National Childminding Association
Encyclopedia
The National Childminding Association (NCMA) is a charity
and membership organisation based in London
. It works with registered childminders, nannies as well as other individuals and organisations, such as local and national government, to ensure that families in every community
in England and Wales
have access to high quality home-based childcare
, play
, learning and family support so they can help their children reach their full potential.
and Northern Ireland
.
DBE
, previously Chair of the National Children's Bureau
and Chief Executive of Coram Family.
The Chair, since 24 September 2011, is Sue Davis CBE, the first non-childminder in this role. She was previously chair of Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
.
Liz Bayram, who has been the Association's Chief Executive since 2006, now holds this post jointly with Catherine Farrell.
and are inspected by Ofsted
in England, or the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), to ensure they are providing a safe and stimulating environment for these children.
Unlike registered childminders, nannies are employed by parents, and work in the family home. They are not required to register with Ofsted in England or with CSSIW in Wales. However, to reassure parents that they have had an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau
check, first-aid and basic childcare training, nannies can join the voluntary Ofsted register or CSSIW's Voluntary Approval Scheme.
The Association has campaigned against misuse of the term "childminder" in the media. In a letter to The Sun newspaper, Susanna Dawson, who was then the Association's Chair, said: "Registered childminders are not babysitters casually employed by parents. They are regulated and inspected by Ofsted against the same stringent criteria as other childcare providers."
, outlined details of the findings of the longest and most detailed studies of UK childcare, which concluded that young children who are looked after by their mothers
do significantly better in developmental tests than those cared for in nurseries
, by childminders or relatives.
It found babies and toddlers fared worst when they were given group nursery care. Those cared for by friends
or grandparents or other relatives did a little better while those looked after by nannies or childminders were rated second only to those cared for by mothers.
The study, by researchers led by Leach and colleagues Kathy Sylva and Alan Stein, began in 1998 and involved 1,200 children and their families from north London and Oxfordshire
. Mothers were interviewed when their babies were three months old and again when they were 10, 18, 36 and 51 months.
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
and membership organisation based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It works with registered childminders, nannies as well as other individuals and organisations, such as local and national government, to ensure that families in every community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
in England and Wales
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
have access to high quality home-based childcare
Childcare
Child care means caring for and supervising child/children usually from 0–13 years of age. In the United States child care is increasingly referred to as early childhood education due to the understanding of the impact of early experiences of the developing child...
, play
Play (activity)
Play is a term employed in ethology and psychology to describe to a range of voluntary, intrinsically motivated activities normally associated with pleasure and enjoyment...
, learning and family support so they can help their children reach their full potential.
History
NCMA was founded in 1977 by a small group of registered childminders, local authority staff and parents.Originally the Association covered the UK, but the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) and the Northern Ireland Childminding Association (NICMA) now support childminding in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Organisation
The Association's President (since April 2009) is Dame Gillian PughGillian Pugh
Dame Gillian Pugh, DBE was Chief Executive of Coram Family, England’s oldest children’s charity, until her retirement on 25 April 2005, after eight years of service....
DBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, previously Chair of the National Children's Bureau
National Children's Bureau
The National Children's Bureau is a children's charity based in Islington, London. It was founded in 1963 The National Children's Bureau (NCB) is a children's charity based in Islington, London. It was founded in 1963 The National Children's Bureau (NCB) is a children's charity based in Islington,...
and Chief Executive of Coram Family.
The Chair, since 24 September 2011, is Sue Davis CBE, the first non-childminder in this role. She was previously chair of Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust is one of the largest National Health Service teaching Trusts in England and comprises Sandwell General Hospital in West Bromwich, Birmingham City Hospital and Rowley Regis Hospital.-External links:*...
.
Liz Bayram, who has been the Association's Chief Executive since 2006, now holds this post jointly with Catherine Farrell.
Registered childminders and Nannies
Registered childminders care for one or more children under the age of eight for more than a total of two hours a day, usually in the childminder's home, for payment. They are usually self-employedSelf-employment
Self-employment is working for one's self.Self-employed people can also be referred to as a person who works for himself/herself instead of an employer, but drawing income from a trade or business that they operate personally....
and are inspected by Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
in England, or the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), to ensure they are providing a safe and stimulating environment for these children.
Unlike registered childminders, nannies are employed by parents, and work in the family home. They are not required to register with Ofsted in England or with CSSIW in Wales. However, to reassure parents that they have had an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau
Criminal Records Bureau
The Criminal Records Bureau , is an Executive Agency of the Home Office, which provides wider access to criminal record information through its Disclosure service for England and Wales...
check, first-aid and basic childcare training, nannies can join the voluntary Ofsted register or CSSIW's Voluntary Approval Scheme.
The Association has campaigned against misuse of the term "childminder" in the media. In a letter to The Sun newspaper, Susanna Dawson, who was then the Association's Chair, said: "Registered childminders are not babysitters casually employed by parents. They are regulated and inspected by Ofsted against the same stringent criteria as other childcare providers."
Research
At its 2005 annual conference, NCMA's then-President, British childcare expert Dr Penelope LeachPenelope Leach
Dr. Penelope J. Leach is a British psychologist who writes extensively on parenting issues from a child development perspective....
, outlined details of the findings of the longest and most detailed studies of UK childcare, which concluded that young children who are looked after by their mothers
Mothers
Mothers was a club in Erdington, near Birmingham, England during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Mothers opened above an old furniture store in Erdington High Street on August 9, 1968. The club, run by John 'Spud' Taylor and promoter Phil Myatt, closed its doors on 3 January 1971...
do significantly better in developmental tests than those cared for in nurseries
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
, by childminders or relatives.
It found babies and toddlers fared worst when they were given group nursery care. Those cared for by friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
or grandparents or other relatives did a little better while those looked after by nannies or childminders were rated second only to those cared for by mothers.
The study, by researchers led by Leach and colleagues Kathy Sylva and Alan Stein, began in 1998 and involved 1,200 children and their families from north London and Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. Mothers were interviewed when their babies were three months old and again when they were 10, 18, 36 and 51 months.
External links
- Official website: National Childminding Association
- Scottish Childminding Association
- Northern Ireland Childminding Association
- Choosing a childminder – a film produced by the National Childminding Association: what parents think about using a registered childminder and information on the services childminders can provide
- Home from Home: the benefits of home-based childcare (NCMA film)
- Childcare registration – which register should I be on? – Childcare Registration Wizard, published by 4Children4Children4Children is a charity in the UK focusing on children and families. Formerly the National Out of School Alliance and then the Kids' Club Network, the organisation was formed in 1981 to develop after-school provision following research conducted by Bassac....
See also
- Child care
- Day careDay careChild care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
- Early childhood educationEarly childhood educationEarly childhood education is the formal teaching and care of young children by people other than their family or in settings outside of the home. 'Early childhood' is usually defined as before the age of normal schooling - five years in most nations, though the U.S...
- Child developmentChild developmentChild development stages describe theoretical milestones of child development. Many stage models of development have been proposed, used as working concepts and in some cases asserted as nativist theories....
- NannyNannyA nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
(Childminder redirects there)