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Wicklow County Childcare Committee

Childminder Mentoring In County WicklowChildminder Mentoring In County Wicklow

The Pilot Programme 2010The Pilot Programme 2010 - 20112011

The Wicklow County Childcare Committee (WCCC) is to be commended for its initiative in setting up a

Childminder Mentoring Scheme as a pilot project, monitoring the outcomes, and publishing a report in

order to make the benefits known to others.

In particular, Miriam O’Regan, WCCC’s Childminder Advisor (CMAO), deserves our thanks for recommending

such a mentoring scheme in the first place. She had done her homework before bringing the proposal

to the Childminding Subcommittee, and could point to the success of the model developed by Bradford’s

Sure Start mentoring programme in the UK. A visit to the UK confirmed the value of the model, and the

project was rolled out. In addition, the success of the Community Mothers’ scheme in Ireland, through

which peer volunteers supported new mothers, also informed the project. The management of this

latter scheme and the support given to the volunteers by a Public health nurse mirrors the role of the

CMAO in the WCCC scheme.

The value of peer support is well established. The customers in this small mentoring project have

confirmed that it has worked for them.

The broad aims of the project are outlined in the Project Specification, in Appendix 3:

providing increased support in a cost-effective way for new childminders as they start up

their service;

attracting new childminders to complete the process of Voluntary Notification as laid

down in the National Guidelines for Childminders (2008);

encouraging them to avail of the information and support service provided by the WCCC;

improving the retention rate of these childminders in the first year;

increasing the quality of childcare being offered to children and their parents.

This Report confirms that specific outcomes fulfil the initial aims:

improved retention in the first year

increased take up of training and quality assurance

higher levels of participation in childminder events.

As childminders had to have voluntarily notified to fulfil the criteria to be included in the pilot

mentoring scheme, that specific goal could not be tested. However, it is reasonably argued that

the high participation rate of new childminders in QAP training augured well for such an outcome

in the future.

Research should be considered in future to obtain the views of parents and children (age related)

of the quality of services, and thus demonstrate the effect of participation in QAP training.

When the Childminder Voluntary Notification Scheme was initiated by HSE Wicklow in 2006,

the Child Care Manager decided to grant aid WCCC to initiate and manage the scheme so that

childminders could benefit from the WCCC’s range of childcare services (eg training and childminder

development grants), as well as being integrated with them. The initial grant for the post of CMAO

CHILDMINDER MENTORING IN COUNTY WICKLOW : THE PILOT PROGRAMME 2010-2011 1

Foreword

was constrained by the fact that only one third of the grant allocated by the Department of Health and

Children (on behalf of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform) to the then Health Board

was passed on to the local Community Care area. The post had therefore to be made part-time.

In subsequent years, the grant has been further eroded by cutbacks each year, and has had to be

supplemented annually by the WCCC’s core funding to enable the post to continue to be employed.

Despite this, the CMAO’s enthusiasm and innovative approach drew in childminders where previously

not a great deal was known of their numbers and spread locally. The CMAO found that she could not

properly support the 30+ new Childminders joining the Voluntary Notification scheme on average each

year. She must be commended for her innovative attitude in proposing this mentoring scheme as a

solution to the dilemma. Further, she viewed this as freeing her up to prioritise and make best use of

her own role, which would include the monitoring of the volunteer project. One should not omit to

acknowledge both the steady hand of Co-ordinator Jeremy Kynaston, who always maintained a reliable

overview of the pilot, and the supportive contribution of the Childminding Subcommittee.

This mentoring scheme is to be recommended to other Childcare Committees for consideration.

It is also recommended that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs review how best the funding

streams to the Childcare Committees might be facilitated in order to integrate the range of services

effectively as well as ensuring that the ‘childminder’ element is given its due import.

John Quin, M.A., Dip.Soc.St., C.Q.S.W.

Child Care Manager, HSE Wicklow (retired)

Former WCCC Board member

CHILDMINDER MENTORING IN COUNTY WICKLOW : THE PILOT PROGRAMME 2010-20112

Foreword 2

1 Introduction 5

1.1 The need for mentoring for new Childminders 5

1.2 Research and Investigation into Peer Mentoring 5

1.3 The Aims and Objectives of the Pilot Mentoring Scheme 6

2 Set up of the Childminder Mentoring Scheme 6

2.1 Recruitment of Mentors 6

2.2 Support offered to new Childminders 7

2.3 Support given to mentors 7

3 Progress during the Pilot 7

3.1 Take up of the scheme 7

3.2 Supervision of the scheme 7

4 Evaluation of Pilot Programme 8

4.1 Mentors’ experience 8

4.2 Mentees’ Experience 9

5 Outcomes and Recommendations from the Pilot 10

5.1 Outcomes 10

5.2 Recommendations 10

Appendices

Appendix 1: Childminder Mentoring Need Survey 11

Appendix 2: The Bradford Childminder Mentoring Programme: Findings 11

Appendix 3: Project Specification for the Childminding Mentoring Pilot 2010 13

Appendix 4 Mentoring Info Pack: Brochure, Role Requirements & Application form 15

1. Brochure for recruiting Mentors 15

2. WCCC Childminding Mentoring Scheme Role Requirements 17

3. Application for Role of Childminding Mentor 18

Appendix 5: Childminding Mentor Induction Manual: Table of Contents 20

Appendix 6: Childminder Mentoring Scheme: Feedback Form 21

Appendix 7: Childminding Mentor Volunteer Agreement 22

Appendix 8: Brochure for new Childminders 24

Appendix 9: Interim Evaluation of the pilot Childminder Peer Mentoring Scheme 25

Appendix 10a: Survey of Childminders in the Mentoring Scheme 2010-2011 26

Appendix 10b: Survey of Mentors 2010-2011: questions asked 27


Table of Contents


This report documents a Childminder Mentoring scheme piloted by the Childminder Advisor employed by

the Wicklow County Childcare Committee (WCCC) with HSE funding. It documents the scheme from its initial

research phase through to its operation for one year among childminders in County Wicklow. From a desire to

provide better support to new childminders when starting up, it grew into a project that involved experienced

childminders passing on the best of their hard earned knowledge and skills to the beginners.

