Nursery World - Childminders stand firm in controversy

Childminders in England have rejected the Government's decision to let them smack the children they care for and smoke in their presence with parents' permission. At the National Childminding Association (NCMA) conference and annual general meeting in Blackpool, childminders from all over England and Wales endorsed a resolution calling on the NCMA national executive to continue to campaign for the Government to delete permission to smack and smoke from the national standards for under-eights daycare and childminding in England. The resolution was carried by 499 votes, with 524 votes for, 15 against and five abstentions.

At the National Childminding Association (NCMA) conference and annual general meeting in Blackpool, childminders from all over England and Wales endorsed a resolution calling on the NCMA national executive to continue to campaign for the Government to delete permission to smack and smoke from the national standards for under-eights daycare and childminding in England. The resolution was carried by 499 votes, with 524 votes for, 15 against and five abstentions.

Wales' draft national standards state that childminders are not allowed to smack children or to smoke when caring for them.

Gill Haynes, NCMA chief executive, said, 'Recently we wrote to all 150 Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships in England asking them to indicate their support on the issue. Within two weeks 70 per cent of them wrote to us giving their backing to our campaign.'

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