Childminders

Congratulations on your registration with Ofsted.

Once you get your registration certificate, the Early Years Specialist will contact you. They will take you through Oldham’s Induction for new Childminders, called ‘Welcome to Oldham’. You will get information about local pathways, like Safeguarding and SEND. You'll also get information about local processes and useful contact numbers.

Your support can start with an Early Years specialist, commissioned to support you while you prepare for your first inspection. The support is tailored to deepen your understanding of your new role.

• Email: early.years@oldham.gov.uk

We are committed to supporting the best early years and childcare for our children and their families. As a result, we provide fully funded support to all childminders.

Oldham’s Universal Offer (for all childminders)

Childminders working in Oldham have access to the following support at no cost.

• general support, advice and guidance by telephone and email on 0161 770 1857 or familyinfo@oldham.gov.uk or oldhamchildminders@gmail.com
• funding advice and support through the LA Free Entitlement Team on free.entitlement@oldham.gov.uk
• membership and access to the national web based Early Years Foundation Stage Forum, including an Oldham local page.
• early Years Local Authority Network (2 per year)
• safeguarding Network (2 per year)
• safeguarding Level 2 training
• role of the SENCO training
• access to advice, support and training from speech and language specialists through the better communication team
• access to many local self-assessment and guidance tools. For example, Journey to Excellence (JtoE), Children’s Assessment and Progress Tool (CHAPs), and Early Years Personal Education Plan (PEP). They will help you with your ongoing action planning.
• Regular update emails
• Quarterly Ofsted trends
• Childminder network meetings

Category 2 Intervention Pathway (Requires Improvement judgement)

In addition to the Universal Offer, Ofsted-judged childminders who need improvement can get a bit of extra, time-limited support. This support is to help them address actions that Ofsted says need improvement. The targeted offer includes:

• access to the universal programme
• support to complete a Focused Improvement Plan (FIP). The plan will address areas Ofsted said need improvement.
• four support visits to monitor progress against the FIP prior to re-inspection by Ofsted (usually 12 months)
• six monthly or annual monitoring visits until re-inspection

Childminders must do this part of the quality improvement programme. It's required for those getting or planning to get Free Early Entitlement (FEE) funding.

Category 3 Intervention Pathway (Inadequate judgement)

In addition to the universal offer, Ofsted requires inadequate judged childminders to accept intensive support. They need to address actions that Ofsted sees as inadequate and needing big improvement. The targeted offer includes:

• support to complete a Focused Improvement Plan (FIP). This will ensure rapid progress in addressing all actions identified by Ofsted as inadequate.
• six support visits to monitor progress against the FIP prior to re-inspection by Ofsted (usually 6 months

Childminders getting or planning to get the FEE funding must engage in this part of the quality improvement programme. It is mandatory for them. Where a childminder is inadequate the Council will not fund any new 2, 3 and 4 year old places or continue to fund 2, 3 and 4 year olds at the provision. Funding for existing children will be withdrawn 3/4 months following the publication of the Ofsted inspection report.

This level of support may also be provided to childminders who have not been recently inspected and the Council has evidence that suggests an inadequate outcome is likely at the next inspection. The amount and nature of this support will be agreed with the childminder, within the resources available to the Council.

Inactive childminders will not be required to take part in the IP (Intervention Pathway). Contact will be made on an annual basis to check status.

Where a childminder has been judged as 'not met' the Ofsted standard, they will not be asked to participate in the IP. However, they must tell the Council Family Information Service when they are about to take a child on to roll. They must also join the programme.

If a childminder is inspected during the IP period and gets a good or outstanding Ofsted grade, they can leave the programme.

If a childminder is inspected during the IP and gets an inadequate Ofsted grade, they must take part in the Inadequate Intervention Programme (IIP).

For those childminders rated by Ofsted as requiring improvement or met who wish to register to be an Approved Provider, for delivering the 2, 3 and 4 year old Free Early Entitlement (FEE) funding.

The Council will only register and approve childminders rated requiring improvement’ to deliver FEE for 2 year olds where there is not sufficient, accessible good and outstanding provision and the childminder is actively engaging in the IP.

We may visit good or outstanding childminders if issues are found in RI settings. Or, if we don't expect a good or better judgement at the next inspection. The visit would be to discuss concerns and points for improvement in action plans and/or SEF.

Inadequate Intervention Programme (Category 3)

A childminder who is "requires improvement" or "inadequate" and refuses to join the IP or IIP, or joins but shows little or no improvement may be removed from the list of Approved Providers for the 2, 3 and 4 year old FEE.