lashes2508 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Feeling frustrated to say the least and wonder why I carry on ! It seems that our professional opinions count for Jack **** - sorry just not the end of week I was hoping for. As many of you know we have been actively trying to recruit a qualified member of staff and with our inspection upon us very soon I still know we will not be able to fulfil our Welfare requirements thanks to the powers that be. After many applicants not bothering to respond we have interviewed and had visits from 2 applicants - first one - local , no commitments , no notice needed qualified level 2 & 3 , very minimal experience and no knowledge of EYFS but very lovely girl , nice rapport with children and her activity today was good. 2 nd applicant - again really nice great interaction with staff and children , knowledge good and willingness to learn but on checking her qualification it is not valid ! Gained last year , covers birth to 19 , she has manual handling, first aid too. Her safeguarding knowledge was good . I phoned Ofsted , as helpful as a chocolate teapot , spoke to D of Ed to whom I had a good rant too and am now left with no choice to make a decision and employ someone who has a qualification but no experience . This is so frustrating , I have a great team already 3 of whom are working towards a qualification , 2 qualified , another who I have had to change roles as unqualified and under pressure to meet requirements to get to 50% . Why can't those who set these requirements yet don't work in early years understand our predicament and frustration , a valid qualification does not mean anything in some cases , feeling overwhelmed , underpaid and fed up ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Oh Lashes I feel your pain and prescribe either one gin and tonic, or one bottle of wine and a good sit down. It is a shame that your choice is what it is. Where did this "qualification" come from if it is not valid and can this person complain to anybody about it? I don't find it takes long for a new member of staff to pick up the EYFS, once they start using it regularly and refer to it they begin to pick it up, if you all help this new member along with that she should be fine. There are still parts that frankly leave me cold and i wouldn't do my next steps or observations without looking it up anyway. Far too old these days to retain all that info!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Oh Lashes a virtual hug coming your way. sometimes you just feel everything's like a mountain to climb. Out of interest which qualification do they have that isn't valid. I would go with the stiff gin or wine, have a restful weekend and then return to the dilemma on Monday. Fx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Is it possibly a 'health and social care' qualification as opposed to Early Years? I feel you pain though - over time we have interviewed some pretty dire 'qualified' but luckily we have been able to take on unqualified and then put them through training. Likewise we have had a student on placement that managed to pass L3 ......... and still didn't have a clue what the EYFS is!!! (and that was even after WE (the setting) had sent her on a training course during her time with us!!!! Wine, wine and yet another glass is all I can say. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 And another thing.... Maybe I'm missing something, but - I am just watching the news.. and they are saying/recommending- the nurses in A+E should be 1-4 ratio They do not seem to be comparing it with current guidelines- does this mean they didn't have them before? Ok, I agree nothing really to do with childcare - but it does seem to illustrate that we (childcare) are highly regulated whilst other similar social care seems more flexible. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 We are a small rural, isolated pre-school and I know what a struggle it is to get qualified staff, or even staff willing to train. I feel your pain and also suggest the wine, I have drunk mine already and am looking for more!!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Sending a huge hug x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I know exactly what you mean - we have been looking for two part time members of staff (as have to do same days) to work 3 days a week - i sent out forms prior to the christmas break and since then have heard nothing from them. One (i thought) was very eager as phoned to find out where her form was - i said it was in the post - she was really happy about that - but even she hasn't replied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anne1 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Sorry to hear your problems Lashes I am finding recruiting staff so difficult too. Although I can't help you with any words of wisdom, it is good to hear I am not alone in this problem as I was beginning to take it personally. When you hear there are so many people unemployed where do they all go? I do wonder if with the government push to have a more qualified workforce, a level 2 or 3 is not regarded as enough and more and more students are staying on to do degrees and are no longer interested in working there way up. good luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lashes2508 Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 The qualification was NCFE level 3 supporting teaching in schools , all units covered development from birth to 19 years units on safeguarding , communication , I had checked before she came for interview that she had covered under 5's. It is so unfair that someone takes time to do this out of their own pocket and it is not recognised, she only completed it in 2013 but now when you go on qualification finder it asks for before sept 2014 or after , so many of the relevant qualifications are not valid ! I have staff that I am already supporting and just feel that I will be taking on someone