come
first Network. NCMA Quality First Assurance scheme is designed
for registered childminders. Within Bath & North East
Somerset we also run the Bristol Standard Quality Assurance
scheme.
Support Scheme
Research shows that due to a lack of initial support, new
childminders were most likely to drop out in their first year of
registration:
The Childminding Team help improve the survival rate of new
childminders by:
- Strengthening the role and enhancing membership of recognized
childminding groups
- Developing a team of more confident and better informed
childminders
- Offering continuing professional development for existing
childminders, and to encouraging sharing of good
practice
- Producing a better quality, better informed sustainable
childminding provision.
What is a Childminding Group?
Childminding groups are set up by childminders for childminders
and can offer a variety of support for both newly registered
and existing childminders. There are different styles of groups
- some meet informally in each others homes, sometimes outside
normal childminding hours; other groups meet in commnity
locations and are similar to toddler groups.
Many groups hold a group membership with NCMA and group members
can benefit from the information and insurance discounts that NCMA
or Morton Michel offer. Groups often form voluntary
committees who take responsibility for collecting the group fees,
booking trips, or writing newsletters.
The groups give Childminders the opportunity to meet and
make friends: there are always lots of experienced childminders who
can offer guidance and support to new and existing
childminders. Some groups also maintain a vacancy scheme from
within the group and often promote other childminder
vacancies.
Our Vision
We believe children are strong independent individuals who
deserve the highest quality care throughout their
childhood. Our aspiration is that all our childminders are
supported and trained to offer high quality individualised home
based childcare in Bath & North East Somerset.
The Childminding Team offers consistent good quality support,
advice and training for all childminders in Bath and North East
Somerset, with additional support for those undertaking Quality
Assurance, providing Nursery Education or supporting children with
additional needs.
The Childminding Team recognise the key role that childminders
play in the development of children in a home environment.
Childminders are:
- offered support to provide positive outcomes for children
- provided with support to care for the individual needs of
children and families
- provided with information, support and advice to meet
Ofsted requirements
- supported through childminding groups and individually through
home visits
- offered a range of general and specialised training
- given opportunities to develop a professional service
- offered the opportunity to join a quality assured network
- given access to a diverse range of resources and equipment
through toy library facilities
- supported in preparation for the Early Years Foundation
Stage
- given support in offering Extended Services for children and
families
- kept informed of local and national Early Years
matters
