June 2001 Newsletter
Welcome to our June news letter. We hope to see many of you at our stall and picnic during the PSLA birthday bash, and our other events. Check the diary dates for details.
Morning Meetings
These are held regularly during term time on Wednesday’s between 9.30-11.30am at the Youth Centre, Church Road (off Wing Road), together with the ‘Mother and Toddler Group’. Providing an opportunity for carers to talk, for children to play with new and exciting toys and to socialise with other children.
Vacancies?
The group is receiving enquiries for childminders with vacancies, particularly from parents planning to move into the area. Parents are accessing our web site at www.lbcma.org.uk and e-mailing their requests. If you have vacancies in addition to contacting the Children’s Information Service (CIS) on 01234 228 229, it may help you to fill spaces if you email child.minder@virgin.net with details.
National Standards for Regulation of Daycare
New national standards were issued on 8th May, and can be downloaded at www.dfee.gov.uk/childcare or obtained by phoning 0845-6022260, or by emailing dfee@prolog.uk.com
Some of the points included in the new standards are as follows: 6 children under 8 years, care for 8-14 years children is not allowed to adversely affect care of under 8's. 4 year olds attending 10 sessions of education per week are classed as over 5's for ratios. Childminders must have a phone on the premises. There will be a minimum space requirement for children, under 2's to have 3.5 metres square floor space, 2 year olds to have 2.5 metres and 3-7 year olds to have 2.3 metres. Childminders will be required to obtain a first aid certificate within 6 months of registration and this must then be kept up to date. Smoke alarms to BSEN on all floors (with no mention of interlinked). Written permission will be required for children to travel in a vehicle.
Guidance for using and applying the standards will be published after the general election. Once the guidance has been published, the NCMA regional office will be arranging for meetings to be held around the region to discuss the standards and how they can be met by childminders. These standard will be applied in a more flexible manner and they will assume that childminders can apply common sense.
Worried about Ofsted?
NCMA has a new helpline to support its members over the next few months during the changeover to Ofsted. This helpline is already up and running to help make the transition of regulation as easy as possible. If you have any Queries about Ofsted’s new role, or how the change over will affect you, why not put your mind at ease and phone. Operators will have regularly updated information straight from Ofsted ensuring you the latest information.
The NCMA Ofsted helpline number is 0800 064 6100. It will be open from 9-5 weekdays with voicemail facilities outside these hours.
First Aid Training
The first available course in this area is scheduled for September at Vandyke upper school. The waiting list is already forming, If you wish to add your name to the list phone the Adult Education Centre on 01525 - 375769.
NCMA Group Membership
If you are an individual NCMA member and would like to update your membership to a group membership and save money phone Sandie Hughes, group liaison administrator on 0208 2908999. Your group name is Leighton Buzzard and your number is 507.
Web Site Update
Our LBCMA website can be found at www.lbcma.org.uk the site received 165 hits (visitors) during April, of these 31 recorded themselves as looking for childcare. This brings our total to over 1700 visitors.
New features on this site include: How to be the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread, Advertising your Vacancies, Dealing with the Angry Child and Early Learning Goals. Features planned include suggestions for first aid box contents. If you don’t have web access and would like these articles, please contact us. They will be sent with your next news letter, or you may collect them at one of our meetings.
National Childminding Week
This year the week runs from the 9th-16th June with the theme being celebrating diversity. Registered childminders are an amazingly mixed group, providing a wide range of care to meet the varied needs of children and families in today’s diverse communities. What do former laboratory research assistants, hairdressers, sales administrators, library administrators, secretarial staff, personnel managers, playgroup supervisors and house wives have in common? Answer: They’re now all registered childminders in the Leighton Linslade area.
As childminders we have a unique ability to offer appropriate care and education to every individual child, no matter what their background and needs. To help promote ourselves we will be holding an exhibition in the library commencing with childminding week and running for a total of four weeks.
Exhibition in the Library 9th June to 7th July
This will take the form of a large display covering a ‘what’s the time’ story on a child’s day at a childminder. This will be written as a story for children to share with their parents and will include lots of photographs of children and childminders in a range of routines and activities illustrating the diverse activities children can partake in at a registered childminders. There will also be a range of other information posters on how to contact the CIS to obtain a childminder, that childminders must be registered and insured and how to check etc.
If you can offer help to set up the display, or have photos which can be copied for display (please note parental permission is required for use of photographs) please contact Tunja before the 9th, sorry for the short notice.
Messy Morning
There was a multitude of messy activities available during the morning. A total of 19 children attended this event and much fun was had by all. Some very good publicity was received from this event together with free advertising for those of you with vacancies.
Castle Trip
Enjoy a trip to Berkhamsted castle during half term. Both your own and minded children are welcome. Treat the children to a ride on the train, bring a picnic and play king of the castle, William the Conqueror ate his picnic here. Entrance to the castle is free. Day return train tickets are currently as follows: under 5's free, 5-15 years £2.10, Adults £4.20. Meet at the station for 11.00 to catch the 11.07, returning on the 2.24pm. Trains are every 15mins if you wish to return earlier or later. If more than ten passengers are going then a 25% discount can be arranged when booked in advance. For further details on this event contact Maureen on 384208.
Picnic in the Park
This years focus will be birthdays and celebrations as it is the Preschool Learning Alliances 40th birthday. Bring your own picnic and join the fun. When you join us at our stall for your picnic, the children will be able to enjoy a free picnic lunch. Activities for the children are provided in the park, many of which are free. This is the annual PSLA picnic combined with a party to which we all have an invite. This is also a fund raising opportunity for our group enabling us to raise money towards the children’s Christmas party and group running expenses. We will be hosting a second hand toy and book stall which will include some of the multicultural toys from our toy library, and as raffles are banned we will be holding a name the dolly competition. We will also be selling handmade playdough, if you can help by making some please phone for the recipe. If you would be able to help run the stall please contact us with your favoured time slot. Date for your diary is June 20th, a party (at Parsons Close park near Pulfords school) not to be missed.
Ducks, Boats and Lunch
We are planning to meet up in Tesco’s car park at 12.00am, Feed the ducks, stroll along the canal and count the boats, followed by lunch at Tesco’s café. There is ample free parking and a handy bus stop. Do come and join in the fun.
Coffee Morning
Are you feeling jaded, need some adult conversation, or are your charges missing their playmates now schools started? Come and join us for coffee on 11th September. All registered childminders and children welcome.
