Jobcentre Plus is putting Europe’s largest jobs database in to people’s pockets with the launch of the first UK Government Jobcentre app.
10/03/2010
The app is another tool for people looking for work, making it easier to search by location, save preferences and get information about vacancies, said Employment Minister Jim Knight.
Almost 1m people search for work through Jobcentre Plus every working day. Last month alone 60,000 people accessed the website from their mobile phones.
The app makes it easier for people to find jobs relevant to them, jobseekers will be able to enter their location, or select key areas where they are looking for work and see exactly where vacancies are with Google maps. Within a year, jobseekers will be able to use GPS to spot jobs around them, whether from home or on the move. The app will also be developed to automatically notify people of new vacancies matching their preferences.
Pamper sessions for parents-to-be
10/03/2010
MUMS-TO-BE and dads-to-be in Barrowcliff have got the chance to take part in special pamper sessions in a new scheme which has been set up at the Brierclffe Children's Centre.
Organisers estimated that 48 parents attended the first session and future events are planned to run quarterly.
Leone Pavlidou, the centre co-ordinator, said the first event had been a success and the parents were introduced to baby massage as well as getting manicures and facial treatments.
Observation is key to quality practice
10/03/2010
The best childcare settings closely observe children and identify their needs early on, suggests a new report from Ofsted.
The report, Children in need in childcare, says that settings that make the most important contribution to the lives of children in need identify their specific requirements at an early stage and help them to get the right support.
The study found that the best childcarers work closely with parents in new ways, welcoming their involvement and discussing their child's day in childcare, as well as working with other services such as health and social care to make life easier for parents.
Providers call for more flexible code of practice for free entitlement
10/03/2010
Nurseries and local authorities must be able to operate 'flexibly' within the revised Code of Practice, a policy group of nursery providers said this week.
Private and voluntary providers should to be able to charge 'realistic supplements' for education and care outside the free entitlement hours for three-and four-year-olds, the Day Nursery Policy Group said, ahead of this month's publication of the revised Code of Practice.
The new rules will cover the extension of the free entitlement to a flexible 15 hours a week.
Family services raise concerns
09/03/2010
Family information services are being forced to submit Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to Ofsted to get accurate information on childcare providers in their area.
The National Association of Family Information Services (Nafis) said concerns have arisen since government launched the Family Information Directory, an online hub of local childcare information, in January.
When asking for more information on local provision one team in Hampshire said: "We were told that Ofsted will not provide the information to us." Instead it was asked to submit an FOI request.
Interview: Sue Webster, co-ordinator of the Children's Centre Leaders' Network
09/03/2010
"The whole field of children's centre work is currently very politicised. Everybody's got a view on what should happen," says Sue Webster, co-ordinator of the Children's Centre Leaders' Network.
"I think that makes it difficult for centre leaders because there is sometimes an implication that centres are not achieving anything. That is not the case."
Since Webster first began leading a Sure Start centre in Coventry eight years ago, the government's children's centre programme has been open to criticism. It is often accused of failing to meet its original purpose of engaging with and supporting the most deprived families. And in the current economic climate, no party can commit to the funding levels the programme has been afforded for the past decade.
Flashlight Films Joins with Sure Start Celebrations in West Northumberland
09/03/2010
Sure Start is celebrating a triple this month as it continues its innovative approach in taking services for children to every corner of rural West Northumberland.
They have launched their Play Vans, banners and an information DVD about the services offered through the children's centres in the West of the county.
Labour MPs seek childcare expenses
08/03/2010
The Labour Party's female MPs have called for their childcare costs to be covered by the taxpayer, in response to the parliamentary review of government expenses.
In among around 2,500 responses posted by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority this weekend, the Parliamentary Labour Party Women's Committee called for more childcare support.
Consideration should be given to the high costs of childcare incurred by MPs because of the long and often unpredictable hours associated with the job.
Bond girl brings a touch of glamour to Chippenham centre
04/03/2010
Bond girl Rosamund Pike brought a touch of glamour to Chippenham at the Redland Children’s Centre on Monday.
The actress, who became known for her role in the 007 film Die Another Day, spent the day at the centre in Brook Street to celebrate its success in transforming the lives of hundreds of families.
She met staff and families who use the Barnardo’s-run service.
The Barnardo’s ambassador, who is appearing at the Theatre Royal in Bath, said: “I passionately believe that all families deserve a positive and meaningful relationship with each other.
Government refuses to update overcrowded housing definition
04/03/2010
Shelter has accused the government of letting down children living in poor housing by refusing to overhaul its antiquated definition of overcrowding.
The housing charity presented a 2,000-signature petition to the government calling for it to update its legal definition of overcrowded housing that dates back to 1935.
Shelter says this is hopelessly out of date as it fails to count babies under the age of one as householders, counts children under 10 as a half a person and considers kitchens and living rooms as suitable places to sleep.
Level 2 qualifications enrolment extended until the end of the year
03/03/2010
College-based childcare students will be able to continue to enrol on current Level 2 courses until December, pending the launch of a new Level 2 Certificate.
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) said this was a temporary measure for 16- to 19-year-olds studying full and relevant Level 2 vocationally related qualifications (VRQs) included in the qualifications list for those delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage.
A new Level 2 Certificate is likely to mirror the revised apprenticeship framework that will become available in the autumn as part of the Government’s 14-19 strategy.
Voucher payment 'loophole' could leave nurseries out of pocket
03/03/2010
A nursery owner has uncovered a loophole in the voucher payment system, which he claims could be exploited by parents and leave nursery businesses with hundreds of pounds in childcare fees unpaid.
Brian Cooper, who runs Meir Park Day Nursery in Stoke-on-Trent, said that on several occasions he had tried to redeem Busy Bees and Computershare paper vouchers but found they had already been cancelled.
Mr Cooper said the system was open to abuse and left nurseries having to chase debts.
'Nurseries that agree to accept vouchers are giving up other forms of guaranteed payment. We have not lost money, but that is more to do with the good relationship with the parents,' he told Nursery World. 'In the past 18 months vouchers worth almost £1,000 have been rejected by Computershare/Busy Bees.'
One in three families uses grandparents for childcare
03/03/2010
A third of families rely on grandparents to provide childcare, according to a damning report on the effect of high childcare costs on older relatives.
The report by Grandparents Plus and the Equality and Human Rights Commission found that single-parent families and those on low incomes are among the most reliant on grandparents due to the "prohibitively expensive" cost of childcare.
The report, called Protect, Support, Provide, estimates that half of all single-parent families rely on grandparents for childcare.
Grandparents in low-income families risk financial hardship to provide free childcare
02/03/2010
New report from Grandparents Plus and the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Grandparents who are filling the ‘care gap’ in some of Britain’s most vulnerable families are risking hardship themselves, a new report from Grandparents Plus and the Equality and Human Rights Commission reveals.
The report “Protect, Support, Provide” highlights that grandparents in families most at risk of poverty are under increasing pressure to take on a caring role. It shows that working age, working class grandmothers on low incomes are most likely to be providing childcare and to have given up work or reduced their hours to care for grandchildren. This has an impact on household income and may have an effect on a grandparent’s pension rights as well as their health.
Mentor scheme is a hit with fathers
02/03/2010
A peer mentoring programme for new fathers improves parental relationships and engages fathers in wider children's centre services, a formal evaluation has found.
The Fatherhood Institute's Hit the Ground Crawling pilots in Staffordshire resulted in 78 per cent of fathers on the programme feeling more confident about supporting the mother of their child.
The pilot involved small groups of fathers and a children's centre professional, discussing concerns with "veteran dads" who also brought their babies along.
Falmouth children's centre welcomes Duchess of Cornwall
02/03/2010
It was a special day at Falmouth's Park Children's Centre today as mums, parents and staff welcomed Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
The Duchess visited children, mums and staff at the centre to play with the children and see the work done for young parents at the WILD Young Children's Project.
The Duchess spoke to young mums while they made a collage about their emotions and told them all about her own family.
Screen star Brenda helps to open centre
26/02/2010
AWARD-winning actress Brenda Blethyn met Worcestershire families when she attended the official opening of a children’s centre.
The Golden Globe winner, best known for her roles in Little Voice and Secrets and Lies, was a special guest at the opening of Evergreen Children’s Centre’s new base in Worcester Road, Malvern, yesterday.
The centre, which is run by Barnardo’s, moved to its new home earlier in the month, having previously been based at the Prospect View health centre in Malvern.
Hazard House to open
26/02/2010
SCUNTHORPE's first house of hazards is opening its 'dangerous' doors to the public today to show people how household items can cost lives.
Scorching irons, electric cables and toxic household chemicals have been left lying around a secret house close to West Street Children's Centre in a bid to alert the public of the dangers in their home.
The 'Hazard House', which opened in August 2009, has been used train staff to spot signs of potential danger when they carry out home visits.
Ofsted picks two firms to inspect nurseries
25/02/2010
Ofsted has named the two firms that will take over the handling of early years inspections.
As widely expected, Tribal Group has been named to cover inspections of nurseries and childminders in the south of England. Tribal already handles school inspections for Ofsted.
The second contract, for the north and the Midlands, has been awarded to Prospects Services.
Earlier this month, Unison warned that privatising early years inspections could lead to a drop in standards. It warned that the move could lead to cuts and job losses.
Ministerial letter to every Early Years Consultant
24/02/2010
The Minister of State, Dawn Primarolo has written to all Early Years Consultants (EYCs) to thank them for their contribution to raising quality and children's outcomes in 2009. Mrs. Primarolo recognises the importance of the EYC role and she is focused on the need for them to continue building their skills so that they can support the sector to continually improve quality of provision.
Voluntary-sector consortium to lead national campaign to highlight children's speech and language
24/02/2010
The Communication Trust, a 38-strong consortium of private and voluntary-sector providers, will be spearheading a nationwide 'National Year' campaign in 2011 which will highlight the importance of children's communication skills.
The Trust, which raises awareness about speech, language and communication issues for all those working with children and young people, was set up by Afasic, BT Better World Campaign, the Council for Disabled Children and I CAN.
Children's centre leaders want help
23/02/2010
Children's centre leaders are calling for more government support and a mentoring programme to help them share best practice.
The Children's Centre Leaders Network (CCLN) is consulting with members about its future remit, based on issues raised by leaders during regional events. The network is run by Together for Children, the agency responsible for delivering the government's children's centre programme.
Sure Start Children's Centres National Evaluation
22/02/2010
DCSF has commissioned the National Centre for Social Research, in collaboration with the University of Oxford and Frontier Economics, to conduct a 6 year evaluation of the national roll out of Children’s Centres (for more information please see http://www.natcen.ac.uk/study/evaluation-of-childrens-centres).
This large-scale evaluation involves surveys and in-depth research with Children’s Centre staff and the families who use the services or live in the area. The evaluation will provide an in-depth understanding of the effectiveness of different approaches taken in the management and delivery of children’s centre services, and will produce wide-ranging evidence about the best ways to support families and children.
The evaluation begins with a survey of around 1500 Children’s Centres and their Local Authorities, for which you may be contacted. If you are contacted, we hope you enjoy taking part, and thank you for supporting this important evaluation.
Children's Centre Wins Star Status
18/02/2010
The Children’s Centre has, for the first time, been granted star status accreditation in the 2010 ‘Best Companies to Work For’ award scheme.
The accreditation of ‘Two Star’ status reflects the outstanding levels of employee engagement that the charity has demonstrated.
‘Best Companies’ accreditation follows the elite ‘Michelin style’ star rating system, and participating organisations receive a ‘Best Companies’ index score which determines their star rating compared to a fixed standard. This accreditation is based on staff feedback which ‘Best Companies’ obtains through detailed, anonymous employee questionnaires.
Dawn Primarolo: Get to know what activities are on offer through your school
17/02/2010
New campaign to get more families using extended services -
Parents will be targeted in a new campaign launched today, to help raise awareness of the range of activities, services and advice available through schools, as latest data shows that more than 90 per cent of schools are now offering extended services.
Over 20,000 schools are currently offering access to services for families in their local communities and thousands of children and parents are already benefiting. The new campaign aims to get even more families taking up the services available – with radio and press adverts starting today.
New campaign to help adults lose their spare tyres
17/02/2010
More than one million mums already making healthier choices with Change4Life
One million mums say their families are eating better and being more active, and people are making positive changes to their shopping habits, thanks to Change4Life. This new data comes as the Government’s healthy living movement celebrates its first year of activity today.
Change4Life is an innovative, interactive healthy living campaign. It helps families to achieve and maintain a healthier lifestyle by promoting healthy habits that encourage them to eat well, move more and live longer.
Baby screening could highlight pre-school support needs
17/02/2010
Screening tests that monitor babies' development could help identify children who will need learning support in their pre-school years, it has been claimed.
As part of the Millennium Cohort Study, carried out by the Institute of Education at the University of London, 15,000 children born between 2000 and 2001 were tracked for the first five years of their lives.
CWDC to take over responsibility to support the parenting workforce
16/02/2010
From 20 March 2010 the CWDC will be taking over responsibility for support to those who work with parents from the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners (the parenting academy).
The Parenting Academy's work will be established as a new programme within our organisation - Support to Work with Parents and Families - and will have three distinct threads:
1. Qualifications and training development and delivery.
2. Communication and strategic change.
3. Promotion of evidence-based practice throughout the workforce.
Early Years education and childcare myth buster
15/02/2010
Where can I find information about the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)?
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is about setting the standards for learning and development through play, and care for children, from birth to five. The EYFS built on and replaced the statutory Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, the non-statutory Birth to Three Matters framework, and elements of regulatory frameworks in the National Standards for Under 8s Day Care and Childminding. You can access the EYFS themes, principles and materials from http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/earlyyears. If this is not what you are looking for or if you want more information you can contact the Department by email at info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk or telephone on 0870 000 2288.
Ofsted set to outsource half of early years inspections
15/02/2010
Ofsted plans to outsource almost half of early years inspections to a private company in a five-year contract worth around £64m.
From September 2010, Tribal Group is expected to manage inspection services for 45 per cent of early years providers in England, including nurseries and childminders.
Tribal is already contracted by the watchdog to provide school and learning and skills inspection services for the south region under a six-year contract awarded in 2009, worth approximately £75m.
Children from poorer families almost a school-year behind
15/02/2010
Children who are among the poorest in the UK are nearly a year behind middle-class children in terms of their language abilities.
A report from the Sutton Trust, an educational charity, found children among the poorest fifth of UK families are 11.1 months behind other children, tested by vocabulary, by the time they reach the age of five.
The charity found good parenting and a supportive home environment emerged as the most important determinants of better test scores at age five, accounting for half of the explained gap between low-income and middle-income children.
The lowdown on the Happy Healthy Safe appeal
13/02/2010
THE Happy Healthy Safe appeal from The Children’s Foundation is building momentum. HANNAH DAVIES speaks to one mum about how one of their safety courses gave her the courage she needed for her child.
NOT many 18-year-old single mums would have the courage to stand up to doctors and insist their sick child receive a second opinion.
But that’s what Tori Haney did, thanks to the confidence given to her by attending a Whoops course run by The Children’s Foundation.
Ofsted praises South Tyneside safeguarding services
12/02/2010
South Tyneside Council's safeguarding children service has been praised by Ofsted inspectors.
Following an unannounced inspection of its contact, referral and assessments last month inspectors singled out the council's "well developed culture of teamwork and management support" for praise.
This has helped the children's social workers to feel stable and enthusiastic about the job, inspectors said.
The going got tough and the cops got going
11/02/2010
Three police officers have completed the most gruelling obstacle course in the world in aid of a children's charity.
Sergeant Martin Gunther and PCs Christiaan Hudson and Martin Campbell dragged themselves through icy rivers, ran over burning haystacks and swam through submerged tunnels in the Tough Guy Challenge in Staffordshire at the weekend.
The team, who patrol Leigh Park, were raising money for Park Futures, a Sure Start centre in Warren Park, and had to draw on every ounce of reserve for the challenge.
Nursery costs in England rise above inflation rate
09/02/2010
Nursery costs in England have increased at almost double the rate of inflation, despite the recession.
The findings come from childcare charity Daycare Trust’s annual Childcare Costs Survey, compiled from figures submitted by Family Information Services in England, Scotland and Wales.
In England the cost of a nursery place has risen by 5.1 per cent, while all forms of childcare costs have seen an increase. In Scotland and Wales, however, the cost of out-of-school care has fallen.
Campaigners call for 'Robin Hood tax' to cut child poverty
09/02/2010
Barnardo's, Save the Children and the National Union of Teachers are among almost 50 organisations calling for a "Robin Hood tax" on banks' financial transactions.
The coalition wants the leaders of the UK’s political parties to support a global tax on transactions between financial institutions to protect public services, fight poverty, help foot the bill for climate change and repair the damage caused by the recession.
Boost childminders' influence in children's centres, urges charity
09/02/2010
The government has been urged to ensure childminders are more involved in the running of children's centres.
The call has been made by the National Childminding Association (NCMA) in response to a government consultation on new statutory guidance for children's centres.
The NCMA has criticised the guidance for not clearly referencing childminders as potential advisory board members and as stakeholders to be consulted on any key decisions.
New children's centre plans revealed
08/02/2010
Plans for a new £0.5 million children’s centre in Kingsway have been revealed.
The proposals, which have been submitted to planning officials, were shown to parents on Wednesday evening.
If it gets the go-ahead, the new centre could be opened by the end of the year.
It will be built in the grounds of Kingsway Primary School, but without fences and boundaries, to encourage joint use of the space.
Vetting and barring myth buster
08/02/2010
When you won't have to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority ISA: Personal and family arrangements and other exemptions from the new Vetting and Barring Scheme
This information appears in an annex to a letter from Rt Hon Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, to MPs in England and Wales.
Some people felt confused by media coverage in Autumn 2009 about when the Vetting and Barring Scheme will require people to register with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). We want to set the record straight. Also, we announced new exemptions on 14 December 2009.
Families in Watford and Leavesden get boost from council cash
06/02/2010
Watford and Leavesden families are set to benefit from a grant donated by a Hertfordshire county councillor.
Leavesden Children's Centre, in Leavesden High Road, received £2,000 from Woodside Stanborough Councillor, Derek Scudder, as part of his locality budget allocation.
The centre will be running copies of their usual parent and baby sessions at a new location in order to reach more people.
Agencies team up to help families find financial support
04/02/2010
Child Poverty Action Group has teamed up with family support agencies to help families with children under five to find grants and benefits.
The new service also involves volunteer service Home-Start and Turn2Us, which offers advice and guidance to families seeking benefits and financial support.
The Maximising Income for Families project will be piloted from now until March 2011, with funding from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
We have all come so far
04/02/2010
A family worker came to see us and recommended we take Jacob to the local Sure Start Children’s Centre at St Thomas’. I’d heard about Sure Start before, when Elysia, now 10, was little. They sounded great and the only reason I didn’t take her at the time was that the children’s centre was quite far from where we lived and I didn’t drive.
Elysia loves the children’s centre as well. Two of the family workers invited Elysia to help out with the musical babies classes. It makes her feel involved in Jacob’s progress and important to the children’s centre. The people who work in these children’s centres really do go above and beyond the call of duty to help all the families they meet. They have had the biggest impact on me and my family and I feel we’re lucky to have them.
Extended services need more support to reach disadvantaged
29/01/2010
Schools need more support from government and councils to ensure their extended services are reaching their most disadvantaged pupils, according to a government review.
The Extended Services Evaluation – Reaching Disadvantaged Groups and Individuals: Thematic Review looked at the experiences of running extended services in 15 schools across the north-west and north-east of England.
The review praised schools for using a broad definition of disadvantage, looking beyond poverty to include a range of family situations such as bereavement, disability and mental health issues.
Disadvantaged families are failing to access childcare
29/01/2010
The most disadvantaged families in the UK are failing to access childcare even when it is offered to them for free, according to a government report.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families-commissioned report Families Experiencing Multiple Disadvantage: Their Use of and Views on Childcare Provision, found that just 60 per cent of pre-school age children living in the poorest families received some form of childcare.
This compares with a national average of 73 per cent. Among children from more affluent backgrounds the figure is 81 per cent.
CWDC launches training for children's centres outreach practitioners
28/01/2010
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is launching a programme to enable Children's Centre outreach practitioners to access training opportunities.
CWDC, in partnership with the National Academy for Parenting Practitioners (NAPP), is offering outreach practitioners opportunities to access training from May 2010 until March 2011 to support this valuable work that helps to make a difference to the lives of children and families.
CAMPAIGNERS CALL FOR END TO CHILD POVERTY FOLLOWING EQUALITY REPORT
27/01/2010
Campaigners have highlighted the importance of ending child poverty, after a report revealed children on free school meals were 28% less likely to attain five A*-C GCSEs at 16 than their counterparts.
Child Poverty Action Group said it was vital that the Government met its target to end child poverty by 2020, following the report by the National Equality Panel, as early disadvantage continued to be an indicator of success in later life.
The panel, set up by ministers in 2008 to investigate inequalities, found that "deep seated" differences remained between social groups.
Learning how to be a dad
27/01/2010
EXPECTANT dads have the chance to learn baby skills at a series of ante-natal classes for men.
Staff from the Headland Future community group are running the courses as part of a wider programme across Hartlepool to help dads-to-be, and also those with children, become better parents.
The free ante-natal classes start next month and men can learn about hygiene, changing nappies, clothes and how to bond with their baby.
Professional register for playworkers on the cards
26/01/2010
The play sector is considering creating a register for professionals in an attempt to boost the status and quality of playwork.
Sector skills council for play, SkillsActive, told CYP Now it is keen to establish the register, as long as it has the backing of playwork practitioners.
Chris Martin, SkillsActive's national programme manager, said the register would be based on a similar model used for fitness instructors and PE teachers.
Newcastle Holds Masterclass In Fighting Child Poverty
26/01/2010
Over 100 Children’s Services professionals from around the country are today visiting Newcastle for a masterclass on helping families in need - as local authorities prepare for the introduction of a new law giving them a legal duty to tackle child poverty.
Newcastle’s efforts to tackle and prevent child poverty were last year acknowledged as an example to other authorities when the city was awarded national Beacon status - with government minister Sadiq Khan describing the authority as “setting the standard for innovation, service excellence and improvement”.
Coughlan among National College appointees
26/01/2010
Children's Secretary Ed Balls has appointed four new members, including two directors of children's services, to the board of the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services.
John Coughlan, director of children's services in Hampshire County Council, Deborah Absalom, director of children's services in Bexley, John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders and Glynn Lowth, former president of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants will take up their new positions with immediate effect.
Children’s Minister launches national directory of over 150,000 childcare providers and family services
26/01/2010
Children’s Minister launches national directory of over 150,000 childcare providers and family services From today parents across the country will be able to search for childcare providers in their region through one convenient website.
Toy libraries relieve child poverty
26/01/2010
POVERTY legislation will create a new statutory responsibility on local authorities to develop a needs assessment to reduce child poverty within local authority areas.
Children are poor because their parents and carers are poor - nearly 500,000 children in rural areas and one in three children living in London.
Poverty takes its toll on a parent's capacity to give loving support and boundaries when stress or depression caused by financial and other types of hardship decrease their coping abilities.
New members of the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services
26/01/2010
The Secretary of State Ed Balls today announced the appointment of four new members to the Board of the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Services.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls, said:
“I am very pleased to announce the appointments of Dr Deborah Absalom, John Coughlan, Dr John Dunford and Glynn Lowth to the National College’s Governing Council.
“They will bring a wealth of experience to the council particularly in support of the extended remit of the National College which now includes the training and development of Directors of Children’s Services. I am confident that they will enable the National College to continue to progress in the future.”
Ella gets seal of approval
23/01/2010
CHILDREN and their favourite places will be the centrepiece of a bicentenary exhibition at Casula Powerhouse next month.
The Liverpool - My World exhibition will showcase art created by preschoolers from seven childcare centres.
Youngsters at Hinchinbrook Multi-Purpose Children’s Centre have been painting, drawing and creating collages ahead of the show.
Childcare: when play becomes work
23/01/2010
Spending his days surrounded by building blocks and overexcited toddlers wasn't exactly what David Yates had in mind while studying for his English degree. But the Sheffield University graduate says he hasn't looked back since deciding to work as an early years professional in a nursery.
"When I graduated, I was looking at regular office jobs and IT jobs – but none of them stood out," he says. "I'd done voluntary work with young children before in holidays, and thought I might as well do something I enjoy. And I have no regrets."
