NCB to conduct ground-breaking study of childminding practice
Monday 28 September 2009
NCB has this week launched its research study
into childminding practice in the 21st Century.
With participation from the National Childminding Association, the
18 month project will seek to answer key questions around
childminding practice, parental choice and the requirements of the
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) as they relate to childminding
in day to day settings.
Sue Owen, Director of Well-Being at NCB, comments: "Childminding
is at a key turning point with the number of registered
childminders in England in decline since 2003 and this research
study will help provide fundamental practical and policy support
for the service in the future. Just today, the need for an
evidence-based debate into childminding practice has been
highlighted by reports around reciprocal childminding and
registration requirements."
The NCB study is being conducted across England with in-depth
studies of five local authorities and will consist of direct
observation with childminders, a random sample survey as well as
interviews with both childminders and parents, providing a true
representation of the views in this area. It will address key
questions regarding how childminding differs from group provision
and why some parents prefer childminding as a form of early years
childcare and education.
Since September 2008, childminders registered in England to care
for children under 5 must deliver the key components of EYFS, (the
statutory framework that sets the standards for learning
development and care for children aged 0-5 years) and are required
to be inspected against it by Ofsted. This research will therefore
be significant in considering how these requirements relate to the
very specific nature of childcare in a home setting.
Sue Owen concludes "NCB is delighted to be leading the way
on this piece of research especially at such a crucial time. It is
hoped that the findings will enable practitioners, policy makers
and users of early years services, locally and nationally, to make
informed decisions about the future of childminding.