Over 8's Register

[june]

Hi All , We were wondering what you all know about the over 8's Register ? Voluntry at present, Compulsary Sept 2008.
Can any of you cast any light on this? June And Carolyn

[smartimartie]

My understanding of it is

If you are a Registered Childminder you automatically will be included in this list.

If you are offering a service for children of 8 and over you do not at this time have a requirement to be on a register.

(I could be wrong - often am - but thats how it was explained to me)

[june]

Thanks for that. Its all a sketchy at present as far as we can see. We dont understand why it is so expensive to be on this register. We have been told (how true it is, we are not sure) that it is £100 and you will need to have a seperate inspection for this age group!!!!!!!!!!

[vik3000]

From my recent understanding of this

If you intend to care for over 8's and accept the childcare vouchers you will have to be registered on the over 8's.

[angeldelight]

A parent can not claim tax credit if you are not registered to care for over 8s ( that is if their child is over 8 of course )

Angel xx

[buildingblocks]

As I understand it (very vague wherever and whoever you speak to) if you care for under 8's you will automatically be registered for over 8's

If you only care for over 8's you will need to register if the parent wishes to use tax credits.

love Kate

[june]

Hi All , I rang Ofsted re over 8's register and spoke to a really nice lad who said that he understood why I was confused as its not very clear !!!!! He said if I wished I could go on the register now (voluntarily at the cost of £100) But from Sept 2008 if I wished to care for over 8's it would be mandatory for me to be on this list at a cost of £ 100. It would also be a separate inspection for this!!!
Don't know about anyone else, but one inspection is bad enough without having another! Wonder if anyone else would like to call Ofsted and see what they are told? Maybe I'm picking it all up wrong

[lou]

This is only if you are not already registered isnt it?

[smartimartie]

If a child is under 8 years of age and the 'play scheme' operates for over 2 hours a day for more than 6 days per year, then the scheme must be registered and inspected by Ofsted. This includes us as childminders.

Unregistered holiday schemes etc provide a service for children aged over 8 years of age only. Schemes for over 8's do not have to be registered by Ofsted at the moment but parents are advised to check for the quality of the service. This can be done by meeting the standards of the over 8's register (Same or similar to our National Standards). At the moment this is voluntary at a cost of £100.00 (A quality assurance scheme for parents and carers you could say). From September 08 this will become compulsory.

However, as we are already monitored by Ofsted we will be automatically included in the over 8's list.

Hope this clarifies things.

Smartie

[vik3000]

Noooo this confuzzled me more now smartie

I currently have one over 8 on my books. He is not included on my report the inspector wasn't interested.

His parents do not claim childcare credits/vouchers etc. I generally have him for approx 2 hours spread over a day for a minimum of 3 days per week

So from 08 Sept will I have to be on this register and will I have to pay this £100?

[smartimartie]

1. If you are looking after children under 8 at the moment you must register.

We are childminders, therefore we are registered and inspected by Ofsted.

2. If you are looking after children over 8 (Only over 8's): say a play scheme, holiday project or even a drama club - currently you do not have to be registered.

3. Groups like the above can join the Register to assure parents and carers that they are checked. Much like we look for the Quality Mark on the kids toys etc.

4. From Sept 08 those groups in the above category (Those caring for only over 8's who are currently not on the register) will be made to join or they will be illegal run! Ofsted are persuading people to join now so that they can hunt down those that don't want to from September.

5. We are in the Ofsted club and we don't need to do anything. We are inspected for the under eights and Ofsted are more than satisfied with our facilities and the care of those children who come to us.

Ofsted are now making the groups and schemes who are caring for children over 8 join the 'Ofsted' club too!

Does that make sense (?)

Why should a child who is 7 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours and 59 minutes have a quality controlled environment and yet a child who is 8 years + have no quality controls !!!

If you are Ofsted Registered and Caring for children over 8 their parents (if they are eligable) are able to claim for a % of the childcare costs.

So No. You need to do nothing. You will automatically be included on the register and will not (as I currently understand it) have to pay to be included on the register.

Should the government or Ofsted decide to charge us for the privilage of looking after over 8's in the future I think they would be shooting themselves in the foot. As I think most childminders would do one of two things.

a. Stop minding over 8's

or

b. Increase the fees that over 8's need to pay to cover the cost of the register.

This would, increase the governments childcare costs, as many people would then be claiming more for their childcare.

[Pauline]

Kate has given the best and most concise answer and I will repeat it:

As I understand it (very vague wherever and whoever you speak to) if you care for under 8's you will automatically be registered for over 8'sIf you only care for over 8's you will need to register if the parent wishes to use tax credits.

So, just to reiterate:

if you are a registered childminder looking after children 0 - 8 you are ALREADY on the register.

if you ONLY look after OVER 8's you have to register if parents want to claim tax credits.

[june]

Hi Pauline , Sorry if I have opened a can of worms about the over 8's from Sept 2008. Have you actually asked Ofsted about this? Because I rang and so did a friend and we were told it would cost us to be on register for over 8's . Please will you ring and asked them and see what you are told. Ofsted like to confuse us all, but Im sure a woman of your experience will clear this up for us once and for all. Thanks June and Carolyn

[Pauline]

Hiya

Well I actually got it from NCMA. It's written down and directed at us support childminders to tell our supports.

I'd hope that NCMA would have got it right and checked with Ofsted!

[june]

Thank You Pauline . Some of the childminders around here have got in a state about it, understandable if they are thinking they were to pay £100 to go on register to earn £ 3 per hour . Would not be worth it really would it?

[Pauline]

I think a lot of people are getting in a tizz but just to clarify a bit more, something else I remember NCMA saying is that if you have a URN then you WILL be on the register. All registered childminders have a URN (your Ofsted number)

That seems to make it more simply to understand doesn't it? Because if you are only caring for over 8's you do not need to register, so therefore would not have a URN

it's your URN number that parents need for their Tax credit forms

I assume that if you go on the voluntary register they will then give you a URN??

Hope this is making it easier to understand!

[june]

Thanks that makes a lot more sense. Your a star Pauline I will let all the girls know. June