NCMA - what to purchase?

[kitty]

Hi all,
I've just had a phone call from 0fsted saying that I can expect my certificate in the post early next week .... so now I've got to get moving and get ready. Just been trawling the NCMA website and wondering if I need to have their versions of all the records in the case?? We don't get the start up grant in this area, so I've got to fund it myself and with the £50+ membership fee it all seems a bit steep.

Thanks
Elaine
xx

[andreaschildcare]

hello

I would say at the least use their contracts! i use my own record forms, I have an online accounts package. I just have membership for the insurance and buy their contracts! They are good legally if that makes sense.

HTH

[charleyfarley]

It does work out expensive but I have always used NCMA for my insurance and all my paperwork including the attendence book and the accounts book. You don't need to use all the things but reccommend the contracts as they do cover you if a dispute happens.

Carol x

[vik3000]

Can you not access a start up grant? It might be worth checking with your local NCMA office or CIS.

In my start up grant, I got the first year of public liability, the start up box (NCMA), fire blanket, first aid course.

[angeldelight]

Hi Elaine

I think it is really unfair if you do not get the start up grant are you sure about this ?

If you have to fund it yourself you could always get the things that you def need first like the contracts which are a must

You could buy everything else bit by bit

Or use a different insurance company so you can use your own contracts - might be worth thinking about and you could save your self some money

Angel xx

[janet]

i thought all childminders got the start up grant xxxxx

[charleyfarley]

I never got a start up grant when I started 8 years ago although friends of mine did. Luck of the draw really, don't know if where you live has something to do with it

Carol xx

[kitty]

Firstly ap0l0gies f0r the strange typing, my daughter pulled the 0 key 0ff the keyb0ard the 0ther day and I can n0 l0nger get it t0 w0rk!!!! I think it must have s0mething t0 d0 with where y0u live as we were t0ld 0n the ICP c0urse that as the c0urse was funded we w0uld n0t get the grant . I will pr0bably buy the insurance and c0ntracts and just get 0ther bits as I g0 al0ng.
Thanks
Elaine
x

[happyhome]

I am also new to childminding and not getting any start up grant. My support childminder reckons it works out cheaper using Morton Michel for insurance and some paperwork. She thinks Morton Michel has been in the trade longer than NCMA and therefore better than NCMA. Perhaps you may consider Morton Michel, though they are not as popular as NCMA in this business of ours.

[Pauline]

kitty said:

Firstly ap0l0gies f0r the strange typing, my daughter pulled the 0 key 0ff the keyb0ard the 0ther day and I can n0 l0nger get it t0 w0rk!!!!
x

That is so funny, not that she pulled it off but the way it's typing!

[Pauline]

happyhome said:

I am also new to childminding and not getting any start up grant. My support childminder reckons it works out cheaper using Morton Michel for insurance and some paperwork. She thinks Morton Michel has been in the trade longer than NCMA and therefore better than NCMA. Perhaps you may consider Morton Michel, though they are not as popular as NCMA in this business of ours.

Hi and welcome to the forum 'happyhome'

It really depends on whether you are bothered about getting the information from NCMA via their magazines - available to members.

Morton Michel didn't start offering childcare insurance until after NCMA had been running quite a while, but they are specialists in insurance and it does work out cheaper.

They both offer lots of paperwork, NCMA's looks good but I haven't seen any Morton Michel paperwork so can't comment.

You can find loads of ideas for making your own forms (many are happy to share on here if you ask) and that will save you lots of money.

An accounts book might be useful to get you started through your first year then, once you know what type of things to put down, you could do your own.

To buy the whole packs from either NCMA or MM does cost a lot and it's a shame that some areas give funding and some don't.

[mel]

I have bought the insurance and contracts through NCMA. I have the accounts book for this year but will do my own computerised accounts using their format from next year. I also have their receipt book. I agree that the contracts are a good thing to have - worth it in case of disputes.

Mel x

[kitty]

Thanks every0ne. I'll pr0bably g0 with the NCMA membership and insurance and get the c0ntracts and acc0unts b00k..
ELaine
x