Childminder agencies are designed to support childminders with training and business advice, while making it easier for parents to access home-based childcare.
They are currently being tested by 20 organisations – mostly local authorities – as part of a government pilot before the first agencies are able to register with Ofsted from September.
The inclusion of childminder agencies in the act brings to an end more than a year of wrangling between the sector and Department for Education after the idea was put forward in the More Great Childcare report in January 2013.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), is particularly concerned about Ofsted’s proposed inspection arrangements, which make registration with the inspectorate optional for individual childminders who sign up to agencies.
She said: “NDNA has concerns about the agency model and we question what value it will bring to childminders and to parents.
“It is essential that we have very clear communication to parents so that they understand an agency childminder will not be individually registered or inspected by Ofsted.
“These changes also raise questions as to how local authorities will contract with agency childminders for the provision of free early years places, particularly in light of the drive towards only funding 'good' or 'outstanding' settings. How will this work when agency childminders do not have an Ofsted rating?”
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, has similar concerns.
He said: “While we accept that these latest changes now place childminder agencies permanently into the landscape of early years provision, we remain concerned about the potential safeguarding implication of inspecting agencies rather than individual childminders.
“It is even more important now that Ofsted and the government genuinely consults and listens to childminders about their views and experiences, and makes changes to proposed policy if necessary.”
Shadow childcare minister Lucy Powell is worried about the lack of information on the new model.
She said: “I’m sceptical that the model proposed by the government will work and we’re yet to see any successful reports of the pilots.
“There is no evidence that childminder agencies will ease the cost of childcare for parents – indeed, they could charge parents for their services, pushing up costs.
“For childminders too, it remains unclear how agencies will recruit, train, quality assure and support childminders, and many childminders are deeply concerned about them.
“I will continue to work with parents and the sector to scrutinise these agency plans.”
However, Anne Longfield, chief executive of charity 4Children, has welcomed the new arrangements.
She said: “Childminding agencies have the potential to provide a new co-ordination and support mechanism for childcare, which can offer peace of mind for parents and quality support for providers.
“Our experience shows that new childminders, who make up a key part of the early years workforce, are particularly keen to get involved.
“We need to increase the numbers of childminders to support the flexibility and choice of childcare that parents are seeking.”