Royal Anne so proud of endeavour at children's centres
22/01/2010
NORTH East Lincolnshire's children's centres were given the Royal seal of approval by Princess Anne.
The first stop on the tour of the area was at the Sure Start Queensway Children's Centre in Grimsby.
After arriving by helicopter in Moody Lane, the princess was taken by car to the nearby centre on Binbrook Way to begin her visit.
Disadvantaged communities to get more support
21/01/2010
The Prime Minister and Children and Families Minister Dawn Primarolo today announced a further 88 new Family Intervention Projects (FIPs) across the country and a further £2.6m of funding for local authorities to start or expand FIPs in their region.
The 88 new projects will fund an additional 200 key workers to help turn around the lives of over 1,200 families in need of support each year. The £11 million projects are funded from the first round of the Housing Challenge Fund, announced by the Prime Minister in September 2009, and part funded by social landlords such as housing associations and local authorities.
Early years provision: playing with maths
20/01/2010
It looks like a giant child's eye view of the outside world, but the wall display at a Newcastle nursery school is actually the sum of the children's learning in maths for a term.
Every tree, worm and ladybird was observed, pondered over and created by four-year-olds, working with an artist in residence. The end result - a mural with magnetic, moveable features - is in daily use by the pupils at Newburn Manor nursery school as they play at ordering, counting and comparing the shapes.
Government sets out new package of measures to help the 21st century family
20/01/2010
Ed Balls is today announcing a new package of measures to support modern families in the 21st century.
‘Support for All – the Families and Relationships Green Paper’ sets out how the Government can support all families, help to prevent and resolve marriage and relationship breakdown, support and recognise dads and grandparents, improve flexible working for families, and give more targeted support to families in need.
As part of the Green Paper, Ed Balls and Justice Secretary Jack Straw are today launching a major review into the family justice system to reduce conflict and promote earlier resolution of problems.
Children's centres report more financial stability
20/01/2010
Children's centres are more financially stable than they were three years ago, according to a report by the National Audit Office.
The report, which was commissioned by a select committee of MPs as part of an inquiry into Sure Start, said 92 per cent of centres are close to breaking even or under budget, compared with 60 per cent in 2006. Some local authorities have improved finances by clustering centres under one manager.
However, there is still 'widespread concern' among centres about the long-term viability of childcare in centres.
Working parents to be given more choice
20/01/2010
A consultation is to take place on the notice period fathers have to give for two-week paternity leave, the government has announced.
As part of the Families and Relationships Green Paper, the government is seeking to extend the choices families are able to make in relation to work-life balance.
Sure Start children's centres will be encouraged to offer a walking bus service to help increase the hours when parents can potentially work.
Liverpool-based Little League Sports company is a big success
19/01/2010
TWO enterprising former Gateacre Comprehensive School pupils are enjoying great success developing a sporting project for youngsters across Liverpool.
It was in November 2008 when Jordan Wright and pal Joseph Mulhearn formed a community interest company called Little League Sports.
Within 12 months, Waves Enterprise selected the company as the most outstanding new business of the year.
The young entrepreneurs offer not only coaching but also alternative education and training provisions.
LLS are currently working in partnership and providing services for Sure Start children’s centres and youth services in the city.
Rural watchdog seeks to maximise value of economic well-being
18/01/2010
The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) believes that local authorities and other organisations should be making greater use of their ability to pursue policies and projects which increase the economic well-being of the communities they serve.
To encourage and help them, the CRC is today (Monday 18 January 2010) launching two reports which explain economic well-being and give guidance as to how the concept can be used. The reports are being launched at a seminar which aims to stimulate debate and highlight existing good practice. Representatives from local, regional and national government, the voluntary sector and other agencies will come together to hear about projects which have made a positive difference to people’s lives and explore how economic well-being can be better used at a local level.
Ethnic Minority Advisory Group invites applications for membership
18/01/2010
Those wanting to make a difference to the employment opportunities of ethnic minorities and influence Government policy are being urged to apply for membership of the Ethnic Minority Advisory Group (EMAG).
Whilst the ethnic minority employment gap has narrowed over recent years, it still stands at 13.8 percentage points and recent research shows that racial discrimination still exists in recruitment practices.
Hounslow mum tells how a Sure Start children's centre turned her life around
17/01/2010
When Karol Jacquin left her home in Lebanon to start a new life here 10 years ago, she had no family, knew nobody and struggled to adapt to a culture not her own.
Soon after Karol made the move and settled in Hounslow, she gave birth to her first and only child Karen. Despite the joy felt having become a mum for the first time, Karol began feeling increasingly lonely and like “she had nowhere to go”.
Redditch mum makes a sure start to new life, thanks to Redditch centre
15/01/2010
AS Sure Start’s Children’s Centres grow in popularity, a Redditch mother talks of how the scheme turned her life around.
Sure Start brings together childcare, early education, health and family-support services for families with children under five years old. It is the cornerstone of the Government’s drive to tackle child poverty and social exclusion working with parents-to-be, parents, carers and children to promote the physical, intellectual and social development of babies and young children so that they can flourish at home and when they get to school.
Sure Start Children’s Centres inquiry concludes
13/01/2010
The first part of the session focuses on the involvement of health agencies and professionals, while in the second part, the Committee will raise a range of issues with the Minister and the Chief Executive of the Department's delivery partner for Children's Centres, Together for Children.
More help for families facing relationship breakdowns
12/01/2010
Parents and families going through separation and relationship breakdown are to be promised more support, in plans expected from the government.
The plans to be set out in a Families Green Paper will propose better advice and information for couples.
It will address the balance between work and childcare - and look at ways of making public services for "family friendly".
There will be targeted support for groups with particular needs, such as very young parents and parents of disabled children.
Children's centre offers early days tips
12/01/2010
Jane Foley is outreach manager at the Crescent Children's Centre in Meir. The centre recently started a dads' group, aimed at providing information, advice and support to new dads.
She says: "One of the things we are very aware of is that dads often don't feel included with a new baby because the focus is on mum most of the time. On Saturdays we encourage dads to come into the centre, use our facilities and share information with them about the impact they can have on their baby's life. It's so important they bond with their baby early on.
"Children's centres and nurseries can often be female dominated environments, but we are working hard to change that and make men comfortable.
Sure Start Children's Centres And Early Years To Partner BBC's Dig In Campaign For 2010
11/01/2010
Dig In is a BBC Learning campaign to encourage audiences to grow their own vegetables in the space available at home. Building on the success of the 2009 campaign, in 2010 Dig In will continue to encourage novice gardeners to grow and cook their own food.
There is a focus on what can be done in small spaces: patios, balconies and window boxes. At harvest time, Dig In inspires growers to take their vegetables from plot to pot with easy to prepare, tasty recipes.
The Dig In campaign is targeted at first-time growers, with a particular emphasis on encouraging the shared experience of growing and cooking with families with young children. At the heart of the campaign are five new varieties of Dig In vegetables: salad, carrot, courgette, basil and French beans.
CWDC to survey graduates to explore impact of EYPS
11/01/2010
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is to survey around 4,000 graduates working in the early years sector who have gained the Early Year Professional Status (EYPS) qualification.
The survey will explore to what extent the qualification and being a graduate helps them in their working life. Other questions will cover their aspirations and further career development needed.
The results will be fed into a three-year academic research study being carried out by Wolverhampton University on behalf of the CWDC. Researchers will also look at collecting case studies from responses.
Parental engagement
08/01/2010
The DCSF is undertaking research on what practitioners and settings can do to support and encourage stronger parental engagement. This will inform guidance and materials to help practitioners in schools, colleges, children's centres and early years settings to improve their work with parents.
To feed into this research the DCSF is keen to hear about your experiences. In particular it wants any evidence you have for the success of particular approaches or that helps it understand why other approaches may have been less successful. It is important that practice is included which reflects experiences of working with parents of children across the full age range, that is from 0 to 19 years.
See publication link for more information
Family Action service helps parents in Leicestershire
08/01/2010
Camilla Pemberton reports on a Family Action service that helps parents with learning disabilities gain the skills to enable them to look after their children successfully
More than half of parents with learning disabilities will have their children taken away at some stage, says Mencap head Mark Goldring, "often because of preconceived ideas that parents with a learning disability are unable to cope". This was highlighted last May when the Daily Telegraph reported a case where a three-year-old girl was to be adopted because, it claimed, social services had deemed her mother "too stupid" to look after her.
Government sets out vision for high-quality child mental health services
07/01/2010
Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan and Care Services Minister Phil Hope today reinforced the clear expectation for all local areas to deliver good quality mental health services for all children, including 24 hour cover for urgent mental health problems and child-only facilities for under-16s.
The Government is calling on all local areas to support children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health, as it publishes its full response to the 20 recommendations in last-year’s independent review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Keeping Children and Young People In Mind sets out the Government’s commitment to support local areas to deliver effective and high quality mental health services for children and young people, drawing upon existing evidence and good practice. Stopping emotional and mental health problems in childhood escalating to problems later in life will help young people achieve their full potential, and also help cut the cost to society of poor health, poverty, crime and low educational attainment.
CWDC launches online survey into Early Years Professionals
07/01/2010
More than 4,000 early years professionals (EYPs) in England are being called on to take part in an online survey about the impact their graduate status is having on the quality of early years settings.
All practitioners who have achieved Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) are asked to complete the online survey which is live from 6 January to 19 February 2010. The survey takes no more than 30 minutes to complete and will contribute vital evidence on the impact that EYPS is having on improving outcomes for children.
EYPs can access the survey online and there are also options to complete the survey and return by email or by post. For further information about the survey, or to request a hard copy of the survey, please contact Julie on 01902 323006 or mailto:j.richmond@wlv.ac.uk.
Boys targeted in Government push for writing skills
06/01/2010
All nurseries and childminders will be sent Government guidance later this month advising them on how to encourage three and four-year-old boys to write.
Children's minister Dawn Primarolo said the gender gap in development between girls and boys was a 'worrying' problem.
In an interview in The Independent she said, 'There is a gap, and it is a worrying gap. What we can see is that boys, particularly on emotional development, lag behind girls.
Poor children suffer more injuries in informal childcare
06/01/2010
Children from deprived backgrounds are more likely to sustain accidental injuries while in informal childcare, a study has found.
Researchers from the UCL Institute of Child Health, the York and Humber Public Health Observatory and the University of York found that children aged three who were from poorer families and whose parents were less educated were more likely to sustain unintentional injuries in informal care than children from more affluent backgrounds.
The report's findings are based on the long-term health and wellbeing of almost 14,000 children born in the UK between 2000 and 2002 who are being tracked as part of the Millennium Cohort Study.
Childcare diploma changes will not affect enrolled students
05/01/2010
Students already enrolled on Level 3 diploma courses in childcare will not miss out when a replacement qualification for early year workers comes into force in September.
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is developing a new Level 3 diploma for the children and young people's workforce, set to start in colleges this September, replacing existing Level 3 qualifications in early years, social care and learning development support services.
The qualification is part of the council's work to rationalise and clarify qualifications under the new Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF).
Raising the profile of families and family services: National Family Week 2010
05/01/2010
The UK’s second National Family Week takes place from 31 May - 6 June, and is an opportunity for practitioners working with children and young people to raise the profile of their work through a range of activities and events.
It offers a platform to promote new or existing services, to encourage parents to get involved with services or to give their views, and to address specific needs or concerns.
Support for those running events – including events packs – is available from the National Family Week website.
Education and children's centre sector honoured in New Years list
04/01/2010
Dame Commander
Oriana Clare, Mrs TICKELL Chief Executive, Action for Children. For services to Young People.
OBE
Peter MURRAY Co-Founder, Ormiston Trust. For services to Children and Families.
MBE
Dr Jaswant Kaur JUTLEY-PLESTED Manager, Sydenham Children's Centre, Bridgwater, Somerset. For services to Children.
LIVING IN POVERTY
04/01/2010
An astonishing seventy per cent of children in Camberwell and Peckham live in poverty according to a new study by Barnardo's.
And in neighbouring north Southwark and Bermondsey, the figures are only marginally better, with 69 per cent of children living in poverty.
The data, from 2007 to 2008, which is the latest period available, were measured before the recession.
Viral video encourages small businesses to employ parents
04/01/2010
A new taskforce set up to champion family-friendly jobs is to launch a viral video campaign designed to dispel the myth that employing parents on a flexible or part-time basis is bad for business.
The campaign, which will be launched by Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper during the last week of January, will highlight best practice by showing how small businesses can profit from employing parents on a part-time basis.
The taskforce also plans to run workshops for businesses to provide information on flexible working. The campaign and workshops are targeting London initially. If the scheme is successful there are plans to roll it out nationally.
Prisons told to consult children on play
18/12/2009
Prisons are being urged to consult more with children over the type of play facilities they provide.
The Prison Advice & Care Trust (Pact) has created guidance for playworkers in prisons to engage more with children when planning play provision to ensure it better meets their needs.
Sandra Duhaney, Pact senior services manager, said that a lot of good work has been conducted by third sector organisations to make prisons more family and child-friendly. But she claimed there was still more work required in terms of listening to prisoners' children and thus improving their outcomes.
Updated guidance to support local authority Childcare Sufficiency Assessments and Action Planning
18/12/2009
The consultation on the Draft Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Guidance will be launched on the DCSF consultation website on 18 December.
Local authorities are invited to comment on the draft guidance by 26 February 2010.
Young Woman’s Guide to Pregnancy now available
17/12/2009
The Young Woman’s Guide to pregnancy is now available to order in bundles of up to 500. Tommy’s has also introduced an on-line ordering system which enables TPU Co-ordinators to order via the Tommy’s website using a Purchase Order or a credit card. Simply decide on the order quantity, raise your Purchase Order and type the PO number into the on-line ordering system, following the on-screen instructions. Tommy’s will then send you an invoice along with your ordered Guides.
Tommy’s continues to fund the printing of each guide; however postage, packaging and administration charges will be applied to each order.
The order quantities and P&P charges are as follows:
No Guides P&P charge
20 £10
50 £50
100 £100
200 £200
500 £500
To access the on-line ordering systems go to www.tommys.org. Under ‘Pregnancy Information’ click on ‘Information for Health Professionals’ in the drop down menu.
In the first introductory paragraphs of the Information for Health Professionals page you will find a text link to the ‘Tommy’s Shop’. Click on this and you will be provided with a menu of Tommy’s information items. If you scroll down the page you will find Young Woman’s Guide to Pregnancy and you can begin to place your order on-line.
£80m to help summer-born children start school when parents want
16/12/2009
Up to £80m will be available to fund full and part-time schooling and free full-time early years places for four-year-olds, in plans for parents of summer-born children to have greater flexibility over choosing when their child starts school.
The move follows a Government consultation with parents, teachers and local authorities over plans for all four-year-olds to start reception the September after their fourth birthday (News, 22 October).
Under changes to the Schools Admissions Code, local authorities will have a legal duty to give parents flexibility and choice over school starting dates.
ICS Improvement: Newlsetter and new guidance material
16/12/2009
The DCSF has published further guidance material to support ICS Improvements, to supplement the materials the DCSF published on 22 October 2009. The materials are accompanied by a newsletter sent to ICS champions in local authorities. All materials can be found on the ECM website at the publication link.
The guidance material comprises:
• Improving the usability of ICS systems
• A guidance note jointly produced with the Expert Panel to help and support authorities as they seek to make usability improvements to their systems
• The Integrated Children’s System and “interoperability”
• This paper is the response to the request from the Social Work Task Force in their letter of 5 May for the DCSF to explain how ICS interfaces with other systems including ContactPoint and National eCAF. The paper was drafted in consultation with a number of local authorities
• The ICS Usability Toolkit
• This was originally issued to local authorities in the summer
Government response to the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group's sixth annual report
15/12/2009
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo and Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron today welcomed the publication of the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group’s sixth annual report and will be responding to all the recommendations next year.
They called on local authorities and Primary Care Trusts to continue prioritising the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy beyond December 2010 – putting a particular focus on improving sex and relationships education (SRE) in and out of schools and helping sexually active teenagers use contraception effectively. In addition to the £45m provided for improved contraceptive services over the last two years, local areas have recently received additional support through the Contraception Worth Talking About campaign, which was launched on 30 November 2009. This will be further supported by legislation to make SRE a compulsory part of the curriculum from September 2011.
Swine flu vaccination: information for parents of children over six months and under five years old
15/12/2009
All children over six months and under five years of age are now being offered the swine flu vaccine. This leaflet has been developed to provide parents and carers with information about the vaccination.
Government accepts all Sir Roger Singleton’s recommendations on vetting and barring
14/12/2009
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls has accepted all of Sir Roger Singleton’s recommendations to make sure that the Government’s Vetting and Barring scheme draws the line in the right place and protects children without getting involved in private arrangements between parents and friends.
And he pledged to make the necessary adjustments to the rules of the scheme to ensure it strikes the right balance between protecting children and vulnerable adults without being unnecessarily burdensome. It is estimated that once these adjustments have been put in place, the number of people who will be required to register will fall from 11 million to nine million.
Sure Start inquiry questions Martin Narey of Barnardo’s
14/12/2009
The Sure Start inquiry is examining whether the Children's Centres model of integrated services for under-5s and their families promotes early childhood development and is an effective response to deprivation. It is also looking at how the policy is being delivered.
This session questions the voluntary sector organisations on the impact of the programme and the challenges in its implementation, and at the role of the voluntary sector as a provider of services and manager of Children's Centres.
Call to strengthen library and early years setting links
14/12/2009
Libraries should be integrated into national and local early years literacy and communication strategies, according to an evaluation of a successful £5m early years scheme.
Book Ahead, a government-funded programme aiming to strengthen links between libraries and early years settings has successfully engaged more than 16,000 settings, according to the report by the Museums and Libraries Association (MLA).
The evaluation found that 71 per cent of settings were from the private, voluntary and independent sector. Where details had been provided, researchers found that almost half of the settings were new contacts for libraries.
More boys getting hooked on reading for pleasure
14/12/2009
School Minister Vernon Coaker today welcomed new research that shows Government investment in books has led to more boys at primary schools reading for enjoyment and improving their reading skills.
The research also highlights how younger children are getting off to a flying starting by discovering the pleasure of storytelling and sharing books.
As part of the National Year of Reading last year, the Government launched two programmes aimed at encouraging more young people into reading for pleasure, targeted at boys aged 5-11 and all children aged 3-5.
CWDC invests £600,000 in playwork training
13/12/2009
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is to inject £600,000 into training for playworkers who want to boost their career prospects.
The cash, which will feed into the government's three-year funding package for playwork training, will finance professionals to study the playwork NVQ Level 3 or the Level 3 award in playwork for early years and childcare workers.
The Children's Plan committed to supporting 4,000 playworkers to achieve Level 3 qualifications by 2011.
Epsom and St Helier hospital midwives shortlisted for national award
09/12/2009
A pair of Epsom and St Helier midwives who care for pregnant teenagers were shortlisted for a national award.
Colleen Robinson and Sue Sasse were nominated for the Royal College of Midwives’ team of the year award, and are now through to the final.
The team run a weekly session from Muschamp Children’s Centre in Carshalton, where young mums-to-be and their partners can get advice and support.
Gift of giving at The Haven
09/12/2009
SANTA arrived early for the residents at The Haven in Wagga yesterday when children from the Shaw Street Children's Centre visited the elderly bearing gifts.
More than 40 residents received presents personally wrapped by children and families from the children's centre.
Rene McDonell, who has two children at the Shaw Street Children's Centre ? Erin, 2, and Heath, 5 ? said the visit to The Haven was to show children the importance of giving at Christmas time.
EYPs and teachers look at co-working
09/12/2009
A report exploring the relationship between practitioners with Early Years Professional Status and qualified teachers is to be published next month following an event organised by two professional bodies.
The study will be based on the findings of a seminar last week, the first of a series called Working Together Better, organised by the General Teaching Council (GTC) and hosted by Aspect, the children's services union.
The first seminar looked at how teachers and EYPs work together, focusing particularly on their roles and qualifications, role definition within settings, and opportunities for continuing professional development.
Childcare voucher U-turn widely welcomed
09/12/2009
Tax relief on childcare vouchers will not be scrapped, following the Prime Minister's decision to abandon plans to end the benefit.
Basic rate taxpayers will continue to be exempt from all tax and National Insurance Contributions on the value of their vouchers, but in future, higher-rate tax payers who currently receive tax relief at 40 per cent will have the benefit halved.
From April 2011, higher-rate tax payers joining a scheme will be entitled to income tax relief worth exactly the same as basic rate taxpayers.
Pre-Budget Report: Child benefit to increase
09/12/2009
Child benefit and disability benefit will be increased by 1.5 per cent, MPs have been told.
Delivering his Pre-Budget Report, the Chancellor Alistair Darling said the increases will take effect from next April.
There are two separate amounts currently paid for child benefit, with a higher amount for the eldest, or only, child.
The payment stands at £20 a week for the eldest child and £13.20 a week for each other child.
Swine Flu Vaccinations for under fives to start before Christmas
08/12/2009
Children between the ages of six months and five years will start to be vaccinated against swine flu in the run up to Christmas, Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced today.
This age group has been identified as the next priority group for the vaccine because they are more likely to be hospitalised if they fall ill with swine flu. They also have high rates of admission to critical care and, sadly, there have also been some deaths.
The decision to vaccinate this group is supported by advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation – the UK’s independent advisory board on vaccines.
Inquiry continues into Sure Start Children’s Centres
07/12/2009
The Children, Schools and Families Commitee holds an evidence session as part of its inquiry into Sure Start Children's Centres at 4pm.
This is the third oral evidence session in the Committee's inquiry, which is examining the strategic role of local authorities in the programme and the views of Centre leaders.
Sarah Brown hosts The Downing Tweet Christmas Party
07/12/2009
Sarah Brown met the faces behind the ‘tweets’ when she welcomed guests supporting the Million Mums campaign to Downing Street for a special Christmas party.
‘The Downing Tweet Christmas Party’ provided an opportunity for people from all walks of life, from student action groups to the entertainment industries, to come together and raise awareness for Million Mums.
The campaign’s aim is to sign up a million people to donate to the cause to stop preventable deaths in childbirth and through birth related complications because of poor access to healthcare.
Dads and kids unite for world record attempt in Watford
05/12/2009
A GROUP of dads teamed up with their children to take part in a world record attempt in Watford today.
Members of a dads and kids club at Westfield Children's Centre in Tolpits Lane, participated in a nationwide challenge to plant as many trees as possible in one hour.
The team of tiny green-fingers helped their dads to plant 30 trees in the grounds of the centre, where the group meets the first Saturday of every month.
Improve status of part-time work to help families, says commission
03/12/2009
The government has been urged to improve the pay and status of part-time work in its green paper on families and relationships.
The call to action has come from charity 4Children's Family Commission following a survey of 1,000 UK families in which 65 per cent said long working days put strain on their family relationships.
Meanwhile, 64 per cent said financial hardship was a contributing factor to family problems, and 55 per cent of fathers felt they did not spend enough time with their children.
Toolkit urges greater PCT role in children's centres
03/12/2009
Children's centres and health services will be issued with new guidance in a bid to improve the way they work together.
Together for Children (TfC), the agency responsible for delivering the government's children's centre programme, has created a toolkit to support training. It is aimed at planning and commissioning services within local authorities and primary care trusts (PCTs), as well as children's centre staff and their partner agencies.
Poverty and social exclusion: the good, the bad and the ugly
03/12/2009
Julia Unwin, head of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, on what progress has been made regarding poverty and social exclusion over the last 10 years.
The last decade really has been a case of the good, the bad and the ugly in terms of progress on poverty and social exclusion.
The rate of premature deaths is declining; infant mortality has dropped; and the number of children being excluded from school is falling. All good. There has also been progress on crime – fear of crime and the number of people who are victims of crime have both reduced.
Charity given funds to help families hit by recession
03/12/2009
Family support charity Home-Start has been awarded £250,000 to work with families affected by the recession.
The money, which comes from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, will be distributed among 25 local Home-Starts to provide extra family support up until the end of March 2010.
Support will include creative ways of helping families affected by the recession, additional emotional support to families who have seen an increase in anxiety, depression and stress, and directing families to other agencies who work with families struggling to cope with their finances.
Consultation launched on reciprocal childcare
02/12/2009
Reciprocal childcare arrangements for no reward are the subject of a newly-launched Government consultation.
