Childminders Update
To receive a verbal update on childminders.
Minutes:
Karen Frost gave a verbal update on Childminding and the new 30 Hours entitlement.
It was reported that there are currently 201 childminders in the borough which was increasing. The quality of childminding in the borough was good with 99% of childminders having a Good or better Ofsted inspection. On average, the charge was between £5 - £6 per hour.
The new childcare entitlement, enabled parents of 3 and 4 year olds to 30 hours of childcare if both parents were working a minimum of 16 hours and neither one earned more than £100k a year which meant most of the borough were eligible. The number of child minders who had taken up the scheme had increased from 50 to 83.
In response to comments and discussion, the following points were noted:
· Template business models were being provided to childminders by the Bracknell Forest Council team. Currently a new portal was being created to help them create
· It was confirmed that analysis had been undertaken into demand for childminders however it was acknowledged that it was challenging to get accurate data because parents weren’t sure if they needed to be in work in order to get the code for childcare.
· There wasn’t believed to be a gap in the number of childminders currently although there were areas of demand particularly in Binfield and Warfield. It was confirmed that a sufficiency questionnaire was being circulated to providers and children’s centres to assess demand.
· It was noted that parents who gained employment in September, would miss the cut off date for the codes to access the childcare and wouldn’t be able to receive funding until January which the Panel found concerning.
· It was requested that the application deadlines for each term were circulated to the Panel
(Action: Karen Frost)
· Concerns were also raised that where parents lost their job, there would be a 3 month grace period before funding was withdrawn.
· The funding was being advertised through Town and Country Magazine and Children’s centres which it was hoped would increase uptake.