An investigative visit to Bradford’s Sure Start mentoring programme was key: there you could see the fruit of

a programme that had been in operation for over five years – unexpectedly good results for childminders in the

inspection process. As a result, the aims of this pilot mentoring scheme were to establish whether the use of

volunteer Childminding Mentors could:

Attract new Childminders to get involved in the Voluntary Notification and Support system;

Improve the retention rate of these Childminders in the first year;

Provide increased support for new Childminders in a cost-effective way.

The process of recruitment involved attendance at an information evening about the scheme, followed by a

written application, and then an interview. Of the 12 childminders who came to the information evening,

four - completed the whole process with four hours of induction training, before starting work as mentors.

These four experienced childminders mentored 18 new voluntarily notified childminders (the mentees) between

April 2010- April 2011. Most were just setting up their services, and it was gratifying to see how well the new

support system worked at retaining them, even when work did not come easily. The monthly phone call, text,

email, or meeting with their mentor seemed to provide reassurance and practical help. The mentees also has

specific times when they could contact their mentor if they had a pressing need.

There were several positive outcomes:

Improved retention of childminders in the first year – up from 57% in 2009 to 83% in 2010.

Increased take up of training– all of the mentees who remained in the scheme have done both

the Quality Awareness Programme for Childminders and Paediatric First Aid.

Higher levels of participation in childminder events: 2010 was the best year ever for network attendance.

Both mentors and mentees seemed to have enjoyed the experience: the satisfaction of giving for the former,

and the presence of support for the latter, which seems to have lessened the sense of isolation that many new

childminders can experience.

Of the initial aims, only one has yet to be realised – that of attracting new childminders into Voluntary

Notification. As being Voluntarily Notified was one of the criteria to be involved in the pilot, a new approach

to fulfil this aim will need to be considered if the mentoring scheme becomes fully established in Co Wicklow

following this pilot.

Summary


Introduction

1.1 The need for mentoring for new ChildmindersSince the Voluntary Notification Support Scheme for Childminders started in 2006, numbers notifying in Co.

Wicklow rose steadily until over 130 childminders were involved by the end of 2009. However, the retention

rate in that year fell to 57%, so over half of those notifying had given up within a year. It was recognised

that a significant reason for this was the level of work involved for one part-time Childminder Advisor (CMAO)

in providing quality support to the over 30 new childminders making notifications on average each year. The

CMAO found it difficult to make more than one advisory visit annually, which is often insufficient to help a

new childminder to get going. This was in contrast to the early days of the Voluntary Notification Scheme,

when there were fewer notifications, and such advisory visits included discussions on applications for the

Childminders Development Grant, which enabled more personal support.

As a result the Childminder Advisor and the Childminding Initiative Sub Committee considered a peer

Mentoring Scheme from early 2009, initially with a view to providing better quality support to new

childminders availing of the Childminders Advisory service, improving their chances of success in this

competitive market, and retaining them within the Voluntary Notification Scheme. This in turn would

facilitate the development of an increasingly well trained and experienced cohort of childminders, providing

better quality care to their children.

Potential Childminders surveyed at the Quality Awareness Programme at the end of 2009 suggested that

such a scheme would be well received. 1 They indicated that they would value support on the business side

of Childminding – around advertising, interviewing parents, and managing the relationship with parents –

more than support on childcare issues.

1.2 Research and Investigation into Peer MentoringTwo models of community based peer support were investigated: the Community Mother scheme run by

the Health Service Executive in Bray, Co. Wicklow, and the Support Childminder Pathfinder scheme piloted by

Sure Start in the United Kingdom in 2004. Where the Community Mother scheme was very tightly structured

to ensure that the right information was taught to the new Mums, the Support Childminder scheme was

more about peer support.

Research by Sure Start in England showed that many potential Childminders did not complete the UK

Registration process because of the lack of individual support, while considerable evidence showed that

regular peer support was effective in combating this. It states:

‘New childminders say how much they value the support of an established childminder. They are happier to

contact someone they view as a peer, rather than someone in “authority” and existing childminders can

answer questions about the real-life practicalities of the profession. In addition, support childminding

schemes frequently lead to increased participation in childminding groups, associations and drop-ins, as well

as an increased take-up of training and quality-assurance schemes by both new and support childminders. 2

1 See copy of the questionnaire in Appendix 1. 2 http://www.ncma.org.uk/partnerships/support_childminders.aspx downloaded 19/11/2011

from the website of the National Childminding Association of England and Wales.

Set up of the Childminder Mentoring Scheme


At the International Family Daycare Conference in Cork in July 2008, connections were made with Kay Holden,

the Childminding Network Coordinator for Bradford Early Years Service, through which a successful Childminder

Mentoring programme had been running since the initial pilots in 2004. A fact-finding mission was approved to

research the scheme, and so in late 2009, the CMAO and Fionnuala Curry of Childminding Ireland visited Bradford

to meet Kay Holden, the mentors and other support workers for Childminders.3 The information gathered there –

including a range of relevant forms and paperwork - proved invaluable, as the operation of the scheme could be

clearly understood from talking to former mentors and the Mentor Coordinator.

1.3 The Aims and Objectives of the Pilot Mentoring Scheme

Following the CMAO’s recommendation- to the WCCC’s Childminding Initiative sub-committee, it was agreed to set

up a pilot Childminder Mentoring Scheme along the lines of the Sure Start scheme in Bradford, taking into account

the differences between the regulatory frameworks.4 The pilot’s purpose was to provide better support to new

Childminders. The total additional budget approved was €1,200.

