The aims of the Partnership are summarised:
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Promoting excellence and quality through the Bristol Standard. |
Are we doing what we said we would? Are there improvements we need to make? Let us know.
Terms of Reference
Our main job is to oversee the Bristol Early Years & Childcare Development Plan. We aim to ensure that there is a free, at least part time, guaranteed place for all 3 and 4 year olds. Let us know if you have any problems getting a place.
But we want to do much more than that. We care about:-
 | the quality of provision and how our children in Bristol get the best start in life. |
| how parents and carers are supported in helping their children. |
| how children with special needs have the particular help they require. |
| how in general we recognise and celebrate the cultural diversity in our city. |
PRINCIPLES
The following principles guide our work:-
| The Partnership is committed to working in an open and accessible way. Meetings are open and information available as early as possible. |
| We are committed to working in a spirit of Partnership. The Local Authorities role is to help make things happen - not to do everything itself - so all members of the Partnership have a role to play. |
| We are committed to promoting excellence and quality. This means working together in a process of continuous improvement. |
| We want to make sure we focus on the needs of children and their families holistically and in a non-stigmatising, empowering way. |
| We are committed to ensuring that equality issues are considered in all aspects of planning and monitoring. |
| We have to be prudent and work efficiently within current funding constraints but will be creative together to identify all sources of funding bids and income generation opportunities. |
What we do:
| We are responsible for overseeing the preparation of the Early Years Development Plan and Review - including monitoring progress and reviewing and updating the Plan. |
| We are responsible for taking the National Childcare Strategy forward in Bristol. This ranges from supporting the development of new places, as a consultee to the New Opportunities Lottery Fund, to promoting family friendly employment policies. |
| We seek to co-ordinate and secure co-operation in the implementation of these objectives. This includes the Section 19 Day Care Review (as required by the 1989 Childrens Act) and the more recent "Quality Protects" initiative. |
| Members of the Partnership are involved in implementing different sections of the Plan through Working Groups and through sharing their information & expertise. Can you help? |
| The Partnership has a key role in helping with consultation and making sure there is a two way flow of information. This means valuing the experience of parents and carers, as well as playgroups and schools, and helping ensure all voices are heard (though focus groups, etc). It means creating opportunities for local networks to flourish. |
| We also act as a focus for citywide discussion on early years and childcare issues - helping to shape policy and provision. Together we seek to promote the value of investing in quality provision. |
| We aim to organise an annual conference to promote good quality Early Yars and Childcare and to consider the Development Plan and Strategy. |