Cheqdin childcare digest – february 2020

It’s official! The countdown for Cheqdin 2.0 has finally begun. A week from today, on the 6^th of March 2020, you can all log on to the brand new Cheqdin you’ve been waiting for so long.

We are all set with our revolutionary new ‘online registrations’ and ‘bookings’ platform and a host of new features to make sure you have an amazing experience with Cheqdin.

Now, as much as you are all excited about the new features, we know, many of you would also be slightly nervous about the prospect of manually typing in all your existing data into the system. We hear you! And that's precisely why we are adding in a smart new feature to cut down your workload and make the setup process as smooth and effortless as possible.

An intelligent new feature for data-migration

We already have a ‘bulk upload’ option built into our system to help you transfer the registration details of existing children into your ‘online children’s register’ in one go.

Apart from that, our team is now adding in an additional feature that will automatically sync the uploaded children’s data into individual ‘online registration and consent forms’. All you then need to do is, ‘unlock’ the online forms for parents to review, update and finish off with a digital signature! How easy is that!

We’ve also set up a brand new Help Centre and added in plenty of handy tooltips in the web portal to guide you every step of the way. You can try it all out for yourself in just a week!

We could just go on about all the exciting new additions.  But, we don't want to ruin the surprise for you. So, we'll stop about the product for now and move on to take a quick look at what's been happening in the industry this month.

UK and Europe

Ofsted all set to transform their registration system with a new digital platform

Ofsted is on its way for a digital makeover. Early years providers and childminders can now register with Ofsted and make payments using a brand new online platform. The new system is intended to simplify the registration process and reduce the time childcare providers spend going back and forth between platforms to manage funding claims.

Just one in six eligible families take up tax-free childcare

New statistics from the HMRC validates what all of us have known all along. A flawed system riddled with technical glitches is hugely unpopular among parents. What set out to replace the childcare vouchers has ended up making the funding unviable for a majority of eligible families. Read more

Britain’s parents paying more for childcare than they did a year ago

Another survey reveals Britain’s parents are paying 5% more for under-twos than they were a year ago – while Government funding fails to keep up. Despite having seven different types of childcare support, parents still find it challenging to find what is available to them. Read more

NDNA writes to the new Chancellor of Exchequer

In a bid to request the Government to get it right for the early years, the National Day Nurseries Association has written to the new Chancellor of Exchequer ahead of the 2020 budget. Purnima Tanuku, the Chief Executive of NDNA, highlights that although the £66m extra funding is a great start, the complexity of the funding approach could prevent the funds from reaching the providers. Read more

Childcare providers protest in Ireland over childcare crisis

Thousands of childcare providers and parents took part in a protest in Dublin city calling for support from the Government to end the childcare crisis. The protestors called on the next Government to bring about a radical change in the funding model to make childcare more affordable to parents and sustainable to childcare providers. Read more

Worldwide

Sanders unveils $1.5tn in Universal childcare plan

US Democratic frontrunner Bernie Sanders has unveiled a $1.5tn funding for free childcare and early education.  The scheme is expected to offer 'free full-day, full-week, high-quality child care from infancy through age three, regardless of income'. This would be in addition to pre-kindergarten education from age three, with 'mandated low child-to-adult ratios'. Read more

National Afterschool Association initiates program to end inequity in afterschool leadership

 A report published by the National Afterschool Association (NAA) and Policy Studies Associates highlights the inequities present in the recruitment, hiring and retention of people of colour in afterschool leadership. The NAA is collaborating with California School-Age Consortium to create a network of equity-driven leaders, support them and help them advance their careers. Read more

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