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This week

1. Did you know
2. Website of the Week
3. Under5s Download Centre
4. Date for your Diary
5. News
6. International News
7. International Events
8. More Educational Sites
 
 
 

1. DID YOU KNOW

NATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO HELP CHILDREN IDENTIFY SAFER STRANGERS AND SAFER BUILDINGS IS LAUNCHED
 

Charities, Police, Politicians and the Private Sector back  'Safer Strangers, Safer Buildings'  a new initiative that aims to help children to help themselves if they get lost or feel unsafe.
 
The campaign, which features a specially produced film to reach even the very young, has been designed to help children to identify trustworthy adults who would be able to help them,  and also places to go into,  in an emergency. 
 
The 'Safer Strangers, Safer Buildings' campaign is sponsored by John Leech MP. It will be launched at the Jubilee Room of the House of Commons, 10am Wednesday 7th May 2008; speakers will include Liam McGurrin from the Children's Safety Education Foundation, Steven Gauge from Suzy Lamplugh Trust, Kidscape's Michele Elliot and 'Toxic Childhood' author Sue Palmer.

A child getting lost is a parent's worst nightmare. As parental fears about child safety reach epidemic proportions, a new campaign is launched today (Wednesday 7th May 2008) to help even very young children keep themselves safe. 

The Safer Strangers, Safer Buildings campaign is designed for children who get lost, or feel unsafe. The initiative gives children commonsense guidance and support to help them to recognise safe adults to approach and, equally importantly, the kinds of buildings, to go into to ask for help.

The Safer Strangers, Safer Buildings initiative has been piloted in the North West  and is backed by charities in the field of child safety. It is based on Home Office guidance, which encourages children to identify adults who would be able to help them in an emergency, if they get lost, or feel unsafe.  

"It will help youngsters to pick out responsible people such as police officers, police community support officers (PCSOs), traffic wardens, bank counter staff, shop keepers and check out assistants, " says Liam McGurrin of the Children's Safety Education Foundation. 

"What's more, it will help children to spot safer buildings to go in to such as banks, post offices, supermarkets, shops, libraries, medical centres and other community facilities."

The campaign will feature a film produced by children's documentary experts Childs Eye Media that will help even the very young to understand the straightforward message of the campaign.

Entitled, 'Teigan gets lost', the short film shows 6 year-old Teigan using the Safer Strangers, Safer Buildings strategy when she gets lost in a supermarket. The film also includes a section shot in a school showing Greater Manchester Police Officer Helena Hodgson, explaining the initiative to a group of school children. Child's Eye Media are making the film available to view free of charge to schools, parents, and children on their website at www.childseyemedia.com from May 7th.  

Steven Gauge, Chief Executive of Suzy Lamplugh Trust says: 

"Suzy Lamplugh Trust are delighted to support the Safer Strangers, Safer Buildings campaign. This is a positive, simple safety message that can easily be understood by young children without alarming them. 

"This knowledge will not only make them safer but will give them the extra confidence or learning something new and valuable to them."

Michele Elliott, Executive Director, Kidscape, adds

"We know from our work at Kidscape how frightening it is for both children and parents when a child gets lost.  Even more terrifying to parents is the thought that a child might be abducted.   

"Teaching young children about such safety issues needs to be done sensitively and in a low key manner which is entertaining, fun and age appropriate.  This  'Safer strangers, safer buildings' programme is all those things and we welcome it. "

Liam McGurrin, of the Children's Safety Education Foundation, concludes:

 "The advice delivered by this campaign could help save children's lives. Many children are so frightened of strangers that they panic when they lose their parents, even if it's only for a brief period of time. By giving the children a straightforward common sense strategy for what to do if they get lost, this initiative could save families a lot of anxiety and worry.  
 