The primary aims of this pilot mentoring scheme were to establish whether the

use of volunteer Childminding Mentors could:

• Attract new Childminders to get involved in the Voluntary Notification

and Support system;

• Improve the retention rate of these Childminders in the first year;

• Provide increased support for new Childminders in a cost-effective way.

The practical activities to achieve the aims of the Childminder mentoring

scheme were to: 1) support potential Childminders with regular contact for up

to one year starting from when they had attended a QAP or submitted a voluntary notification form; 2) to identify

and assist with any problems during the process of implementing the voluntary guidelines; 3) to link experienced,

professional Childminders with new Childminders in order to build self-confidence and 4) to increase the quality of

childcare being offered to children and their parents.

3 See Appendix 2 for an account of our findings.4 See Appendix 3 for the full project specification.5 See Appendix 4 for the Mentor Information Pack6 See Appendix 5 for the Contents of the Induction training developed by Miriam O’Regan and Fionnuala Curry.

2.1 Recruitment of MentorsAt the start of 2010, the process of recruiting mentors was begun from among the experienced notified

Childminders in the County, with a view to having at least one mentor in each of the following areas: Bray-

Greystones, Wicklow-Rathnew, Rathdrum-Aughrim and South Wicklow.5 The role was advertised in the WCCC

newsletter, and personal invitations were given at Childminder network events.

This process resulted in 12 Childminders coming to the initial information evening, run by the CMAO and

Fionnuala Curry. Only four of the six who applied for the role decided to go through to the interview stage and,

following acceptance onto the Scheme, the induction process, which consisted of two evenings of training.

The training covered both their role as mentors, (communication, confidentiality and boundaries) as well as

information useful to their prospective mentees (marketing, business and childcare matters).6


2.2 Support offered to new ChildmindersThe support for Childminders in the pilot programme consisted of monthly

contact either by phone, e-mail, visit or meeting. The mentors sent in

monthly reports of contact details and outcomes,7 which showed that this

was done in many different ways, in response to various levels of need.

One mentor held a coffee afternoon in her home (when she had no children

to mind) to get to know all her mentees, and this proved an excellent basis

for ongoing support and relationship. Another visited her mentees in their

homes when she was free, which allowed for a different type of support.

However for the most part, support was by phone call and text, with the

mentees having the possibility of contacting their mentor more often if needed.

2.3 Support given to mentorsThe mentors received support through three feedback meetings held over the course of the year, where

progress and problems were discussed with the Childminder Advisor overseeing the team. In addition, they

got feedback on the progress reports which they sent in monthly, either by phone or email, or a one to one

meeting. In addition, a formal Volunteer Childminding Mentor agreement between the WCCC and each mentor

was signed off – it included confirmation of public liability insurance as supervised volunteers in the WCCC’s

policy. 8 Finally, in order to compensate for any expenses, an annual gift was given – a €100 voucher in the

pilot year.

Progress during the Pilot

3.1 Take up of the schemeBy April 2010, the mentors were in place, and in the course of the year ending April 2011, 18 childminders

received mentoring support.9 By the end of May 2010, there were 10 mentees in the scheme, and a further

eight had joined the scheme by November. Of 23 new Voluntary Notifications in 2010, 13 took up the

mentoring option (some were already experienced, working childminders and did not feel the need of that

kind of support).The remaining four mentees had notified in 2009, but requested a mentor when they heard

of the scheme.

3.2 Supervision of the schemeThe scheme was under the direct supervision of the CMAO, who started by matching new childminders with

a mentor as part of the Voluntary Notification process. Mentors were given the mentees’ contact informa-

tion, and all communications were then reported via the monthly feedback form. The CMAO maintained con-

tact with mentors via monthly e-mails, or phone calls, and the occasional visit. Mentors could also contact

the CMAO for any support or additional information they felt they needed. In addition, the mentors met with

the CMAO as a group quarterly. The CMAO also had ‘spot check’ conversations with mentees, either on visits

or by phone, which gave excellent feedback on how well the mentors were doing.

7 See Appendix 6 for a copy of the monthly feedback form8 See Appendix 7 for a copy of the Volunteer Mentor Agreement.9 See Appendix 8 for brochure promoting the Mentoring Scheme to new Childminders


The interim evaluation of November 201010 was very positive. The earliest indicator of success was that only

one out of 13 new Voluntary Notified childminders in the scheme had given up minding, and that only

because she had to move. (By comparison, 2 of the other 10 childminders who had made a Voluntary

Notification in the same year- had already stopped). This is particularly impressive because some of the 13

mentees had to wait months before they got work, but with the mentors’ support they continued to prepare,

getting everything in place (i.e. training, insurance, Garda vetting, policies for the service etc) so that they

would be ready to go by the time they got children to mind. This confirms the impact that the mentors’

support had on the overall retention rate of childminders -, which was one of the main goals.

However, one goal not achieved was that of attracting new Childminders into the Voluntary Notification

scheme. This was primarily because in the pilot, a mentor was available to those who attended QAP training,

and many had made a Voluntarily Notification before getting a mentor. While all the mentors would mention

the scheme, and the free QAP training to other childminders in their community, none felt that this had any

direct impact.

In order to assess whether the three main goals had been met,

(attracting new childminders, improving retention rates, and providing

additional support) surveys were distributed in July 2011 to all those who

had participated in the programme, both mentees and mentors.11 10 of

the 18 mentees, and all four mentors, returned the survey. In addition,

informal interviews were conducted with two mentors and five of the

mentees who returned the survey, resulting in a response rate of 72%.

4.1 Mentors’ experienceMentors were initially motivated to take part in the scheme so that they could give new childminders the

support that they would themselves have liked to have received when setting up. None of them found it too

time consuming – on average less than an hour a week was spent catching up with mentees. By December

2010, all four mentors were assisting up to five childminders each, and all thought they would be willing to

support more once they didn’t live too far away. It should be noted that they didn’t mind travelling to see the

childminders they were already supporting. Although telephone contact was found effective, all the mentors

wanted to meet their ‘mentees’ and provide at least some of the support face-to-face. However, most

mentors felt the period of support - up to a year - was - too long.

