Childminder Celebration Evening

· by · in Education and schools. ·

Over 80 registered childminders from across Merton will be joining together to celebrate the borough’s first ever Childminder Celebration Evening at Morden Park Hall on Tuesday, 27 March 2007 at 7.30pm.

Special guests at this ceremony, which was set up to recognise and celebrate the achievements of Merton’s childminders, will include Gary Thomas, the National Childminding Association’s (NCMA) regional director for the south, Janet Martin, the Head of Education at Merton Council, and Julie Danzey, Service Manager for Early Years, Childcare and Children’s centres in Merton.

The borough’s registered childminders have completed the National Childminding Association’s Quality First Award, which is a quality assurance scheme for individual childminders. Others have become support childminders, able to provide much needed support and guidance for newly registering childminders. Many have completed other key training courses.

Gary Thomas, Director of NCMA South Region, said:
“I am delighted to mark the achievements of these childminders. Their commitment to self- improvement and quality childminding services should be rewarded and celebrated. Congratulations to them and I hope this will spur other registered childminders to follow suit in the coming year.”

Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Deborah Shears, said:
“The hard work and achievements of our childminders and the great support they provide children and families is something worth marking. We will be celebrating the childminders who have worked hard on our network, completed Quality First, run successful supportive drop-ins and those who are great support childminders.”

Janet Martin, Head of Education at Merton Council, said:
‘This evening is to honour the childminders’ continuing hard work through the many changes that have occurred in the sector. It celebrates the outstanding results in Ofsted inspections for childminders, the excellent support given to young parents and recognises the valuable contribution all childminders are making to the Every Child Matters outcomes for children.”