AnonyMouse_9650 Posted March 5, 2013 Posted March 5, 2013 My setting is a member of the PSLA and along with encouraging our parents and staff to make their views known in respect of the ratio changes proposed in Liz Truss' "More Great Childcare" report we have had an official PSLA petition on the go. Most of our parents and all the staff signed the petition and so I emailed the PSLA with the number of signatories and have posted the original petition off to them today. HOWEVER ..... this is the email response I received back from the PSLA - It would appear that the Government doesn't want to listen - please feel free to use the link in the text to make your views known - I shall be letting my parents know just how much the Government is "interested" in their responses and encouraging them to sign up to yet another petition about the same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for letting me know and well done for getting so many signatures. Do you think these parents would also be prepared to sign the petition against ratio changes that the Pre-school Learning Alliance has put up on the Government's e-petition website? We have set up a direct link to this petition by going to www.rewindonratios.com and want to encourage as many concerned people as possible to sign the petition and tell their friends to do so as the Government has made it clear that it is not concerned about the other petitions (including our paper one). Parents asked us to set up this petition, so we have done so. But the campaign lost a lot of momentum as it took 15 days before the Government would allow the petition to appear on its website. We believe parent power may do more than practitioner power alone, so anything you can do to spread the word will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks again, James James Tweed Public Affairs & Press Manager Pre-school Learning Alliance The Fitzpatrick Building, 188 York Way, London N7 9AD
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted March 5, 2013 Posted March 5, 2013 I was at a consultation evening last night, I wondered, as did a few of us, whether the Government will take any notice or whether its just an exercise so they can say a consultation was held. Of course we could be exercising our right to be cynical and the Government are absolutely going to listen to us.
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted March 5, 2013 Posted March 5, 2013 Thanks very much for this Sue - and, of course will do! :1b 1
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted March 6, 2013 Posted March 6, 2013 (edited) This article seem's to imply the consultation process is a paper exercise. http://www.bbc.co.uk...cation-21668842 "A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: "We are reforming the childcare system so that providers have more flexibility when they have highly qualified staff and childminders are better supported. "Ratio changes, which are not compulsory, will allow providers to have the flexibility to increase pay for better qualified workers". That doesnt sound to me that they are consulting, just that they are doing it. Edited March 6, 2013 by Rea
AnonyMouse_9650 Posted March 6, 2013 Author Posted March 6, 2013 Yes I saw this too - pretty much fait acompli n'est pas!
AnonyMouse_2732 Posted March 6, 2013 Posted March 6, 2013 This article seem's to imply the consultation process is a paper exercise. http://www.bbc.co.uk...cation-21668842 "Ratio changes, which are not compulsory, will allow providers to have the flexibility to increase pay for better qualified workers". That doesnt sound to me that they are consulting, just that they are doing it. Yes, and as I have said before, in many cases this won't result in higher pay for these better qualified workers, in my experience !
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted March 6, 2013 Posted March 6, 2013 Dont be downhearted, the ratios aren't going to be compulsory and as to the higher qualified staff, well if we cant afford them we wont be able to have them, unless of course we want to make existing staff redundant to pay them the graduate wage. If it means we will have to close, then so be it. I'll just start a proper playgroup again, with no funding, I wont have trouble trying to fill spaces because every other playgroup setting will have closed too and Childminders will have thrown in the towel after being made to join an agency. We'll be able to plan our own finances and follow our own curriculum.because I'll only be open for two hours. So much for the Government wanting affordable, flexible and diverse settings, it'll be either CCs, maintained nurseries or little old playgroups. 2
AnonyMouse_19762 Posted March 6, 2013 Posted March 6, 2013 Oh I would love that :1b Go back to how it was before the madness of funding began.......oh happy days! :1b 1
AnonyMouse_3307 Posted March 6, 2013 Posted March 6, 2013 I was at a consultation evening last night, I wondered, as did a few of us, whether the Government will take any notice or whether its just an exercise so they can say a consultation was held. Of course we could be exercising our right to be cynical and the Government are absolutely going to listen to us. In your dreams. Of course it's just a paper exercise. Cx
SueFinanceManager Posted March 7, 2013 Posted March 7, 2013 I am getting a little tired of hearing that the high cost of child care means some parents can't afford to work......some practitioners can't afford to live of their earnings.....are we supposed to be guilted into being paid minimum wage so someone else can go out and earn lots??? The thing that gets me is as a parent do I want poorly paid and demotivated people looking after my child????? I think the answer may be NO to that :angry: I know it is tough for parents to work and afford childcare but many practitioners are parents too! Going to slink away now I have had a little rant :ph34r: :ph34r: 3
AnonyMouse_3139 Posted March 7, 2013 Posted March 7, 2013 Absolutely Sue. I'm also not sure if some of the people you see on TV moaning about the cost have really looked at their lifestyle and cut back in all the areas. When I think back to the stuff we did without when ours were little the mind boggles! My mom used to visit with food parcels!! I know some people have to work and for them childcare is a big cost but like you say, its a big cost to the childcarers too our staff havent had a pay increase since September 2010 and another staff member is trying to work out if she can afford to come back after her maternity leave so I know the difficulties people have. 1
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