The support needs of the mentees were reported to vary according to the stage they were at.

On start up, the specific needs included information and advice on contracts, fees, and how to fill places –

which linked with marketing and interviewing parents. Some mentors were able to provide direct help with

finding children for their mentees to mind. Then, once the mentees started childminding, the support needs

changed to practical care, behaviour issues, and management of parental relationships. Above all, the men-

tors felt they provided ‘a listening ear’, offering reassurance and encouragement.

10 See Appendix 9 for the Interim Evaluation of the Scheme.11 See Appendix 10 for the final surveys.

Evaluation of Pilot Programme


Mentors reported few difficulties with providing support. Those problems which they did experience included

difficulty in making contact with some new mentees, a feeling that they were offering support to people who

did not appear to need their help, and a feeling that they were superfluous after quite a short period of time.

Apart from that, filling in the monthly feedback form, attaching it and returning it by email was the only

outstanding challenge for some of them. All mentors said they would have joined the scheme without the

prospect of a gift, but they were still pleased to receive it!

4.2 Mentees’ Experience Most mentee respondents had children, often of pre-school

age, and 70% were working childminders, minding on

average 2 children in addition to their own. All were

voluntarily notified when joining the scheme.

Since evidence shows that it can take up to 4 - 6 months

to find and begin work, a period of support of 6 months

to a year seemed appropriate. However, while half of the

respondents felt that 3-6 months was long enough, nearly

a third said they would like ongoing support after the initial

period of up to one year. It was suggested that the mentor could still be available for occasional telephone

queries, as needed, after the initial monthly contact support for the year was finished.

The main support needs were with setting fees, handling tax, and marketing to fill places. When asked how

helpful the support had been overall, 40 % found it very helpful, 20 % said it was helpful and 30 % said it

was quite helpful. This 90% positive response (with 10% not finding the support helpful) is encouragingly

high, given the relatively short length of time the scheme was running. It demonstrates that the scheme

provides measurable help.

Of all 18 Voluntary Notified mentees in the Mentoring scheme in 2010, only 3 stopped childminding: a high

retention rate of 83 % in the first year. This is a great outcome when compared to the retention rate of 57%

for those in the first year of childminding in 2009, the year before the Mentoring scheme. Of the 3 who

stopped, one did so because she moved out of the country, and the other two because pressures within their

own family made it too difficult to continue. However, both of these confirmed how helpful their mentor’s

support had been in coming to that decision.

Other positive outcomes included an increased participation in training by the mentees: all completed both

the Quality Awareness Programme (QAP) and a Paediatric First Aid course, and many also took part in other

WCCC training. Their sense of involvement could also be seen by their participation in the weekly network

play dates running at that time, where mentors and mentees often met up for ongoing updates, advice and

friendship. This just happened naturally, because the mentors enjoyed the network get-togethers.

All comments, both written and verbal, were overwhelmingly positive and highly supportive of the scheme.

The main points made were that the scheme was a good idea, that it had been helpful to them in both a

practical sense and in building their confidence, and that it provided reassurance. It also helped to reduce

feelings of isolation.


Outcomes and Recommendations from the Pilot

5.1 Outcomes

A number of positive outcomes of the mentoring scheme are evident.

1. Improved retention in the first year – up from 57% to 83%.

2. Increased take up of training– 83% of the mentees have done the QAP and Paediatric

First Aid courses.

3. Higher levels of participation in childminder events – 2010 was the best year ever for

participation in network events.

One goal of the scheme which was not overtly achieved – that of attracting new Childminders to make

Voluntary Notifications. As noted previously, this was because mentees had made Voluntary Notifications

prior to joining the scheme. However, the CMAO was surprised when delivering a QAP at the end of 2011,

at how many of the participants had registered for the course on the recommendation of an experienced

childminder mentor . This suggests that this goal may be achieved when the childminder mentors become

better known as such within their communities.

5.2 Recommendations

The main recommendation is that the Childminder

Mentoring Scheme be continued. It has been welcomed by

the mentee childminders involved, and is clearly assisting

in their retention as childminders. If continued, it can be

expected to achieve tangible results both in terms of a

reduction in childminder turnover, and in an increased

number of notified Childminders.

Other recommendations include:

1. Prospective childminders should be informed of the scheme at the first point of contact with the

Childminder Advisory Service, whether on setting up as a childminder, on doing the QAP, or on

making a Voluntary Notification.

2. The structure of support should change from 12 months of active support, to 3-6 months of

proactive visiting/calling, followed by a further 6 months of availability for calls.

3. Mentors should give a sufficient amount of face-to-face support, both because it was the most

appreciated form of support, and it made subsequent phone support easier.

4. Mentors should be asked to promote participation in training and networking, both to improve

skills and to increase professionalism.

5. The scheme should be continued and expanded through the recruitment and training of

new mentors.

6. The mentors’ induction training should cover basic computer skills.


Appendix 1: Childminder Mentoring Need Survey

1. Are you thinking of starting a Childminding service, or have you recently started one? Yes / No (Please circle.)

2. Would you be interested in having an experienced Childminder be your mentor to helpyou get going? Yes / No (Please circle.)

If No, go to question 3. If Yes, go to question 4.

3. Why would you prefer not to have a mentor? Could you try to explain briefly?

4. How would you like a mentor to help you? Please tick the top five areas you would like to get support in.

Money matters: tax & insurance Marketing a Childminding serviceChildcare regulations Ideas about food for kidsRecord keeping, policies etc Tips on managing behaviourIdeas for play & activities Handling difficult situations with parentsInsights on child development Rates & contractsMaking a fire plan/ First Aid kit

5. Can you say briefly why you would like to have a mentor, and what you would hope to get out of it?

Need for Mentoring Survey. Childminder Advisory Service, WCCC November 2009


History of schemeBradford: Pop 477,800: 500 registered Childminders with 22 support workers.

