Disgraceful act by Ofsted against two Policewomen

The story can be found on the BBC or Daily Mail
It is a disgusting and disgraceful and Anti English story, and there is an online Petition to the Prime Minister at the Number 10 Downing Street Petition website. You will find this particular petition HERE or paste this into your Browser http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/reciprocalcc/

I'll paste some of the story below:
URL to Daily Mail original article:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1216370/Leanne-Shepherd-policewoman-branded-illegal-childminder--looking-colleagues-toddler.html or click HERE


A policewoman told last night how she was banned from looking after her colleague’s daughter because she was not a registered childminder. Detective Constable Leanne Shepherd was ordered by the education watchdog Ofsted to end her private arrangement with her friend, DC Lucy Jarrett, or they would face prosecution.
The Thames Valley Police detectives – who gave birth within a few months of each other – share a job at Aylesbury Police Station in Buckinghamshire.

But the mothers, both 32, have now been told by Ofsted that surveillance teams will spy on their homes to make sure they are not continuing to care for each other’s daughter.

For the past two-and-a-half years, one looked after both of the girls while the other worked a ten-hour shift. Both worked two days a week.

But in July, after a complaint believed to be from a neighbour, DC Shepherd received a surprise visit from an Ofsted inspector, who accused her of running an ‘illegal childminding business’.

Rules state that friends cannot gain a ‘reward’ by looking after a child for more than two hours outside the child’s home unless they register with Ofsted and follow the same regulations as normal childminders. Under the rules, reward is defined as ‘the supply of service or goods’ or ‘reciprocal arrangement’. The mothers were told their ‘reward’ was free care for their daughters.

A petition on the 10 Downing Street website calling for the regulations to be scrapped had already received almost 2,000 signatures last night.

An Ofsted spokesman said: ‘Ofsted applies the regulations in the 2006 Childcare Act. We are discussing with the Department for Children, Schools and Families the interpretation of the word “reward” to establish if we might be able to make a change.’

In the meantime DC Shepherd, of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, has had to put her two-year-old daughter Edie in a nursery costing £260 a month and change her work schedule, which she claims has placed an ‘extra burden’ on her already overworked colleagues.

DC Shepherd, who is separated from Edie’s father, DC James Shepherd, said the childcare arrangement worked because her ex-husband and DC Jarrett’s husband, Inspector Bob Jarrett, both worked irregular shifts.

She said: ‘I gave birth in November 2006 and went back to work part-time in April 2007 as a trainee detective constable. Lucy had returned to work part-time five months before, and was also a trainee detective constable. ‘We were the same rank, worked in the same station, had daughters the same age and were close friends, so it made sense to job-share. We would split the 40-hour week, both working two ten-hour days, and the arrangement was working perfectly.

Our job is very demanding and sometimes I’m required to work overtime.
'It would be difficult to get a childminder to stay late after a ten-hour day. Besides, it would have cost a fortune.’ And DC Shepherd added: ‘Most importantly, our arrangement was ideal for the kids. Edie and Lucy’s daughter Amy have become like sisters and love spending time with each other.

‘When the Ofsted inspector turned up, the first thing she said was, “I have had a report that you’re running an illegal childminding business.” ‘I straightaway thought she must be mistaken, so invited her into my home to explain that we were police officers and best friends helping each other out.

‘But she told me I was breaking the law and must end the arrangement with Lucy immediately. I was stunned – completely devastated. I spent the whole day crying because I couldn’t see how I could continue working.’ DC Shepherd claims she has received a letter from Ofsted telling her she would be subjected to random surveillance to make sure she was not continuing to care for her friend’s daughter.

She said: ‘The first month’s nursery fees were £260, which is a huge expense considering I only earn just over £900 a month. I cannot understand why the Government is punishing me for wanting to get back to work and pay tax.
‘Now I’ve applied for childcare benefits to pay the nursery fees. This ridiculous legislation needs to be reviewed. There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of mothers wanting to do the best for their children who have no idea they are breaking the law.’

DC Jarrett, who lives in Buckingham, now also sends her daughter to nursery on the days she works. She said: ‘I think I know best how to look after my own daughter. I’d rather my best friend look after her than a complete stranger.’

There is a follow up story HERE or simply copy and paste this into your browser. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1216471/Policewoman-banned-babysitting-friend-says-children.html