September 2001 Newsletter

Welcome to our September newsletter. Hello to all our new members, hope to see you at our up and coming events, don’t be shy.

Morning Chat

These are held every Wednesday during term time 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 a different range of toys and to socialise with other children.

Vacancies?

There are many different ways and places to advertise your services. Methods include using the Children's Information Service (01234 228 229), newspapers, posters, postcard adverts, local CMA coordinator (Tunja child.minder@virgin.net ). Places include schools, play groups, community centres, health clinics, doctors waiting rooms, shops, libraries and the internet. Any where parents might go. A lot of customers come through word of mouth so make sure your friends and family know you have vacancies. Let other childminders in the area know you have vacancies so they can pass your details on to parents that contact them if they have filled their vacancy, or the parents requirements do not match their vacancies.

The most important information to include in all adverts are, the fact you are a registered childminder with vacancies, your location, (not your address) and your contact details. Other information could include personal logo, school pick up, facilities and qualifications. Remember advertising costs are tax deductible.

Several people have been advertising on our website, and have had several enquiries through it (two so far this week). You don’t need to be online we’ll pass queries on to you, the cost is £5 for a full page advert, including photos or graphics and what ever information you’d like. Contact Tunja child.minder@virgin.net for details.

Worried about Ofsted?

The NCMA Ofsted helpline number is 0800 064 6100. It will be open from 9-5 weekdays with voicemail facilities outside these hours.

The Ofsted helpline number is 0845 601 4771.

First Aid Training

As you have probably read, all newly registered childminders have 6 months to gain a first aid certificate and current childminders have 6 months from September. Here are some courses to help you get qualified.

There is a course scheduled for September at Vandyke upper school. For details phone the Adult Education Centre on 01525 - 375769. There may also be other courses here at a later date.

There is also a two day course available, run on Saturdays between 10am and 5pm, in Kempston, Beds, the cost is £35 per person, dates- 15th September and 22nd September, 6th October and 13th October,10th October and 17th November. You must attend both days to pass. For further information or to book contact (01234) 330120.

Web Site Update - www.lbcma.org.uk

The site has now had a total of over 2500 hits, during the last three months 87 people have visited claiming to be looking for childcare. So far this year visitors have spent £195.43 in our bookshop, earing us £11.77. The most popular book has been NVQ 3 Early Years and Education which has been ordered four times. We have updated our list of multicultural books which you can purchase online through the site, the new list includes story and activity books.

New features on this site include: First Aid Box Contents, Communicable Disease Exclusions, First Aid and the New Regulations, Information on Car Seat Safety.

We welcome suggestions for new articles, what would you like to know more about? You could also write an article for us, suggested titles are: My first Ofsted inspection, Taking my NVQ/NNEB/CCP, Why I became a childminder. Hand written articles are also welcomed. We’ll even type it up for you, before putting it online. These articles help other childminders and keep parents informed.

If you don’t have web access and would like a copy of these articles, please contact us. They will be sent with your next news letter, or you may collect them at one of our meetings.

Exhibition in the Library

Our large display covered a ‘what’s the time’ story on a child’s day at a childminder. Written as a story for children to share with their parents, it included 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. 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 was also included. The display was kindly launched for us by Mayor Henry Freid.

A big thank you to everyone who helped.

Castle Trip

The children really enjoyed the trip to Berkhampstead Castle, they exhausted themselves playing ball games and exploring the castle. The weather was brilliant. There were several requests for a repeat trip, the more the merrier next time.

Picnic in the Park

This was the Preschool Learning Alliances 40^th birthday bash. It provided a good opportunity to meet fellow childminders and to raise money for the children’s Christmas party and group running expenses. Thank you to all those who brought their picnic and joined in the fun. A wide range of activities for the children were available in the park, many of which were free . Our lbcma childminding group ran a second hand toy and book stall which included some of the multicultural toys from our toy library, and as raffles were banned we also held a name the dolly competition. We had a beautiful range of handmade playdough for sale which proved very popular, thanks to those who made and delivered the dough and to those who gave up their valuable time to man the stall and to sell ‘raffle’ tickets. The group made £100 towards expenses and the forth coming Christmas party.

Coffee Morning

Are you feeling in need some adult conversation, would you like to meet some other childminders, or are your children missing their playmates now schools started? Come and join us for coffee on 11^th September, between 10-12am . All registered childminders and children welcome.

Free Advertising

We have been invited by Leighton Library to have a table advertising childminding and childminders on Thursday 4^th October. There will be a considerable number of potential customers present attending a Jo Jingles session. In return it would be appreciated if we could read to any children who have to queue. If you have a vacancy you would like the group to highlight you will need to have some form of promotional material available, eg business cards, posters etc. As a group we will be providing general information on childminding and promoting the group web site. The best form of advertising is of course to have real childminders available to answer questions. Please come and join in, read a story and talk to parents. This should prove to be a very good publicity opportunity.

Trick or Treat

Get your witches hats and brooms ready its nearly Halloween again. In a follow up to last years successful treat at the fire station this year we’re going to trick or treat the Safeways store. Witches, warlocks and other monsters should meet at 9.55am on October the 18^th in the Safeways car park with their childminders or parents. We shall be tricking the store into giving us a guided tour and showing us just how they get the jam into the middle of the doughnuts. We are allowing an hour for this treat.

Story Telling

This event was so popular we are repeating it, meet in the Leighton Buzzard Library at 10am on November 8^th in the room off the children’s library for reading stories. Children welcome too!

Christmas Party

We have to give Santa lots of warning so please fill in your forms and return them. The Party will be on Monday 3^rd December at Saint Barnabas church hall between 11am and 1pm. There will be lots of yummy food at this indoor picnic and a bouncy castle. Children attending will all get a present from Santa all inclusive price of £2.50

Diary Dates

Sept 11^th Coffee morning at Tunja’s 10.00 - 12.00am
Oct 4^th Free Advertising venture and crowd amusement 9.30 - 12.00 at the library
Oct 18^th Trick or Treat 10-11am at Safeways
Nov 8^th Story Telling Library 10-11am
Dec 3^rd Christmas Party 11am-1pm pre booking required

Contact Tunja at child.minder@virgin.net You can also contact Tunja if you need help getting to an event.