KEY ISSUES FOR THE 1999 PLAN
An initial draft was circulated in early November. We need to build on 98 Plan. Thanks for all those who responded. The draft paper for conference includes Achievements over the past year, actions proposed over the coming year, & Key Issues for discussion, namely
 | Better involvement of parents & children? |
| Mainstreaming childcare? |
| Managing Development & Growth? |
| Ensuring Quality Underpins |
| Towards an Effectve Training Strategy |
| Including the "Hard to Reach" |
Bristol Early Years & Childcare Partnership: Conference 9 January 1999 /a
ACHEIVEMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR
| The development of a Local Centre of Excellence at Hartcliffe – integrating the Day Nursery and Nursery School. |
| The development of an Inclusive Education Policy and target of four local resourced centres. |
| The development of a Common Admission Policy for Nursery Schools & classes which provides more local flexibility within 4 key principles (operational Sept 99) |
| The prevention of any cuts in overall nursery provision. |
| The consolidation of the Avon Parents Network database ready to go on-line |
| The start of the development of cross sector training models |
| The continuing development of the Bristol Standard as a kitemark of Excellence |
| The continuing development of the Partnership in bringing all sectors together. |
| Established a web presence (temporarily at http://freespace.virgin.net/dave.sutton/ ) |
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However given the lack of actual resources for the Partnership to date there is a lot remaining to be done. The Partnership members and Working Groups have been seeking to build on the current Plan and identify new targets. There are likely at last to be some more resources from 1 April 99:-
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Set out below are the more obvious things we hope to do. Overleaf are the more difficult issues on which we want your comments – either at the Working Groups or in writing asap. You need to let us know what you thinks needs to be done if you want to see it happen.
ACTIONS PROPOSED FOR THE COMING YEAR:
| To press for early action to improve and speed up the system of police checks so as to ensure that ALL staff working with children have been checked. |
| To establish a regular Newsletter and wider Forum to better communicate & inform |
| To get Avon Parents Network on-line and with improved accessibility. |
| To properly resource & support the Childminders Network, and begin to resource parents forums and local area networks |
| To resource the more widespread use and adoption of the Bristol Standard. |
| Continue to integrate Education & Social Services and other childrens work within the Council |
| To seek to promote a single location for many children’s groups to improve communication, networking, and avoid duplication. |
| To get Partnership more organised – including ensuring Partnerships have a voice into DfEE to avoid any more impossible timetables (& hold DfEE to account). |
| To improve capacity of the Registration Unit though IT investment. |
| To develop a common admission form for all settings. |
| To bring the "100 Languages of Children " exhibition to Bristol |
| To develop a Planning Guidance Note with Planning Department to ensure there is consultation with local networks on new proposals. |
| Ensure the City Council adopts the UN Charter on Children’s Rights.(Article 31) |
| Encourage all grants and registered settings to sign up to appropriate Codes of Good Practice, on employment & wages policy, on Equalities |
The key issues overleaf will form the basis for workshop discussions. Please feel free to write in with any further comments – the sooner the better. Send to: Bristol Early Years & Childcare Partnership, c/o Avon House, Floor 14, The Haymarket, Bristol BS99 7EB T: 903 7969 F: 903 7738 Draft a/ 16.12.98
or eMail: jill.reid@bristol-city.gov.uk or via our web site http://freespace.virgin.net/dave.sutton/
Bristol Early Years & Childcare Partnership Conference 9 January 1998
KEY ISSUES
for discussion at Working Groups – what 5 things do we need to do on each topic?
| Better involvement of parents & children? |
| Mainstreaming childcare? |
| Managing Development & Growth? |
| Ensuring Quality Underpins |
| Towards an Effectve Training Strategy |
| Including the "Hard to Reach" |
1. HOW CAN WE BETTER INVOLVE PARENTS & CHILDREN?
How do we improve the involvement and consultation with parents? With children? How we ensure all settings encourage parental involvement and meet minimum standards in relating to parents? What help & advice exists for developing appropriate policies? What support needs to be available to parents and informal carers? How are parents representatives best selected? How will they represent other parents and maintain communication? How do we ensure all parents are taken into account? (from ethnic groups? Very young parents? Lone parents? Working parents?). How can the Partnership best communicate with parents? How do we link with Parent/ Governor organisations?
How can the Partnership best communicate with the wider "early years" and "childcare" constituencies? Would quarterly forums help?
Who can best consult with young children? What training/ support / time/ resources are needed? Who decides on the purpose & issues of such consultation? How will responses get used? How will the messages from consultation in specific settings be used to inform & influence other provision?2. HOW CAN WE TAKE CHILDCARE INTO THE MAINSTREAM?
(Yes – affordability – what will impact of Childcare Tax Credit be?) How do we ensure all schools have a role in the childcare strategy? Should it be an item at every AGM? What sort of help is needed to make this happen? How do we ensure appropriate childcare for 10-14 year olds? How high a priority is this? Or is childcare for under 3’s an objective? How do we best support & sustain existing provision?
How do we help employers see the value of family friendly employment practices? How do we balance funding training & infrastructure against provision of new places?3. HOW CAN WE BEST MANAGE DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH?
Where should we be creating extra places? In what sector? In what geographical area? For what age groups? Breakfast clubs? Flexibility? Diversity? How do we ensure new developments are sustained? How do we ensure new developments do not harm good existing provision? What sort of support is needed to help with lottery (New Opportunities Fund) bids? How do we best encourage & support local area networks? How do we ensure they are informed and empowered within an overall strategy? Who needs to be involved in bidding for new initiatives and funding? Who is excluded?
How can we best resolve "admission" disputes? If a pre-school place goes beyond September, who pays for the school place being held vacant? Do voluntary & private providers need training on Admissions policy & appeals procedures?
4. HOW DO WE ENSURE QUALITY UNDERPINS ALL OUR WORK?
Do people know about the Bristol Standard? How can we promote its use? How do we take forward a "Foundation Stage" to ensure it is based on a good quality nursery/ supportive play curriculum? What changes are needed to Reception Year? Should there be a minimum standard for non-contact time? Is it a priority to fund better adult/ child ratios? To develop more full-time places? How do we promote good quality pay and conditions (to provide a skilled stable workforce)?
What needs to be in the "Quality Protects Action Plan"? Do we need a voluntary registration system for nannies?
5. HOW DO WE ENSURE AN EFFECTIVE TRAINING STRATEGY?
Is the role of the Partnership to co-ordinate all the trainers or to facilitate training directly? What are the priorities for training? How can we ensure quality & integration across all training? Improve accessibility? How do we ensure there are effective equal opportunities policies and anti-racist practices in all settings? Should the Standards Fund employ a training co-ordinator?
6. HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT "HARD TO REACH CHILDREN & FAMILIES", and PARENTS NEEDING EXTRA SUPPORT ARE FULLY INCLUDED?
How do we ensure inclusion in all settings? What support is needed? How do we improve support for families? Who represents the interests of excluded groups – volunteer groups? Under 3’s? family support services?
Who makes the case for grant aid for groups like community based play? leisure & arts activities? Self-help groups? Should these fall within the remit of the Partnership? Is there adequate support & training in Child Protection and SEN? Can all settings access the necessary support & training? Who will pay for it? How do parents get informed on help for children with Special Needs? Which providers offer particular support?
Remember- let us know what you want to see happen…as soon as possible - or even in writing after the Conference.