Bradford Early Years Service rolled out the scheme in April 2004, as part of a nationwide initiative, funded by

national government, following a successful pilot scheme organised and evaluated by Sure Start. It received the

national funding until 2006, after which the local authority had to fund the scheme itself, if they felt it was

worthwhile. In Bradford, after evaluation, they felt it was worth continuing because although Bradford has some

very deprived areas, it gets the lowest number of “inadequate” ratings from OFSTED12 for newly registered

Childminders in England.

Operation of schemeThe scheme’s main purpose is to attract, support and retain new Childminders going through the rigorous

registration process. There are 12 Childminder mentors, and approx. 120 new Childminder applicants each year;

of these, about 90 complete the registration process. Each mentor supports around 10 applicants, although at times

the ratio has been as high as 1:18.

Mentors go through a recruitment process, including an interview, to determine their suitability followed by

induction training. Skills required include: communication, record-keeping, understanding of confidentiality, tax,

& police clearance; creative ideas on play; a positive attitude towards training & the inspection process. Once

accepted, the mentors then go through induction training of around 6 hours to update their knowledge where

necessary, improve their skills, and train them in the requisite paper trail.

Mentors support new Childminders by monthly contacts, by phone, e-mail, letter, meeting at a Stay n’ Play, or

home visit. The mentor decides how s/he wishes to do this, and makes the nature and limits of support known

to mentees, using a template letter to give days/times etc. (For example, one mentor just holds open house

Thursday morning for mentees, since she doesn’t mind any children that day.) The mentor needs to contact each

new person within a month of receiving their details, and then keep a record of every contact, and the outcome of

that contact. These contact forms are submitted monthly, and the Coordinator spot checks by calling mentees to

see if the reported contacts tally.

In Bradford, they receive a bursary of £500 annually, in two payments, once they submit their monthly contact

forms and attend the meetings with their Coordinator every two months or so. The bursary system was vetted

by their legal department, so that mentors are not seen as employees in any way.

Things to look out for in sta rt ing such a scheme1. Don’t accept every candidate; the interview process must include the possibility of refusal.

2. Watch out for breaches of confidentiality: gossip is always damaging.

3. Make sure that mentors have the necessary record keeping skills or they will need extra support.

ConclusionsBradford Local Authority decided to continue funding the scheme, because the outcomes were positive for all

involved. In Bradford, they have had a very low turnover rate in mentors. This is partly because they enjoy passing

on the skills and knowledge gained from experience, and partly because they feel truly appreciated by the EYS

through the bursary and annual celebrations. This scheme has proved to its value is supporting new Childminders.

Appendix 2 The Bradford Childminder Mentoring Programme: Findings

12 OFSTED’s 4 point rating scale: inadequate, satisfactory, good, very good.


Appendix 3 Project Specification for the Childminding Mentoring Pilot 2010

Project: Childminder Mentoring Pilot Programme

Project Sponsor: Wicklow County Childcare Committee & Childminding Ireland

Project Owner: Miriam O’Regan, Childminder Advisory Service (East Wicklow), WCCC

Supervising Committee: Childminding Initiative Subgroup:

Mr Jeremy Kynaston, WCCC Coordinator, Mr John Quin, HSE Child Care Manager, Patricia Murray, CEO, Childminding

Ireland, Fionnuala Curry, Childminding Ireland, Community Care Area 10, Lorna Lafferty, Bray Partnership,

Paula O’Reilly/Margaret Hill Childminders’ Representatives, Miriam O’Regan, Childminder Advisor (East),

Bridie Clancy, Childminder Advisor (West Wicklow)

Purpose:To examine the applicability of the Childminding Mentoring model for use in Ireland.

Goal:To establish by December 31st 2010, whether the use of Childminding mentors can:

Attract new Childminders going through process of setting up their own Childminding service to

become involved in the Voluntary Notification and Support system.

Improve the retention rate new Childminders in the first year.


Objectives:1. To recruit at least 5 Childminder mentors by January 2010.

2. To conduct a 6-hour induction training programme for the mentors by March.

3. To have at least 15 new Childminders involved as mentees in the mentoring programme by April.

4. To conduct a survey of new VN Childminders in 2009, who did not receive mentoring, regarding the

start-up and notification experience, in order to create a point of comparison.

5. To run the monthly contact mentoring programme for as an option for new Childminders until

December 31st 2010.

6. To run monthly reporting and a bi-monthly meeting for the mentors to oversee the programme,

linking such cooperation to the annual bursary of €

7. To estimate cost of mentoring support against the cost of CMAO support, including possible savings

from a reduced number of calls and visits.

8. To monitor the outcomes of the pilot by:

a. Comparing the number of new Notifications with previous years.

b. Conducting the aforementioned survey (in 4) with this group.

c. Comparing the retention rate of 2010 notifications with previous years at the end of 2011.

Rationale:As the number of Voluntary Notifications from Childminders has risen steadily since the start of the scheme in 2006

to over 130 by the end of 2009, it was felt that one part-time Childminders Advisor could not properly support the

30+ new Childminders joining the scheme on average each year. Therefore, with the Community Mothers model in

mind, it was decided to investigate a volunteer based mentoring programme for new Childminders, using experi-

enced Childminders.

Such a programme was developed and piloted by Sure Start in the UK, and was rolled out nationally in 2004.

There, the scheme’s main purpose is to attract, support and retain new Childminders going through


the rigorous registration process for Childminders. A study visit to Bradford, England revealed that it has successfully improved the number of Childminders gaining a satisfactory rating on inspection.

The purpose of this pilot is to examine the effectiveness of a peer mentoring programme for Childminders as a quality improvement measure in:

1) Supporting new Childminders as they start up their service, and2) Helping new Childminders complete the process of Voluntary Notification

as laid down in the National Guidelines for Childminders (2nd ed. 2008).

