Zara Smith, Writer and Editor
Changes to the early years’ funding entitlements mean that a less than Expected Standard or Not Met outcome may affect a childminder’s ability to offer funded places. The changes are designed to make sure children receiving funded early education and childcare are cared for in safe, well-led and effective settings.
This does not mean that funding will automatically be withdrawn. Instead, certain inspection outcomes create a trigger for the local authority to review the setting and decide what support or action may be needed.
When funding may be affected
In accordance with Early education and childcare statutory guidance, local authorities may refuse or withdraw entitlement funding when one or more of the following applies:
- For Early Learning for 2-year-olds – ‘needs attention’ or below in leadership and governance or safeguarding is ‘not met’
- For all entitlements – ‘urgent improvement’ in leadership and governance or safeguarding is ‘not met’
A separate trigger requires local authorities to provide information, advice and training to Ofsted-registered early years providers where:
- Safeguarding is graded Not Met or
- Leadership and governance is graded Needs Attention or Urgent Attention
The local authority will consider the inspection outcome alongside other information, including the provider’s engagement with support and the potential impact on children and families.
What happens in Cambridgeshire?
In Cambridgeshire, the local authority commission Coram PACEY to support all Cambridgeshire childminders. Information about an Ofsted outcome may be received from Ofsted or directly from the childminder.
Where an inspection results in a judgement of Needs Attention or Urgent Attention in Leadership and Governance or where Safeguarding is judged as Not Met, the Childminding Intervention Officer will contact the childminder and request a copy of the inspection report.
The local authority will then:
- Send an initial letter explaining the intervention process and the support available.
- Begin the Funding Risk Assessment process.
- Arrange a visit to complete the Funding Risk Assessment and gather evidence.
- Work with the childminder to create a Setting Improvement Plan, including actions, timescales and any recommended training.
- Review progress regularly and provide ongoing support.
The purpose of this process is to understand the circumstances fully, identify what needs to improve and ensure that children remain safe and receive good-quality care.
Safeguarding concerns
Where safeguarding is judged Not Met the Cambridgeshire Childminding Intervention Officer will visit with a member of the local authority safeguarding team. Together, they will complete a Safeguarding Evaluation Tool to identify strengths, concerns and the action required.
Where appropriate, the childminder may also be offered bespoke safeguarding training. This is intended to provide practical support and help the childminder understand how to strengthen their safeguarding arrangements.
Funding risk assessment
When carrying out a funding risk assessment, the Childminding Intervention Officer will arrange to visit the childminder. During the visit, they will complete the Funding Risk Assessment document and gather supporting evidence.
The assessment will consider the childminder’s history of Ofsted outcomes, their engagement with the Cambridgeshire Support Officer and the Ofsted outcome that led to their involvement in the intervention process. It will also look at the childminder’s engagement with the Cambridgeshire Intervention Officer, including their willingness to attend training, review their practice and implement any necessary improvements.
The assessment will consider:
- Safeguarding
- Inclusion
- Curriculum and teaching
- Achievement
- Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines
- Children’s welfare and wellbeing
- Leadership and governance
Other areas considered will include the support provided to vulnerable groups and how the childminder uses Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), SEND funding and Funded Two-Year-Olds entitlements. The assessment will also take account of whether parents continue to wish to use the setting, the sufficiency of childcare in the local area and the number of children currently on roll. Finally, it will consider the childminder’s qualifications and whether they employ assistants, including how those assistants are supported.
The Childminding Intervention Officer will present the findings from the visit at a Funding Risk Assessment meeting. This meeting includes relevant members of the local authority, such as:
- The Senior Adviser for Intervention and Safeguarding
- The local Authority Improvement Adviser
- The Childminding Intervention Officer
- The Early Years Funding Coordinator
- Where relevant, other teams in the Local Authority including safeguarding, SEND and business governance
The panel will consider the inspection outcome and the provider’s inspection history, evidence gathered during the local authority visit and funding risk assessment, the childminder’s engagement with the intervention process, the availability of local childcare places, and the potential impact of removing children from the setting on them and their families.
Following the meeting, the panel may decide to:
- Withdraw funding
- Allow existing funded children to remain while preventing new children from joining
- Maintain funding to continue while improvement work takes place
Ongoing support
Intervention does not end after the first visit. The childminding intervention officer continues to support the childminder by email and telephone and will usually revisit within six months and again at 12 months.
The Funding Risk Assessment is reviewed regularly. The Setting Improvement Plan is updated as progress is made, and Rapid Improvement Group (RIG) meetings will be held with the childminder and relevant local authority staff.
These meetings take place online and provide an opportunity to:
- Review the actions already completed.
- Discuss any remaining concerns.
- Update the improvement plan.
- Identify further training or support.
- Help the childminder move through the intervention process.
Leaving intervention
When the childminder is reinspected and receives a judgement of Met for Safeguarding and Expected standard or above in Leadership and Governance and all other evaluation areas, the intervention process will cease. The LA will write to the childminder to confirm this. Support to the childminder will be provided by their childminding support officer.
Support is available
Receiving a less than Expected Standard or Not Met outcome can feel extremely worrying, particularly for a childminder who has worked successfully for many years. However, as we have seen above, the Cambridgeshire process is intended to combine accountability with practical support.
One childminder described their experience:
“Having never been in this situation in the last 20 years or so, I was absolutely terrified. But the Improvement Adviser at Cambridgeshire County Council and Coram PACEY really put me at ease and supported me. We worked through all the actions together and completed a risk assessment, with guidance on further training and articles to read. I felt more confident after this.”
The key message is that a less than Expected Standard or Not Met outcome should be treated as the beginning of a structured improvement process, not the end of a childminding career. Check your provider agreement with your local authority to ensure that you understand their process. If you find yourself receiving a less than Expected Standard or Not Met outcome engage openly with your local authority, complete the agreed actions and seek support from other organisations such as Coram PACEY, to strengthen your practice to ensure you can continue providing valuable care for children and families.
