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Teachers Strike - Childminders - Jeanette (25th Nov 2011 - 13:01:14) So the teachers and public service workers are going on strike. At a time when the government is telling everyone there has to be cutbacks. And who is going to look after the children who can\'t go to school? Well other than those few parents who can stay at home it will mean taking time off work or asking childminders to take on extra children for the day. Not that they should grumble after all it will be a few extra pennies for them. But consider this - Although the preconceived notion is that childminders just \'look after children\' they now have to be Ofsted registered (the same as the schools) The government has acknowledged that the most important years for a foundation for learning is from 0 to five years. Childminders have to show what curriculum they will use linked to KS1. They have to keep detailed records of each childs progress which often has to be done outside of working hours. Childminders have to attend training (the same as teachers) but they don\'t get paid for doing it and often it\'s at weekends. Their basic hourly rate is almost half the minimum wage and they can only care for a maximum of 3 under the age of 5. Many childminders already have good qualifications but are also being pressurised to obtain degrees (and there won\'t be any rise in pay at the end of it) Childminders don\'t get numerous weeks paid leave, nor sick pay, nor any pension. I hope no-one decides to make a crass statement about they must do it because they love their job! If the teachers demands are met then all good to them, but it\'s about time the goverment backed off from their double standards of how much each job is worth to the country!

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