The review stems from the case of two policewomen who were looking after each other's children - an arrangement, Ofsted said, which contravened the Childcare Act 2006 because it was for more than two hours a day and so constituted a 'reward'.
Children's secretary Ed Balls has already agreed with Ofsted that such arrangements should no longer require registration. The aim of the consultation is to clarify their legal position.
International Green Apple Award for Eco-Friendly Ley's Children Centre
30/11/2009
Barking and Dagenham Council has been awarded a National Green Apple Award in recognition for its work around tackling the causes and impacts of climate change.
The Council was commended for the environmental design and development of the new Leys Children Centre, Dagenham.
The centre won the award for its innovative and effective design and the way it reduces its impact on the environment, cuts carbon emissions and slashes energy bills.
There are a number of eco-features which have helped to reduce the environmental impact, including solar panels that produce a large proportion of the building's electricity, sunlight tubes fitted to reflect natural light into the building, a Grade 'A' rated boiler and insulation.
Stable relationships are key to tackling family breakdown, says Ed Balls
29/11/2009
Minister to publish green paper examining children's welfare in the family as a potential electoral battleground.
The government is drawing up new plans to tackle family breakdown that will promote any stable relationship, not just the superiority of marriage, the children's secretary, Ed Balls, reveals .
His department is due to publish a green paper on the family early in the new year, turning the issue of the promotion of families, parenting and marriage into a potential electoral battleground.
Healthcare professionals to give families a healthy Start4Life
27/11/2009
Health Secretary previews new Change4Life Campaign at the Royal College of Midwives conference.
An extension of the Government’s Change4Life campaign, which helps families ‘eat well, move more and live longer’, will be announced by Health Secretary Andy Burnham at the Royal College of Midwives today.
The Start4Life campaign, will support front line staff to deliver the Healthy Child Programme, supporting pregnant women and parents of babies to establish good feeding and activity habits for their babies to help them reduce the risk of becoming obese in later life.
Serving children and young people better
27/11/2009
The Children's Inter-Agency Group (CIAG), have published a report, Serving children and young people better, looking at the progress made over six years since the introduction of the Every Child Matters programme and the work that still needs to be done.
Not enough doctors in joint working safeguarding training
27/11/2009
Insufficient numbers of doctors and adult services staff are getting involved in inter-agency training aimed at safeguarding children, according to research.
A study of the organisation, outcomes and costs of such training carried out by the University of Bristol and Durham University concluded that there was also a lack of participants from the housing sector and libraries.
The report highlighted previous research and policy guidance that had consistently advocated that "if professionals concerned with safeguarding children are to work together more effectively, they should learn together".
Charities call for relationship aid
26/11/2009
The government has been urged to put services that tackle relationship breakdown in every children's centre and school, and to train health and social care workers to handle relationship issues.
The proposals, seen exclusively by CYP Now, have been set out by family charity coalition Kids in the Middle in a briefing expected to inform the forthcoming families and relationships green paper.
Consisting of 29 of the country's leading family charities and children's organisations, the coalition wants any changes in family policy to be underpinned by a set of government principles akin to Every Child Matters, called Every Family Matters, based on consultation with parents, children and extended families.
Hull council hosts poverty conference
26/11/2009
Hull Council has held its first child poverty conference after it was revealed 26% of children in Yorkshire and the Humber live in poverty.
Around 80 delegates met at the Guildhall to hear presentations from various speakers from Jobcentre Plus, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Child Poverty Unit, as well as the council's children's services team and representatives from local children's centres.
The aim of the conference was to bring organisations from across the city together to talk about the issues and consider ways to reduce child poverty.
New Children and Learners Strategic Advisers (CLSAs) partnership
26/11/2009
Together for Children and Learners (TfCL), a partnership led by Serco with Outcomes UK and WCL Associates, has been appointed as preferred supplier for the Children and Learners Strategic Advisers (CLSAs) service. CLSAs will support the Government Office Directors for Children and Learners (DCLs), as DCSF in the region, in their engagement with local authorities and partners from next April. TfCL are currently recruiting to these new posts and are in the process of advertising the CLSA role opportunities.
For more information about this service and the permanent, fixed term, interim and secondment opportunities on offer visit the Outcomes Resourcing website at the publication link.
DCSF Speeches: Child Health - Speech by Dawn Primarolo
26/11/2009
This is a transcript of the speech by Children's Minister Dawn Primarolo in London on 26 November 2009. She talks about the delivery of children's health services.
Dads without training 'a danger at childbirth'
25/11/2009
Dads are a danger to their partners and babies if they attend the birth of their child without proper preparation and training, a fatherhood expert has claimed.
Duncan Fisher, director of Family Info and former chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, will make the argument today in a debate at the Royal College of Midwives Student Conference.
According to Fisher, fathers can have a huge positive influence when present at the childbirth, but a lack of information can lead to them doing more harm than good. He will be debating with obstetrician Michael Odent, who has recently stated that fathers should not be present at a child's birth at all.
Child action awards for duo
24/11/2009
TWO charity workers from Doncaster received top accolades from Action for Children in an award ceremony at the Waldorf Hotel, London.
Gill Walsh and Ursula Lane, who both work at Intake and Belle Vue Children's Centre, were honoured at the charity's annual Stephenson Awards, which recognise staff, volunteers and supporters and the vital role they play in supporting the UK's most vulnerable children and young people.
Ofsted finds school and childcare improvement is too slow
24/11/2009
Mediocre schools and childcare providers are failing to improve quickly enough, Ofsted's annual report has found.
The proportion of good and outstanding schools and childcare providers has increased since last year, but the report found "real concerns remain" about the quality of many services.
More than half of schools and childcare providers that were rated satisfactory previously failed to improve by their most recent inspection.
Lack of transport is main concern for poor rural families
24/11/2009
A lack of affordable and reliable transport is causing misery for low-income families living in the countryside, according to a report by Capacity for the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC).
The report, Peace and Quiet Disadvantage: Insights from Users and Providers of Children's Centres in Rural Communities, found that poor transport links were the main concern among families on low incomes or out of work.
Large distances involved in accessing basic healthcare and dental services and the high cost of train and bus travel means many families miss out. Those living in the smallest villages were the hardest hit, the report found.
Pre-school support could cut crime by half, says charity
23/11/2009
Support for parents of pre-school children could help to cut crime by more than a half, according to a study published by Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health.
The Chance of a Lifetime: Preventing Early Conduct Problems and Reducing Crime suggests that action to prevent conduct problems in young children, such as lying, disobedience, fighting and stealing can dramatically reduce their chances of offending later in life.
According to the study one child in 20 has a conduct disorder, the most serious form of conduct problems. Those children go on to commit 30 per cent of crime, at a cost to society of over £22bn a year. Another 45 per cent of children have mild or moderate conduct problems. They go on to commit half of all crime at an annual cost of some £37bn.
Children’s Minister launches action plan to address children’s rights
20/11/2009
Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan will today set out the UK’s long term vision for promoting children’s rights and improving outcomes for young people, making them a clear priority for the Government.
In recent years the Government has made big steps in improving the outcomes for children and young people, including:
- Opening more than 3,000 children's centres, benefiting over 2.4 million 0-5 year olds;
- Increasing school funding by 74% or by £37 billion since 1997;
- Investing over £900m in positive activities and opening more than 600 play areas to give children and young people somewhere to enjoy their free time;
- Lifting over 500,000 children out of poverty; and
- Developing the Children's Plan which reflects the Government’s aspirations for children's services to promote the wellbeing of every child.
Family intervention projects cut antisocial behaviour
20/11/2009
The government's so-called "tough love" family intervention projects (FIPs) have significantly reduced antisocial behaviour and enforced evictions.
An independent evaluation into the pilot projects found a raft of positive outcomes among the families with a track record of antisocial behaviour problems being targeted.
Among the 699 families that had completed the project, two-thirds were no longer involved in antisocial behaviour and the number of families facing eviction because of their behaviour had reduced from 47 per cent to 15 per cent.
Children over six months and under five years will be offered vaccine
19/11/2009
The swine flu vaccination programme will be extended to offer children over six months and under five protection against the virus.
Extending the vaccination programme to young children is supported by the panel of experts that provide advice on vaccination issues - the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Children under five years of age are more likely than other groups to be hospitalised if they become ill with swine flu. Young children also have high rates of admission to critical care and, sadly, there have been some deaths.
NSPCC launches online toolkit on children's rights
19/11/2009
The NSPCC has released an online training toolkit to help children's professionals to uphold children's rights.
The toolkit has been launched today to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Guidance includes asking children for their opinion of services as a matter of routine. Setting up panels or committees to help them express their views should also be considered.
Government reveals measures to support service families
19/11/2009
The government has unveiled a package of measures to help the families of servicemen and women, including a review of their childcare and employment support.
Under the measures, announced by equality minister Harriet Harman and Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, the government will carry out a review of how well councils are supporting service families with childcare.
Development wheel charts care for parents
18/11/2009
Parents are being guided through the different stages of a child's development with the help of a printed device designed by early years practitioners for a London local authority.
The Birth to Five Wheel, from Harrow council, is themed around keeping a young child healthy and safe. The centre rivet in the wheel allows the parent or carer to twist it around to the age bracket they are interested in. This contains advice like 'Play with me outside each day' and milestones such as 'Use trial and error and start to say "no" often', for two-year-olds.
Later school entry age is backed by leading academic
18/11/2009
The recommendation in the Cambridge Review that children should not start school until age six has been endorsed by another leading academic.
Professor Greg Brooks, an emeritus professor of education at the University of Sheffield, spoke at a Literacy Interventions meeting held by the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee. Professor Brooks said, 'I think we induct children into formal school too young in this country. I think there is a case for having a much more play-based pre-school phase that would last from age three to age six, in which there would be very little or no formal teaching of literacy. That would start at age six.'
Queen's speech 2009: child poverty bill
18/11/2009
The bill will impose a new legal duty on the government to eradicate child poverty by 2020.
The aim, ministers say, is to ensure low-income families do not lose out on opportunities, for example for children to go on school trips, and to help create a fairer society. Campaigners say that 4 million children, or three in 10 of all children, live in poverty.
Family lunch program brings Brighton stay-at-home parents together
17/11/2009
The Brighton Children's Centre, with support from the Hennessy Foundation and the Clothing Depot, is hosting the Family Lunch Program again this year. Open to parents and caregivers with children under the age of six, the lunch program provides an opportunity for fellowship, fun and nutritious feasting.
Located at Trinity St. Andrews United Church each Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the program offers a play area with activities and crafts for children, an opportunity for parents to socialize, and a delicious buffet style lunch. Following lunch, copies of the recipes are available, sharing how to prepare healthy, cost-effective meals.
'It's a young dad's life'
13/11/2009
A series of photos have been produced of proud young dads from Sedgefield in County Durham showing the positive impact they make on their children's lives.
Use Fathers Plus resources to support your team to reach out to local family men.
Ideal to give away at ante-natal visits and in children's centre registration packs.
Spread the message about the importance of men in children's lives.
More families will be lifted out of poverty as landmark Welfare Reform Act gets Royal Assent
13/11/2009
More people will be helped into work, and more families lifted out of poverty as the radical Welfare Reform Act was given Royal Assent. It sets out the rights and responsibilities of people claiming out-of-work benefits, increases the rights of disabled people to take control of their lives, and boosts the rights of children and parents.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Yvette Cooper said:
"This Act will help get more people into work and more families out of poverty too.
"It makes clear that almost everyone should be on a journey to work - either looking for work now or preparing for work in the future. It will mean more support for people who face difficulties getting jobs but also greater responsibilities on people to take up that help".
Developing maternity services for teenagers
13/11/2009
Consultant midwife Rachel Ambler spoke of the negative impact critical and reactive health professionals can have on pregnant teenagers at a recent meeting in London.
A consultant midwife in public health at the Whittington Hospital in North London, she was speaking at the Maternity and Newborn Forum in the Royal Society of Medicine.
She said that ‘once you get a young person into the maternity service then it is far too late to be judgemental.’ This might be the first organisation to offer congratulations to the teenage couple on the pregnancy.
Government listens to grandparents’ opinions
12/11/2009
Grandparents and their representative organisations will today attend a cross-Government summit to explore the changing role of grandparents in society and talk to Ministers about how the Government can support them.
Topics for discussion include how families and childcare services can adapt to better meet the needs of grandparents, the impact of combining employment with care of their grandchildren, and ways to provide more information to grandparents more effectively.
The findings from the summit will inform the forthcoming Families and Relationships Green Paper. The Green Paper will look at how government can better support all family members, including grandparents, and how services can cater for their differing needs.
Child Home Safety
12/11/2009
The DCSF have developed a toolkit that aims to raise awareness of child home safety and give parents simple advice on how they can make their home a safer environment. The toolkit includes posters and leaflets and is free of charge.
Around 3 million children are taken to accident and emergency every year because they’ve been hurt in accidents. 362,000 are admitted to hospital. Falling down the stairs, getting burns or scalds or swallowing harmful substances are accidents that are still far too common.
It is recognised that children should not be prevented from learning and developing naturally but they need to grow in a safe environment protected from serious harm. Seeing the world through a child’s eyes is a good way for parents to be more aware of the possible danger points and make their home safer.
To find out more about the Child Home Safety campaign and toolkit , please contact Bev Tomkins at iris on 02076547930 or email Beverley.tomkins@iris-london.co.uk
Publication of Commissioning Support Programme (CSP) Supplement
12/11/2009
The Guardian is publishing a supplement on commissioning paid for by the Commissioning Support Programme (CSP).
The supplement will be published in the Guardian’s Society section on Wednesday 18 November (the same day as the Commissioning Support Programme’s National Conference) and contains an interview with Dawn Primarolo.
Copies of the supplement can be obtained from the CSP website.
Dawn Primarolo: Areas must continue to reduce Teenage Pregnancy rates further
11/11/2009
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo today called on local authorities and health trusts to continue to prioritise the Government’s successful teenage pregnancy strategy, to further bring down teenage conceptions.
The call to action comes as the Government publishes its response to the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TPIAG) 2007/08 annual report. The Government has taken forward all the major recommendations including making sex and relationship education statutory from 2011, and investing more than £45 million in improving young people’s access to contraception.
MPs launch inquiry into Early Years Single Funding Formula
11/11/2009
MPs are holding an inquiry into the Early Years Single Funding Formula amid concerns about its impact on early years providers.
Last week the cross-party Commons children, schools and families committee heard from campaigners that children in deprived areas could be hit hardest with a loss of funding to maintained nursery schools.
Their concerns have prompted the committee to hold an official inquiry into early years funding. A report is expected early next year.
Dawn Primarolo: Both parents to have the right to register their child’s birth
10/11/2009
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo today launched a consultation on new rules aimed at ensuring that wherever possible births are registered by both parents.
Current arrangements mean unmarried mothers can choose whether or not to register the name of a baby’s father on their birth certificate. Currently around 7% of births – on average 45,000 a year – are registered with only one parent .The new regulations, made under the Welfare Reform Bill, will mean that in most cases, both unmarried parents will be required to register their names on their child’s birth certificate.
Family charities urge services to work together
10/11/2009
A coalition of family charities has called for all forms of children and young people's services to consider ways of working together to prevent family breakdown during the recession.
Kids in the Middle's report published today, Crunch Time, shows that demand for support provided by the charities has increased throughout the economic downturn. It also calls for local means of support for families under stress to be protected during public spending cuts.
Ofsted confirms EYFS does not clash with play principles
09/11/2009
Ofsted has published guidance confirming that play providers can comply with the early years curriculum without compromising their professional principles.
The inspectorate has published a factsheet for the play sector called Regulating Play-based Provision.
How tough love breeds smart children
08/11/2009
Children brought up by parents practising "tough love" are more likely to become rounded personalities with well-developed characters than those who face either authoritarian or laissez-faire approaches, research reveals today.
The study, by the thinktank Demos, tracked the lives of 9,000 families and found that 13% used a "tough love" approach, combining warmth and discipline. It did not matter whether the parents were rich or poor – those that adopted the approach brought up children who were more likely to be empathetic, more able to control their emotions and bounce back from disappointment, and more capable of concentrating and completing tasks.
Contactpoint to start national rollout
06/11/2009
Faster and better contact between children’s services professionals across England will now become a reality as ContactPoint starts to be rolled out nationally to local authorities and frontline practitioners, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan confirmed today.
An evaluation report of the initial phase of the ContactPoint rollout, Lessons Learned from the Early Adopter Phase, also published today, shows how ContactPoint is making a positive difference daily to the practitioners already using it.
Dads aim to build biggest cardboard house
06/11/2009
THE world’s largest ever cardboard playhouse could be built in Oxford today — by a group of dads and children.
Families from Botley will use more than 200 cardboard boxes to build a house big enough for 45 children in their bid to enter the Guinness Book of Records.
The event is organised by Botley Saturdads, an initiative which encourages fathers involvement in their children’s upbringing.
Positive relationships: Key Person System - Pick your own
05/11/2009
Some nurseries are letting the children choose who they want to be their main carer, which can help to ensure they are matched according to their needs, finds Annette Rawstrone.
It is now mandatory that nurseries have a key person system where a practitioner is responsible for a small group of children and does the main caring. Some settings are now waiting for a child to choose their own key person instead of allocating one.
In Practice: Know How - Children's mental health
05/11/2009
Professionals working in children's centres and extended services are ideally placed to detect signs of mental illness in children or young people.
Some may have extreme or developed mental health problems but mental health also encompasses day-to-day stresses and anxieties, which may relate to a child's home life. Children's centre and extended school staff can play an important role in detecting problems early on and helping parents find the right support for their child.
Mental illness or stress can affect a child's behaviour so it's important those working with children are trained to recognise symptoms. Indicators might include changes in a child's usual behaviour, not sleeping or bed-wetting. Other symptoms could include self-harm, disruptive or withdrawn behaviour and fussiness around order or cleanliness.
Child obesity 'has peaked'
03/11/2009
The 30-year rise in child obesity may have peaked, researchers report. The increase in overweight and obesity among children which has continued without pause since the mid-1970s is now on a downward trajectory, according to latest figures.
The forecast number of overweight girls aged 2 to 11 in 2020 has dropped from 34 per cent to 17 per cent, and the proportion of obese girls from 14 per cent to 10 per cent.
Among boys, the forecast number of overweight is down from 22 per cent to 17 per cent, and for the obese it is down from 20 per cent to 13 per cent.
Traffic light food labelling to help parents choose healthier foods, the Sure Start scheme to give new parents support and improved breast feeding rates, which reduces the risk of obesity in later life, may all have contributed, he said.
Children’s Minister: ‘Think Family’ to support vulnerable children
03/11/2009
The most vulnerable children in the country will from today receive extra help from local services. The Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo will launch a package of measures and additional investment for more intensive family support at the first ever ‘Think Family’ National Conference.
The new measures will help the many different types of families at risk, specifically supporting: children living in poverty; children whose parents are in prison; children of parents with drug and alcohol problems; and children who are caring for their parents or other family members.
Dawn Primarolo will also announce today the 20 areas that will deliver the new £6.5m Child Poverty Family Intervention Projects (FIPs). These projects will address the underlying problems that are preventing parents from gaining employment and lifting their family out of poverty - such as drugs and alcohol misuse, domestic violence and mental health problems.
Food Safety Advice for Childminders
03/11/2009
The Food Standards Agency has launched a ‘Safer food, better business’ (SFBB) pack especially for childminders. The pack gives simple, straightforward advice on food safety.
Many childminders are now covered by food safety regulations and the pack has been designed to help them comply with these regulations with as little paperwork as possible.
To order a copy, telephone 0845 606 0667 or email: foodstandards@ecgroup.co.uk.
First-time mothers need support most at five months
02/11/2009
The Department of Health has pinpointed the most important time for children's professionals to offer support to first-time mothers outside of the first eight weeks of motherhood.
Based on the views of first-time mothers that used the NHS Baby LifeCheck online questionnaire, five months and one week after giving birth has been highlighted as the crucial time to offer support.
This is the time when visits from friends and family decline and when first-time mothers feel most anxious and isolated about their baby’s wellbeing. The time also coincides with changes in the baby’s development such as weaning.
Inquiry into Sure Start children’s centres begins
02/11/2009
The first oral evidence session of the Children, Schools and Families Committee's inquiry into Sure Start children's centres will take place today.
The Committee will look at the development of the children's centres programme from Sure Start and other initiatives, the research base, the implications of evaluation evidence for the future of children's centres, and at how the policy is being delivered.
It will also examine whether the children's centres model of integrated services for under-5s and their families promotes early childhood development and is an effective response to deprivation.
Children’s Minister: New online resources for up to 5 million mums, dads, carers and grandparents
29/10/2009
Dawn Primarolo, minister for Children, Young People and Families, today announced three new pilot projects to help up to five million mums, dads, carers and grandparents get important parenting information support and guidance.
The Parent Know How Innovation Fund has created the three pilot projects, as recent research showed that 80 per cent of parents reported they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the information or support provided by existing Parent Know How services. These latest additions to these services will launch in January and will join a range of other telephone helpline and innovative services available to mums, dads, carers and grandparents to ensure that wherever they look for information, they receive coherent advice from respected sources.
Working mothers do not harm babies' development, says major new study
28/10/2009
Children's development and behaviour is not harmed if their mothers go back to work when they are babies, according to major new research.
The report, 'Does mothers' employment affect children's development?', said that 'despite public opinion to the contrary', there is 'little evidence' that mothers who return to work in the first year of their child's life damage the cognitive or behavioural development of school-age children.
Family ties kept strong by prison play scheme
28/10/2009
A three-year scheme is aiming to help fathers in prison bond with their children through play.
'Play in Prisons', led by the Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact), and funded by the Big Lottery, will involve family days at prisons, with football games, storytelling and the chance for families to eat meals together.
The scheme, running in three Devon prisons, is intended to make visiting prison less confusing for children and keep their fathers from re-offending.
Young parents get helping hand
28/10/2009
It is well known that teenage pregnancy and health inequalities are closely linked. With Britain having one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Western Europe, the issue is a major contributing factor to health gaps seen up and down the country.
Medway in Kent is no different to many areas, with a teenage pregnancy rate similar to the national average. But the council, local primary care trust (PCT) and acute trust are tackling the issue head-on through the multi-agency Supporting Young Parents integrated team.
More than third of grandparent carers living in poverty
27/10/2009
More than one in three grandparent carers looking after children are living ‘below the poverty line and struggling to cope’, according to research.
Children's services departments are 'overlooking' carers when they are friends and family of the child, the report by charity Grandparents Plus found. These carers are often battling to keep a child away from abuse or neglect and then find they are unable to cope without respite care or emotional and financial support.
As a result, Grandparents Plus is joining forces with other members of the Kinship Care Alliance to organise a lobby of parliament this week and to call for 'greater recognition, respect and reward for family and friends carers'.
Manchester City Council Takes Steps To Transform Special Needs Education In the City
22/10/2009
Proposals that will further transform special education teaching and learning in Manchester and give more choice and better outcomes for young people have been agreed by the Council's Executive earlier this week.
The city wide proposals will see a continuum of provision developed for children and young people who have special educational needs from pre-school through to school leaving age and beyond.
The £28 million package of proposals includes early assessment through designated Sure Start centres and associated early years providers, and specially resourced provision at six mainstream primary schools and three mainstream high schools.
Private children's centres receive less funds
22/10/2009
Some children's centres are pricing poor families out of childcare because they are not receiving enough funding support from local authorities.
The findings have come to light in evidence submitted to the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, which is currently inquiring into the performance of children's centres.
According to government figures released last month, children's centres receive an average of £181,000 from local authorities to support childcare provision. This makes up 53 per cent of the their nursery income, with the rest coming from fees.
Nurseries given cuts support kit
22/10/2009
Council-run nurseries will be issued with guidance this week to help fend off cuts in government funding.
Childcare charity Early Education has created a support kit for nurseries that may be affected by the new funding model for free childcare, the Early Years Single Funding Formula.
It includes methods of measuring the impact of the formula and ways to raise awareness of problems.
New children's commissioner for England announced
21/10/2009
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls has confirmed the appointment of Dr Maggie Atkinson as the new Children’s Commissioner.
Dr Maggie Atkinson has been Director of Children’s Services in Gateshead since 2003 and held the post of president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) in 2008/09. She will take up the new post on 1st March 2010, replacing Sir Al Aynsley-Green when his five year appointment ends.
Confirming the appointment, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls said:
“I am delighted that Maggie Atkinson has accepted the role of Children’s Commissioner for England. She will be a strong and independent voice for the children and young people of our country, which is what they need and deserve.
