fairydollpink Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I am the manager of committee led preschool and my new chair person is really getting her teeth into every aspect of the preschool which is fantastic. She has been asking questions about being members of the PSLA and why we are and what the advantages are and I am afraid to say I can't actually think of any. Would any of you lovely people mind telling me if you are or are not members and your reasons for it...we seem to spend a lot of time and effort keeping them happy without very much in return and I am interested to hear what people think of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I gave up being a member some years ago when nurseries were facing closure due to the restrictions of the Nursery Education Grant, and the fact that the PLSA were very slow in understanding the impact this was going to have on many nurseries and felt totally unsupported by them because of this. It continues today and is getting worse with the Single Funding Formula for many nurseries. We no longer received visits from the PLSA Development Worker - that job was dissolved into the LA. I began to think all that we got was a magazine, the offer of very expensive insurance and although, I am sure it is worth it, Lawcall. I haven't missed being a member. I don't buy their publications, although I do know you can get them at a discounted price. Because I am not a member I don't know whether there is much training in my area any longer, for this I use the LA, although I am sure PLSA are probably still running DPP and lvl 1 and 2 somewhere locally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I am only a member because theirs is the cheapest insurance I can find Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I'm not sure we're even members anymore, although I have bought their publications to use, e.g. staff handbook, which I found useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I think it's £90 to be a member. It seems a lot, and you'd have to buy an awful lot of their publications to make up that amount of money from the small amount of discount they give members Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hmmmm..........we are still members - but to be absolutely honest I'm not sure that I will renew this year........I don't use their insurance....I'm with Morton Michel...... I have bought quite a lot of their publications - but as Cait has just said ....you have to buy an awful lot to gain back your £90.00 The Under 5 magazine is not particularly interesting (in my humble opinion) Meetings have just started again in my area......have to confess that I haven't got to one yet.....they talk about 'networking' - but I'm happy 'networking' with FSF members! Completely agree with Panders they were not a lot of help when many nurseries in our area were facing closure..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We're members and last year I wondered why. I still dont know the answer to be honest. The work of our DWs was taken over by the LA DWs a couple of years ago so we havent seen them. I think mostly we stay with them through tradition and because its comfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperrabbit Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 The Under 5 magazine is not particularly interesting (in my humble opinion) Yes...I'll second that! quote Rea We're members and last year I wondered why. I still dont know the answer to be honest. The work of our DWs was taken over by the LA DWs a couple of years ago so we havent seen them. I think mostly we stay with them through tradition and because its comfortable And I'll second that too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 I too could never see the advantage.. except we did find their insurance cheaper... checked others and for us they were the best around... didnt think of adding the fee to it though which may well have given a different outcome... but at teh time they were not that costly .. seems they have increased fees a lot with very little return. no development worker in our area and when there were we never saw them.. i often asked committee to think again and check other insurances out, giving them names and contact numbers.. but think they too felt stay with what you know.. they were very helpful when we did need to claim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristina Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We are members and I have to be honest our Development Worker is great, always at the end of the phone and often pops in to just say high. Also they are the only ones who will quote for my insurance as we rent from a school I have to have 10 million public liability!! No one else will quote! Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We're members and although I cant say I find their insurance that cheap we do get quite a lot in our area from therm. My LA use the PSLA workers as Dev Workers, we get 2 visits a term from them and they are always at the end of a phone if needs be. They ar every active in other ways as well, fund day once a year, produce a newsletter 3 times a year and also have a very active Parent & Toddler DW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 We have been members for 11 years and have always bought their insurance policy and books. I use their policy pack as a starting point for all our policies and they have always met Ofsted approval. The committee used Lawcall, which was free with the insurance, when we had a staff issue a few years ago around changing children in nappies. We also did their accreditation scheme and have renewed twice now, which again I think is another plus feature for reflecting on your setting and Ofsted mentioned it in our last report. We have invited the chair of our local PLA to give a presentation to our committee and parents at the AGM and they were useful when we had to change our lease with the council. So all in all I will continue to support them, although I agree the monthly magazine is not very exciting . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Is Lawcall part of the insurance package or part of the registration, does anybody know? We're making a decision about membership tomorrow and I need the facts - I've got the renewal documents, but they're down the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 (edited) Is Lawcall part of the insurance package or part of the registration, does anybody know? We're making a decision about membership tomorrow and I need the facts - I've got the renewal documents, but they're down the road I think that it is part of the registration........ or is it? Yes, I'm sure it is..... Edited February 15, 2011 by sunnyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 Yes, part of the membership package,Cait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 ok, so we lose that if we're not registered, hmm, £90 a year, hmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I suppose it comes down to peace of mind Cait - how much does Lawcall offer - is it unlimited in their support if you get into any kind of legal wrangle? To be fair to PSLA, they are doing a good job around the country where they are strongest - perhaps particularly with committee groups as that is where they sprang from - I was happier with my insurer Morton Michel, I only need standard insurance and the PSLA committee in my area appeared to struggle to maintain any enthusiasm, however, maybe it was me, that had no enthusiasm for them Best investigate alternatives Cait before you jump ship! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 We don't have any local PSLA at all, all the DWs went to County a few years back now. We have no local support that I'm aware of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Ah thats a shame, we are members of the PLA and find them really useful. We have visits once a term from the development workers, they are always on the end of a telephone for all sorts of information. They keep us up to speed with the latest legislation, their policies and procedures are invaluable. The committee also use their services - helping to encourage more parents onto our committee, attending our AGM and then follow up meetings with committee and staff. Lawcall is a fantastic service to have at your disposal. Training packages that they offer are fantastic, relevant and well priced. Parent and toddler groups, pushchairs in the park ........................... list is endless! Oh did I mention that I also stand on our county committee also Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 I had a phonecall from the NDNA today and they have something very similar to lawcall. I asked if they had a model constitution we could adopt and that flummoxed them, she's ringing me back on Monday if anyone can think of any other questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 You could try asking if staff members have access to their version of Lawcall! I seem to remember that the PLA's service only extends to committee members. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Yes you're right Max, I've twice had to pretend to be a committee member in the past just to get advice that I didnt think committee should know about regarding family law issues. I've had a quick look at Michel Morton and they also offer a legal service, I dont know exactly in what capacity but thats something I can add to my list of things to think of. I think we might cancel our PLA membership now. We dont have a DW, they rarely offer training anymore which I miss because they always seemed so relevent compared to other providers and we dont buy their publications so the reduced fee for those wont matter. The U5C mag is'nt great either. Our insurance this year is over £450 which I think is a lot and the added £90 is too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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