Project Budget

Childminder Advisor hoursRecruitment 5Training development 10Training delivery 10Programme monitoring 15Bi-monthly mentor meetings 20

60 = € 1400 (part of usual salary)Mileage 500km = € 200

Mentor bursaries € 200 x 6 = € 1200Total cost of project € 2800

Key Tasks:

TASK RESPONSIBLE COMPLETION

Initial advertisement of programme Miriam O’Regan Sept 09

Study visit to Bradford MOR & Fionnuala Curry Oct 09

Approval of pilot development Childminding intiative sub-group Nov 09

Development Application form and training MOR & FC Nov 09

Recruitment Interviews MOR and Jeremy Kynaston Jan 2010

Induction training MOR & FC Feb 2010

Survey VNs 2009 MOR Feb 2010

Mentor-mentee matching MOR Mar 2010

Start of monthly contacts Mentors April 2010

Start monthly reports/ spot checks Mentors & MOR May 2010

Start progress & monitoring meetings Mentors & MOR May 2010

Evaluation 1 CMI sub-group June 2010

Evaluation 2 CMI subgroup Oct 2010

Final evaluation and report MOR, FC and CMI sub-group Jan 2011

Reporting Process:

Mentors monthly to Childminder Advisor

Childminder Advisor (project owner) quarterly to CMI sub group

Project owner to OMCYA on conclusion of Pilot.


Appendix 4 Mentoring Info Pack: Brochure, Role Requirements & Application form

1. Brochure for recruiting Mentors

What will I have to do?

As you are an experienced Childminder, you probably already help many people who start childminding in

and around your area, telling them about local groups, events, and giving the odd bit of advice here and

there. Becoming a Mentor is a more formal and recognized way of providing this support; it also provides

you with extra support from the Childminders’ Advisor.

As a Mentor you will be helping support new and potential Childminders work through the notification

process, and possibly give support for up to 1 year in their new business. You will be sharing your knowledge

and passing on advice and information, including practical skills such as filling forms, organising the home

for Childminding, as well as introducing them to local groups, and helping them access training etc. As an

experienced childminder, this will all seem very easy to you but can be quite daunting to other childminders

when they first start out.

You can help in many ways by:Telephone

Letter

Email (if you have one)

Face to face visiting a Childminder in their home or your home

It is your choice. You choose whatever works best for you and the people you are working with.

Will it affect my own childminding?

There may be times when a person wishes to

call you in the day, but you choose the times you

want to be available. Many of things you will

need to do as a Mentor will fit in with your

day-to-day childminding work, such as attending

network events etc.


Why should I get involved?

As well as being part of a rewarding and exciting new project, if you become a mentor

you will be offered:

Extra support by your local Childminders Advisor;

Extra training opportunities that complement your own Childminding work;

Recognition of your professional skills from other Childminders and local childcare workers;

Greater future employment options as the skills you gain as a Mentor will be valuable in

many other careers as well as in Childminding.

What help will I get?

As a Mentor, you will receive induction training to let you know what will be expected of you.

After your induction, you will continue to receive plenty of support and guidance from the

Childminders Advisor, who will be available to answer any questions or queries you may have.

Regular support meetings will be held where you will be able to swap information and

experiences with other Mentors and the Childminders Advisor.

For further information, please contact:

Miriam O’Regan, Childminders Advisor

Mobile: 087-2198944

E-mail: [email protected]

Wicklow County Childcare Committee, Kilmantin Hill, Wicklow Town


2. WCCC Childminding Mentoring Scheme Role Requirements

Role: Childminding MentorThe WCCC Childminding Advisory Service aims to promote high quality childcare in Childminding Services.

The Childminding Mentor’s role it to support new and potential Childminders for up to 1 year in their new

business in a professional and confidential manner, under the auspices of the Childminding Advisory Service.

ATTRIBUTES

EXPERIENCE

QUALIFICATIONS

TRAINING

ATTITUDE

SKILLS

PERSONAL

OTHER

ESSENTIAL

Experience of working with children from

0 – 12 year olds. Currently actively working

as a notified childminder for at lest 2

years. Knowledge of current notification

process, childcare regulations & tax laws.

Statutory or Voluntary Notification

Quality Awareness Programme

Valid Paediatric First Aid Cert.

Children First for Childminders.

Garda Vetting completed

Evidence of continued learning and

willingness to undertake further training

and professional development relevant to

working with children.

Professional approach.

Ability to use own judgement and

common sense.

A positive attitude towards training.

Confident and non-judgemental.

Communication skills, both written and

verbal. Excellent listening and interpersonal

skills. Self motivating and organised.

Available to attend evening/Saturday

training sessions/support meetings. Use

of a telephone.

Knowledge of resources with in the

community: training available, children’s

recreational activities etc.

DESIRABLE

Understanding of the difficulties

faced by new and potential

childminders starting a new

business.

FETAC 5 modules/ full certificate

in Childcare.

Training taken with WCCC .

Can complete forms, and promote

childminding as a professional

business with record keeping etc

Driving licence and access to

a motor vehicle.


3. Application for Role of Childminding Mentor

Name:

Address:

Phone: Mobile:

Email:

1. CHILDMINDING PROFESSION

HISTORY & QUALIFICATIONS DATE(S)

Number of years Childminding

Quality Awareness Programme

Paediatric First Aid

Garda Vetting

Notification (Statutory/Voluntary)

If you are Statutory Notified as a Childminder, then please fill in sections 2 & 3.If you are Voluntary Notified as a Childminder, you can move on to 4.

3. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

List all relevant Childcare courses/seminars attended.

COURSE AND TRAINING DETAILS WHERE DATE

2. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

List all certificates and longer courses undertaken.

EDUCATION DETAILS WHERE OBTAINED DATE FROM DATE TO


4. PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT

Please show full time or part time hours in each case.

EMPLOYER’S NAME AND ADDRESS POSITION HELD F/T OR P/T HRS DATE

5. OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Please list any previous involvement with community group/activities, etc

NAME OF GROUP YOUR ROLE DATE FROM DATE TO

6. MOTIVATION

Please say why you would like to undertake this role.

