New National Childcare Standards
The new National Standards for Childminding and other day care settings in England are now out. The DfEE's Consultation Pack contains the 14 proposed national standards, which are intended to replace all the current different local authority guidelines. There is also a questionnaire, to seek your views. This has to be completed by the 31st October. The new national standards across England should be good news for childminding and a credit to the achievement of NCMA and its members. The NCMA have succeeded in persuading the Government that the present arrangements, where standards vary in each area, are inconsistent, unfair and don't work. The new standards cover many areas, all of which childminders come across in their setting.
You can read the standards online at www.dfee.gov.uk/daycare or see the bottom of the page for an address, the following list is a brief summary.
- 1. Suitable Person
- is the care provider a suitable person to look after children.
- 2.Organisation
- can the care provider meet the required adult:child ratios and provide space and resources to meet the childs needs.
- 3. Care and Learning
- providers meet childs individual needs and provide a range of activities to develop emotional, social and intellectual capabilities.
- 4. Physical environment
- premises are safe, secure and suitable for the purpose. All necessary facilities provided.
- 5. Equipment
- furniture, equipment and toys are suitable design and condition for there use.
- 6. Safety
- ensure proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.
- 7. Health
- the provider promotes good health and takes steps to prevent spread of infection when they are ill.
- 8. Food and Drink
- children are provided with regular food and drink, properly prepared and complying with dietary and religious requirements.
- 9. Equal Opportunities
- promote equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.
- 10. Special Needs
- providers are aware that some children have special needs and steps are taken to promote welfare of this child in consultation with the parents.
- 11. Behaviour Management
- adults caring for children are able to manage a wide range of Childrens behaviour in a way promoting their welfare and development.
- 12. Working in Partnership with parents and carers
- providers work in partnership with parents to meet needs of the children, information is shared.
- 13. Child Protection
- provider complies with local child protection procedures.
- 14. Documentation
- records, policies and procedures which are required for efficient and safe management are maintained.
The DfEE consulted NCMA in the early stages of drawing up the standards. With the help of their involvement, some really important achievements have been made. The proposed standards will require all newly registered childminders to attend a recognised childminders' introductory course within six months of starting childminding.
One of the serious inconsistencies in the present regulations is also to be dealt with, ie local authorities can apply their own judgements about the numbers of children that childminders can look after, based on the current guidance. Under the new standards, these variations will go. More importantly, the Government has also accepted that 4 year olds in full-time education should be counted as "over 5s", which would enable childminders to take a full time child under five in addition. There are many other important achievements in the standards too, which reflect the good practice that many childminders have already achieved.
Unfortunately there is bad news too. There are two key points that NCMA and the majority of childminders we have spoken to disagree on. That is smoking and smacking. The government ignored NCMA’s advice, and under the new proposals, registered childminders would be able to smoke in front of children, even new born babies, if the parents say it's OK. They would also be allowed to smack babies and toddlers with parents' permission. The standards do not grant this ‘privilege’ to other childcare workers, only childminders. Both smacking and smoking are completely out of line with NCMA's Quality Standards and the good practice that childminders have developed over the years, working in partnership with many other organisations and local authorities.
We believe that this really is bad news for children and for childminders too. It threatens our professional image and reputation for quality, which we as childminders have worked so hard to develop. The NCMA hope to persuade the government to change this part of the standards to something more inline with the quality charter.
For a free copy of the pack contact:
DfEE Publications, PO Box 5050,
Sherwood Park, Annesley,
Nottingham NG15 0DJ
Tel: 0845 6022260
Fax: 0845 6033360
Email: dfee@prologistics.co.uk, quoting reference DfEE 142/2000
