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News

Latest Early Years News

Latest Childcare News

• Poole Childcare Provisions Gain National Quality Awards

• Childcare Approval Scheme \n
• Childcare Tax Benefits for Employers and Employees \n
• Ten Year Strategy For Childcare \n
• Poole Children's Services Review

Poole Childcare Providers

• More Funding For Quality Assurance \n
• Free Help with your Tax Return \n
• Free Business Health Check \n
• Pre-school SENCO Network Meeting \n
• Nursery Education Funding \n
• Are You A Childcare Star?

Childminding Chat

• New Childminding Group \n
• Mind Your Business! Workshops \n
• Parents Praise Borough of Poole Network Childminders

Latest Childcare News

Poole Childcare Provisions Gain National Quality Award

Congratulations to Little People Kindergarten in Broadstone, Little People Pre-school in Parkstone and Childminders Chris Owen, Clair Spencer and Loraine Mudd who have all gained awards which recognise their commitment to providing excellent quality childcare.

Little People Kindergarten managed by Linda Greenslade and Little People Pre-school, managed by Annette White are the first two Pre-schools in Poole to have gained certificates of Quality Assurance. The groups earned the national stamp of approval by working hard on a rigorous accreditation scheme run by the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

Childminder, Chris Owen gained his award through the NCMA Quality First Scheme.

Childminders Clair Spencer and Loraine Mudd are the latest childminders to gain their award through the NCMA 'Children Come First' Childminding Networks.

For further information on funding for Quality Assurance Schemes or for help and advice on your Quality Assurance Journey please contact Celia Manville, Quality Assurance Officer.

Childcare Approval Scheme

Find out about the Childcare Approval Scheme which provides recognised national approval for individuals providing unregistered childcare in the child's home or, for children aged over 7, on other domestic premises.

Childcare Tax Benefits for Employers and Employees

From April 2005 parents and carers can choose to have up to £50 per week free from tax and national insurance, deducted from their salary, to go towards childcare costs, if their employer runs a Childcare Voucher Scheme.

In order to qualify for this benefit, the childcare voucher scheme has to be available to all employees and vouchers can only be used to pay for childcare that has been registered or approved.

This new benefit will offer a cost effective way for employers to assist their staff with childcare costs. It is a practical means of demonstrating work-life balance practice to employees and providing actual cost benefits to both employer and employee.

If you would like to find out more or think that your employer may benefit from the scheme visit www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/childcare/childfactsheet.pdf or call the tax credits helpline 0845 300 3900.

Ten Year Strategy For Childcare

The government recently announced a ten year strategy for childcare.  The three main principles on which they have based these proposals are:

• The importance of giving every child the best possible start in life. \n
• The need to respond to changing patterns of employment and to provide parents, particularly mothers, opportunities to work and develop their  careers.  \n
• Families expectations over choice in work/family life balances. 

These principles will build on the government's programme Every Child Matters which aims to develop integrated services to meet the holistic needs of children, young people and their families.

Some of the key plans which will affect providers and parents include the following:

2005 -   Increased childcare funding in the Working Tax Credit.

Publication of a new Code of Practice for nursery education.

2006 -   Increase in eligible childcare costs in Working Tax Credit.

Entitlement to 12.5 hours free early education to be extended to 38 weeks per year.

2007 -   Paid maternity leave extended to 39 weeks. 

Entitlement to free early education extended to 15 hours a week for some children.

2008 -   2500 communities to have Children's Centres. 

Half of all families to have access to school-based childcare for 5-11 year olds.

New regulation and inspection system for early years and childcare to be in place and linked to Birth to Three framework.

2010 -   All parents of children aged 3-11 to have access to wrap around childcare between 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and all year round.

            All eligible 3 and 4 year olds to have access to 15 hours per week government funded early education provision.

All secondary schools to be opened from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm  on weekdays providing extended services.

Goal of 12 months paid maternity leave by end of next Parliament.

Clearly these are currently proposals and their implementation will be dependant on the outcomes of both consultation and the General Election.  There will be a new statutory duty on local authorities to secure sufficient provision to meet local childcare requirements and this will have implications for strategic planning.

Providers will need to consider how these proposed developments may affect their current and future practices.

Sue Willcocks,  Early Years Development and Childcare Co-ordinator

Poole Children's Services Review

The Borough of Poole, Primary Care Trust (on behalf of Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust and Poole Hospital NHS Trust) and Connexions have conducted a full and joint review of services provided for children and young people in Poole in order to:

• Improve outcomes for children, young  people and their families. \n
• Meet key government legislative requirements.

The messages we have received from children and young people are that they want us to:

• Be clearer about confidentiality \n
• Offer unbiased information .and support to give them more choices. \n
• Not judge or stereotype young people.

Parents and Adults want:

·         Services to be local at flexible times.

·         Professionals to be more co-ordinated so parents don't have to keep repeating the information.

·         More information and a range of services so they can make better choices.

The Borough of Poole, Primary Care Trust Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust, Poole Hospital NHS Trust and Connexions have agreed to co-operate and work together, building upon current good practice and implementing change where necessary in order to shape up a new Children's Service which meets the wishes of and improves the outcomes of  children, young people and families in Poole.

