SECTION D - THE EARLY YEARS PARTNERSHIP AND CONSULTATION
This chapter sets out how the Bristol Early Years Partnership has been drawn together, how the plan has been developed and the consultation process.
Development of the Early Years Partnership
The development of a Partnership has inevitably involved commitment from the Local Authority but Members and Officers have also been assisted by the very active co-operation of umbrella groups such as CHYPS (The Bristol Children=s and Young People=s Services Network), the Pre School Learning Alliance, Avon Parents Network (APN) and individuals in the different sectors. A report was presented to the Early Years Joint Sub-Committee summarising the draft DfEE guidance and making recommendations as to how Bristol=s Partnership should be established. The proposals were fully debated by members of the Committee and representatives of various organisations. It was decided that City Councillors would have a significant role to play in leading the development of the Partnership. In Bristol the Local Authority is a very significant provider of services.
The first Early Years Partnership meeting was convened for 21 October 1997 and proposals for membership, terms of reference and working protocols were approved. The membership of the Partnership was agreed as follows:
A Eight members of Bristol City Council reflecting the political balance of the Council, with representatives from Education, Social Services and Leisure Committees.
B Representatives from each of the following settings:
2 representatives from nursery schools, nursery classes and schools
2 representatives from early years Social services provision
3 representatives from private sector
3 representatives from voluntary sector
1 childminder - elected through Fourways Childminding Association
2 parent representatives - elected through two local networks - the Hartcliffe Early Years Centre working party and SPAN (Single Parent Action Network)
C 1 representative from each of the following organisations:
Avon Health Authority, Avon Health Trust, Bristol TEC, Diocesan Boards. Avon Parents Network, Supportive Parents for Special Children, Pre-School Learning Alliance, Black Education Support Group, CHYPS, West of England Coalition of Disabled People, Fourways Childminding Association
Prior to the Partnership meeting members of both the voluntary sector and independent sector had met to select representatives. Both these sectors have chosen to divide themselves so that different interests can be represented eg. Private day nurseries, private nursery schools, non profit making nurseries etc. The City Council has assisted both these groups by mailing details of meetings and attending some meetings. All representatives on the Partnership (with the exception of parents) regularly meet with groups they represent. A membership list of the Early Years Partnership is attached in the appendices.
The terms of reference and working protocols for the Partnership are attached in the appendices. The Partnership has met three times to prepare the plan. It has two further meetings already planned when it will need to review its operation in order to ensure implementation of the Early Years Development Plan and Review.
Development of the Plan
There has been little time to set up the Early Years Partnership, write up a plan and consult upon it. The Partnership therefore set up a number of short life working groups to consider different aspects - this was in order to achieve wide involvement from all agencies and settings in the creation of the plan. A co-ordinator was appointed for each group and asked to provide a summary report. Each working group was given a specific remit and asked to consider certain questions, groups were free to amend or add to their report. The groups are listed below:
Curriculum and the involvement of qualified teachers
Affordable Child Care - Pre School - After School
Notes of meetings, list of contributors to each group and detailed reports are available on request.
Consultation Process for Early Years Development Plan and Review
The process for drawing up the Plan and Review has attempted to be as inclusive as possible as part of a policy by the Partnership to achieve wide ranging involvement. The very short timescale has reduced the opportunities for consultation on the draft plan.
A conference was held on 10 January 1998 to which a wide range of providers, agencies, staff and members of the public were invited. The programme is included in the appendices. Over one hundred and fifty people attended. Apart from opening addresses the majority of the time was spent in workshops discussing all aspects of the plan. A summary of the comments are:
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In addition to the Conference, four consultation meetings were held in different settings, across the four districts. Over fifty people attended these meetings.
Main comments from these meetings can be summarised as:
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Other Recent Consultation Processes
The production of this report was informed by other consultation processes which have taken place in the relatively recent past.
1 1996 Day Care Review
Consultation was undertaken fairly widely in the production of the 1996 Day Care Review. Findings were summarised as :
 | There is a general demand for universal provision or more provision, particularly for full-time nursery places and for after school schemes. |
| AStimulation through play/education@ is the most important factor in parents= choice of day care. |
| Parents and providers are concerned about class sizes/staff ratios. |
| Parents, children and childminders want better playgrounds and more swimming available. |
| There is a shortage of Black childminders, in both Central and South Bristol. |
| Day care provision for disabled children is in short supply. |
| Good quality training is needed on race and language issues for child care workers. |
2 Children=s Services Plan
The Children=s Services Plan was also widely circulated and a one day Consultation Conference was held in February 1997. This resulted in amendments to the Early Years section about:
 | the need for Black childminders |
| the needs of disabled children to access out of school provision |
| the need to assist providers in providing inclusive service through training and support |
3 Choices for Bristol
This was not strictly a consultation process but was an exercise designed to encourage citizens of Bristol to participate in planning for the future of their city. A number of events were hosted, resulting in over 300 adults and young people working together on statements about plans for Bristol in the next 10 years. Those relevant to Early Years are:
| Build more nursery and family centres throughout the city on the model of Hartcliffe Nursery School and Fulford Family Centre. |
| Establish counselling centres in areas with social problems. |
| Provide high quality childcare co-ordinated by businesses and the City Council. |
| Encourage schools to take part in community projects. |
| Offer childcare and creche facilities to shoppers and workers in Broadmead. |
| Involve as many people as possible in the planning and maintenance of the local parks and open spaces. |
| Encourage the City Council to listen to children and young people. |
The partnership has considered the wide range of existing mechanisms for consultation and wishes to reinforce good practice. There are a number of organisations in Bristol which seek to ensure consultation is an ongoing process - very often this is by involving parents / users in decision making processes eg.
| Governing bodies of schools |
| Advisory Panels for nurseries |
Other groups have ensured that parents / carers can participate in service development although decision making responsibility may lie elsewhere.
| Early Years Joint Sub Committee (BCC) |
| Hartcliffe Working Group (which has designed the Early Years Centre and service to be provided). |
Finally, there are a number of mechanisms whereby individual children and families are consulted e.g.
| Inspection processes |
| Social Services reviews for Children in Need |
| SEN Code of Practice |
Issues
Whilst there are a number of mechanisms for ongoing consultation it remains difficult to achieve a representative parent perspective. Each exercise tends to generate its own consultation process and while large public meetings are not always well attended (unless a specific issue is identified), meetings based on particular settings can build in a preference bias towards the service already provided.
KEY FINDINGS:
| Meaningful consultation does take time and current timescales for the production of the Early Years Development Plan have inhibited the prospects for full consultation. |
| The Partnership needs to include a parent/user perspective, that is representative. |
| All settings in the Plan need to embrace the notion of consultation and partnership with parents. |
| The Partnership needs to ensure that methods of consultation are appropriate for all groups, eg. produced in relevant languages, available interpreters etc. |
| The Partnership needs to build on the existing local networks which are successful in terms of consulting with providers and users. |
Forward A:Introduction B:Background C:Early Years in Bristol D:The Partnership & Consultation E:Audit of Need & Provision F: Quality & Inspection G: Curriculum & role of Qualified Teachers H: Training & Staff Development I: Family Support/ Parent Involvement & Under 3's J: SEN K: Integration L: Affordable Childcare M: Information Services Conclusions Annexes Executive Summary/Action Plan Supplementary Info