just cause they have the piece of paper not the qualities we need or look for , it means I will be supporting yet another member of staff - don't get me wrong that's my job but with everything else it gets wearing . Plus side - celebrated friends 50th last night , lovely chinese and plenty of vodka ! Thanks again for your virtual hugs and words of support - I'm an early years practitioner get me out of here! Xx 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I employed a Graduate fresh out of College at start of the new Autumn term,after a very bad 6 weeks fiasco with an 'experienced' lev 3 from another setting (ie employed and should have known eyfs.......) but was soooooo lazy...sat on the floor all day....no activities,no oooomph....that we had to let her go ......the children did not get on with her at all (yet she had been employed for 5 yrs elsewhere) Our graduate......no actual experience in a setting when first employed.....I understand that....but 3 months on....should she not be finding her feet....taking over circle time,controlling a large excited group waiting to go outside......keeping a group of 7/8 motivated with an activity,game,role play etc......or am I expecting too much....does confidence play a bigger part than paper qualifications.......small village limited recruitment choices....appreciate your wise comments as always xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I employed a Graduate fresh out of College at start of the new Autumn term,after a very bad 6 weeks fiasco with an 'experienced' lev 3 from another setting (ie employed and should have known eyfs.......) but was soooooo lazy...sat on the floor all day....no activities,no oooomph....that we had to let her go ......the children did not get on with her at all (yet she had been employed for 5 yrs elsewhere) Our graduate......no actual experience in a setting when first employed.....I understand that....but 3 months on....should she not be finding her feet....taking over circle time,controlling a large excited group waiting to go outside......keeping a group of 7/8 motivated with an activity,game,role play etc......or am I expecting too much....does confidence play a bigger part than paper qualifications.......small village limited recruitment choices....appreciate your wise comments as always xx Experience in this sector often counts for so much.. be it with age, own children, in a setting, no qualifications can teach that... work placements only give so much , and that depends on the settings. 3 months is not long to gain confidence in overseeing a group of children at this age... the children also play a part in this as they may not yet see her as a person in charge.. we often found they needed to be able to recognise this to allow a member of staff to be able to 'control' a large or even small group. It often took the younger members of staff a lot longer to be seen in this role by the children, and this had a knock on effect to how much the staff member gained in confidence to work with groups on their own.. against this the staff who had been mothers could often just jump in and be able to take over groups of children.. not saying mums are better , but that they had already gained confidence of working with this age by experience at home..it all helps. I am sure your staff member will get there but may need a bit more time, I used to get them to do the roles the children saw as being 'boss' in our case a short register time, chatting to the mums on arrival and departure, story time, but with another staff member sat with the children to 'back them up' any role that is seen to take control.. That said to begin with some new staff we found felt threatened or 'shy' if being observed, so it was better to back off and let them go it alone... it was all a bit hit and miss with each one, but did find it often took a good 6 months to become confident in most things.. it can be a scary place a group of wild littlies..when you are not used to making a fool of yourself and letting go..especially when it comes to role play..that is a skill , to me role play should be up to the children to take the lead and staff be invited in.. here is a lot to learn in a new setting, routine, layout, people, policies parents, children, all harder if no setting experience to begin with..I am sure she will get there but may need a bit of nurturing .. not ideal but if she pulls her weight and is doing the role when asked, the group thing will come.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 We have leaders and followers in all walks of life, maybe their strength will be in another role ie planning, messy play ....it's when they don't step up to any role I worry, I try to make sure I have a strong member of staff with a not so ( and not necessarily an age thing) when planning the rota, especially for large group activities so that chaos doesn't reign, but children do soon learn which staff they can push their luck with and who not to go there with, the quiet, authoritive staff are much better at gaining the children's respect than the ones who get in a tizzy and get louder as the children do . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Thanks Inge and Mouseketeer.....good advice....saying that, we have a new room and my manager said last week that she was fine in there with a group....perhaps because no one watching her....a tad self conscious...(even last week discussing bullying she opened up and said she had been bullied all thru school..(.does not help). Yes we have couple of little ones that love to cuddle on her lap for periods of time....and of course she would not know that she should also have eyes on the rest of the room...as we do.... I agree practical experience mostly wins over paper qualifications...but you can always tell which staff are gifted with that magic ingredient we need in childcare.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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