Only half of fathers take full paternity leave
20/10/2009
Around a half of fathers are failing to take their full two-week paternity leave entitlement, according to a latest Equality and Human Rights Commission report.
The report, Working Better, Fathers, Families and Work, found that 45 per cent of men fail to take two weeks' paternity leave after the birth of their child.
The most common reason given was that they couldn't afford to take the time off.
Letter from Ed Balls regarding appointment of Children's Commissioner
19/10/2009
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, about the appointment of the Children’s Commissioner for England.
The letter to Mr Sheerman is available from the publication link.
Balls calls on professionals to boost health visiting
16/10/2009
Children's secretary Ed Balls has thrown his backing behind the government's attempt to boost health visiting, adding it is now down to the professionals themselves to press the case for change.
Speaking at the annual conference of the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA) in Southport, Balls said pressure needs to be applied to local health services to get numbers up.
Proven practice: whole-area child poverty strategies
16/10/2009
The Social Care Institute for Excellence considers the barriers in the fight against child poverty and methods to overcome them.
The UK government is committed to halving child poverty from 3.4m to 1.7m by 2010-11, from the baseline of 1999. But progress has been slow: in 2007-8, there were 2.9m children living in households with incomes below 60% of the median before housing costs - the same figure as in 2006-7.
Some groups of children are still at particularly high risk. Among these are those with unemployed parents, those from an ethnic minority, those who have one or more disabled adults in their family, children with three or more siblings, and those living in inner London.
MPs debate progress of Sure Start programme
16/10/2009
Dawn Primarolo, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families, opened a debate in Westminster Hall on the progress of Sure Start, the Government’s programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together early education, childcare, health and family support.
See the publication link for:
* Commons Hansard: Progress of the Sure Start programme
* Video and audio: Progress of the Sure Start programme
* About Parliament: Adjournment debates
* Parliamentary News: Committee launch Sure Start Children's Centres inquiry
Councils revise child trusts
15/10/2009
Councils are reviewing their strategies on children’s trusts in anticipation of their increased statutory role as financial pressures loom.
The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, expected to receive royal assent later this autumn, gives children’s trust boards a statutory role and clarifies the relationship between local safeguarding children boards and trusts.
But the new responsibilities come at a time when children’s trusts face increasing financial challenges, leading to questions over whether the work of their member organisations has been adequately defined.
Single parents who want training denied childcare
15/10/2009
Jobless single parents are being denied funding for childcare, which is excluding them from training opportunities, according to two leading charities.
Childcare charity Daycare Trust and lone-parent charity Gingerbread have written a joint letter to Children's Secretary Ed Balls, Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper and Business Secretary Peter Mandelson, voicing their concerns following a large increase in calls from distressed parents.
Government appoints first communications champion
15/10/2009
The government has today appointed a children's charity director as the first ever communications champion, who will be responsible for raising awareness for children with communication needs.
Jean Gross, director of the Every Child a Chance charity, will be expected to highlight best practice among service providers, raise awareness among commissioners and plan, organise and lead a National Year in 2011 focusing on the importance of developing children's communication skills.
Review of NHS children’s services
14/10/2009
Sir Ian Kennedy today set out the areas he will consider in his review of NHS services for children, looking at how to build on recent progress and ensure lasting improvements in quality and outcomes for children.
The Chief Executive of the NHS, David Nicholson, has commissioned Sir Ian to explore the cultural obstacles that can stand in the way of sustained improvement in the provision of care for children and to consider what can be done to develop the NHS’ contribution to safeguarding children.
Government guidance due on early learning for boys
14/10/2009
The government is set to issue advice on how boys can be better supported through early learning, with particular emphasis on improving achievements in writing.
Children's minister Dawn Primarolo revealed the plans to CYP Now after the latest government figures showed that girls are improving more than boys under the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Despite boys improving in 11 of the 13 early learning goals in the past year, girls continue to achieve at a higher level. And the gender gap has now widened in three of the seven learning areas: dispositions and attitudes, writing and shape, and space and measures.
Improved safeguarding arrangements go live
12/10/2009
Children and vulnerable adults are to be better protected from today with the start of the new Vetting and Barring Scheme (VBS).
The new scheme will be delivered by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). Its tighter regulations are at the heart of the Government’s strategy for increasing the protection of vulnerable members of our society.
Balls tells Ofsted to end reciprocal childcare regulation
12/10/2009
Children's Secretary Ed Balls has written to Ofsted to call for an immediate end to the regulation of reciprocal childcare arrangements between friends.
Balls wrote to Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert today after the government's chief adviser on the safety of children, Roger Singleton, advised that where no payments were made parents who looked after each others children should not have to register as childminders.
Balls wrote: "From now on and with immediate effect I would ask that Ofsted always treats such situations as beyond the scope of the childcare arrangements that you regulate under the Childcare Act 2006."
Free childcare code published
09/10/2009
The government has published a draft code of practice for providers offering free childcare to three and four-year-olds.
The code sets out what is required from local authorities and childcare providers in order to ensure that every three- and four-year-old receives 15 hours of free childcare each week, for 38 weeks each year, from September 2010. Currently three- and four-year-olds receive 12.5 hours a week.
It is the product of a two month consultation which took place between May and July this year, and will now be open for further consultation until January 2010.
Changing the behaviour of boys from ethnic minority communities in south London
09/10/2009
An Action for Children project to support ethnic minority boys affected by absent fathers has brought huge improvements in behaviour and family relationships
Boys from an ethnic minority and with an absent father have a greater risk of entering a life of crime or antisocial behaviour.
However, the Pinnacle project in Streatham, south London, has been successful at changing the behaviour of boys by addressing these risk factors and using a whole-family approach.
Play England offers guidance for local strategy
08/10/2009
Local authorities have been issued with guidance to help them implement the government's play strategy across a range of services.
Play England's Embedding the Play Strategy recommends how children's trusts should plan and commission services based on a local play strategy.
The document is open for consultation until the end of October, with responses requested from directors of children's services, children's trusts and those working in the voluntary and play sectors, as well as members of wider strategic partnerships such as commissioning, planning, transport, health, housing, schools, police, leisure and landscape architects.
Fathers are praised for giving time to children
08/10/2009
FATHERS who spent time with their children over the school summer holidays have been given awards by social services workers in a bid to encourage them to continue.
Doncaster Council said it had set up its Dads Matter group in the town's Bentley area in an attempt to get more fathers to engage with their children during the summer.
A spokesman said the group was aimed at men with children under the age of five to strengthen their relationships through a programme of activities.
Food safety advice for childminders
08/10/2009
The Food Standards Agency has launched a ‘Safer food, better business’ (SFBB) pack especially for childminders. The pack gives simple, straightforward advice on food safety.
Many childminders are now covered by food safety regulations and the pack has been designed to help them comply with these regulations with as little paperwork as possible.
It is based on the same principles as the other SFBB packs, but it is shorter, and has advice tailored to childminders, including information on feeding babies and children, cooking, cleaning, chilling and looking after a child with a food allergy.
Children's centre staff earn the most, DCSF survey finds
07/10/2009
Early years staff in children's centres earn more and have a higher level of qualifications than staff in sessional and full daycare settings, a Government survey has found.
The Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey 2008, carried out for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, found that higher proportions of staff in full daycare and on-site full daycare in children's centres had achieved a level 3 qualification compared with staff working in other types of childcare provision.
"Excellent" children's centre welcomed cabinet member
07/10/2009
A CHILDREN'S centre was declared “excellent” by a visiting cabinet minister today, who herself drew praise for her down to earth approach.
Leader of the House of Lords, Jan Royall, the Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, visited the Oasis Children's Centre in Kinetic Crescent, Mollison Avenue, Enfield, meeting staff, parents and children during a stay and play session this morning.
Preferred candidate for post of Children’s Commissioner announced
06/10/2009
The Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls has today written to the Chairman of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee to invite him to hold a pre-appointment hearing with Maggie Atkinson, who he has nominated to be the next Children’s Commissioner when Sir Al Aynsley-Green comes to the end of his five year appointment on 28 February 2010.
The Children’s Commissioner for England, established through the Children's Act 2004, gives a voice to all children and young people - especially the disadvantaged and the vulnerable.
Early education project improves joint working
06/10/2009
A government-funded project to improve early education in vulnerable families has had a positive effect on the way voluntary organisations work together, according to a report from the Family and Parenting Institute.
The £6m Early Learning Partnership Project (ELPP), set up by the government to narrow the gap in educational achievement between children from disadvantaged and more advantaged backgrounds, aimed to get parents of one- to three-year-olds more involved in the learning process.
But a report published by The Family and Parenting Institute, which led the work, has revealed that practitioners also benefited from the project's approach, with "unexpected benefits such as joint training, shared learning and problem solving".
Labour conference: Mixed reception for childcare announcement
02/10/2009
Gordon Brown's announcement on increased free childcare for two year-olds at the expense of employer-supported childcare has received a mixed response from the early years sector.
In his speech to the Labour Party Conference earlier this week the Prime Minister promised to extend free childcare to 250,000 two-year-olds by phasing out tax relief provided though childcare vouchers.
The government claimed that current tax relief measures are largely benefitting middle and high-income families, and this move will re-direct support to those who need it most.
Consultation launched on ContactPoint
02/10/2009
Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan today launched a consultation to update the rules governing ContactPoint.
Since the law governing ContactPoint came into force in August 2007, the system has been built, tested and subjected to rigorous security checks. The Government is today proposing to make some minor changes to the law.
Ex-ADCS president Maggie Atkinson to become children's commissioner
02/10/2009
Former president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services Maggie Atkinson is set to become the new children's commissioner for England.
In a letter announcing her departure as director of children's services for Gateshead Atkinson wrote: "I am excited to be taking on this national challenge, but I shall be very sad to leave both Gateshead, and all the many colleagues and friends with whom I have worked since September 2003."
The official appointment is expected to be confirmed following a meeting of the children, schools and families select committee next week. Atkinson will be leaving her position with Gateshead council on 31 January 2010.
Laming to launch child protection training academy
02/10/2009
Lord Laming is to launch a training programme to prepare newly qualified social workers for child protection roles in Hertfordshire today (Monday 5 October).
Laming will address the first intake of 30 trainees at the academy, which has been created in response to a recommendation in his safeguarding report following the Baby P case.
The trainees will work in small groups during the year-long programme and will have practical training and reduced case loads.
Families green paper to support relationships
01/10/2009
The forthcoming families green paper will focus on supporting relationships between mothers, fathers and the wider family, Children's Secretary Ed Balls has revealed.
Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Labour party conference, Balls said he wants more services to target fathers and whole families, as opposed to mothers and children alone.
He said: "Relationships are now firmly on the agenda. I think our families green paper is an opportunity to challenge ourselves across public services, to think about the strength of families' realtionships and how that impacts on the wellbeing of our children."
Anti-smoking work in deprived areas could cut stillbirths
01/10/2009
Focusing anti-smoking promotion and support on young mothers in deprived communities could dramatically reduce the number of stillbirths and infant deaths, according to latest research.
Research published this week in the British Medical Journal has found that a disproportionately high number of young mothers in deprived communities smoke and are also more likely to experience a stillbirth or the death of their baby.
In contrast stillbirth and infant death incidents as well as smoking were far less common among older mothers from more affluent areas.
Practitioners advised to check jabs status of new children
30/09/2009
Childcare practitioners and teaching staff should check the immunisation status of children when they start nursery or school, according to official guidance published last week.
A report by the the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that checks on immunisation status are carried out by teams led by health visitors in conjunction with childcare or education staff and parents.
If children are found to be behind with their vaccinations, nursery or school staff should, in conjunction with health practitioners, explain to parents why immunisation is important, the report advises.
Work-focused services in children's centre pilot: evaluation baseline report
30/09/2009
Findings are published today from the baseline stage of the ‘Work-focused services in children’s centre’ pilot. The pilot is operating in 30 children’s centres across ten local authority areas, running from January 2009 – March 2011, and will provide work-focused services through a dedicated Jobcentre Plus Personal Adviser, as well as activities and provision designed to support local parents into the labour market.
A comprehensive evaluation will assess the impact of providing work-focused services on parents’ preparations for and movement into work, as well as stakeholder experiences of implementing the pilot. The baseline stage included a visitor survey and familiarisation visits to all the children’s centres, plus a review of pilot bids and was supplemented by labour market and demographic statistics.
Partnerships Show Early Progress
30/09/2009
Councils give their feedback so far on a pilot to encourage joint working in early years and education.
Over £180 million further investment for more council housing
29/09/2009
Housing Minister John Healey today launched the second phase of the biggest council house building programme for almost two decades. He also stated that councils must include details of how they will create new apprenticeship schemes if they expect to get a slice of Government cash.
Mr Healey wrote to all council leaders in England encouraging them to consider submitting bids to deliver around £180m of investment that could fund construction of a further 1,200 new council homes, create or safeguard 7,500 new jobs and over 180 apprenticeship schemes.
The Minister also added that he is keen to see bids that will see new council homes built to high energy efficiency standards, helping cut CO2 emissions and reduce energy bills for the families that live in them.
Children of working mothers have unhealthier lives
29/09/2009
The children of working mothers are more likely to be unhealthy than those whose mothers stay at home, according to research.
Researchers studied more than 12,500 five-year-olds and found children of working mothers were more likely to be driven to school, have sugary drinks between meals, and spend more than two hours in front of the television every day.
Children whose mothers worked full-time were less likely to snack on fruit or vegetables or eat three or more portions of fruit a day.
Row over ban on shared care prompts review of Childcare Act interpretation
29/09/2009
The Government is to review the meaning of childcare for 'reward' in the Childcare Act 2006 following Ofsted's ban on two working mothers from taking turns to look after each other's children.
Nursery World broke the story last week of how the two friends who went back to work part-time in a jobshare when their daughters were both one year old had been visited by Ofsted inspectors after a tip-off from a member of the public who believed they were running an illegal childminding business.
A petition was started on the Number 10 website in support of the women, calling for a change in the law to allow reciprocal childcare arrangements. By Monday it had been signed by 9,770 people.
Ofsted calls on ministers for babysitting clarification
28/09/2009
Ofsted has asked ministers for clarification of childcare laws after two police officers who regularly babysit for each other were told they had to register as child minders.
The regulator has made the move after it emerged that detective constables Leanne Shepherd and Lucy Jarrett's arrangement to babysit each other's children during shifts contravened the 2006 Childcare Act.
Because the children were looked after by each other for more than two hours and not in their own home, the arrangement is considered childminding not babysitting under the act.
Welfare overhaul in UK will slash jobless and child poverty
27/09/2009
Plans to move 600,000 households off welfare and into work will be unveiled today (September 16) in a major new report from the think-tank set up by the former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith.
The 370-page report, the most far-reaching review of the welfare system in 60 years, estimates that the shake-up will boost the incomes of the lowest paid by nearly £5 billion.
It also calculates that its radical recasting of state support for the jobless and low-paid – built around measures to make work pay and increasing support for working couples - will lift more than 200,000 children out of poverty.
Ofsted urged to adapt children's centre inspection plans
25/09/2009
Ofsted has been urged to adapt its plans for inspecting children's centres to ensure they meet the needs of the most vulnerable families in their community.
The watchdog, which will be in charge of inspecting all children's centres from next year, has been consulting on how it will conduct inspections since July. The consultation closed last week, with a number of organisations advising that more is done to check on how centres are delivering services to those who need it most.
4Children, Barnardo's and Action for Children all called for more focus on how centres are engaging with the wider community and how well they are reaching vulnerable families. The inspectorate has been asked to consider how centres identify children in need and how they offer targeted intervention.
Additional Paternity leave and Pay - Consultation on draft regulations
25/09/2009
As part of the Government's commitment to give choice and flexibility to parents, we announced on 14th September our intention to introduce Additional Paternity leave for fathers of children due on or after 3 April 2011. This new right will give fathers a right to up to six months extra leave which can be taken once the mother has returned to work. Some of the leave may be paid if taken during the mother’s maternity pay period. This will be paid at the same standard rate as Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) which is currently £123.06.
This new provision will be available during the second six months of the child’s life, giving mums and dads with more choice in child care responsibilities and a more equitable sharing of leave entitlements. The scheme has been designed to minimise the administrative burdens on business whilst allowing fathers a greater opportunity to be involved in raising their child.
Children's Centres - Piloting new services
24/09/2009
Leaders of children's centres are getting together to find ways to offer more joined-up services in their local areas, says Karen Faux.
A programme which is supporting children's centre leaders to work at a more strategic level and improve local services is now beginning to bear fruit.
The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) Early Years Integrated System Leadership programme has been running since February. Its 12 participating children's centre heads are now beginning to provide evidence about how they can effect change.
Early years - Partnerships show early progress
24/09/2009
Councils give their feedback so far on a pilot to encourage joint working in early years and education. Ross Watson reports.
This month, the 10 local authorities testing the government's 0-7 Partnership Pilot are reporting back on what they've learned so far. The £10m, three-year initiative has been running for a year now.
Councils are exploring different ways of helping young children and their families, especially as they make the transition from early years to school. The idea is to encourage better partnerships between service providers.
Family Nurse Partnership improving outcomes for vulnerable families
23/09/2009
Young first time mothers are being helped to improve the life chances of their babies and fathers are more involved in the early years of their children’s lives thanks to the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme, independent research published today has found.
Children, Schools and Families Minister: Piloting innovative support for separated parents
21/09/2009
Schools Minister Vernon Coaker today announced the ten successful pilot areas looking at how local services can be better co-ordinated for separating and separated parents.
The £4.75m project aims to improve the wellbeing of families caught up in divorce and separation with help from, local services including counselling, and mediation, practical and legal support.
Ofsted moves closer to outsourcing early years
17/09/2009
Ofsted will decide whether or not to outsource early years inspections in February next year and has shortlisted five suppliers to take on the task.
An Ofsted spokeswoman said: "Ofsted is continuing to discuss the possible outsourcing of early years work. Five potential contractors are involved in discussions: Cambridge Education, CfBT Education Trust, Prospects, Serco Education and Children's Services and Tribal Group."
Issues for Sure Start Children's Centres inquiry are outlined by MPs
16/09/2009
Ministers have released further details of the scope of an inquiry into the effectiveness of Sure Start Children's Centres.
The Children's, Schools and Families Committee is to examine whether the children's centre model of integrated services promotes early childhood development and helps to tackle deprivation (News, 6 August).
The inquiry will also look at how policy is being delivered, and will cover:
- How models of children's centres have developed as the programme has been rolled out;
- The range and effectiveness of services provided by children's centres;
- Funding, sustainability and value for money;
- Staffing, governance, management and strategic planning;
- How children's centres are working with other partners and services, including schools and health services;
- Whether services are being accessed by those most in need and how effective they are for the most vulnerable.
Immunity to allergies from going to nursery is 'a myth', says study
16/09/2009
The belief that going to nursery helps children build up immunity to asthma and allergies later in life is wrong, new research suggests.
A study published in this month's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a journal of the American Thoracic Society, found that children who start nursery before the age of two are twice as likely to experience wheezing in the first year of life.
Review of vetting and barring scheme won't delay start date
15/09/2009
A government review of the new vetting and barring scheme will not affect next month's start date, the Department for children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has confirmed.
Yesterday Children's Secretary Ed Balls announced a review held into the degree of contact with children that triggers the requirement to register.
Led by Sir Roger Singleton, head of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, the review will report by the beginning of December.
Government plans more flexible paternity leave
15/09/2009
Fathers will be given more paternity leave under regulations announced by the government today.
The government will consult on the regulations with a view to giving families greater flexibility in how they look after their children.
Harriet Harman, minister for women and equality, said: "Mothers will be able to choose to transfer the last six months of their maternity leave to the father, with three months paid. This gives families radically more choice and flexibility in how they balance work and care of children, and enables fathers to play a bigger part in bringing up their children."
Interest-free loans needed to cover cost of childcare
15/09/2009
The government should help parents cover advance childcare costs with interest-free loans, according to childcare charity Daycare Trust.
The charity, which surveyed 202 parents in England, found 58 per cent of parents struggle to pay for the fees required to secure a place in a childcare setting, or even a place on that setting's waiting list. Costs can include advance fees, deposits, retainers and administration fees.
According to the report Childcare Advance, with typical weekly childcare costs currently at £167 per week, four weeks' fees in advance would mean that parents had to pay £668 when they took up a place.
Balls pledges £26m for free books for children
14/09/2009
Millions of children in England are set to benefit from £26m of government funding for free books over the next three years, Children's Secretary Ed Balls announced today.
The funding includes £18m for the government's Bookstart programme, which will provide around 12 million books for children aged three and under. The books will be given out through GP surgeries, libraries and children's nurseries, including Sure Start children's centres. Balls said: "The support given to children and families during those all important early years can have a lasting impact on a child's development.
DCSF Letter on Vetting and Barring Scheme
14/09/2009
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, has today written to the Chair of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, about the new vetting and barring scheme.
A copy of his letter to Mr Sheerman is at the publication link.
Eradicating Child Poverty - Speech by Stephen Timms MP, Financial Secretary HM Treasury
11/09/2009
The Minister said:
Today, I want to link our Child Poverty Bill, and we are the first Government in the world to introduce legislation of this kind, with the work you do every day. Legislation on one hand, and your contribution on the other, are intimately linked. With both we have an historic opportunity to eradicate child poverty once and for all.
Homelessness figures down 32 per cent in England
11/09/2009
The figures show that 10,650 households were accepted as homeless by local authorities between April to June 2009 - a 32 per cent reduction compared to the same quarter last year.
The statistics also show the largest year on year decrease in the number of households in temporary accommodation since 2004. There are now 60,230 households in temporary accommodation which is 19 per cent lower than this time last year, and down by around 40,000 since June 2004.
New Bill to tackle child poverty
10/09/2009
The Government is set to outline its path towards eradicating child poverty by 2020.
In a speech to campaigners in Manchester, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Stephen Timms will set out how the landmark Child Poverty Bill will tackle the problem.
Early Years - True impact of children's centres under scrutiny
10/09/2009
Just how effective has the government's Sure Start children's centres programme been? The Children, Schools and Families Select Committee has launched an inquiry to tackle this perennial but fundamental question. Professionals have one month left to respond. Committee chairman Barry Sheerman says that after more than 11 years in operation the centres should be able to demonstrate some tangible outcomes. Specifically, the inquiry is looking to gauge how well children's centres are responding to deprivation in England.
Just Learning buys up Nunu nursery group
09/09/2009
Just Learning, the fourth largest nursery group in the UK, is set to buy the Nunu group of nurseries, in a deal worth more than £7m.
The acquisition will be seen as a positive sign that despite economic uncertainty banks and other investors are willing to back the nursery sector.
Nunu's board has recommended that the company be sold to Just Learning at the agreed price of £7,202,084. Shareholders will vote on the deal at a meeting on 28 September, with the sale expected to complete on or around 20 October.
EYFS may be leading childminders to more training, NCMA finds
09/09/2009
More childminders are undertaking training than ever before, according to research published by the National Childminding Association.
The annual survey of more than 1,000 NCMA members found that 86 per cent had undertaken training in the past 12 months, an increase from 73 per cent since 2008, which the report said could be attributed to the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The number of NCMA members holding a level three qualification has also increased.
Harman: working to narrow the gap between rich and poor
09/09/2009
Harriet Harman is hosting an event today with key public bodies to discuss how the new socio-economic duty, contained in the Equality Bill, will be put in to practice.
The event will bring together public bodies (including local authorities, Regional Development Agencies, and Government departments) who will implement the duty to address socio-economic inequalities, and public service inspectorates (including the Audit Commission and Ofsted)who will monitor how these public bodies will implement the duty.
Analysis: Lottery-funded play programme - Free play comes at a cost
09/09/2009
The successes and the drawbacks of a multi-million-pound initiative to give children better access to play provision have been counted up by researchers. Melanie Defries hears views on what it means.
A study assessing the impact of a £124m lottery-funded initiative to improve children's access to play has found early signs of success while highlighting problem areas for local authorities and delivery partners. The Big Lottery Fund's Children's Play Programme aims to raise the profile of play and to create and improve free play areas across England. The three-year scheme, launched in 2007, has awarded grants ranging between £100,000 and...
Play4Life scheme provides £2m worth of free indoor play
08/09/2009
Children across the UK will have access to £2m worth of free indoor play under a scheme launched by the Play Providers Association this week.