7. AVAILABILITY

How much time per week could you give to being a mentor? hour(s)

Have you got access to a car? Yes No

When could you come to training or support sessions? Please tick if you are available,

and then put an X for your preference.

Saturday morning Tuesday evening Thursday evening


I Childminders Mentoring Scheme

1. Introduction to scheme: Power Point, application form

2. Mentoring skills: Communication

a. Becoming an Active Listener……………..........2

b. Nonverbal communication………………...........4

II Money Matters

1. Planning, Working Contracts & Rates………………........9

2. Tax, Tax Relief & PRSI for Childminders.……......……..17

3. Making Tax Returns & Form 11E ………………….........21

4. Insurance & Pensions………………………………...........25

III Childcare Matters

1. Milestones in Development ………………..………........27

2. Schedule of Immunisations………………………..........29

3. Separation Anxiety & Secondary Attachment...…….30

4. TV and Toy Safety………………………………….............37

5. Health and Safety in the Home…..…………....……….39

Appendix A Paperwork & Support Info for the Scheme

Brochure: Need a Mentor?

Letters of Introduction

Monthly Feedback forms

WCCC Childminder Information Pack

Appendix B Legislation & Guidelines for Childminders

Childcare (Pre-School Services) Regulations 2006

National Guidelines for Childminders 2008

Síolta, Aistear and Regulation 5.

UN Convention of the Child

Appendix 5 Childminding Mentor Induction Manual: Table of Contents


Appendix 6 Childminder Mentoring Scheme: Feedback Form

Mentor’s Name:

Month:

Childminder’ Name Date & Type of Contact Outcome of contact (issues discussed,

(Mentee) (phone, visit) advice offered, further support needed)


Volunteer Agreement with Childminding Mentor:

X Y

Address

Co. Wicklow

Phone:

E-mail:

And

Wicklow County Childcare Committee Ltd.

Childminder Advisory Officer: Miriam O’Regan,

Kilmantin Hill,

Wicklow Town,

Co. Wicklow

E-mail: [email protected]

Mobile : 087-2198944

This Volunteer Agreement describes the arrangement between Wicklow County Childcare Committee and

you. We wish to assure you of our appreciation of your volunteering with us as a Childminding Mentor,

and will do the best we can to make your volunteer experience with us enjoyable and rewarding.

Part 1 Wicklow County Childcare Committee: Childminders Advisory ServiceYour role as a volunteer is as a Childminding Mentor. You will support new and inexperienced

Childminders in setting up their Childminding service, and help them through the notification process

as needed. This volunteering role is designed to help the Childminding Advisory Service fulfill its

mission to provide a Voluntary Notification and Support Scheme for unregulated Childminders.

You can expect the Childminders Advisory Service to:

1. Induction and training

Provide a thorough induction on the work of the Childminders Advisory Service, your

volunteering role and the resources you need to meet the responsibilities of this role.

The Childminding Mentor Manual provides full details.

2. Supervision, support and flexibility

Explain the standards we expect and encourage and support you to achieve & maintain them;

Provide regular contact and a support forum to discuss your mentoring, any successes

or problems;

Do our best to help you develop your mentoring role with us.

3. Expenses

Compensate you for any out of pocket expenses i.e. travel and phone calls, with an annual gift.

Appendix 7: Childminding Mentor Volunteer Agreement


4. Insurance

Provide adequate insurance cover for you as a Childminding Mentor, while carrying out your

role which has been approved and authorised by us

5. Problems

Try to resolve fairly any problems, complaints and difficulties you may have while you

volunteer with us;

Offer an opportunity to discuss the issues with the Coordinator of Wicklow County Childcare

Committee in the event of an unresolved problem.

Part 2: the Childminding Mentor

We expect you to:

Help Childminding Advisory Service fulfill its mission to provide a Support Scheme for

unregulated Childminders;

Perform your role as Childminding Mentor to the best of your ability;

Meet the time commitments and standards which have been mutually agreed, and

to give reasonable notice when this is not possible:

- Contact any new mentees within 2 weeks of receiving their contact details

- Maintain and submit a record of all contacts monthly

- Attend the Childminding Mentors’ support meetings quarterly.

Maintain any confidential information about the Childminders Advisory Service and its clients;

Follow Wicklow County Childcare Committee’s procedures and standards, including

health and safety and equal opportunities, in relation to its staff, volunteers and clients;

This agreement is binding in honour only, is not intended to be a legally binding contract between us

and may be cancelled at any time at the discretion of either party. Neither of us intend any employ-

ment relationship to be created either now or at any time in the future.

Signed: (Childminding Mentor)

Signed: (Childminder Advisory Officer)

Signed: (Coordinator, WCCC)


Appendix 8: Brochure for new Childminders

NEED HELP BECOMING A CHILDMINDER?Did you know that you can be provided with your very own personal Mentor? Research has

shown than many people new to Childminding find it a very isolating experience with a lot of

new people to meet and information to take in. That’s a new and exciting project has been

launched to alleviate this.

Every new and potential Childminder will be given free access to a

personal Mentor for up to 1 year of their new Childminding business.

All Mentors are experienced working Childminders with years of experience and training under

their belts. They can help you to make your new business as successful as possible. Let’s face it,

you wouldn’t start anew job without the support of your new work mates would you?

How will a Mentor help me?Your Mentor will be available to offer advice, support and guidance, in many varied ways. This

could be either by telephone, emails, visiting you in your own home or attending local support

groups/events with you. These are just a few of the ways they will be able to support

you. Times and the type of support you require will be mutually agreed with you and your

Mentor.

Do I have to contact my Mentor every week?No, there are no set rules on how often you have to see your Mentor but you will be given a

courtesy call once a month just to check everything is ok. It would also help the scheme if you

could let your mentor know how you are getting on or if you feel you no longer need a mentor

anymore.

