Moonchyme Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Hi All, Our 2 settings are being taken over by the PLA in July this year and there has been a mixed reaction amongst the staff team. Does anyone here work in a PLA setting? I'm looking for peoples views and thoughts, positive and negative, just to get an idea on what to expect really. Things like setting fees, staff salaries, training, support etc would be great. Thanks in advance, Sarah xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I havent worked in a PLA setting but have worked in a setting which had the PLA for it's umberella organisation. They are very active in encouraging training and good at supporting staff. We used to have a development worker who would help with any concerns we had and they are supportive of parents and carers and encourage them to play a role in the children's development. I have no idea of fee's or staff wages, I suppose this might depend on your area. I dont know of any major negatives, the PLA have been providing day care and sessional care to young children and supporting their families for many years, way before the Government came along with it's zillions of new inititatives, others may have a different view of them but I've always supported them and their aims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 Hi, Same as Rea, the PLA offer really good support, both with day to day running and anything legal. Is it that you will working under their guidelines? If so, there really wouldn't be any change in how you run your group, it just means that the group will be secure in the knowledge that there is help out there. Our PDW is very good, just a phone call away and will be able to offer all sorts of advice. You pay a subscription fee which entitles you to a monthly magazine and means you can access everything they offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I don't really understand what you mean by 'taking over', are you adopting their constitution as a committee run group, or is it part of their neighbourhood nursery initiative? Don't know much about the latter, but agree with others as a committee run group their is lots of services and support, mainly pro's but some cons being managed by a committee, other posts have discussed this many times. I am surprised that if this 'take over' is happening in July, no-one has fully informed staff of the issues and asked about any queries you have. Let us know, I'm intreagued (where is the spell check ) now. Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 Me too! I have never heard of a PLA pre-school/playgroup. I too am interested in what it is. It must be just a case of you becoming a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, which isn't a bad thing. Please tell us more, so we can be put in the picture! (or you put us in the picture!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonchyme Posted June 9, 2006 Author Share Posted June 9, 2006 Our setting is based in a self contained area of a seconday school. The school oversees our group (under its charity status, not under education) and our setting manager answers to the school principal. Unfortunately the school is closing next year and the building shutdown/knocked down/sold off (no-one knows), which of course means we would be left homeless and ownerless! I guess that made us kinda up for adoption for want of a better term. There were a few ideas and possible options one of which was PLA taking us on. An area manager was employed last week(on a 3yr contract initially, funded by Peterborough early yrs team) and we saw her yesterday along with the regional manager, they were very vague when asked questions and gave our setting and our sister group different answers to the same questions. They did say we would stay as a playgroup and out of school club as we are now and said we could change to PLA contracts, terms & conditions, pay etc or stay as we are but didnt have details of contracts, t's & c's or pay so we couldn't compare anything! We thought yesterday would make things a bit clearer for us but it doesn't seem to have. Sorry if its not made things very clear for you but its not very clear for us either lol Sarah xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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