The Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) has published a new report claiming that families with young children are not receiving “joined-up” support from public services. Getting it Right for Families: A Review of Integrated Systems and Promising Practice in Early Years gives practical advice for local areas together with examples of how services can be integrated…
Continue reading "More joined-up help needed to “get it right” for families"Our latest news
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Mum of abused boy says change the law
A mother whose toddler was sexually abused at a Douglas nursery has spoken for the first time about the family’s ordeal. And the woman, who can’t be named for legal reasons, has revealed how her son was denied access to counselling before his abuser was jailed. She has welcomed proposed changes to the criminal justice…
Continue reading "Mum of abused boy says change the law"Latest from Ofsted: “sustained improvement”
Ofsted has reported that most early years providers were judged “good” or “outstanding” at their most recent inspection. More than 83% of providers active on the Early Years Register at the end of August 2014 were awarded grades of either good or outstanding according to the most recent Ofsted statistics. This figure represents an increase…
Continue reading "Latest from Ofsted: “sustained improvement”"Councils struggling to deliver on flagship nursery care policy
Councils are struggling to deliver a flagship policy to provide free nursery care to vulnerable two-year-olds because of a shortage of nursery places, a new survey shows. Under the Scottish Government policy local authorities were expected to offer 600 hours of childcare to two-year-olds from workless households by August this year. However, a survey by…
Continue reading "Councils struggling to deliver on flagship nursery care policy"Major Concerns at Childcare Funding Shortfall
A new report has shown that government funding falls short of covering the amount needed for every child accessing free childcare. Counting the Cost: An Analysis of Delivery Costs for Funded Early Years Education and Childcare, carried out by social and market research agency Ceeda and commissioned by the Pre-School Learning Alliance, demonstrates that government…
Continue reading "Major Concerns at Childcare Funding Shortfall"'Inadequate' nursery failed to vet its staff
A nursery has been rated “inadequate” by Ofsted for failing to properly vet staff members. The Beeches Montessori Nursery School in Banstead was visited by an inspector from the education watchdog for the first time earlier this year. In the report inspector Jacqueline Carolan said: “The provider does not carry out the required Disclosure and…
Continue reading "'Inadequate' nursery failed to vet its staff"Family Friendly Report Card: Government could do better
The Family and Childcare Trust has published its 2014 Family Friendly Report Card, and there’s room for improvement. It takes a close look at how well families are supported by the Government and is “the only annual assessment of how family friendly the UK is”. It includes factors such as: financial resources work-life balance essential…
Continue reading "Family Friendly Report Card: Government could do better"Can early education mean higher earnings?
A report has demonstrated that children generally have a better chance in later education and in life if they have been in pre-school education. Students’ Educational and Developmental Outcomes at Age 16, carried out by leading academics at the Institute of Education, University of Oxford, and Birkbeck, University of London, looks at what influences attainment…
Continue reading "Can early education mean higher earnings?"Early education “can have negative effect” on disabled children
The Institute of Education (IoE) has published new research that questions whether children with a disability benefit from early education. With research from the IoE, the National Children’s Bureau and the London School of Economics, Convergence or Divergence? A Longitudinal Analysis of Behaviour Problems among Disabled and Non-disabled Children Aged 3 to 7 in England…
Continue reading "Early education “can have negative effect” on disabled children"Would my nursery policy provide cover in respect of employment disputes and compensation awards?
The majority of nursery insurance policies include a Legal Expenses section that incorporates cover for employment disputes. However, for cover to be operative you must have followed the ACAS Code of Disciplinary Practice and Procedures in Employment or sought and followed advice from your insurers legal helpline. From our experience problems occur when nurseries have…
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