Boost childminders' influence in children's centres, urges charity

By Ross Watson Tuesday, 09 February 2010

The government has been urged to ensure childminders are more involved in the running of children's centres.

Childminder and children in children's centre. Credit: Martin Figura

The call has been made by the National Childminding Association (NCMA) in response to a government consultation on new statutory guidance for children's centres.

The NCMA has criticised the guidance for not clearly referencing childminders as potential advisory board members and as stakeholders to be consulted on any key decisions.

Ian Marratt, NCMA's director of communications, said there are still not enough children's centres involving childminders in their delivery of early years education. He added that childminders are best placed to address the ongoing issue of insufficient childcare for disabled and school-aged children.

"Childminders are in a particularly good position to deliver more flexible childcare and tailor provision to the needs of parents, especially those with disabled children," he said. "In the current economy you often see parents working unusual hours, which childminders can accommodate for. Many childminders provide continuity for school-aged children as they can stay with one family from early years through to early teens."

Marratt said some children's centres have been good at involving childminders, but a formal requirement is needed to ensure the practice is commonplace. NCMA also raised concerns about how much Jobcentre Plus staff understand the role of childminders.

It is currently looking at ways to improve its relationship with Jobcentre Plus so that mothers do not miss out on employment opportunities because they have not been informed about more flexible childcare options.

Concerns have been raised by single parent charity Gingerbread and by 4Children over a lack of progress on increasing childcare provision for school-aged and disabled children.

The number of registered childminders continues to plummet, with the latest figures showing a drop of almost 2,000 in the past year.

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "We will give careful consideration to all of the comments offered and an end-of-consultation report will be published."