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30 January 1999 ... DRAFT 99 PLAN SOON...

Grant for Easton community nursery - Evening Post press story.

DTI issue Employment Relations Bill. This includes (at Clauses 8,9,10 and schedule 3) measures to help parents combine home & work responsibilities -

	increasing maternity leave for all employees to 18 weeks, benefiting 85,000 women
	40 weeks' maternity leave after one year, rather than 2, covering an extra 50,000 mothers.
	3 months unpaid parental leave, including for adoptive parents;
	the right to time off for domestic emergencies;
	tackling discrimination against part time workers.

The Tax Credits Bill is also progressing through Parliament (explanatory notes). This replaces the childcare disregard with a Working Families Tax Credit and (from 5 October) a childcare tax credit. Entitlement requires you to be working at least 16 hours a week and be responsible for children. It is available to both lone parents and those with a partner.

National List of Partnership addresses just received. It will take a while to add!

28 January 1999 ... DRAFT 99 PLAN SOON...

	Plan now approved - minor last minute amendments being made. Also report on integration approved.
	SURESTART timetable added to What's On. Note initial meeting at 2.00pm on 2 February at Council House. Guidance from DfEE (T: 0845 602 2260 F: 603 3360 E: dfee@prologistics.co.uk)
	Various meet minutes/ reports added - including Quality Protects Action Plan (see also Dec 98 and Jan 99 Committee Reports) and amended position agreed re Registration & Inspection Unit. (Social Services have deferred the controversial changes).
	Report to February 99 Leisure Committee re Children's Rights added.

18 January 1999

Headings for 99 Plan added. Various NEYN & Daycare Trust events added. Linda's conference presentation notes added. Dave's organisational report and draft budget going to meeting on 21 January.

11 January 1999

	General site tidy up after Conference (& sorted out PC!).
	Note there are difficulties getting though to the High Scope site. The High Scope Scope 2 study is not yet available - but will be asap. Check out ERIC links of WWW links.

5 January 1999

Updated site layout posted(ver 0.3). What's On updated. Tech Notes & initial Privacy Policy added.

3 January 1999

	Margaret Hodge announces funds for 3 year olds. - Ł41.5m for 50,000 places on 30 Dec. Unfortunately this is targeted to 50 "areas of greatest social need". This means none of the money comes to the South West Region! Check out DfEE press releases or check how much the 50 authorities are receiving (from Ł39k to nearly Ł5m in Birmingham).
	Request from National Association of Toy & Leisure Libraries (Tel: 0171 387 9592) for funding (under Ł5k) towards Outreach Worker/ Local Visitor (a day a week) scheme. Any views? The difficulty is likely to be that it has missed this year's funding cycle.

21 November 98 - Bristol Early Years & Childcare Partnership Establishes Internet Presence

Past News:
1998
Q1 1999