Nursery World - Network criteria

The comment in the news story 'Networks "a success story"' (20 November) about childminding networks in England needing to be approved by the National Childminding Association is misleading. For this financial year, in order for local authorities to qualify for the 25,000 grant, the network does not necessarily have to be approved under the NCMA's quality assurance scheme, but rather, as the report states, 'be approved by the NCMA's quality standards as Children Come First networks or meet broadly similar criteria'. It is not mandatory for the network to be NCMA-approved.

For this financial year, in order for local authorities to qualify for the 25,000 grant, the network does not necessarily have to be approved under the NCMA's quality assurance scheme, but rather, as the report states, 'be approved by the NCMA's quality standards as Children Come First networks or meet broadly similar criteria'. It is not mandatory for the network to be NCMA-approved.

Next year the previously separate funding streams for childminder sustainability and the creation of childminder networks are being combined into one new funding strand and there will be flexibility to use the funding to provide ongoing support for childminder networks. The Sure Start Unit is not prescribing the exact format of a childminder network; in many cases they will be NCMA-approved networks, but this is not mandatory. The network should, however, meet broadly similar criteria.

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