Monday 28 September 2009

Now, you will be glad to know I don't often just republish stuff from tinternet, but this is the most ridiculous thing I have read for a long time. Luckily for the Crandons we only have Jeremy for an hour and a quarter on Tuesday mornings, and they only had H and A for two hours on Mondays a while back, but if we push over that magic 2 hours we might find ourselves illegally childminding for each other. So, if Jeremy comes back with me after school til 4pm on the odd occasion, I shall be a lawbreaker and guilty of illegal acts. HOW BLOODY RIDICULOUS. Whatever happened to being friends with people and sharing your lives in common? Be warned if you have thought of swapping children with someone else and working part time, goodness me I have a list already of people to report to Ofsted for such criminality.

here it comes:

Children's Minister Vernon Coaker has called for a review of the case of two female police officers who were told that they were breaking the law by caring for each other's children in a reciprocal arrangement.

The two detective constables, Leanne Shepherd, from Milton Keynes, and Lucy Jarrett, from Buckingham, told the BBC how they were “shocked” when an inspector from Ofsted turned up on Ms Shepherd’s doorstep. The inspector told Ms Shepherd that she was acting on a complaint that had been made that claimed that she had been “illegally childminding”. Ofsted said the arrangement contravened the Childcare Act because it lasted for longer than two hours a day, and constituted receiving "a reward". Ofsted said that to continue looking after each other’s children, the women would have to be registered as childminders. The two mothers were forced to end their arrangement.
Vernon Coaker confirmed that his department was talking to Ofsted about this particular case.
Ms Shepherd, who serves with Thames Valley Police, told the BBC; "A lady came to the front door and she identified herself as being from Ofsted. She said a complaint had been made that I was illegally childminding...So I invited her in and told her situation - the arrangement between Lucy and I - and I was shocked when she told me I was breaking the law." Ms Jarrett added: "Our children were never in any harm, they were never in any danger. To think that they would waste their time and effort on innocent people who are trying to provide for their families by returning to the workplace... Surely their time and effort would be better placed elsewhere."
The two women had decided on the reciprocal childcaring arrangement when they both decided to go back to work, because nursery fees were too expensive, and their children felt happy and settled in each other’s homes.
Thames Valley Police Federation said the officers had its "full support". Secretary Andy Viney said: "Both of them are experienced professional officers. They just want to return to work after having children and have found that the system is working totally against them. They've been threatened with prosecution by Ofsted if they continue doing this."
An Ofsted spokesman said it applied regulations found in the Childcare Act 2006, but was currently discussing the interpretation of the word "reward" with the department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). "Reward is not just a case of money changing hands. The supply of services or goods and, in some circumstances, reciprocal arrangements can also constitute reward.”
If mothers care for other people’s children for less than two hours or it takes place on less than 14 days in a year, they do not need to be registered. But; "Where such arrangements are regular and for longer periods, then registration is usually required." Close relatives of children, such as grandparents, siblings, aunts or uncles, were exempt from the rules, the spokesman added.
Children’s charity Kidscape reacted by commenting that the decision defied common sense and would impose extra childcare costs on families.Membership of My Child.Children's Minister Vernon Coaker has called for a review of the case of two female police officers who were told that they were breaking the law by caring for each other's children in a reciprocal arrangement.

The two detective constables, Leanne Shepherd, from Milton Keynes, and Lucy Jarrett, from Buckingham, told the BBC how they were “shocked” when an inspector from Ofsted turned up on Ms Shepherd’s doorstep. The inspector told Ms Shepherd that she was acting on a complaint that had been made that claimed that she had been “illegally childminding”. Ofsted said the arrangement contravened the Childcare Act because it lasted for longer than two hours a day, and constituted receiving "a reward". Ofsted said that to continue looking after each other’s children, the women would have to be registered as childminders. The two mothers were forced to end their arrangement.
Vernon Coaker confirmed that his department was talking to Ofsted about this particular case.
Ms Shepherd, who serves with Thames Valley Police, told the BBC; "A lady came to the front door and she identified herself as being from Ofsted. She said a complaint had been made that I was illegally childminding...So I invited her in and told her situation - the arrangement between Lucy and I - and I was shocked when she told me I was breaking the law." Ms Jarrett added: "Our children were never in any harm, they were never in any danger. To think that they would waste their time and effort on innocent people who are trying to provide for their families by returning to the workplace... Surely their time and effort would be better placed elsewhere."
The two women had decided on the reciprocal childcaring arrangement when they both decided to go back to work, because nursery fees were too expensive, and their children felt happy and settled in each other’s homes.
Thames Valley Police Federation said the officers had its "full support". Secretary Andy Viney said: "Both of them are experienced professional officers. They just want to return to work after having children and have found that the system is working totally against them. They've been threatened with prosecution by Ofsted if they continue doing this."
An Ofsted spokesman said it applied regulations found in the Childcare Act 2006, but was currently discussing the interpretation of the word "reward" with the department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). "Reward is not just a case of money changing hands. The supply of services or goods and, in some circumstances, reciprocal arrangements can also constitute reward.”
If mothers care for other people’s children for less than two hours or it takes place on less than 14 days in a year, they do not need to be registered. But; "Where such arrangements are regular and for longer periods, then registration is usually required." Close relatives of children, such as grandparents, siblings, aunts or uncles, were exempt from the rules, the spokesman added.
Children’s charity Kidscape reacted by commenting that the decision defied common sense and would impose extra childcare costs on families.