The Play4Life scheme is helping to deliver the active side of the government's Change4Life campaign, which is promoting healthier lifestyles among children.
Parents can find their local participating play centre on the Play Providers website and can claim free play on visits until the end of this month.
http://www.playproviders.org.uk/
Free Sure Start conference for children's centres on Tuesday
04/09/2009
A free conference for all children's centre leaders, organised by the DCSF, is taking place in London on Tuesday, 8 September.
The conference will give all Sure Start Children's Centre leaders and local authority communications officers a chance to find out about the Government's Sure Start Children's Centres communications campaign, which is being launched during Sure Start Children's Centres week (14-18 September).
A Government minister will address the conference and there will be a number of information sessions on media relations and marketing. Participants can learn about how communications can help encourage more families to use children's centres, and network with children's centre colleagues.
New Drive Towards Social Enterprise For Women From Ethnic Minority Backgrounds
04/09/2009
Social enterprise, a form of business with primarily social or environmental objectives, can be a useful tool to alleviate poverty amongst the most marginalised in society and has a role to play in regenerating neighbourhoods and increasing community cohesion.
The Government recognises that increasing the representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) women starting up social enterprises will potentially enable many groups of ethnic minority women, such as Pakistani and Bangladeshi women who are under represented in the workplace and in society, to become more economically independent and participate more fully in communities.
There are at least 55,000 social enterprises in the UK which contribute £8.4 billion pounds to the UK economy, but evidence suggests that BAME women are underrepresented as social enterprise owners.
Guide to embedding baby talk strategy in local authorities
03/09/2009
A new guide calling for local authorities to ensure that early years communication is a designated responsibility within every local authority has been launched by the National Literacy Trust's early language campaign Talk to Your Baby (TTYB).
The free paper - Guidance for developing a strategic approach to speech, language and communication in the early years - provides local authorities with a structure for a sustained approach to early communication work and a way of developing an authority-wide approach to provision.
Opinion: The Minister's view - A time for all centres to blow their own trumpet
03/09/2009
Wider awareness of the services of Sure Start Children's Centres is the aim of a new campaign explained by Dawn Primarolo.
In May, we celebrated the 3,000th Sure Start Children's Centre, with ministers from across Government visiting children's centres around the country. I took part in the celebration in my previous capacity as health minister and have been hugely impressed by the quality of integrated services being offered.
See publication link for full article.
DCSF set to 'shout about' centres
03/09/2009
The government is gearing up to launch a campaign to raise awareness of children's centres among parents.
It will start during Sure Start Children's Centre Week, which runs from 14 to 18 September.
The aim is to support the work local centres do to encourage parents to take up services.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) said: "We need to shout about the programmes that these centres run. Parents think they are brilliant but many don't know the extent of their services."
200 rural primary schools to close by 2014 due to lack of affordable housing says NHF
01/09/2009
One primary school is closing every month in rural England – as young families are increasingly priced out of villages and migrate to urban areas where there is cheaper housing, three campaign groups revealed today...
Federation director Ruth Davison said: “The foundations of traditional village life are rapidly disappearing as a lack of affordable housing turns many rural areas into family-free zones.
Rent and mortgage arrears information goes online
31/08/2009
People behind with payments on their homes will have a new way of finding the best solution to their arrears problems today, with the publication of information and advice by the Ministry of Justice.
New animated videos, interview clips and articles, to be featured on Directgov, go from the point where there may be a problem, to communicating with landlords or mortgage lenders, how to prepare for court and what happens during and after a court hearing.
Sure Start Plaques
27/08/2009
TfC is no longer responsible for distributing Sure Start Plaques to children’s centres.
All requests must be emailed to dcsf@prolog.uk.com.
The prolog department will be distributing new plaques, one large and one small, to all designated children's centres within the first two weeks of September.
To access further information on the new branded signage please visit: http://tinyurl.com/oowode
Steiner wins opt-out from early years curriculum
27/08/2009
A Steiner school in London has become the first early years setting in England to be granted exemptions from parts of the curriculum for under-fives, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
North London Rudolf Steiner School in Haringey received confirmation from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) last week. The school has been granted exemptions from all communication, literacy and language targets, and any goals related to the use of ICT. Exemptions from goals relating to number recognition were rejected on the grounds that the EYFS, which has been in operation for a year, will be able to incorporate the Steiner approach.
Ofsted guidance for playworkers
27/08/2009
Playworkers offering provision for under-sixes will be issued with new guidance in a bid to better prepare them for Ofsted inspections.
The news comes amid continuing concerns in the play sector over the watchdog's interpretation of how playwork meets the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
Two million children now in homes with no working adult
26/08/2009
Almost 2 million children now live in households where there is no working adult, according to official figures released today that lay bare the social effects of the recession.
The Office for National Statistics said the number of children in workless households rose by 170,000 to 1.9 million in April-June of this year, compared with the same period last year.
Nurseries protest over 'intrusive' early years qualifications database
26/08/2009
Nurseries and early years organisations have questioned the role of a new nationwide electronic database - which will share nursery staff details and qualifications with local authorities - after one local authority threatened to pull nursery education grant funding if the information was not provided.
There is no legal requirement for early years settings to submit details, but local authorities can set local requirements to do so. The Early Years Workforce Qualifications Audit Tool, which went live on the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) website last week, will share data with local authorities, the DCSF and other government agencies.
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New guidance for natural play areas
24/08/2009
The guidance advises that when commissioning services for the design and development of play spaces, local authorities should consider "incorporating into any tender a maintenance contract, which could include regular visits, watering if necessary, and replacement of damaged features".
Issy Cole-Hamilton, Play England's head of policy research, said: "Play England has published this guide in response to requests from play providers keen to improve children's opportunities to play in more natural surroundings. The guide was written with specialists in designing and managing naturalistic play spaces and draws on their experience in managing and maintaining these spaces."
The Family Room: Coalition of twelve family charities
21/08/2009
The Family and Parenting Institute is coordinating a coalition of 12 leading family charities to attend the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative Party Conferences this Autumn.
The coalition is made up of the Family & Parenting Institute, Relate, Gingerbread, The Fatherhood Institute, the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships, One Plus One, Family Action, Parenting UK, Children England, Home-Start, Parentline Plus, and Family Links.
Children’s Minister: Building parents’ and carers’ confidence online with myguide
21/08/2009
Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan today launched a new facility on myguide, a free and easy-to-use tool to help parents and carers catch up with their children when it comes to the Internet.
myguide helps provide the next step in the Government’s implementation of Dr Tanya Byron’s review of internet safety. myguide can be used independently, with the support of a friend or family member, or with help from experts in one of the thousands of UK online centres based in libraries and community organisations.
Being a parent in the real world
20/08/2009
Being a Parent in the Real World’ is a new booklet written by Laverne Antrobus, presenter of ‘House of Tiny Tearaways‘, and our Parent Know How partners (including Parentline Plus and Netmums).
Aimed at parents of 0-19- year- olds, the booklet offers advice and tips on being clear, staying calm and remaining confident on key issues parents face in bringing up their children.
Copies can be ordered on 0845 6022260 quoting reference 00181-2009BKT-EN.
To download a copy, and find out more about the information and support available to parents from the Parent Know How providers and how they can complement or reduce burdens on local services, please see the DCSF website (link below)
Run a Beep Beep! Day!
20/08/2009
The road safety charity Brake have created a special event called Beep Beep! Day to help kick-start road safety learning in early years settings and schools. Whether you are a nursery, infant school, child minder, playgroup or children’s club organiser, you can take part, educate children, and help Brake support families bereaved by road crashes by raising funds.
Settings can choose to run a Beep Beep! Day on ANY day of the year (Road Safety Week is 23-29 November). The day provides an opportunity for you to teach simple lessons, such as holding hands and the word ‘STOP’, while children do fun activities, such as using ride-on toys on a marked route in a secure playground or hall, or making a giant poster of hand prints with the message ‘We hold hands!’
Call the Beep Team on 01484 559909 or email beepbeep@brake.org.uk to get a FREE resource pack.
Lottery-funded projects boost 'risky' play
19/08/2009
A children's play programme funded by the Big Lottery has allowed children to take part in more 'risky' and adventurous play, according to a new study.
In preliminary findings from a three-year evaluation of the Big Lottery Fund's Children's Play Programme, research consultancy ECOTEC found that it is enabling children to access more play than before, including 'new' forms such as sensory play and 'risky' or adventurous play.
The lottery has earmarked £124m for children's play over three years, with grants of £100,000 to £3m for 1,400 local authority projects for 'free, unstructured play'. It particularly targets disabled children and those living in rural areas and disadvantaged areas.
Children's centre offers support during Ramadan for healthier habits
19/08/2009
Muslim fathers are being encouraged to use Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting that starts on 21 August, as an inspiration to lead healthier lifestyles and set good examples for their children.
Gladstone Children's Centre in Peterborough is urging Muslim fathers to quit smoking during Ramadan.
Call to boost affordable rural housing
14/08/2009
Plans to guarantee affordable housing supply in English rural areas do not go far enough, according to the Countryside Alliance.
The pressure group says Department of Communities and Local Government plans to develop and guarantee long-term affordable housing in rural areas are “a step in the right direction”.
Cycle safety training starts for tots in Redcar
14/08/2009
Some of them only learned to walk barely a year ago, yet kids as young as two could be found pedalling away to their hearts’ content on the pioneering scheme.
Held at the Sure Start building in Green Gates School, Redcar, the pilot session proved so successful it will be rolled out to other Sure Start centres in the borough. But if nurseries and kids' groups are interested, they'll be able to book it too.
In the sessions, cyclists are encouraged to try basic exercises, including:
Following a string without going off the line
Weaving in and out of cones without touching or putting a foot down.
Secondment Opportunity to support delivery of Child Poverty Pilots
13/08/2009
Two secondment opportunities to support the delivery of Child Poverty Pilots (Childcare Affordability Programme 2009 & Child Development Grants) have arisen. Please see the Job Descriptions at the link below for further details.
The closing date for both applications is by Friday 28 August, please email or post your CV and a covering letter to:
Rob Shearer, Childcare Division, Department for Children, Schools and Families, Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT, email:rob.shearer@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk.
If you would like further information, please contact Rob Shearer on 0207 7838056 or via the email as above.
Early years staff need more guidance on EYFS
13/08/2009
More guidance is required for practitioners to fully understand the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), according to a government quango.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA), which develops and assesses the curriculum, has been seeking the views of practitioners from across the early years sector on how the first year of the EYFS has gone.
Pre-schools urged to cater more to fathers
13/08/2009
Almost a quarter of children attending pre-schools are being picked up by a father or male carer, according to a survey conducted by the Pre-school Learning Alliance.
Early years practitioners are won round to EYFS, survey finds
12/08/2009
Many early years practitioners who had initial doubts about the EYFS now view it positively, research by Early Education suggests.
The findings are from a survey to inform the association's response to the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Authority consultation on curriculum and assessment in the first year of the implementation of the EYFS.
Early Education heard from around 300 people from a range of early childhood settings, including practitioners, advisers, academics, consultants and trainers.
New homes are too small for everyday life, say residents
11/08/2009
New homes do not provide enough space for everyday activities such as preparing food easily, having friends round for dinner, or even recycling.
CABE conducted the research with the owners of 2,500 private new homes, to explore views on the adequacy of internal space.
Forty four per cent of all households surveyed say they do not have enough space for small children to play safely in the kitchen while meals are being prepared, and 37 per cent say they or their children do not have enough space to entertain guests privately.
Guidance on National Child Measurement Programme
10/08/2009
This guidance sets out advice on how the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) should be implemented. It has been developed in consultation with staff in Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) who have responsibility for implementation of the programme. The guidance will be of interest to all local authorities who will be working closely with PCTs in tackling childhood obesity, but will be of particular interest to those who have NI 55 and NI 56 in their local priorities.
Childcare Affordability Programme pilots launched
07/08/2009
The second phase of the Childcare Affordability Programme will provide £12m to boost the take-up of childcare among low-income families in London.
The London Development Agency will fund two pilots, offering parenting support and a subsidy for childcare fees to 2,000 parents across ten boroughs.
There's no place like home
06/08/2009
The housing market is among the sectors most affected by the recession, in which a shortage of new houses and reduced access to mortgages have put significant pressures on councils.
Children’s Minister: Over 300,000 more children have access to improved play areas this summer
05/08/2009
Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo said today that over 300,000 children will have access to new and improved play areas this summer, as thousands of children across the country celebrate national Playday.
Shropshire achieves Children’s Centre target eight months early
05/08/2009
SHROPSHIRE Council has reached a significant milestone by ensuring that Sure Start Children’s Centre services are available across the county well ahead of the target date.
...Michael Hiscox, West Midlands Region Programme Lead for Together for Children, which is working in partnership with the Department for Children, Schools and Families as the Children’s Centres Delivery Support Team, congratulated the council.
Funds for two-year-olds only for top-rated settings
05/08/2009
Only settings which are deemed good or outstanding by Ofsted or local authorities will be able to offer the free entitlement to two-year-olds, the Government confirmed last week.
London Child Poverty Awards 2009
03/08/2009
The London Child Poverty Awards 2009 were launched by Stephen Timms’ on Thursday 23rd July. The aim of the awards is to celebrate and promote the amazing work being done by individuals and organisations across the capital in tackling child poverty.
Nominations are invited for both organisations and individuals who deserve recognition for their work in boosting parents confidence and skills, supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds and other work to reduce child poverty.
Closing date for nominations is 5th October. The award ceremony will take place on 16th November.
Detailed information on what the awards themselves are and how to enter can be downloaded via the publication link.
Children's centres in bid to deter thefts
01/08/2009
Children's centres are using the latest crime-prevention technology to safeguard equipment against theft.
Expensive items, such as computers and mobile phones, which are used by staff in children's centres and by outreach workers in the community, have been marked with Smartwater to make them easily traceable if they go missing.
Consultation launched on serious case review guidance
31/07/2009
Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan today launched a consultation on guidance on serious case reviews (SCR) in order to improve their quality, consistency and impact.
National Academy of Parenting Practitioners appoints chair
31/07/2009
The chief executive of Christian charity, Care for the Family, has been appointed as chair of the National Academy of Parenting Practitioners.
New Inquiry into Sure Start Children’s Centres
30/07/2009
The Children, Schools and Families Committee* is to undertake an inquiry into Sure Start Children’s Centres. The inquiry will examine whether the Children’s Centres model of integrated services for under-5s and their families promotes early childhood development and is an effective response to deprivation. It will also look at how the policy is being delivered, including:
• How models of Children’s Centres have developed as the programme spreads from the most deprived neighbourhoods
• The range and effectiveness of services provided by Children’s Centres
• Funding, sustainability and value for money
• Staffing, governance, management and strategic planning
• How well Children’s Centres work with other partners and services, especially schools and health services
• Whether services are being accessed by those most in need and how effective they are for the most vulnerable
Written submissions are invited by 12th October 2009. Whilst TfC may be called before the Committee to give evidence, any submission would be made in agreement with the DCSF.
For submission details and further information, please see the publication link.
Help for families hit by recession
30/07/2009
The agency tasked with delivering the children's centre programme is launching a range of resources to help centres support families in the recession.
Ofsted changes inspection phrasing after DCS backlash
30/07/2009
Ofsted has dropped the term "serious concerns" from its no-notice safeguarding inspection findings, after a backlash from directors of children's services (DCS).
In Practice: Know How - Commissioning
30/07/2009
Good commissioning is the key to the creation of successful children's centre services, helping achieve the best outcomes for children, stimulate effective partnership working and ensure the best use of resources.
Human rights committee to scrutinise Child Poverty Bill
29/07/2009
MPs and peers are to scrutinise the Child Poverty Bill's controversial "get out clause" to ensure that it is compatible with human rights laws.
Swine flu guidance for young children
29/07/2009
Guidance for childminders, schools and nurseries during the swine flu pandemic has been published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
Children's Services Advisers (CSAs): Two vacancies
28/07/2009
The DCSF are looking to fill two vacant Children's Services Advisers (CSA) posts in the North East (NE) and North West (NW) regions in August 2009.
The CSA role offers an exciting secondment opportunity to lead on co-ordinating high level strategic support to local authorities, working alongside Directors of Children’s Services and their senior management teams to make a difference to the lives of children and young people. These secondment opportunities will be available on current terms and conditions up to 31 March 2010 and based at the Government Office for the North East (GONE) in Newcastle and Government Office for the North West (GONW) in Manchester.
Interested applicants who want to find out more about these posts and how to apply should contact:-
For NE - Jackie Doughty, Director for Children and Learners GONE by email at jackie.doughty@gone.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 0191 202 2215
For NW - Deborah Brownlee, Director for Children & Leaners GONW by email at deborah.brownlee@gonw.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 0161 952 4470.
Part Time Policy Officer at Fatherhood Institute
28/07/2009
The Fatherhood Institute is looking to appoint a part-time Policy Officer, 20 hours per week, to lead the implementation of the Institute’s strategy for influencing public policy. This will involve monitoring and analysis of Government policy, formulation of our policy positions, and lobbying & campaigning, often in partnership with other agencies.
You will need first-rate analytical and communication skills, the ability to work with and influence people at all levels, a good understanding of the fatherhood agenda, and excellent planning and organisational skills.
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and committed self-starter. You will preferably hold an appropriate professional qualification and be able to demonstrate at least 3 years’ relevant experience, including policy work for a children’s or family sector organisation.
The post is home based attracting a salary of £31,000 pro rata.
The post will require frequent attendance at meetings in London and some in Manchester.
The Fatherhood Institute is an Equal Opportunities Employer and seeks to embrace diversity.
A story from Firbank Children’s Centre, Lancashire County Council
28/07/2009
A really unusual example of the work that we do in children's centres that makes a difference to families.
A family had been attending the centre for several months and had built some firm relationships with staff. They moved temporarily out of the area to have their house renovated and we didn't see them for a while.
One day we received a message via facebook (of all places) to say that the mother and daughter had been deported to Pakistan and were in a very dangerous area with bombing close by and very fearful for their lives as their young child was British and therefore at risk from harm in Pakistan. They had to stay in Pakistan with very little contact with home, for three and a half months. During that time, they coped by talking about their time at Firbank, the little girl constantly asking Mum to repeat stories when she was very scared, over and over of nice times and memories they had from here.
Mum, Dad and the little girl came up to see us within a few days of coming home from Pakistan to say thank you and to look through our photo albums again. It was so lovely the way they talked about their emotional survival strategies being based on memories of Firbank and the team. Mum said she felt such a sense of relief when she came in to the building and it felt like 'coming home'.
Article shared by Dot Smith
Integrated Service & Partnership Manager,
Sure Start Early Years and Childcare Service
Lancashire County Council
CWDC updates Common Assessment Framework guidance
28/07/2009
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has updated guidance for the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and lead professionals.
Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England Post 2010 (Marmot Review)
27/07/2009
The consultation on the first phase of the Review is now open and will run until August 5th.
The aim of the Review is to propose an evidence based strategy for reducing health inequalities from 2010. The strategy will include policies and interventions that address the social determinants of health inequalities.
The Review has four tasks:
(i) identify, for the health inequalities challenge facing England, the evidence most relevant to underpinning future policy and action
(ii) show how this evidence could be translated into practice
(iii) advise on possible objectives and measures, building on the experience of the current PSA target on infant mortality and life expectancy
(iv) publish a report of the review's work that will contribute to the development of a post-2010 health inequalities strategy.
One of the key areas for review is “The Early Years and Education” and the Marmot Review team are especially keen to hear from Children's Centre Leaders on the work of children’s centres and how this can evidence the reduction of health inequalities for children and their families.
To take part in the consultation please go to
the publication link where consultation documents can be downloaded.
Playworkers receive EYFS guidance
23/07/2009
Play skills council SkillsActive has published guidance for playworkers on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), to ensure under-sixes can continue to attend play-led settings.
4 Children's National Childminder of the Year 2009
20/07/2009
Janice Jinks has been announced 4 Children's National Childminder of the Year 2009.
Implementing the Early Years Single Funding Formula
20/07/2009
Updated practice guidance for local authorities (LAs) on implementing the Early Years Single Funding Formula.
Charity pilots fathers programme in children's centres
20/07/2009
Charity Action for Children is to pilot a programme in children's centres across the South of England, to test how well its services are responding to the needs of fathers.
Nursery quality to determine funding for free places
20/07/2009
Nurseries that deliver high-quality, flexible childcare will get more funding for free places for three- and four-year-olds, according to new government guidance.
The government has published guidelines for local authorities to ensure that funding for free early years provision is distributed fairly and transparently.
It is intended to help authorities implement the Early Years Single Funding Formula, which every local authority should be using from next April.
Poverty campaigners urge MPs to put pressure on government
20/07/2009
The Child Poverty Action Group has urged MPs to put pressure on the government to meet its 2010 target, as the Child Poverty Bill has its second reading today.
Ofsted report praises family learning classes
17/07/2009
Children who take part in learning sessions designed to engage their parents as well, show improved communication, confidence and interpersonal skills, according to an Ofsted report.
Parents should be paid to promote childcare
16/07/2009
Local authorities should pay more parents to promote the take-up of formal childcare in hard-to-reach communities, says a government-funded report.
Supporting families where parents have mental health issues
16/07/2009
The Social Care Institute for Excellence offers guidance on holistically working with parents with mental health problems.
About one in four adults experience a mental health problem during their lifetime, many of whom are parents. Although there has been a shift in services towards placing greater emphasis on supporting adults in their parenting role, challenges including barriers to joint working between adult mental health and children's services mean there is much yet to be achieved in practice.
Children's centres find place on the road
15/07/2009
Mobile children's centre are being launched by Hampshire County Council to reach out to rural families.
Making a Difference in Yorkshire and Humber - Awards 2009
13/07/2009
Local Government Yorkshire and Humber are proud to launch the 2009 'Making a Difference in Humber Awards'.
Aimed at the region's Council, Fire, Police and National Park Authorities, there are a host of award categories that recognise work undertaken throughout the sector.
The relevant information and booking form can be accessed via the attached link.
Children's centres face new inspection regime
09/07/2009
Children's centres will get little or no notice of inspections and be judged under four themes, under Ofsted proposals out for consultation.
The watchdog will take on a new role as the inspectorate for all children's centres from next year, under duties detailed in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill.
Learning and Development: Transitions - Smooth moves
02/07/2009
Nursery World joined children's minister Beverley Hughes, in what would be one of her last official engagements in the position, on a visit to Oak Tree Children's Centre to see one of the 0-7 Partnership projects in action. Catherine Gaunt reports.
...
Oak Tree Children's Centre in Welwyn Garden City is one of several children's centres in Hertfordshire involved in piloting the 0-7 partnership, designed to improve transitions for children moving from pre-school settings into school and from reception into Key Stage 1. The aim is also to improve quality provision and coherent practice across different types of settings and services, including childcare providers, Sure Start Children's Centres, schools and health services.
Please click publication link for full article.
Outreach helping poor families
02/07/2009
Outreach work is successfully supporting families living in poverty who would not normally access services, a government report has found.
Parents interviewed for the Department for Children, Schools and Families report, Outreach to Children and Families: A Scoping Study, were positive about their experiences with outreach workers...
The study also found that although children's centres and extended schools have a key role in addressing child poverty, they need more help to target families in need. According to the report, greater support and training is needed to help outreach workers analyse demographic information and population trends.
New DWP website
01/07/2009
The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a new-look website. Benefits and services information for citizens has moved to Directgov. The new DWP site presents DWP’s vision, aims and values, DWP news stories and press releases, consultations and policy development, publications, research and statistics, and information for a range of professional partners and stakeholders.
Integrated Children’s System Next Steps
01/07/2009
Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan has today written to Local Authorities in England outlining a package of improvements for the Integrated Children’s System (ICS), the electronic record-keeping system for social workers, supported by £6.4 million of additional funding.
Today’s letter responds to recommendations from the Social Work Taskforce (SWTF), who were asked by the Government to look at the effectiveness of ICS as part of their review of frontline social work practice.
The Government is committed to helping local authorities develop and implement high quality electronic records systems to support social workers in their work with children, young people and their families.
Sure Start pioneer dies
01/07/2009
A key instigator of Sure Start and former chief executive of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has died at the age of 63.