"Safer Strangers, Safer Buildings presents a positive alternative to the more dominant 'stranger danger' messages, which can make children over anxious about the perceived risk from all strangers.  Educationalists, politicians and parents are now beginning to realise that something more positive is needed if we are to encourage our children to be independent and make sensible decisions for themselves,  rather than keep them ' wrapped in cotton wool,'" he concludes. 

NDNA REVEALS INNOVATIVE E-QUALITY COUNTS PROGRAMME NOW AVAILABLE
 

Exciting new online quality development scheme now available 
 

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) today (30th April) revealed that its e-Quality Counts (e-QC) quality development programme will be officially open to settings across the UK from tomorrow.

Available through NDNA's National Early Years Enterprise Centre, e-QC is an innovative online system that enables settings to evaluate and develop all aspects of their early years care and education. Mapped to the Early Years Foundation Stage, the Common Core, Every Child Matters and the Quality Improvement Principles, e-QC is up-to-date with the latest requirements for nurseries. 

Features of the new system include online mentoring, training, presentations and quizzes and the ability to upload documentation and evidence at the touch of a button. A unique feature of the programme is online mentoring, with settings receiving ongoing feedback to help them develop further and embed self-evaluation as an everyday process. From tomorrow, nurseries will be able to register for the new programme and develop their practice through the scheme, .which takes up to two years to complete. Nurseries working toward the scheme will undertake development in up to 15 different areas including management, nutrition, observation and reflection, the nursery environment and equality and inclusion. An assessment visit forms a vital part of the accreditation process.

The development of e-QC has been funded by the Children's Workforce Development Council and e-QC is delivered in partnership with Virtual College. Following pilots with a number of settings, NDNA is now inviting nurseries to sign up to the scheme, which has been designed to be user-friendly to ensure that settings can make it an integral tool of raising quality further. In addition, NDNA has made a range of introductions to support settings further, including the ability to pay in instalments via Direct Debit and support packs to help nurseries explain and promote e-QC to parents and carers.

Stella Ziolkowski, Head of Workforce Development at NDNA comments: "We are delighted that this exciting offering is now available to nurseries across the country. With the move to online self-evaluation, e-QC will help nurseries develop their quality in an efficient and effective way. It is very much a pioneering programme and initial feedback from pilot settings indicates how it has helped them to have a strong focus on quality, and lift staff morale and motivation in the process. The system means that nurseries do not have mounds of paperwork to complete, they can develop IT systems alongside it and secure access ensures that the whole team can be involved in achieving their e-QC goal and self-evaluation as a process. It is an exciting development for the day nursery sector and we look forward to seeing the first settings accredited with e-QC and hearing how the programme is supporting them to deliver the very best for children and families."     
 
 

2. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

ENCYCLOPEDIA ON EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

The Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development is produced by the Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development. It is intended for policy-makers, service planners and service providers and for parents.

It brings together articles written by internationally renowned experts on topics having to do with the psychosocial development of young children, from conception to the age of five. Each of the 33 topics addressed is explored from three perspectives: development, services and policies. In addition, for each topic there is a synthesis that provides, in a simplified format, the key points that will be most useful to practitioners and planners. This synthesis addresses three questions: What is the importance of this topic? What are the most up-to-date and conclusive data available on this subject? And what can be done to improve services, policies and research?

http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/en-ca/about-us.html
 

3. UNDER5S DOWNLOAD CENTRE

DON'T FORGET - you can find 24 different plans in the Download Centre and  all of our planning is available to download today. 

Don't miss the fantastic Let's Sign signing resources. 

Childminders - if you are struggling with Birth to Three, take a look at the Birth to Three Planning Guidance. 

http://cnb-host4.clickandbuild.com/cnb/shop/under5s?op=catalogue-categories-null

EARLY LEARNING FORUMS 

Join Us ! 

To discuss early years issues. To find support and advice on early years education. To relax and chat amongst friends. Come on in and have a look... 

http://www.earlylearningforums.co.uk 
 
 

20th MAY

PLACES TO GO?

