FIS: How to Join the National Childminder Association Network

About The National Childming Association (NCMA)

NCMA is a membership organisation and professional association. Since 1977 we have worked with registered childminders and nannies as well as other individuals and organisations such as local and national government, to ensure families in every community in England and Wales have access to high quality home-based childcare, play, learning and family support. 

NCMA in Wirral 

The NCMA (National Childminding Association) Childminding Network coordinator in Wirral is Sue McDonald and the accompanying Children Come First scheme is a quality assurance scheme that is nationally recognised and is the system by which Wirral network childminders become accredited to offer the free funded entitlement to 3-4 yr olds.

Sue has been in post for almost two years, during which time she has worked with network members to enhance the service they offer. The network achieved Approval in January 2011 and currently has a total 21 network members of these 6 childminders have achieved accreditation and are able to offer funded nursery education to the children in their care.

The network is still open for membership and to find further details please contact Sue on 0151 346 6509 or 07917 083 665. Further information can also be obtained by e-mailing susan.mcdonald@ncma.org.uk or fis@wirral.gov.uk  

Benefits of joining the NCMA Network 

  • Professional support, from the network coordinator
  • A team of fellow childminders to bounce ideas off
  • A national organisation that values children and therefore values you as a professional child carer
  • Regular visits including respectful feedback and wonderful suggestions on how to ensure my children get the best care they can receive
  • Use of toy/resource library
  • Access to training courses

Plus much more- To discuss the benefits of the network and how to join please contact susan.mcdonald@ncma.org.uk 0151 346 6509.  

NCMA's vision

All our members provide the highest standards of care and learning for children.

NCMA's mission 

We will enable all our members to achieve the highest standards of care and learning for children and together build recognition of their professionalism. 

NCMA's beliefs 

NCMA believes that children of all ages benefit from home-based childcare, play and learning because it is:

  • consistent - a child is cared for by the same registered childminder or nanny each day, often over a number of years
  • flexible - for example, a registered childminder or nanny can care for a child whose parents work atypical hours and will provide full, as well as wraparound, childcare
  • inclusive - a registered childminder or nanny can care for children of different ages and abilities together in family groups
  • community-focussed - a registered childminder or nanny can reflect the needs of local communities and enable the children they care for to be part of their local community
  • personalised - a registered childminder or nanny can meet the needs of individual children and families, such as teen parents or disabled children
  • supportive - babies and younger children, especially, do best in Home-based childcare because they are cared for in smaller groups and by the same registered childminder or nanny each day.

NCMA's values 

NCMA's values guide all its staff and volunteers in how they make decisions about the work they do to support children, families, registered childminders and nannies. 

NCMA's values are:

  • a commitment to children, their rights, wellbeing and development
  • inclusion and equality of opportunity
  • membership involvement
  • a commitment to high-quality services
  • empowerment of all registered childminders and nannies to develop as excellent practitioners.

NCMA's approach 

We achieve our vision and mission by working:

  • In partnership with our members, establish and maintain the highest standards for their profession.
  • To support our members to meet those standards through learning, information and advice.
  • To enable our members to belong to a community of professionals, sharing ideas and experiences with each other.
  • To represent our members and ensure their work is recognised.
  • To continually improve our organisation to achieve the highest standards of service delivery.