Norman Glass, of Croydon, London, who passed away after being diagnosed with cancer last summer, began his career at the Department of Health and Social Security following graduation from Trinity College Dublin with a first-class honours degree. He was involved with major reforms of the social security system before becoming deputy director of public services at HM Treasury and chief micro-economist in 1995. It was during his time at HM Treasury that Mr Glass helped to establish Sure Start, which was based on an American project called Headstart
Time for change at children's services, says ADCS and Newham chief
01/07/2009
Kim Bromley-Derry has taken the helm of the ADCS at a time of increased demand for children's services, budget constraints and political uncertainty. He tells Amy Taylor about the challenges
Kim Bromley-Derry's first few months as president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services have been busy. After taking over the reins in April, the government produced in May its response to Lord Laming's Safeguarding Progress Report; in June the ADCS made its submission to the Social Work Task Force; and this month brings the association's annual conference.
Bromley-Derry, who is director of children's services at Newham Council, East London, agrees that it's a time of change for children's services, but he seems unfazed. Bromley-Derry says child poverty and issues on safeguarding will be major priorities for the organisation over the coming year, but that the ADCS will also be thinking about families and looking at policy and practice in this context.
Costs hit low-income households
30/06/2009
The cost of living for those living on minimum household budgets is rising faster than inflation, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has calculated.
It says that the costs for a single household on its low-income budget were up 5.3% this year, with rises of 5% for pensioners and couples with children
...
The report is an attempt to raise the debate about the level of relative poverty in Britain beyond the government's official poverty line of 60% of average earnings - and as the government prepares to legislate to make legally binding its target of cutting child poverty in half by 2020.
One in five dads "are not doing their bit"
30/06/2009
MANY fathers are letting their partners down after the birth of their children, a survey has revealed.
The exercise by North West Durham MP Hilary Armstrong showed that out of 333 new mums questioned one in five rated their partner’s support as poor or merely adequate.
The former cabinet minister, whose constituency includes Wear Valley and parts of Derwentside, said: "We have to make sure we are listening to mums in order to build the sort of public policy response necessary to ensure we are supporting young children to give them the best possible start in life.”
Oldham centres taken over by Children's Society
26/06/2009
The Children's Society is taking over the running of five children's centres in Oldham in a £1m two-year contract.
The move will create more than 25 new jobs and expand the capacity of the centres in Alexandra, Medlock Vale, Werneth, Shaw and Crompton, and Royton. The centres were previously run by the local council.
The Children's Society already runs the Children's Rights and Advocacy service and a Youth Inclusion Project in Oldham, which has a total of 14 children's centres.
DCSF's Affordable Childcare Promotion
25/06/2009
The Department for Children Schools and Families will be running an advertising campaign to promote and raise awareness of the range of affordable childcare options and services available to parents and their children during the summer holiday period.
Starting on 22 June the campaign will involve 30 second adverts on local radio and adverts in regional press and women’s magazines such as Take a Break, OK! and Woman’s Own. Parents will be able to get further advice by contacting the national helpline on 0800 2 346 346.
A further burst of PR using case studies of holiday clubs provided through extended schools is likely to run in late July.
An affordable childcare communications toolkit is also available from DCSF at the publication link.
Call for central childcare fund
25/06/2009
Childcare specialists have called for a central fund for local authorities to draw on if childcare places are at risk.
Daycare Trust, the national childcare campaign, also wants specially trained taskforces of caseworkers at local authority level to step in and give parents direct assistance if they lose their childcare place.
The proposals are among several in a briefing paper from the charity ‘Childcare and the recession’.
Unemployment impacts on a quarter of children in London
25/06/2009
A quarter of children in London live in homes blighted by unemployment, according to latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.
The figures revealed in the ONS's Regional Trends report show that 23 per cent of children in London live in workless households. This is the highest rate in the UK, where the national average is 15 per cent.
Other areas with above average rates of children in workless households are the north east and north west of England, Wales and the West Midlands, which are all on 18 per cent.
A Children's Commissioner for England: Giving a voice to all children and young people
24/06/2009
The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) is looking to recruit a Children’s Commissioner for England.
The Children’s Commissioner for England, established through the Children's Act 2004, gives a voice to all children and young people, especially the disadvantaged and the vulnerable. Independent of government, it is a critical means of raising the profile of the issues that affect and concern children in England. The Children’s Commissioner is an important way for us to give national profile to the views of children and young people.
The DCSF aims to make this country the best place for children and young people to grow up. Schools, children's services, the voluntary sector and government are all playing their part. Our commitments through the Children's Plan will help unlock talents and promote the health and happiness of all children. To maximise this impact we need our children and young people to continue to have a say and shape the services and support they need.
See publication link for further information.
Childcarers invited to test treasure baskets
24/06/2009
Researchers investigating how children can benefit from investigating everyday sensory objects are asking for practitioners to tell of their experiences by completing a questionnaire.
The study is funded by the East of England Development Agency and developed by Play to Z, a company that produces learning resources and develops training courses about children's sensory experiences. It focuses on how children from the age of eight months to five years play with treasure baskets, as an example of a multi-sensory resource.
Play to Z makes treasure baskets containing 50 natural or household items such as stones, brushes, jam jars and plugs.
Practitioners who would like to complete the questionnaire or participate in the next series of observations can download the information at www.playtoz.co.uk. The deadline for completed questionnaires is 6 July
Think Fathers Summit
23/06/2009
Ed Balls: “We need to make more time for dads”.
Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families is today calling on individual employers to promote their own family friendly working practices, especially flexible hours for dads.
Hosting a coffee morning with DCSF dads, Ed Balls will listen to their experiences as working fathers and ask them whether the Department is doing all it can to promote flexible working practices for parents.
The Department offers fathers three weeks paternity leave on full pay with the ability to take the third week flexibly with the agreement of the line manager, compared to the standard offer of two weeks on statutory pay.
For further information on the 'Think Fathers Summit', see the publication link.
Bedtime stories are part of project
22/06/2009
CHILDREN have slept in the jungle, flown to the moon and hung from a trapeze as part of an arts project inspired by bedtime.
Killingworth Children's Centre hosted the 'Sleep Enquiry Project', which was led by Bare Toed Dance Company with support from North Tyneside Council.
A total of 19 children, aged three and four, were involved in the sessions.
Activities have included children pretending to fly to the moon, sleep in the jungle, have a go at hanging from a trapeze and relaxing in a hammock-like cocoon, accompanied by live and recorded music and lullabies.
Leadership key to narrowing gap in children's outcomes
22/06/2009
Quality of leadership is the single most important factor in narrowing the gap in outcomes between the most and least disadvantaged children, according to the government-funded Narrowing the Gap programme.
Final guidance from the programme will be published today (23 June) after two years of research focusing on the most effective ways to narrow the gap in outcomes between vulnerable and excluded children and others.
Led by the Local Government Association, the programme has been overseen by the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services (C4EO) since October last year.
Bristol children's centre celebrates Ofsted report
19/06/2009
A Bristol children's centre that opened less than a year ago has already received a glowing report from the watchdog Ofsted.
Inspectors rated Upper Horfield Children's Centre good with outstanding features and said it was a high-performing centre that was an asset to its community.
The centre is part of Upper Horfield Primary School and was created in a former teacher-training wing at a cost of £500,000.
It provides nursery and pre-school care and education for children aged nought to four and facilities to support their parents.
Grandparents need flexible working to ease hardship
19/06/2009
Grandparents should have access to flexible working and childcare payments to stop them getting caught up in a "cycle of deprivation", according to a report from charity Grandparents Plus.
The report finds that grandparents are increasingly single (from eight per cent 10 years ago to 15 per cent today) and on low incomes (from 18 per cent in 1998 to 26 per cent today). A third of grandparents under the age of 55 say they find it very difficult to cope financially.
Sam Smethers, chief executive of Grandparents Plus, said: "This report challenges the cosy image we have of the retired grandparent with time to spare. For many, particularly the ‘Gran-carers' who are of working age, on low incomes and who provide most of the childcare, it's a real struggle."
Netmums poll finds mothers want child safety advice
19/06/2009
Mothers want more help from early years practitioners in preventing childhood accidents in the home, according to a survey.
Online community Netmums polled 1,166 mothers of under-fives, and found more than half relied on advice passed down from their own parents when it comes to child safety. Almost one in three also said they get their advice from other family members.
But when asked who they would like to be giving them the support required, 75 per cent of mothers said playgroups and 72 per cent said parenting groups.
Secondment Opportunity in Child Poverty Unit
18/06/2009
The DCSF have an exciting, one year secondment opportunity available in the Child Poverty Unit for someone with experience in winning hearts and minds across local services, and sharing and encouraging good practice.
This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in a high profile policy area at a crucial time. The introduction of the Child Poverty Bill makes it more important than ever for Government to clearly communicate our expectations of local services, and offer the right support to enable them to meet these expectations. They are looking for someone to help with this important task. For more information, or to apply applicants should contact sally.knock@childpovertyunit.gsi.gov.uk.
Deadline for applications is Friday 26th June.
For more information on the child poverty unit see the publication link.
Mobile children's centre hits the road
18/06/2009
A new mobile children's centre has hit the road in Reigate and Banstead in a drive to benefit more youngsters.
Surrey County Council is on target to provide children's centres for nearly 63,000 young children by next April...
But in the run-up to this month's National Childcare Week, the council launched two buses to provide mobile support for children’s centres in rural areas.
Nearly all four-year-olds in free childcare scheme
16/06/2009
Government statistics released today show that families of almost every four-year-old in the country are taking advantage of free entitlement to childcare.
All four-year-olds have been entitled to a free early education place since 1998, an offer that was extended to three-year-olds in April 2004.
Research conducted by the Department for Children, Schools and Families earlier this year shows that 98 per cent of all four-year-olds are accessing the free offer. Figures have risen since 2008 from 578,000 to 593,400, although the percentage has not changed.
'Mums, remember you are not alone'
16/06/2009
A NEW support group aimed at providing support for mums suffering from Post Natal Depression has been set up in Spilsby.
Part of the Lincolnshire PND Support Network, which is a branch of Lincoln Mind, the group is the first in East Lindsey and has been started by parents themselves.
Run by mums, for mums, the group held its first meeting on Monday and will continue to hold regular sessions at Spilsby Children's Centre sending out the message 'don't suffer alone'.
The Big Lunch addresses social concerns affecting children
16/06/2009
On Sunday 19 July 2009, The Big Lunch is inviting you and all 61 million people across the UK to simultaneously sit down to eat lunch with your neighbours, in the middle of your street as a simple act of community.
A new initiative run by the Eden Project, The Big Lunch encourages communities to come together through growing food and flowers; creating street music, art and theatre; dressing the street and, of course, cooking and eating together.
Communities in which people are connected to each other are better for children to grow up in. Crime levels, employment, physical and mental health, and community action of all kinds improve if people know one another and can then connect to address local challenges. Turning streets into neighbourhoods will enrich the lives of children .
To find out more, visit The Big Lunch website http://www.thebiglunch.com or call 020 7636 8152
Young fathers complete support course
15/06/2009
A PROJECT aimed at supporting young fathers in Thurrock has completed.
The Thurrock Young Fathers project ran for 10 weeks and included a series of support and information groups within the borough’s children centres.
The scheme was available for anyone up to the age of 25, and was held in Tilbury Children’s Centre.
Subjects covered included: budgeting, relationships, anger management, and health.
The workshops offered practical support and guidance in these and other areas.
See publication link for further information
NCB's Paul Ennals awarded knighthood
13/06/2009
Paul Ennals, chief executive of the National Children's Bureau (NCB), has been awarded a knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.
Ennals said: "I am honoured to receive this award. The greatest privilege of working at NCB is to work with an extraordinarily talented set of people.
"NCB has a history of attracting some of the most creative and committed individuals in the children's sector, and I am really pleased to receive this award on behalf of all of them."
Families rely on word-of-mouth for childcare information
12/06/2009
Just 17 per cent of families use local authority information services to plan childcare for their children, a National Childminding Association (NCMA) survey has found.
The charity's annual childcare awareness survey, which questioned more than 1,000 people, is designed to measure how much parents know about the different types of childcare on offer.
It found that childminders and nannies are the most recognised form of childcare, ahead of nurseries, creches and au pairs.
See publication link for full article
Child poverty campaigners seek changes to welfare bill
10/06/2009
Child Poverty Action Group will lobby the government this week, in a bid to ensure the Welfare Reform Bill does not force unemployed parents to use childcare against their wishes as they return to work.
The amendment is one of a number of changes to the bill that the organisation has tabled through Liberal Democrat peer Lord Kirkwood, and cross-bencher Baroness Meacher.
The bill is currently going through committee stage in the Lords, and represents the government's latest attempt at getting more people off benefits and into work.
Dawn Primarolo replaces Beverley Hughes as children's minister
08/06/2009
Health minister Dawn Primarolo has been announced as the new children's minister.
Replacing Beverley Hughes after her shock decision to stand down on Tuesday, Primarolo was picked for the job following nearly two years as health minister.
The Bristol MP was appointed financial secretary to the Treasury when the Labour Party came to power in 1997.
In Practice: Frontline - find common ground
04/06/2009
Julie Lannon, children's centre leader, London Colney Children's Centre.
Running a successful children's centre can be about going with the flow, says Julie Lannon, who manages London Colney Children's Centre in Hertfordshire. While children's centres should aim to reach families that may not naturally come to them, sometimes that's about letting groups and services evolve, she explains.
One of her centre's success stories is a Friendship Group for Bengali mums. This sprang out of consultation by health visitors with families whose first language is not English.
Parents were saying they wanted somewhere to meet outside the home. A large number of Bengali mums came early on and it developed into a Bengali women's group," says Lannon.
"While we aim to run activities that are accessible to all, they did have specific things in common to talk about such as the difficulties of moving to a new country."
Click publication link for full news item.
Early years - Centres prepare for life after 2010
04/06/2009
As ringfenced funding ends next year, the onus is on children's centres to branch out and prove their value. Ross Watson reports.
The government is legislating to ensure children's centres are here to stay, but professionals in the sector are already concerned about future funding. Ringfenced money for the centres will end next year, and although the government is committed to funding children's centres in the long-term, there can be no guarantees on the level of financial support until the next Comprehensive Spending Review. So, what should local authorities and children's centres be doing in a bid to prepare for life after 2010?
The message from key figures within the sector is to start thinking about it now. "Local authorities cannot start planning funding soon enough," says Anne Longfield, chief executive of charity 4Children. She believes it is essential that children's centres look to reach beyond early years services and into the community, such as improvements in health and crime prevention. This should open up more funding options in the process, so centres are not reliant on the ringfenced money that currently comes through the Sure Start Early Years and Childcare Grant.
Liz Railton, The national programme manager for Together for Children, the agency delivering the government's children's centre programme, takes a similar line: "It's all about making sure the centre does not live apart from other community initiatives, joining in with other things going on and using other pots of money available to partners." Funding for schools could be accessed by centres that can help to deliver extended services, for example.
Click on publication link to view full article
In Practice: Know how - Substance misuse
04/06/2009
All children's centres and extended schools will come into contact with families affected by alcohol or drug problems. These families can be particularly vulnerable and may need extra support. There is plenty centres and schools can do to help such families.
Children's centres and schools should know what support and treatment services are available locally for both children and adults with drug and alcohol problems. Your local Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), council or Council for Voluntary Services should have that information. Often services are combined but sometimes there are separate providers for drug and alcohol services.
Be clued up about the full range of services on offer including local branches of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous and organisations offering wider support such as Home Start. Some areas have a local helpline or there are national lines like Drinkline on 0800 9178282 or the Frank helpline on 0800 776600. National organisations that can advise staff or offer direct support to families include Addaction, Families Anonymous, Adfam, Alcohol Concern, and Drugscope.
Young Parents Helped To 'Know More' About Drugs And Alcohol
03/06/2009
In the run up to National Tackling Drugs Week (8th-12th June), drug and alcohol services in Liverpool have gathered together to host 'Know more' an event which will showcase a range of services that offer advice and support to young people and their families.
The event is a result of pioneering partnerships between Young Addaction Liverpool and other support organisations who are sharing resources and linking together to provide a more joined-up approach to young people in challenging situations...
A unique new partnership approach with Liverpool Sure Start Children's Centres is one such example. As Nick Evans explains, "We often see a pattern of drug and alcohol misuse passed on through generations, from grandparents, to parents and to children, so we began looking for ways of supporting parents to break free of their drug or alcohol use, and help prevent their children getting caught in the same struggle."
Spotlight on domestic violence at conference
02/06/2009
DOMESTIC violence was highlighted at a conference at South Ockendon’s Culver Centre on Thursday May 28.
Called Domestic Violence – every body matters, it focused on the signs of domestic abuse and the impact and effects it can have on children in the family.
Thurrock’s Children’s Centres facilitated the event and one of the keynote speakers was Pamela Young - Deputy Coordinator for North West Thurrock’s Children's Centres.
Praise for prison’s family learning
02/06/2009
A SCHEME to bring prisoners and their families closer together through play and learning has been hailed a success at Buckley Hall Prison.
Terry Piggott, Rochdale’s education executive director, visited the category C men’s prison to view the facilities and education provided...
SureStart workers, who work part-time at the prison, have developed activities to develop interaction between prisoners and their children. The television set in the waiting area at Buckley Hall, which has a library provided by Rochdale Council, has been replaced with books and play equipment. And in the visiting area prisoners can read, play, draw and paint with their children.
Government urged to give guidance on childcare vouchers
01/06/2009
The Daycare Trust has urged the government to provide reassurance to employers considering withdrawing from the childcare vouchers scheme over concerns about a European court ruling.
The childcare charity said there was no evidence of employers pulling out "en masse" from the scheme, after a ruling last October that companies should continue to make payments for vouchers when female workers take maternity leave without their salary.
But the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is advising employers to stop offering the benefit if they are worried about becoming liable for costs in such cases.
Cannock children book up ideas
29/05/2009
A new book encouraging families across Cannock Chase district to take part in healthy activities has been published.
Eighteen families worked with Cannock Chase Council’s Arts Development team, Cannock Chase Children’s Centre and South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust to come up with fun activities for parents to do with their children.
The book is a result of their hard work over the last couple of years.
Managers fear precarious future for children's centres funding
28/05/2009
Children's services professionals have grave concerns about the future funding of children's centres, a poll has shown.
The poll, taken at last week's CYP Now conference on children's centres, found 52 per cent were "very concerned" about future funding for centres.
A quarter of the voters, who included children's centre managers and directors of children's services (DCSs), felt the centres were deemed a low priority in their local authority, while 30 per cent said their centres relied solely on Sure Start for funding.
See publication link for full news item.
Annual Playday 5th August 2009
28/05/2009
On Playday and throughout the summer of 2009, thousands of children, young people and communities will get out to play at hundreds of locally organised events across the UK.
The 2009 campaign theme, Make time! calls for everyone to make time for play. From parents, carers and teachers, to policy makers and planners - everyone should make time to support children’s right to play in whatever way they can.
Over 500 events took place across the country last year, making Playday 2008 the biggest on record! Whether you’re new to Playday or a Playday pro, get involved this year and support children’s play opportunities in your local area.
See publication link for more information.
'Give younger fathers as much support as mothers'
28/05/2009
Young fathers should be offered intensive support to help them be good dads, according to a poll released on Monday by the Fatherhood Institute, alongside the 'Invisible Fathers' action plan.
The ten-point action plan, launched in National Family Week, lists changes needed to improve the way services work with young fathers. The Institute says they are some of the most invisible, marginalised and vulnerable parents in the UK.
The Institute calls for midwives, health visitors and teenage pregnancy support services to assess the needs of young fathers-to-be separately. It also wants the Government to come up with guidance for local services, such as children's centres and Connexions, which it says should monitor how many young fathers they are engaging with and publish the results.
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Early Years Professionals celebrated at CWDC event
27/05/2009
The first national Early Years Professional Status event to celebrate the successes of EYPs is to be held on 14th July by the Children's Workforce Development Council, supported by Nursery World.
The free conference in Birmingham is open to all Early Years Professionals and anyone interested in finding out more. Keynote speakers will include Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes and clinical psychologist Professor Tanya Byron.
The conference aims to give those who have achieved EYP Status a chance to share their achievements, give advice on best practice and provide feedback to policymakers.
See the publication link for more information and how to register.
Councils embrace risky play
26/05/2009
Councils are ignoring the so called "compensation culture" and investing in more adventurous play equipment as part of the £235m England wide revamp of play facilities.
Latest research by the Local Government Association (LGA) has found councils are keen that new playgrounds focus on fun and excitement rather than "wrap children in cotton wool."
The government is looking to see 3,500 new or revamped facilities built by 2011 as part of the investment.
Proposals to help services support young fathers
25/05/2009
Public services, such as children's centres and Connexions, should be required to monitor how many young fathers they work with, according to the Fatherhood Institute.
The Institute wants explicit government guidance to ensure that local services detail the number of young fathers they are engaging with, assessing and offering a service to, and publish the results.
The proposal is part of an action plan to help public services actively support young fathers in overcoming economic and social disadvantage.
Public calls for rethink on young dads, new poll reveals
25/05/2009
Fatherhood Institute urges services to provide better support to ‘invisible’ young fathers
The British public feels young dads need extra help to overcome economic and social disadvantage, negative portrayals in the media and neglect by services, according to a new ICM poll launched today by the Fatherhood Institute. 69% say the media often present a negative image of young fathers and nearly two-thirds think the younger the father, the less likely he is to stick around. However, 9 out of 10 say young dads should be offered intensive support to help them to be good dads.
The results come as the Fatherhood Institute marks the start of National Family Week with an Invisible Fathers action plan – calling for public services to actively support young dads in overcoming economic and social disadvantage and finding a positive role as fathers.
For more details please click on the publication link below.
Harman proud of SureStart achievement
21/05/2009
BRITAIN'S senior most woman politician Harriet Harman has said SureStart children's centres are her "proudest" achievement.
Visiting North Tyneside recently, the minister for women and equality praised the work of the borough's 11 SureStart centres.
Ms Harman, also deputy leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the House of Commons, toured the Battle Hill Children's Centre meeting staff, children and parents.
Children's centre awarded free books for early literacy scheme
21/05/2009
A children's centre in London is the 1,000th early years setting to join the National Literacy Trust's scheme Early Reading Connects. Bayswater Children's Centre has won £250 worth of reading materials.
Rebecca Green, project manager of Early Reading Connects, said that around 30 new members a week are joining the scheme.
'To be able to reward our 1,000th member with a prize to help them continue their brilliant work is such a pleasure,' she said.
The DCSF-funded project was launched last October with the aim of instilling a love of language and reading in young children. It is based on the four themes of the EYFS
Dads put in peak performance
21/05/2009
A team of dads from Castleton Sure Start Children’s Centre showed off their football skills as they lined up for the Inter Children’s Centre Football Tournament on Saturday.
A total of 14 teams from Centres across Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood lined up to show off their football prowess at the contest which took place at St Mary’s Kick Pitch in Middleton.
The Ronaldo Rovers from Castleton set out with a group of travelling supporters of mums, relatives and of course the children who had made a supporters banner and a cardboard trophy to wave.
Consultation on free entitlement Code of Practice ducks funding questions
20/05/2009
Details of the revised Code of Practice for the free early years entitlement have been published at the start an eight-week consultation with early years providers.
The entitlement is to be extended to 15 hours and offered more flexibly over 38 weeks from September 2010 (News, 7 May and 14 May). The consultation reinforces a commitment to delivering it through a mixed economy of private, voluntary, independent and maintained provision, but does not include specific questions about levels of funding.
However, it highlights new requirements for 'transparent and equitable' funding, with the intention that all local authorities will by April 2010 implement a Single Funding Formula, to apply across all PVI settings and schools.
See the publication link for proposals.
Steiner setting closes rather than implement EYFS
20/05/2009
A private school that operates on Steiner principles has said it will close its nursery at the end of term because its teachings are incompatible with the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Graeme Whiting, head of Acorn School in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, told the Times Educational Supplement, 'I'm not prepared to struggle on month after month hoping a petty bureaucrat will say that this school can continue as it is. I'm not going to kowtow and have children on computers. I'm passionate about education and I believe if it ain't broke, don't fix it.'...
Janni Nicol, early childhood representative for the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, said, 'There is no reason for a setting to close because of the EYFS. Exemptions can be applied for, and if they are not granted there is still no reason to close, provided the Ofsted inspector takes into account that we are schools of a different philosophy.'
Tower Hamlets offers membership cards for children's centres
20/05/2009
Tower Hamlets Council has introduced a membership card scheme for its children's centres to speed up access to their services.
