Karen Heaton Jones, proprietor of All My Friends Childcare based in Gloucester first heard about Better Business in Childcare through Janet Sharpe, Workforce Training and Development Manager (Early Years and Childcare) Children and Young People’s Directorate from Gloucestershire Country Council. Better Business in Childcare is delivered by Gloucestershire Enterprise Limited (GEL).
All My Friends Childcare was formed in July 2006 with the aim of offering early years care and education that parents trust and children enjoy. Whilst Karen welcomed the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and concurrent Government drive to upskill the early years sector, these developments, have presented independent and voluntary sector early years settings such as All My Friends Childcare with significant financial challenges.
Through the Better Business in Childcare Scheme, Karen was introduced to Philip Timson, Director of GEL, who completed a review of the whole business including all their accountancy details, history of the company and plans for moving the business forward. From this meeting their first piece of advice was to get their website up and running.
Karen said “All the help we have received from BBiC has been very useful. We now have our website up and running - a major achievement - and we are now beginning to really see some results. It was also helpful to be able to take a financially aware business consultant with me to meetings such as with our Bank to take notes and ask questions.”
Gloucestershire Enterprise Director, Philip Timson helped Karen with the meetings and planning; “This is exactly what this service is all about and we were delighted to be able to help Karen move her business on to the next level. I hope that other settings in the area will get in touch to see how we can help them.”
The Council is investing in the Better Business in Childcare service in order to ensure the right volume and quality of childcare provision is available where it is needed most. The aim of the contract is to ensure childcare providers can sustain their business (and grow) by providing good quality advice and support that’s timely and accessible. It is also there to ensure new business start ups get off on the right footing.
Karen Heaton Jones
Proprietor of All My Friends Childcare
12th August 2009
We have been working with Rebecca Henderson on a recent disciplinary case within our playgroup. The help, advice and support she provided has proved invaluable.
As volunteer committee members, the prospect of a disciplinary case was daunting and the employment law at times confusing. We were acutely aware that correct processes had to be followed, but not confident we had the expertise needed to ensure this happened.
We were put in touch with Rebecca as soon as we asked Gloucestershire Better Business in Childcare for help. From that point on, we received all the help and advice we needed – from wording letters correctly to chairing meetings (Rebecca chaired the key meetings for us). She helped to make sense of the disciplinary policies and ensured we followed the appropriate procedures at all times.
The knowledge that Rebecca was on the end of a phone/email to provide us with professional advice was extremely reassuring. Should we encounter any further personnel issues/problems we would not hesitate to contact Rebecca and her department again for advice.
The Committee
Penguins Pre-School
"Just to write about the excellent service our playgroup recently received.
Julie Hale has been an invaluable source of help to committee members who were filling in for me as chair of our playgroup whilst I was on a brief period of maternity leave.
Today Julie came along to our AGM and really played a fantastic role in helping us to elect a new committee, an area that could have been a particularly long and drawn out process were it not for her proposal.
We have a new committee to go forwards for our pre-school group and this has secured the medium term future of our group – the long term future is up to the new committee!
I have also just had some further invaluable help and advice from Julie regards how to proceed with some immediate steps that our pre-school group needs."
Elaine Noone
(ex) Chair of St Joseph’s Pre-School Group.
“We were having difficulties with our internal budgets and decided that we needed some help. BBiC were great; they visited us and worked out what was needed. They then did an evaluation of our charging rates and staffing levels and created a chart to implement their recommended changes.”
Sarah continued “It was an extremely useful exercise for us as a business as it made us look at our current position, consolidate what we have and then devise an plan on how to move forward. We are very pleased with the advice we have received and found it extremely helpful.”
Sarah Penston
Manager
Little Apples
Cheltenham