Temporary childcarer demands red tape cut

Nipperbout, a company based in Milton Keynes, Bedfordshire, last week ran the creche at the National Union of Teachers' conference in Harrogate, Yorkshire.

It has also staged or is soon to run creches at conferences for the trade unions NASUWT, Unison, T&G and the TUC, as well as the Ideal Homes Exhibition.

In England, section 3 of Schedule 9A of the Children Act 1989 exempts from registration any playschemes, mobile creches and childcare for the duration of less than two hours a day, as well as playschemes and mobile creches running up to five days in any year. But all those that run for six days or more a year must register with Ofsted or risk prosecution.

Providing occasional daycare without notifying Ofsted in writing is an offence under section 79D(6) of part 10A of the Children Act 1989.

But since registration as a daycare provider is linked to specific premises, mobile creches and playschemes must apply for a separate registration for each place in which they wish to operate. These premises are then inspected by Ofsted.

Janthea Brigden, who co-owns Nipperbout with her husband Steve, said, 'This means that every time we move to a different room we have to have an additional visit inspection. We were inspected by Ofsted around 35 times last year.

'We do not want an exemption from the standards, but six inspections a year would be enough - not 35.'

She said Nipperbout now faced such a battery of legislation and red tape regarding insurance and venues that it made it more difficult to provide a high-quality service at a competitive price. 'We lost a lot of work last year to other providers who were charging less but not complying with any of the legislation,' she said.

Under the terms of registration for mobile creches operating from premises for fewer than six days a year on a regular basis, the provider must tell Ofsted in writing on EYL1012 forms, which anyone running for more than two hours a day must fill in for each premises it operates from. It then receives a letter of exemption for insurance purposes. However, the name of the room that appears on the letter is the only one the mobile creche can operate from, otherwise it invalidates its insurance.

Mrs Brigden said, 'Nipperbout continues to be inspected, additional-visit inspected, quality inspected, and receive new certificates nearly every week and made to fill in EYL1012 forms for every creche we run. The administration involved is time consuming, costly and demoralising.

'We have no issue with the monitoring of standards. We want less administration, a level playing field and the time to get on with our job, namely providing high-quality temporary childcare at events across Britain.

'We are really passionate about the quality of daycare we provide and only want to reduce the administration and the cost.'

An Ofsted spokeswoman said registered mobile creches had to be inspected in every venue they worked in because 'the law says that daycare provided on particular premises for more than two hours a day and more than five days a year requires registration'.