The cards contain limited information about the family using them, including name and address, and can be used at all 21 of the borough's children's centres. Each family in the borough will receive up to three cards.
The card scheme was brought in to make the entry system more efficient and cut down on queues formed by families filling in forms. It also helps to promote the range of services and children's centre locations in the borough.
CWDC invites bids for funding to share emerging practice in integrated working and workforce reform
18/05/2009
CWDC is inviting bids for funding to help people who work with children, young people and families share their experiences in working together and reforming the workforce in an integrated way.
CWDC Share! is now in its third year will provide individual grants of £10,000 to successful sites across England. The projects will need to demonstrate how integrated working and workforce reform is really helping to improve the lives children, young people and families.
The projects should also be able to honestly outline the issues and barriers that organisations encounter when implementing integrated working and workforce reform and demonstrate how these can be overcome in working together.
Tottenham children's centre is a grand design
18/05/2009
A CHILDREN'S centre in Tottenham has won an award for its ability to include the whole community.
The Triangle Children, Young People and Community Centre, designed by Greenhill Jenner Architects, has won a Civic Trust Award for inclusive design.
It is the highest recognition granted by the Civic Trust and is the second design award the centre, in St Ann's Road, has won since it £4.2 million refurbishment in 2007.
See publication link for full article
Highbridge Children's Centre staff welcome respected author
16/05/2009
Highbridge Children's Centre hosted a visit by a highly-respected writer on child development earlier this week.
Author Sue Palmer spoke on several subjects at a conference organised by the centre as part of a project that seeks to involve parents of children more closely with their childrens' learning and development.
Highbridge Children's Centre Manager Julian Plested, pictured with staff at the event, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "Sue has written the international bestseller 'Toxic Childhood' in which she analyses some of the negative influences on children in today's society, such as TV advertising, access to inappropriate websites, lack of exercise and junk food."
"But the message is hopeful as Sue also suggests ways in which we can all work to overcome these tendencies and provide a safe and healthy environment for our children to grow up in. We were delighted to be able to welcome her to Highbridge."
Government consulting on free childcare delivery
15/05/2009
The Department for Children, Schools and Families is consulting parents and the early years sector on how the free childcare entitlement for three and four year-olds should be delivered.
In a discussion paper the government sets out its vision for a more flexible free entitlement, based on the findings of pilot authorities.
It also poses a number of questions in a bid to explore the best way to meet parental demand for free and flexible childcare, without compromising providers' capacity to deliver. Parents, providers and members of the early years sector have until July 6 to respond to the consultation. Responses will be used to inform a Code of Practice for all authorities on how the free entitlement should be delivered.
New Every Child Matters website now live
14/05/2009
Developed as part of the Department for Children, Schools and families' (DCSF) work to update its portfolio of websites, the new site provides a single channel for information aimed at professionals within the children's workforce.
Designed to be easier to use and enable the DCSF to communicate more effectively online, the new site incorporates the best and most useful functionality from each of the three former sites: Every Child Matters, Local Authorities and Sure Start.
These three original websites will be kept online for a short period to ensure a smooth transfer for users to the new site but will not be updated with any new content from today. For up-to-date content and the latest news and information, go direct to the new ECM site. (See publication link)
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Ofsted questions accuracy of its own childminding figures
13/05/2009
Ofsted has warned about possible inaccuracies in its childcare figures as the number of childminders in England has again fallen to an all-time low, while the number of childcare places seem to have risen dramatically.
The watchdog's latest quarterly statistics show that the number of childminders registered in England had fallen to 60,915 at the end of March - a drop of over a thousand since December last year.
But the accuracy of the figures have been brought into question as the number of childcare places appears to have increased by over 30,000 in the same time period.
Rob Williams to head up Fatherhood Institute
13/05/2009
Rob Williams, the former deputy children's commissioner for England, is to head up think tank the Fatherhood Institute.
Williams, who has spent the last seven months looking after his children at home, will join the organisation, previously known as Fathers Direct, as chief executive this month.
Williams said: "I stood down from my role as deputy children's commissioner last year in order to reconnect with my own family and look for a more balanced life. My new role at the Fatherhood Institute, where everyone works from home, will allow me to do that."
Prime Minister Gordon Brown visits Aughton
13/05/2009
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown popped into Aughton to mark the opening of the nation's 3,000th Sure Start children's centre.
He was joined by Children's Secretary Ed Balls at the multi-million pound Early Years centre, on Main Street, where he said such valuable facilities would not be subject to funding cuts.
Mr Brown met with staff and youngsters at the centre, saying how great it was to have so many Sure Starts now fully operational across the country.
Baby growth charts show new weight measurements
13/05/2009
New charts published this week for monitoring babies' growth promote breastfeeding and show a link between physical growth and motor development.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) was commissioned to design new charts to replace the 1990 growth charts, which described average growth and were based on babies who were predominantly fed with formula.
Babies who are breastfed tend to gain weight more slowly and are less likely to become obese. The new charts reflect this by showing a 1kg drop in expected weight gain by the age of one year, which will help to identify children at risk of obesity at an earlier stage.
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Breastfeeding awareness rewarded
13/05/2009
UNICEF has awarded the local NHS and Sure Start centres for their commitment to promoting breastfeeding in the borough; in the same week as breastfeeding awareness week.
NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale has been working with Rochdale Borough Sure Start Children’s Centres and Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust to establish a baby friendly borough for breastfeeding. UNICEF has recognised this commitment by awarding the organisations with the Baby Friendly Certificate of Commitment.
The accolade recognises that the organisations have developed a robust breastfeeding policy and have a plan in place to further develop best practice in regard to infant feeding.
First frontline children's workers to start using ContactPoint
12/05/2009
Online directory will help frontline professionals see other services involved with a child.
Frontline professionals will start using ContactPoint - the Government’s online directory of children’s services - from next week, Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan announced today.
Up to 800 frontline practitioners including social workers, health professionals and head teachers will start using the system from next week. They are based in 17 local authorities in the North West and national voluntary sector partners Barnardo’s and KIDS.
For the first time, professionals - who have all been through stringent security measures and training - can see in one place some of the different services involved with a child they are working with and start to feel some of the early benefits ContactPoint will offer them.
More money for recession support
12/05/2009
The government is giving an extra £3m to charities who offer help to families struggling to cope with the recession.
Couples counselling organisation Relate will receive £1m to provide face-to-face and telephone support to an extra 40,000 people. Helpline Parentline Plus will receive £150,000 and other parenting groups which offer online support and debt counselling will also get a boost.
The announcement comes after Ministers visited some of the 3,000 Sure Start Children’s Centres which are now helping families cope with the impact of the recession by providing services such as advice on training and seeking work.
£75m scheme launched to help parents train for work
12/05/2009
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is committing to help parents from low-income families with a new £75m initiative. The Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work scheme offers 50,000 eligible parents real help now through vital childcare support, while they train or learn, to support them into employment.
The nationwide scheme is open to half a million families in England with:
* One partner in work
* An annual household income of £20,000 or less per year
* A child or children aged 14 or under
* A child or children aged 18 or under with disabilities
Eligible parents can choose which course is going to give them the right skills to get back into work. Courses could range from a short refresher in maths or a more formal qualification in a range of subjects from social care to teaching. An advisor will help parents to enrol for their chosen course and will advise parents on the childcare options available to them. Parents have the choice from a range of Ofsted childcare, with the LSC paying up to £175 per child per week, or £215 in London. This ensures that parents have the means to make the best childcare choice for their family's needs.
Advice needed by families
11/05/2009
Almost a third of people think that the most urgent need in modern family life is for advice and guidance.
A survey of more than 2,000 adults commissioned by children's charity 4Children found that half felt that family life was harder today than it was 20 years ago.
The survey coincides with the opening of the 3,000th children's centre by Children, Schools, and Families secretary Ed Balls.
Artistic Rebecca set to go belly up
11/05/2009
MUMS in Doncaster have more than their ultrasound scan pictures as souvenirs of their pregnancy. They are now even getting the chance to have their ‘baby bump’ preserved for posterity thanks to artistic Scawthorpe- based NHS worker Rebecca Bewick.
Rebecca has turned her creative hands to making plaster casts made of the bellies of mums-to-be in the run-up to the birth of their youngsters...
Rebecca showed off her new service at the launch of the new baby café at the launch of the Great North Road Children’s Centre at Jossey Lane, Scawthorpe.
Home-Start UK says more family support volunteers needed
11/05/2009
More investment in volunteering is needed to help support the growing numbers of families in crisis, according to leading family support charity, Home-Start UK.
Publishing a new briefing paper Family Support Services - The Role of Volunteers, the charity said volunteers are particularly important in the current economic climate.
The paper states that volunteers can help families grow in confidence so they move into work and out of poverty, also offering families a bridge into the community.
Family advice - just a phone call away
11/05/2009
The Legal Services Commission announced today the creation of approximately 40 jobs as a result of the expansion of its Community Legal Advice phone line to provide family law advice.
The addition of family law advice follows the recent extension to Community Legal Advice’s opening hours. Clients can now get help for debt, housing, employment, education and welfare benefits problems between 9.00am and 6.30pm on weekdays and 9.00am and 12.30pm on Saturdays.
Carolyn Regan, Chief Executive of the Legal Services Commission, said:
“The Legal Services Commission is investing around £7million over three years in the Community Legal Advice family service. From August, people who need help but can’t afford it will be able to call 0845 345 4 345 to get free help for family related legal problems. During the current recession, debt, eviction or redundancy can put a strain on relationships. Equally, splitting families can cause housing or debt problems.”
Government celebrates the opening of 3000 Sure Start Children's Centres
08/05/2009
The Prime Minister and other ministers today celebrated the opening of 3,000 Sure Start Children’s Centres now reaching 2.4 million families.
By March 2010 there will be 3,500 centres providing access to services for all families including childcare; expert advice on healthcare; advice on parenting for mums and dads and links to training and job opportunities.
Ministers said today the centres had played a vital role in helping parents bring up the Sure Start generation over the last ten years.
Click the link below for the full article
Children's Minister visits Borehamwood children's centre
08/05/2009
Children's Minister Delyth Morgan visited Borehamwood and Elstree Children's Centre today, calling it an 'amazing place'.
The visit to the centre, in Shakespeare Drive, Borehamwood, came as a number of ministers are visiting and opening centres across the country to celebrate the opening of the 3,000th Sure Start Children's Centre.
The BECC, which opened last September, aims to be a 'one-stop shop' for those with children under the age of five.
Click link to view whole story.
Tower Hamlets offers 350 free nursery places
08/05/2009
Families in Tower Hamlets are to benefit from 350 free nursery places, as part of the London borough's new child poverty strategy.
The places will go to children from the most disadvantaged homes, in a bid to get parents and carers into work.
The child poverty plan sets a target to lift more than 1,000 children out of poverty by 2011.
The borough council hopes to achieve this by investing in early years and children's centres and programmes designed to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.
York libraries to feature children's artwork
08/05/2009
A new exhibition of children's artwork will tour libraries across York this month.
The collection of images will show off work created during the council-funded Children's Centres' Community Arts Programme.
Starting this week, the exhibition will display work created by more than 1,000 children and their family members.
After touring a number of the city's libraries and learning centres, the exhibition will culminate in a display ceremony at the city's Central Library at the start of July.
Balls mulls proposal to widen appeal of DCS role
07/05/2009
Children's Secretary Ed Balls is considering plans to launch a talent management scheme to identify and train potential directors of children's services (DCSs) from outside councils.
The proposal was presented to him by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL), which wants to see the pool of applicants widened to avert a recruitment crisis. A report by NCSL and the Children's Workforce Development Council has found that half of the current crop of 150 DCSs will quit or retire in the next three years.
The majority were recruited from within councils. However, with only half of senior managers surveyed keen to replace them, the NCSL wants to see more applicants from charities and other organisations. Maggie Farrar, the NCSL's strategic director for policy, research and development, said: "There is quality and leadership skills right across the children's professions outside councils that we need to identify and support."
Inclusion Development Programme (IDP): Supporting pupils on the autism spectrum
07/05/2009
Phase two of the IDP has been developed by the National Strategies in partnership with the Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) at the University of Birmingham.
This resource aims to secure improved educational outcomes for pupils on the autism spectrum in all schools and early years settings.
The materials will support classroom teachers, teaching assistants and those in initial teacher training, to further develop quality first teaching, while enabling school leaders to adopt a strategic approach to personalised learning and to narrow the gaps for pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
The IDP supports the evaluation of skills and provides opportunities for collaborative professional development to help ensure that quality first teaching means quality for all.
The materials are available online from the DCSF website (see publication link) and DVDs were distributed to schools and settings via local authorities from April.
Child poverty figures rise by thousands
07/05/2009
There was a rise of 100,000 children living in poverty in 2007/08 compared to the year before, according to government statistics released today.
The Households Below Average Income figures show that in 2007/08 four million children lived in relative poverty after housing costs are taken into account, a rise of 100,000 compared to 2006/07.
It means that 400,000 children have been lifted out of poverty since 1998/99 when the government promised to halve child poverty by 2010. To reach this target, 1.7 million children would need to be lifted out of poverty after housing costs.
Minister for the East of England visits Southend to see a Family Centre in action
07/05/2009
Barbara Follett, Minister for the East of England today met users and staff of a children's centre to find out about the support that is available to families in Southend. She went on to the University of Essex and South East Essex in the town to learn about their achievements and find out how developments at both institutions are helping regenerate the town. Both visits considered the role the Council and its partners are playing in the context of the economic downturn.
First, Ms Follett visited Centre Place Family Centre in Kursaal, Southend-on-Sea which has strong links with organisations including Jobcentre Plus, South East PCT and Southend Football Club. Established by Southend Council in partnership with Estuary Housing Association, the centre include parent and toddler groups, healthy eating classes, financial advice and parent support groups. The Minister saw the centre in action and discovered how it is helping families through the tough economic times.
Later, at the University and College, she joined representatives both establishments, and from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to discuss how a variety of projects are engaging and empowering the local community and supporting regeneration through support to businesses and skill development.
Action plan to ensure every child gets the protection they deserve
06/05/2009
The Government today announced a wide ranging package of measures setting out how it will deliver the step-change in child protection called for by Lord Laming in his recent progress report.
The action plan commits to greater openness and public scrutiny of local child protection arrangements, as well as more investment in training and support for front line social workers.
This reform will be driven forward by a new cross-Government delivery unit working alongside Sir Roger Singleton, the first ever Chief Adviser on the Safety of Children.
Early learning goals for literacy to stay in EYFS
06/05/2009
The two literacy Early Learning Goals from the Early Years Foundation Stage that have been at the centre of controversy will stay in the EYFS, Sir Jim Rose has confirmed in his final report for the Primary Curriculum Review.
Sir Jim also recommended extending play-based learning from the EYFS into the primary curriculum to ease the transition for young children, particularly for summer-born children and those still working towards the Early Learning Goals.
Literacy, numeracy, ICT and personal development will be at the heart of the new primary curriculum, to be introduced from September 2011, with a new focus on developing children's speaking and listening skills.
Stephen Crowne, chief executive of BECTA, the Government's technology agency, said that without the right emphasis on technology in schools from an early age there was 'a risk of a digital underclass developing'.
Sustainability is biggest worry for PVI providers
06/05/2009
Private and voluntary nurseries have overwhelmingly singled out sustainability as their most common cause of concern, in the Pre-School Learning Alliance's third annual membership survey.
The Alliance said that in initial findings from the 1,500 responses received so far, 86 per cent said that keeping their business sustainable over the next 12 months was a major issue for them, followed by workforce development and nutrition.
Last year, members highlighted the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage as their biggest worry.
Take a healthy food tip from a teddy bear
06/05/2009
A teddy bear chef is teaching nursery children about nutrition on his quest to fight childhood obesity.
The bear, Mr Willow, aims to teach children how to cook and be more confident in handling food.
He has already helped promote healthy food activities and served nutritionally balanced meals to Willow Cottage Nurseries in Oxfordshire, and is now set to deliver his healthy message to settings across the country.
Baby growth charts introduced to increase breastfeeding
06/05/2009
New charts will be introduced next week to measure the growth of babies in a bid to increase breastfeeding and reduce obesity.
The charts will be based on the presumption that babies are breast-fed, as opposed to the current system, based on growth rates for formula fed babies.
Health chiefs are keen to promote the benefits of breastfeeding as children gain weight more slowly as opposed to when they are fed with formula.
This measure leads to a 1kg difference in weight by the age of one.
Bill seeks to stop parents exploiting children in media
30/04/2009
MPs are seeking a change in the law to halt a "terrible trend of abuse" in which parents expose children to harmful publicity purely to get money.
Conservative MP Jacqui Lait this week launched a bill designed to protect children who may fall victim to their own families' greed.
She said the move was sparked by high profile cases such as the faked kidnap of Shannon Mathews and the furore surrounding the 13-year-old boy who was said to have fathered a child.
Blackburn first to centres goal
30/04/2009
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has become the first local authority to have a complete children's centre programme in operation.
The authority has its full complement of children's centres in place and all are offering a full range of services, well ahead of schedule. The deadline for every centre to be built is March 2010, after which centres have two years to put services in place.
Together for Children, the agency responsible for supporting the development of children's centres, has validated each of the centres and confirmed the achievement.
Helen Kew, Together for Children's regional lead for the North West, said: "Blackburn with Darwen had a very clear vision and a strong strategic commitment from all partners."
Blackburn with Darwen attributed its success to focusing on outcomes for all children from the start.
Call for health visitors to be based in children's centres
30/04/2009
Primary care trusts (PCTs) should consider placing all health visitors in children's centres, the author of a community health report has said.
Candace Imison, deputy director of policy at The King's Fund, told CYP Now the way health visitors and speech therapists work needs reviewing because they deal predominantly with children. The call follows the publication of her report, Shaping PCT Provider Services: The Future for Community Health, last week.
"One clear question for PCTs is whether they want to keep all staff together or whether they would consider supporting staff going into more children-focused services, given the emergence of children's centres and children's trusts," she said.
Steiner settings opting out of EYFS early learning goals
30/04/2009
Nearly all the Steiner schools and kindergartens in England are applying for exemptions to some or all of the Early Learning Goals.
Janni Nicol, early childhood representative for the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, said, 'Unfortunately, we have had to apply for exemptions or modifications to some of the learning and development requirements which conflict with the Steiner Waldorf approach to formal introduction of literacy, numeracy and the requirement regarding electronic gadgetry and ICT.'
In some cases Steiner schools and kindergartens are also applying for exemptions to the assessment regulations requirement to submit EYFS Profile data.
Six new members appointed to Cafcass board
30/04/2009
Children's minister Delyth Morgan has announced the appointment of six members to the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) board.
Shireen Ritchie, Kensington and Chelsea's member for family and children's services, Ian Butler, special adviser at the Department of the First Minister at the Welsh Assembly Government, and management consultant Mark Eldridge have been appointed to the Cafcass board for three years.
Professor of social work June Thoburn and Mary MacLeod, chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute have been appointed to the board for two years.
Pay-as-you-go childcare places offered
29/04/2009
Parents who stepped in to save a nursery from closure have launched a pay-as-you-use childcare scheme to recruit families.
The scheme at the Buffer Bear nursery in Hamworthy, Poole, was devised by nursery manager Roxanne Gregory and the parent committee Bb Active to boost occupancy and interest in the nursery.
The nursery won a six-month reprieve in February from Poole council, which provided a Sure Start Sustainability Grant.
Ministers told children's services can recruit foreign social workers
29/04/2009
Directors of children's services have won an important stage in their battle to continue hiring social workers from abroad.
The Migration Advisory Committee is to recommend to ministers that children and family social work should remain on the list of occupations classified as having a shortage.
The committee had been reviewing the list, whereby applicants from abroad can get a fast track working visa, in the light of the current economic crisis.
Swine flu fears could lead to vaccine for under-twos
28/04/2009
The government is considering an annual flu vaccination programme for all babies and toddlers in response to fears of a swine flu pandemic.
In reply to a question from Mary Creagh, Labour MP for Wakefield, Health Secretary Alan Johnson told MPs: "I will talk to colleagues about how far we can move to a vaccine for those under two years of age. With reference to swine flu, the antivirals work for children as well. That is very important."
Currently only children with asthma or those with a particular vulnerability to flu are vaccinated.
Charity professionals could be answer to DCS shortage
28/04/2009
Children's professionals working for charities could become directors of children's services (DCSs) to tackle a potential recruitment crisis, according to a report.
The report by the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) and the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has found that around 30 of the 150 DCSs will quit within the year and more than half plan to leave within three years.
But with only half of junior council managers surveyed interested in taking on the role, the report is urging local authorities tolook further afield, within the charity sector, for potential applicants.
Trafford celebrates increase in breastfeeding rates
25/04/2009
A SUCCESSFUL breastfeeding support initiative has played a role in encouraging new mums to breastfeed.
Since Trafford’s first peer counsellors graduated in September 2006, 55 mums have trained as volunteers through the programme.
The internationally acclaimed course created by ‘La Leche League’ has been found to have huge benefits, including encouraging an increase in breastfeeding rates - now 72 per cent for Trafford.
Local authority pilots to support families launched by National Literacy Trust
24/04/2009
The National Literacy Trust (NLT) today launches Family Reading Matters (FRM), a strategy to support families in creating homes rich in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Over the next year FRM will be piloting the difference that a coordinated local authority approach has on the number of families promoting reading, writing, speaking and listening in the home. From today FRM will be piloted in four local authorities, with a funded FRM coordinator post: Derbyshire, Knowsley, Sheffield and Wiltshire.
A number of authorities have also joined FRM as partners, stating their commitment to making literacy a strategic priority. FRM will be taking applications for additional partner authorities until 30 April 2009. Partner local authorities are expected to work towards providing a dedicated FRM local strategic coordinator and will be supported in developing the FRM approach at a local level.
The critical role of parents as a child’s first educator is acknowledged in both the Children’s Plan and Every Parent Matters, and the need for a more coordinated approach to supporting children underpins the Every Child Matters agenda. The NLT has a vision of parents and children being supported to improve their literacy within the home environment. The NLT believes this can be done by coordinating local services in order to improve universal provision and to target support to the most disadvantaged families.
Councils devise innovative schemes to tackle poverty
23/04/2009
A bus loaded with debt advisers is just one of the innovative approaches local authorities are taking in a bid to tackle child poverty.
The bus will offer advice and support in more hard-to-reach areas and was the basis for North Warwickshire Borough Council's successful bid to take part in the government's child poverty innovation pilot.
The £20m pilot will see at least 10 local authorities develop innovative approaches to tackling child poverty between 2009-11.
Service chiefs could aid Ofsted
23/04/2009
Directors of children's services (DCSs) could become honorary Ofsted inspectors under proposals to help struggling councils improve child protection.
The Association of Directors of Children's Services' (ADCS) proposals, revealed to CYP Now, would see local authorities sharing skills and expertise in order to deliver Lord Laming's safeguarding recommendations.
The honorary inspectors, or "peer inspectors" as the ADCS calls them, would assist Ofsted on inspections to help it get under the skin of frontline practice. Directors from successful authorities would offer advice and guidance to poorer performing councils between scheduled inspections as an alternative to government intervention.
Work Matters: Finance
23/04/2009
Lynn Bryden is business and finance support officer at Sure Start Strategic Partnership Tyne & Wear (www.northtyneside.gov.uk)
There are a number of changes to generic business regulations that could affect your nursery business. These include:
Business rates
Minimum paid leave entitlement
National minimum wage
Disciplinary rules
Click the link for the full article
Budget 2009: Darling to reward grandparents who care for grandchildren
22/04/2009
Grandparents' roles in childcare have been recognised by Chancellor Alistair Darling, who has pledged that those of a working age will be rewarded for caring for children in their state pensions.
Darling said grandparents of a working age who choose to provide care for their grandchildren will be able to gain national insurance credits toward their basic state pension from 2011.
Sam Smethers, chief executive of charity Grandparents Plus, welcomed the new measure. "We know it's mostly women of a working age, on low income, providing the lion's share of grandparent childcare. They are also the ones with incomplete pension records," she said.
Greater pay and respect demanded by EYPs
22/04/2009
Early Years Professionals earn on average just £1 more after they achieve EYPS, according to research carried out by the union Aspect, which represents EYPs.
A survey of 300 EYPs found that most respondents earned between £8 and £9 an hour.