Saturday 19 September 2009

No gravel pits here.

Is a sign in a window of a house on my way to work. I am not sure if it is a protest, in which case an ! might help, or a polite and informative notice to stop people knocking and requesting access to a gravel pit in their back garden. What do you think?

Today we were at the Preston Cross Hotel in Little Bookham for a ruby wedding lunch for Ma and Pa Gibbs. I seemed to rope Granny Mary in to making the cake and helping with the table decorations, so H and I travelled up by train to Surbiton last night and got over to the hotel fairly early to get things set up. I was also in charge of the guest list and photos, so managed to cobble together a few bits and bobs for people to peruse. The food and service were very good and I would heartily recommend the venue were I asked. My brother (Uncle Andy) did a great job of using the photos I scanned - I know - I used a scanner! - as part of his pub quiz, and then carefully helped all the tables equally. My table still won, possibly helped by the fact that R was on it and he had helped with the whole thing. Not to mention been around or taking many of the pictures. The pub quiz was a great alternative to a speech, lots of fun and I would recommend that too.

The weather was amazing, a fabulous summer day to enjoy the gardens of the hotel which are perfect for running around and hiding in. Very good, 10 out of 10 as dad would say!

Saturday 12 September 2009

Think I completely neglected to tell you about my triathlon victory on 23 august. Onlya victory over about 80 other people, I came two hundred and something out of two hundred and something, but I was pleased with my time of 1 hour 44 minutes and something seconds. About 100 people came in the 2 minutes faster than me, so I was in the main bulk of people and not lagging, and my run time ( 3 miles) was better than for my 5k I did on its own in April - its further, and it was at the end, so that was a shock. I did overtake a couple of people on the run, but I was overtaken by many more. Overtook a couple on the bike, and managed to stay with a old wiry cyclist looking chap on the bikes for all but the last 2 miles of the 20 I did in just over an hour. The swim was dire, I was late as could not find the entrance to the changing rooms, so only had 10 seconds to put my googles on and get focused, resulting in a splashing and flailing fit and a time of 10.15, which I had bettered in training.

This morning at 7am I went for a 10k run with vicky and Sarah, my running buddies, but I took a wrong turn and we did about 12km, but our time for the 10k was dead on an hour so we were delighted with that. I then took the girls for a swim, and then played an hour of tennis, before sinking into a deck chair and reading the paper for a couple of hours, with the odd break to do laundry related tasks.

H's sleepover is creeping up, 6 minutes to go until the hordes ( well 2) of delightful thornhill girls descend. Went to the park this afternoon with the girls and Amanda and Beth and Abi - Hattie had bravely let her take her girls to the park in a fantastic confidence boosting act for Amanda.

Friday 11 September 2009

Sorry, fans, been too busy trying to get the hang of how to play tennis and simultaneously run 10km and start a new job to write on here. I miss being able to tell you about the peculiarities of people in general and myself in particular.

In Tescos today, where H and I had gone for a treat ( tea and buying treats of a sleepover variety) a young, huge man walked down the vegetable aisle. He looked like one of those people who zoom around in little seats in Wall -E who are so big and fat their bones have shrunk in the X ray. Even his toes were fat. I knew because he wore flip flops - not a good look on anyone unless you are on Baywatch. Anyhow, I have set the scene, and guess what he picked up? A single packet of spring onions! So, clearly there are secret calories lurking in a spring onion that we don't know about. Scientists have yet to uncover the incredible mystery of how a small stem of onion can pack away 5000 calories each!

I have been in my new job for a week, and have liked having a big classroom and a door, two doors actually. I don't seem to have upset too many people yet. Phew! Have enjoyed exploring the extensive school woods with the children and doing playground duty in the sunshine. I have had a nice week of doing mostly music and art, and PSHE (circle time, talking about friendships, that kind of thing). It's been a great way in, as plenty of time to do all the routines and stuff without the stress of rushing from Maths to English and back again which is how it normally goes. That starts next week.

My running career is a bit dire at the moment, I am trying to keep all disciplines going, but should be focused on running as have a 10k coming up on 11 October. Am about to find a route and do a run at 7am tomorrow, then have a swim planned with a friend from the tennis club at 8am on Sunday - no time for lazing about in bed at the weekends!

Whilst H and I did our Tesco treat (turned out to not be a great treat as the cook was off, so we had chips and baked beans, all they had left) A and R did their treat, a bike ride to the park, with R on his racer and A on her little Mermaid bike. She is really getting the hang of it now, which is an essential life skill in the Bowen home. They took hot tuna bake with them as a picnic, part of the treat, possibly the most bizarre picnic ever, but quite biblical I think.

Will try to give you more snippets of life in Thornhill/Hamble slightly more hot off the press. I told R a joke today, which he already knew, about an agnostic dyslexic who wondered if they believed in dog. H overheard it, and thought it was a joke about ostriches, and I had to retell it, and explain what a agnostic and a dyslexic is, by which time I assumed the joke was totally dead in the water and I would not be asked back, but she laughed heartily and with great mirth.

Oh, grateful thanks to the lovely Evans family and their lamb roast which we enjoyed on Sunday, in their beautiful garden with scintilating conversation from the intelligent assembled guests. It was great to see some old Vineyard faces, people are so pleased to see you when you don't go along to church very often, hey, you should try it! They seem pleased to see you, which they wouldn't be if you were in their lives on a weekly basis, and having to have meetings to discuss things all day every day. I exaggerate for effect, but I love not having meetings to go to! Still getting used to it!