Do I have to have a Mentor?No, you do not have to use the services of a Mentor, or even use the one allocated, but if at any

time you feel you would like to change your mind then all you have to do is contact me.

How do I apply?Just fill in the application form below and send it in. You can enclose it along with your

Voluntary Notification form if you wish. You will receive information about who your Mentor is,

and she will be in touch with you within a month. If you want further information about the

scheme, just contact me.

Disclaimer:

I am interested in having a volunteer Childminding Mentor to assist me with my own

Childminding service. I understand that the WCCC, the Childminders Advisory Service

and the Mentor accept no responsibility for any actions I may undertake as a result

of the advice offered.


The purpose of this scheme is to establish if the use of Childminding mentors can:

Attract Childminders to participate in the Voluntary Notification and Support system.

Improve the retention rate of new Childminders in the first year.


1. Of the stated objectives, more than half of them have already been achieved:

2. The mentors are doing excellent work, phoning and meeting up with their mentees, and they really are

providing them with an unparalleled level of support, something which was one of above stated goals.

3. However the best indicator of success so far is that only one person in the scheme has given up minding,

and that was because she has to move. (Of the other 10 who notified, two have already stopped). This is

particularly impressive because some are waiting months before they get work, but they are continuing

to prepare, getting everything in place (i.e. insurance, tax registration, policies for the service etc) so that

they are really ready to go by the time they do get children to mind. Thanks to the mentors’ support the

overall retention rate of Childminders is much improved, also one of the main goals.

4. Only the attraction of new Childminders is still difficult to measure, although response in QAP courses

is always very positive.

Appendix 9 Interim Evaluation of the pilot Childminder Peer Mentoring Scheme

Objective

1. To recruit at least 5 Childminder mentors

by end of February.

2. To conduct a 6-hour induction training

programme for the mentors by end of

March.

3. To have at least 15 new Childminders

involved as mentees in the mentoring

programme by end of April.

4. To run the monthly contact mentoring

programme as an option for new

Childminders

5. To run a monthly reporting system and

a bi-monthly meeting of mentors in order

to oversee the programme

Outcome

12 Childminders attended information sessions, 6 of

whom wanted to become mentors, and came for

interview with Jeremy and Miriam.

Of the 6 applicants, 4 completed the induction

training, in April, given by Miriam with the help

of Fionnuala Curry from Childminding Ireland.

By the end of May, there were 10 mentees in the

scheme, and a further 8 have since joined the

scheme. There has been only 1 drop out, and that

was due to moving.

Of 23 new Voluntary Notifications this year, 13 have

taken up the mentoring option (some were already

experienced).The other 4 mentees notified last year,

but asked for a mentor.

The monthly reporting system is working well, and

Miriam is meeting with mentors, but so far there’s

only been 1 meeting as a group.


In order to evaluate the pilot mentoring programme for Childminders, please fill out the survey below

as honestly as possible, and return it in envelope enclosed. Many thanks!

1. Are you currently minding children in your own home? ` Yes/No

2. If so, how many children are you minding?

3. What ages are they?

4. Do you have children of your own? Yes/ No

5. What ages are they?

6. When you got a mentor, were you already working as a Childminder? Yes/No

7. If not, how long did it take you to start Childminding? Months

8. Did the mentoring support influence your decision to continue childminding?Yes/No

9. Are you still childminding? Yes/No

10. If not, why did you stop? Underline your answer.

No demand Not enough money Too much for family Other

11. How helpful was your mentor in the start up period? Underline your answer!

Very helpful Helpful Quite helpful Not much help

12. What aspect of the support did you find most helpful? Underline your answer.

Phone calls Visits Texts E-mails Other

13. Did you outgrow a need for you mentor? Yes/No

14. How long did you really need support in your opinion? Underline your answer.

3 months 6 months 9 months 12 months Other

15. Do you still feel the need of support now? Yes/No

16. If so, what kind of support would you like to get?

17. Have you any suggestions about how the mentoring support system could be improved?

Appendix 10a Survey of Childminders in the Mentoring Scheme 2010-2011


Appendix 10b: Survey of Mentors 2010-2011: questions asked

1. Did the mentoring experience meet your expectations? If so, how?

2. What part of mentoring did you enjoy most?

3. What did you find most difficult?

4. Did you feel adequately prepared for the role? Yes/No

5. Did you use the mentor handbook you were given? Yes/No

6. Can you make any recommendations for improving the induction training?

7. Did you feel adequately supported in your role? Yes/No

8. What kind of additional training, if any, would you like to receive?

9. How many mentees did you support in the course of the year?

10. How did you find that?

1 2 3 4 5

Too few Too many

11. How many mentees would you be willing to support?

12. Were any of your mentees too far away? Yes/No

13. Would you be willing to mentor people outside your immediate area? Yes/No

14. What were the main areas where help was needed?

15. Did you meet all your mentees in person? Yes/No

16. If so, where did you meet them? Underline all places used.

In my home In their home In a public place At a WCCC event Other

17. How did you find the one year commitment to your mentees?

1 2 3 4 5

Too long Too short

18. How did you find the feedback process? Rate it.

1 2 3 4 5

Very easy Very difficult

19. Have you any suggestions about how to improve it?

20. How important was the prospect of the gift in your decision to become a mentor?

1 2 3 4 5

Very important Insignificant

21. Would you recommend becoming a mentor to other experienced Childminders? Yes/No

22. Are you willing to continue as a mentor? Yes/No

23. If not, why do you wish to stop? Underline your answer.

Too busy Change in family circumstances Don’t think it’s needed Other

24. Have you any overall comments on how the mentoring scheme could be improved?


Notes

Wicklow County Childcare CommitteeWicklow County Childcare CommitteeKilmantin Hill (opposite Wicklow Gaol)

Wicklow TownCo. Wicklow

email: [email protected] Childminder Mentoring In County Wicklow

The Pilot Programme 2010 - 2011

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