Vicky Wales Service Unit Head, Pupil & Parent

Poole Childcare Providers

More Funding For Quality Assurance

We are delighted to announce that in support of Poole's continuing commitment to Quality Assurance, further funding has been made available for settings wishing to  seek Accreditation with the nationally recognised Quality Assurance schemes, endorsed by the Borough of Poole.

Pre-schools, Nurseries, Out of School Clubs and Childminders can apply for a grant of up to £150 towards registration with a scheme, and may also apply for a further payment towards the cost of assessment.  

For details of the Quality Assurance Schemes,  and of the funding, support and advice available, please contact Celia Manville, Quality Assurance Officer. 

Don't Sit There Struggling - Get FREE Help with your Tax Return

Have you prepared your annual accounts? Have you offset all your allowable expenditure?You may be fast approaching your year-end so for free help and fully independent advice on finalising your year-end accounts and completing your self-assessment tax returns contact Ray Coulson or Peter Singleton at ITS Training today!

FREE Business 'Health Check'

Today's childcare sector faces challenges such as:

• Falling birth rates \n
• Reducing numbers of children eligible for childcare \n
• Increasing numbers of providers and places

Take advantage of  a free and fully confidential 'health check' and see how your childcare business is doing.

• Are you doing sufficient promotional work? \n
• Is your expenditure under control? \n
• Are you maximising your income?

These are all questions that can be answered with a quick appraisal. Call  Ray Coulson  or Peter Singleton  at ITS Training today!

Pre-school SENCO Network Meeting

The first Senco Network Meeting will be held on Wednesday 16^th March in the conference room at the Civic Centre from 7.00-8.30pm.

All Senco's in Pre-school settings and Accredited Childminders are invited to come along and socialise, share ideas, and decide how we can help each other in this challenging but rewarding role.

To book your place, please contact Jackie Sharp.

Nursery Education Funding  Changes to Administration Contacts

From January 2005 there has been a change to the administration of the nursery education funding.  Dawn Butt is working with Claire Lawrence in the role of providing support to settings claiming nursery education funding.  With immediate effect groups whose name begins with the letters A - L should discuss any concerns with Claire Lawrence as before on 01202 261917.  If the name of your group begins with the letters M-Z you should now refer any issues to Dawn Butt on 01202 261904.

Are You a Childcare Star?

The search is on for the best childcare professionals of 2005 for this year's Childcare Stars Awards. Now is the chance to nominate yourself, your colleagues or if you're too modest get parents to nominate you!

Organised by childcare charity 4Children and sponsored by the Sure Start Unit, the national Childcare Stars Awards reward the best childcare professionals working in the sector today. There are awards for outstanding playworkers, pre-school workers, registered childminders, nursery workers or any professionally qualified childcarer. The winners will be announced at a gala dinner in London on 29 June 2005 and will be rewarded with thousands of pounds worth of prizes

Find out more about the categories and download a nomination form or call their information line on 0207 512 2100. Deadline for nominations is 31^st March 2005.

Parents Praise Borough of Poole Network Childminders

We now have the results of the Childminding Networks Parental Survey which was conducted in November 2004. The information obtained from the questionnaires has provided us with a valuable insight into parents' perception of the role of the Childminding Networks and the services provided to them by their childminders. The outcomes of the survey will help us develop the networks further. We are delighted to reveal that in the comments section, parents praised the childminders highly. Here are just a few examples:

"…She is excellent and a wonderful friend as well"

"…We have one of the best childminders in the area and we appreciate being able to have a work life and not have to worry about who is in charge of our child"

"…My childminder provides the best care I could ask for"

"…The service from our Childminder is outstanding. We work as a team and believe her contribution plays a positive role in our child's development"

Well done everyone and keep up the good work!

Find out about joining the Borough of Poole Childminding Networks. \n

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Job Vacancies

Thanks to our whizzy new database, we now have an improved system for putting Job Vacancies on childcarelink .  This means that job vacancies will be available on-line more quickly and in more detail.  In order for us to keep the information bang up to date, we are relying on you to keep us informed when vacancies come up and when they are filled. Contact 01202 261999 or email surestart@poole.gov.uk

Supporting Teenage Parents Conference

I attended a 'Supporting Teenage Parents Conference' on 31st January 2005 organised by the Bournemouth and Poole Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Group. Speakers included Dr Nona Dawson from the University of Bristol who set the scene for teenage parents and their children and the obstacles they face today. Judy Platt from the Childcare for Teenage Parents Project (Pilot) spoke about their Teen Parent centres where teenage parents can study, undertake courses, use the crèche facilities and speak to the onsite support workers. Lisa Sertin, Poole Teenage Pregnancy Reduction worker, explained about the situation in the local area - Poole and Bournemouth have below the national average teenage pregnancy rates. Angela Briggs, Childcare Support Manager, DfES represented the Care To Learn Scheme which funds accessing registered childcare, and travel costs to help young parents aged under 19 continue in or get back into education. Poole Early Years Team support the Care To Learn Scheme and will be promoting the scheme to Poole Childcare Providers. A Booklet has been produced by Care To Learn aimed at Providers working with young parents which explains  the Code of Practice.

Vanessa Warwick