EYPs should be paid by local or national government, according to 96 per cent of respondents, with 88 per cent saying it was very important that there was an agreed payscale for EYPs and 90 per cent saying there should be parity between EYPs in children's centres and PVI settings.
Pre-school Learning Alliance responds to Budget
22/04/2009
Responding to today's announcement of the Budget, Steve Alexander, Chief Executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said: ˜The Alliance recognises that there are many recommendations in the Budget that should have a positive impact. However, the move into encouraging people back into work has a number of elements to it affecting the childcare offer which give some cause for concern.
˜There is increasing evidence that parents are finding it more difficult to afford childcare as the credit crunch begins to bite. Potentially a number of parents might be choosing informal childcare over the full daycare offer provided by nursery operators. With childcare costs being amongst the highest in Europe much of the impact of this reduction in demand is likely to fall on already hard-pressed providers. Sustainability remains the number one concern and the credit crunch exacerbates viability as parents struggle to meet costs.
"Whilst the proposed child tax credit increases are to be welcomed, we recognise that the current system has been viewed as cumbersome to access, and in itself the change is unlikely to do enough to help the Government to meet their target to halve child poverty by 2010. The needs of the 3.9 million children currently living in poverty in this country must be addressed in a more significant way, and with unemployment nudging 3 million and representing 10 per cent of the workforce this particular target and indeed the buoyancy of the sector is now in sharp relief. ˜
'I've become a confident father’
21/04/2009
Action for Children – a charity that supports about 170,000 of the UK’s most vulnerable children and young adults and campaigns for social justice – is helping to make a real difference to people’s lives, writes Kate Burt
Six years ago, when Simon Gunner’s eldest son Marshall had still to reach his first birthday, Simon, now 36, was feeling desperate. Like most fathers, Simon’s sole ambition was to provide his child with security and stability. Yet, after a complicated break-up with Marshall’s mother, Simon found himself in a situation that made those basic parental hopes seem like a pipe dream: unemployed, penniless and newly homeless, Simon was forced to sleep rough under a canal bridge in his hometown of Chester. What, he felt, did he have to offer his baby son? ...
After a stint in a hostel that Simon says he ‘wouldn’t wish on anyone’, he managed to get a Housing Trust flat. Finally he had a home to offer his young son, and gained custody of Marshall – but the rest of his life felt like it was in tatters. ‘I’d cared for Marshall a lot since he was born,’ he says, ‘but suddenly being alone and having him full time wasn’t easy; the practicalities – like sorting out benefits, money for food, nappies, electricity and gas – consume you, and on top of all that your child is crying, or needs changing or feeding or playing with. I had no idea who to turn to.’ It was then that Simon discovered Action for Children’s Chester Family Support service within Blacon Children’sCentre, the funding for which is provided by the local authority.
He remembers his first visit fondly: ‘I stood by the door and took a deep breath. I could see lots of mums with children and felt I would get stared at for being a man. But Michelle [Brown, who was to become Simon’s keyworker] came bounding over and welcomed me. I knew immediately it was a place I’d be happy to go to.’
Mozart music helping Burnley tots' development
21/04/2009
MOZART'S music and Tchaikovsky's tunes are being employed to help the development of Burnley toddlers.
The Lancashire Sinfonietta has been awarded a £100,000 grant from Arts Council England to run a two-year music education programme with pre-school children and families in Burnley.
It will run at Ightenhill Children's Centre and the Chai Centre, Stoneyholme, where it will be launched in the summer. Additional events will take place in four other children's centres across Burnley.
Centre wins full approval
20/04/2009
SURESTART Redditch children’s centres have great reason to be cheerful after the news that they had received the official seal of approval for their Lodge Park centre.
Oak Trees Children’s Centre has been awarded full core service offer status by Together for Children, who oversee children’s centres on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. This means that the centre is judged to be meeting national standards for children’s centre services. These include; early years provision with qualified teacher support, family support services and activities, child and family health services, active parental involvement and effective links with JobCentre Plus Judith Willis, SureStart Redditch children’s centre programme manager, said: “We are delighted that we have been formally recognised in this way. We look forward to continuing to support families at Oak Trees and at our other children’s centres."
Children's sector pays tribute to Michael Leadbetter
20/04/2009
Tributes have been paid to Michael Leadbetter, chair of the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC), who has died after a long battle with cancer.
Mike Leadbetter held the position of CWDC chairman from 2007, but was also chair of national charity Parentline Plus and a board member of the General Social Care Council, among other roles.
He enjoyed a long career in the public sector including spells as director of social services in Tameside, Greater Manchester and Essex.
£5.5 million to help close the widening generation gap
20/04/2009
On 20 April, Beverley Hughes and four of her Ministerial colleagues launched a £5.5 million programme to support intergenerational activity in local areas.
Local authorities and their third sector partners are invited to submit proposals for increasing interaction between younger and older people in their area. 12 authorities wiill be awarded up to £400,000 each to implement their proposals.
More detail on how to apply for funding through this programme can be found on the ECM website.
http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/youthmatters/ytf/generationstogether/
Early years investment needed improve mental health
20/04/2009
A lack of investment in early years health care is storing up mental health problems for future generations, it has been claimed.
Ahead of a summit on health visiting next month, Cheryll Adams, of the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors' Association, said staffing levels must be addressed.
She also called for primary care trusts to have ring-fenced health visitor budgets to ensure money is spent on the area.
"We know mental health can be influenced by what happens in the first three years," Adams said.
Childcare voucher providers consult on code of practice
17/04/2009
The UK's major providers of childcare vouchers have launched a joint consultation to gather views on creating a voluntary code of practice for the sector.
The three companies - Busy Bees Childcare Vouchers, Grass Roots Group and Sodexo Pass - are seeking the views of employer and childcare sector representatives and their members, to find out how the voucher system could be improved and what minimum standards childcare vouchers providers should be expected to meet.
Paul Bartlett, head of benefits and reward at Grass Roots Group, said: "As an industry we must listen and respond to all our customers' feedback, and to that of childcare providers, to ensure that the system is effectively meeting their needs."
Rolling criminal record checks planned for children's workforce
17/04/2009
Organisations will be able to carry out rolling criminal record checks on employees working with children under plans currently being drawn up.
The new system will allow councils, charities and other bodies to be made aware if staff commit an offence that makes them unsuitable to work with children or vulnerable adults.
The head of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), Adele Townsend, said it is not clear how the system will work but it should be in place by the end of the year.
Forum launches "Little People's Plates' for tots' nutrition
16/04/2009
A recent poll for the Little People’s Plates education initiative reveals 29% of children under three consume a takeaway at least once a week. A further 19% of toddlers are fed takeaways or adult ready meals for most meals. Whilst 23% munch crisps and 16% guzzle fizzy drinks almost every day. In spite of this, 83% of the mums polled believed their child had a healthy, balanced diet.
The findings are published in a report entitled Food and Nutrition for the under 3s by the Infant & Toddler Forum. Toddlers need nutritious food for rapid growth and development in the pre-school years but the poll findings show parents are confused, simply don’t understand their child’s unique nutritional needs and want more information on how to feed their toddlers
The Forum has devised the Little People’s Plates initiative to help parents feed their toddlers meals that meet their nutritional needs. This comes amidst concerns that toddlers diets are often low in key nutrients but have too much salt, saturated fat and sugar, which could lead to obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes in their future.
Click the publication link to access the website.
Harrow plans to roll out children's centre guide
16/04/2009
One of the UK's leading local authorities in developing children's centres has produced self-evaluation guides for centres that it hopes to roll out nationally.
Harrow Council's Integrated Early Years and Community Services has created a self-evaluation tool for local authorities, which attempts to answer the question, What is a Good Children's Centre?
The tool outlines 29 areas of service delivery that children's centre leaders and managers can measure their own performances against. These include multi-agency work, developing a learning community, and partnerships with parents and carers. The publication will give examples of what constitutes satisfactory, good and excellent practice.
Nursery is going green all round with organic stamp of approval
15/04/2009
One of the first totally organic Soil Association-registered children's nurseries in the north of England is set to open later this year.
Little Green Rascals day nursery in York plans to offer the children organic food, sourcing the ingredients locally wherever possible.
Vanessa Warn, who will run the nursery with her business partner, Tracey Brooks, said, 'We will also be growing our own produce in the organic kitchen garden, and we'll be involving the children in the care of our free-range chickens.'
They also plan to stock the nursery with biodegradable nappies and creams made from natural products.
National award for children's centre and prison partnership
15/04/2009
Partnership work between Rochdale children’s centres and HMP Buckley Hall prison was recognised as outstanding by MPs this week.
Representatives from the children’s centres and the prison travelled to a prestigious award ceremony in London to scoop their Family Learning Festival Award for innovative work between prisoners and their families.
They were presented with their certificate by Beverley Hughes MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families.
The judges heard about how the children’s centres in Rochdale and the prison had worked together to identify the affects on family life whilst a member of the family was in custody.
Proposals offer more choice and help parents share care
14/04/2009
The new proposals from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), outlined in the Working Better report, will help parents share the caring responsibilities of their children more equally, something they have been wanting for some time now.
That's according to the Family and Parenting Institute as it welcomed the new 'Working Better' report.
Sally Gimson, Director of Communications at the Family and Parenting Institute said: "Parents tell us that they want to spend more time with their children, especially when they are young. Fathers often complain that they find themselves working even harder after the birth of a child, when they would prefer to be spending time with their new baby.
Beacon Council Scheme: Preventing and Tackling Child Poverty: The Cornwall Council Story
14/04/2009
Cornwall Council discusses how it achieved its Beacon status in detail and highlights the lessons they feel could be important to other local authorities.
Family Services, part of Cornwall’s Children’s Services Authority, was created in 2005 to provide a co-ordinated approach to preventative and early intervention services for children and families from minus 9 months to 13.
The vision statement that drives the service...Was supported by a parallel purpose statement that recognised that the only way this could be achieved was through partnerships with other agencies.
Click the publication link for whole article.
DCSF reaches out to new fathers with information
09/04/2009
Fathers will be able to access tailored information on their baby's health and development from this summer as part of the Government's Child Health Strategy.
The health-led Early Years Lifecheck for Fathers is to be rolled out in Sure Start children's centres, following criticism from some parents that the existing Early Years Lifecheck is 'too mumsy'.
Speaking at 4Children's annual conference last week, children's secretary Ed Balls said that the new 'information card' would help support fathers during the first few weeks after birth and help keep them involved in their child's life.
Parent Know How Directory
08/04/2009
In September 2009, an extensive online directory - the Parent Know How (PKH) Directory, will be launched.
It will offer parents, and those working with them, the ability to search for information about childcare and families services in both their local community and nationally.
The PKH Directory supports local authority (LA) delivery of their duty under section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006 to provide such service information to parents. All LAs are currently working on implementing systems that will communicate with the Directory.
To assist LAs and vendors with PKH Directory-related implementation issues (technical, vocabulary, business change), the DCSF is providing a support service via their implementation partner, Tribal.
Harriet Harman visits Derbyshire SureStart (with audio slideshow)
08/04/2009
A GOVERNMENT minister has travelled to Derbyshire to visit a special centre that provides everything from support for teenage mums to cookery classes.
Harriet Harman, Commons leader and Minister for Women and Equality, travelled to Langley Mill Surestart Children's Centre to find out how it was helping families in the area.
The centre in Bailey Brook Drive cost £600,000 to build and is one of 42 which are run by the county council.
Ms Harman said: "I think that children's centres are really one of the most important things, along with our hospitals and schools.
ATL union delegates call for changes in EYFS
08/04/2009
Reducing the demands and workload challenges of the Early Years Foundation Stage, and designating the EYFS as a time for active learning through play rather than focusing on the assessment agenda, were among the motions debated at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers conference.
Angela Forkin, a nursery teacher at Wigan Sure Start in Merseyside, proposed changes to the three-to-11 curriculum. She said too much pressure is put on nursery children to read and write, taking time away from play and learning how to socialise, and they could be labelled as failures before they start school. She suggested that such pressure is causing behavioural problems in children of school age.
Ms Forkin said, 'Children shouldn't be standing by the whiteboard practising their handwriting, they should be exploring the world and building their motor and cognitive skills.'
First childminders' inspections after EYFS largely 'positive', says NCMA
08/04/2009
Seventy per cent of childminders achieved a good or outstanding grade in their first inspection under the Early Years Foundation Stage, a survey of 120 childminders by the National Childminding Association has found.
NCMA carried out interviews with childminders who had inspections after 1 September last year when the EYFS started. The majority of childminders said they felt they were responding well to delivering the EYFS, were positive about the new inspection process and were not overburdened by excessive paperwork.
The findings appear to contradict some reports that childminders are leaving their jobs amid fears over the EYFS (News, 14 May 2008). Official figures show that there were 1, 671 fewer childminders at the end of December than there were at the end of August (News, 26 March).
Scrap the EYFS literacy goals, say MPs in curriculum report
08/04/2009
The early learning goals for reading and writing in the Early Years Foundation Stage should be scrapped, a group of MPs has said in a report on the national curriculum.
Sir Jim Rose is currently reviewing two of the literacy goals centred on children's ability to write and use punctuation in simple sentences by the age of five - 'Use their phonic knowledge' and 'write their own names' (see box).
However, Nursery World has learned that it is likely he will recommend that these two goals should stay in the EYFS.
The report also disagrees with Sir Jim's recommendation for it to become 'the norm' for children to start reception class the September after their fourth birthday.
Source: News Link Error: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
New grant for pregnant women
06/04/2009
A government grant of £190 will be made available to every pregnant woman from this week.
Women will be entitled to the Health in Pregnancy Grant - which will become available on 6 April - from the 25th week of pregnancy.
Under the Department of Health initiative, women will be able to claim the grant following a consultation with a health professional, such as a midwife, who will advise them on their needs as well as those of their baby.
The aim of the payment is to support the health of women in the last months of pregnancy. According to experts, good health in late pregnancy is important for the health and development of a child in later life.
Third of under-threes fed takeaway meals weekly
06/04/2009
Almost a third of children under three are eating takeaway food at least once a week, according to a new report on the nutrition of toddlers.
The report, Food and Nutrition for the Under Threes, is based on findings from a survey of 1,000 mothers of children under three, conducted this year by the Infant and Toddler Forum.
Despite the fact that 29 per cent of mothers admitted to feeding their children takeaway at least once a week, 83 per cent reported that they were feeding their toddler a healthy, balanced diet.
Flexible leadership: the key to successful early childhood education and care
03/04/2009
There is no single style of adult leadership that is suitable for all types of nursery, day care provision, reception class or children's centre, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
The research, led by Professor Carol Aubrey of the Institute of Education at the University of Warwick involved a team of researchers looking into the qualities of leadership that made for the most effective care and education for three to five-year-olds. The research was based on 12 case studies and aimed to analyse what leadership meant, both to leaders and staff working in early childhood education. The project sought to establish what were the essential components and characteristics of effective leadership and also sought to provide those working with pre-school children a guide to best practice.
For key finding please click the link below
Top award for Mary Potter Centre
02/04/2009
Nottingham's Mary Potter Joint Service Centre in Hyson Green has scooped the Users' Experience award at the 2009 Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) public private sector partnerships awards in London.
The award recognises world-class design, innovation and service improvement in health and social care, and reflects for the way local residents can use the health, housing and city council facilities in the new building. It demonstrates increased choice, access, service delivery and clear improvements for the users, both public and staff. It was one of 12 awards presented at the awards.
...
It opened last year with GP surgeries, NHS Nottingham City health clinics, Nottingham City Council Adult Social Care and Children's Services, the Acorn Resource Centre and a SureStart Children's Centre along with Nottingham City Homes Housing Office and the City Council's Neighbourhood Management team.
ADCS president calls for improved joint working
02/04/2009
Central government departments and national agencies must do more to work together, the new leader of the Association of Directors of Children's Services has warned.
Speaking exclusively to CYP Now in his first interview as president, Kim Bromley-Derry warned that Lord Laming's recommendations on integrated working would be tough to deliver without a renewed focus on joining up services.
"Integration is the right way to travel but this brings a lot of challenges. Not necessarily because services are not joined up at a local level, but because it's not joined up at a national level. We have the right policy framework but delivering it in practice is inhibited - not just by local organisations and systems, but by national organisations and systems," he said.
The Laming report stops short of offering guidance on how to tackle national barriers to joint working.
Positive Relationships: All about ... Citizenship
02/04/2009
Best practice at early years settings that are treating young children as citizens now, with rights, responsibilities and community participation, is highlighted by Pat Gordon-Smith.
What does it mean to be a citizen? It's a term which really ought to be obvious, but it's a slippery concept. At one level, a citizen is 'a legally recognised subject of a nation state' - that's what it says in the Compact Oxford English Dictionary - but it's not a very satisfying definition. We expect rather more.
'In a democracy,' says David Archard (2004: 98), 'a citizen is someone who participates in the government of their society.' That's an exciting idea. Combine it with the dictionary definition, and it suggests that any legally recognised subject can be involved in the decisions that affect them, no matter who they are.
In Practice: Frontline - Healthy local partnerships
02/04/2009
Verity Welch, acting head, New River Green Children's Centre:
The government's new strategy to boost child health highlights the crucial role of children's centres. New River Green Children's Centre in Islington is an example of a centre that is successfully delivering a wide range of health services with local partners.
The centre moved into new-build premises in October last year and this offered greater scope to work with health professionals, explains acting head of centre Verity Welch.
The centre works with two hospitals - University College Hospital London and the Whittington - to offer antenatal clinics and classes.
Secret of happy families sought by 4Children inquiry
01/04/2009
A groundbreaking national inquiry chaired by Esther Rantzen which is being launched this week aims to talk to more than 10,000 families about the biggest issues facing the extended family and the support it needs in the 21st century.
'The Family Commission - Happy Families for Today and Tomorrow' is being led by children's charity 4Children and chaired by television presenter and founder of ChildLine, Esther Rantzen. It is to last for 18 months and attempt to identify what help families need in the way of housing, financial support, child and eldercare and social services, and how the state can help.
Results from a YouGov survey commissioned by 4Children and released this week found that 49 per cent of Britons only see extended family members, including grandparents, twice a year or less, and that just 3 per cent saw extended family members on a daily basis.
New Level 3 unveiled in CWDC qualifications overhaul
01/04/2009
Plans to develop a new Level 3 childcare qualification and phase out others were unveiled by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) at a Nursery World conference.
The new qualification is seen as key to streamlining the current number of Level 3 qualifications and helping the sector meet the Government target that all early years staff should be qualified to Level 3 from 2015.
The target is currently an 'aim', but the Government is considering making it a 'requirement' - an intention first flagged up in the recently published Next Steps for Early Learning and Childcare - Building on the Ten-Year Strategy
The plans were announced by Pauline Jones, Early Years National Programme Manager at the Children's Workforce Development Council, at the Nursery World conference, 'EYFS: Six Months On', held in London on 25 March and attended by more than 270 delegates from across the country.
Children who go to nursery also learn more at home
31/03/2009
Two-year-olds who attend childcare settings for between 20 and 30 hours a week do more learning activities at home than those who do not attend nursery, according to research by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen).
The NatCen study, 'Fitting It All Together', carried out for the Department of Children, Schools and Families, looked at the type of childcare that families use and the impact it can have on children's home learning.
NatCen found that among two-year olds, those using nurseries or children's centres for 20 to 30 hours did more learning activities with their parents.
500 new play areas open in time for easter break
30/03/2009
Ed Balls says local authorities should consult widely with children and parents to ensure the next 3000 sites go where the community want them.
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Children’s Minister Delyth Morgan will today announce that over 500 new or refurbished play areas across England have opened ahead of the Easter holidays.
The 500 play sites, part of the first roll out of the £235m play investment announced in the flagship Children’s Plan, will be open for children and young people in 63 local authorities.
Call for parental-leave policy changes
30/03/2009
Men should be encouraged to take family leave through a series of gradual changes in policy, a new report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission has argued.
The report, Working Better, says gender-neutral parental leave, which grants equal access to parental leave for both parents, should be in place by 2020.
But the Commission says the change should be brought in in stages, with a paternity allowance established by next year, and a move to "parental" rather than "maternity leave" when a baby reaches six months, by 2012.
The report says that the changes would make the UK's arrangements similar to those in Europe, and enable "genuine choices for men to take up caring responsibilities".
Calls to strengthen bill to stop age discrimination
27/03/2009
Charities and young people are calling on the government to strengthen the forthcoming Equality Bill to stop age discrimination towards children.
A campaign group co-ordinated by Children's Rights Alliance for England (Crae) is calling for the bill to protect children from less favorable treatment based on age in the provision of goods, facilities and services.
Members of the group called Young Equals include Action for Children, the British Youth Council, The Children's Society, Families Need Fathers, Liberty, National Children's Bureau, the NSPCC, National Youth Agency, Save the Children UK and the office of the Children's Commissioner for England
New Network to Tackle Child Poverty in London
27/03/2009
London Councils and the Government Office for London have launched the country’s first Child Poverty Network, which will help local authorities and their partners work more closely together to tackle child poverty across the capital.
The network’s purpose is to help local authorities and their partners share good practice, discuss local issues and to support pan-London approaches to tackling child poverty.
Designed for senior staff from local authorities and their partner organisations such as primary care trusts, Jobcentre Plus and housing associations, the network will link up staff tasked with developing policies to combat child poverty with those in charge of implementing policies on the frontline.
This will not only help raise awareness of child poverty, but also help policy-makers work more closely with those charged with delivering services to identify the barriers to making their policies a success.
Changes to flexible working opportunities
26/03/2009
From 6 April 2009 the right to request flexible working is being extended to parents of children aged 16 or under.
If you have a child aged 16 or under, you are an employee (but not an agency worker or in the armed forces) and you have worked for your employer for 26 weeks continuously before applying, you will have the statutory right to ask for flexible working from 6 April 2009.
Involving parents and studying projects which work is crucial to improving children's wellbeing
26/03/2009
Today experts here and from North America come together to address the question Do Parents Matter?
According to Unicef, children in this country feel worse about the quality of their lives than in any other industrialised country. That alone says we had better come up with some new ways of tackling things.
The public wants action. Pick up any tabloid paper and you'll find headlines about "generations lost to drugs and violence", teenage muggings and gang fighting, stabbings and knife-carrying youths. Family breakdown is rife they cry and so is drug-taking.
But as one young person pointed out in an online chatroom: "I am 15 years old and I have never smoked, drunk alcohol, had sex or been offered drugs. For every asbo in a hoodie with a knife tucked up his sleeve, there's at least 100 good guys. The good guys don't make headlines."
'Misleading' categories and 'hard-to-identify' sectors
26/03/2009
PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING ALLIANCE
Chief executive Steve Alexander said, 'These new categories are misleading from the purpose of overall trends. It's difficult to see this as an improvement.
'The figures suggest a reduction in providers and this is a concern in light of the investment in childcare and sufficiency duties for local authorities.
'The net decrease in the overall number of providers is of sufficient concern for market managers to delve more. Sustainability is a challenge across the sector.I suspect it's in areas of greater disadvantage where there are sustainability issues
Vox Pop - Are middle-class parents taking over children's centres?
26/03/2009
The House of Commons' Health Committee has suggested Sure Start programmes are being "colonised" by the middle class.
NO
LIZ RAILTON, NATIONAL PROGRAMMES DIRECTOR, TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN
The most recent survey we have seen on parents using children's centres suggests that they reflect the balance of children and families in the local community. These are universal services available to all in the community surrounding the centre and children's centres are very well aware of the need to ensure services are appropriate and available whatever people's circumstances. Our work emphasises the primacy of reaching the most disadvantaged children and families.
YES
DWYNWEN STEPIEN, DIRECTOR, EARLY CHILDHOOD UNIT, NATIONAL CHILDREN'S BUREAU
It is inevitable that until all children's centres have in place a well-qualified and trained outreach workforce, it will be the more confident parents who access their services. Centres need outreach strategies that address issues relevant to families living in poverty and black and other ethnic minority communities. Involving all parents requires a highly competent workforce that can overcome language and cultural barriers. Putting in place high-quality, universal outreach training would be an excellent start. Lessons can also be learned from the well-established centres who have successfully reached out and involved the wider community.
Childcare pioneer Goldschmied dies
25/03/2009
Elinor Goldschmied, pioneer of treasure baskets, heuristic play and the key person system, has died aged 98.
She was born in rural Gloucestershire and went on to study mental health at the London School of Economics. During the war, she worked with refugee and evacuated children, and after the war helped trans