The Places to go conference by Play England, Sustrans, Living Streets and the National Children's Bureau, that aims to promote place-shaping, safer streets and sustainable transport for a child-friendly public realm will take place on in Lonon on 20 May.

The conference aims to discuss the opportunities represented by The Children's Plan, and to explore links of creating a public environment that is enjoyable, healthy and accessible to children; whilst being environmentally sustainable.

http://www.playengland.org.uk/Page.asp?originx_8176fl_16565876814445i52r_20081244132p
 

5. NEWS

NEW FIGURES SHOW RECORD NUMBERS OF SCHOOL STAFF

- 20,100 more teachers and support staff than 12 months ago -
- Year-on-year rises in teachers per pupil in primary and secondary schools -
- Average class sizes fall -
 

Schools Minister Jim Knight has welcomed new figures showing the overall school workforce still growing at its highest ever level and pupil-teacher ratio continuing to improve.

Provisional statistics published today showed that the overall school workforce has grown by 20,100 over the last 12 months to 767,600 - the biggest year-on-year growth since 2005, giving schools the highest number of teachers for a generation.

The figures show 1,900 more full-time equivalent teachers, 13,100 teaching assistants and 5,100 other support staff in authority maintained schools, Academies and City Technology Colleges since last year. 

It means there are now 441,200 teachers, a rise of 40,900 over the last decade. There are now 176,900 teaching assistants, a rise of 116,300 - almost triple the number 10 years ago.

The overall pupil-adult and pupil-teacher ratios have dropped year-on-year in primary and secondary schools.

Pupil statistics, also published today, show that average secondary school class sizes have fallen again and remained constant overall in primary schools. Average Key Stage 2 classes have made the biggest drop for six years but Key Stage 1 class sizes have risen slightly - back up to 2004 levels but a massively down on levels a decade ago. 

As in previous years, Ministers are now working with local authorities and schools concerned to ensure they take immediate action on the 200 infant classes that unlawfully have more than 31 or more children out of 53,140 classes nationally - a rise of 70 from last year. 

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: 

"There are now more teachers, teaching assistants and support staff and more staff per pupil than ever before. 

"Parents have always told us they want more staff in schools to help their children get the most out of school and that's what we've delivered. 

"The huge rise in teaching assistants shows we've put our money where our mouth is on school workforce reforms, developed hand in hand with the majority of teaching unions. 

"We have more teachers than at any time since I was at school. We've freed up teachers from administration tasks to do what they do best - teaching and giving pupils more individual attention. And we have invested massively in support staff on the ground to give them the back up they need.

"Teaching is now one of the most sought after professions thanks to increases in the average teacher's salary by 19% in real terms to an average of over £34,000; cuts bureaucracy and tougher disciplinary powers for staff. The result is almost 41,000 more teachers in our schools in the last decade and buoyant recruitment."

Key findings from today's provisional statistics include:

Workforce

. The overall state school workforce has risen 2.7% to 767,600 - a 42% rise over the last decade.

. There are 441,200 full time equivalent teachers in state-funded schools - 1,900 more than last year. 

. There are 176,900 full-time equivalent teaching assistants, 13,100 more than last year and 149,500 full-time equivalent administrative staff, technicians and other support staff - up 5,000 on last year.

. Pupil-teacher ratio has fallen in primaries from 21.8 pupils for every teacher to 21.6 and in secondary schools from 16.5 to 16.1.

. Pupil-adult ratio (including teachers, teaching assistants and support staff) has fallen in primaries from 12.4 pupils for every staff member to 12 and in secondaries from 11.4 to 11.

Pupils

. Primary school pupil numbers have dropped 20,630 to 3,957,330 and secondary school pupil numbers have dropped 33,650 to 3,287,600 since last year.

. Overall average class sizes remain the same as 2007 in primary schools at 26.2 - with Key Stage One rising from 25.6 to 25.7 and Key Stage Two falling from 27.2 to 27.0.

. Average class sizes have fallen in secondary schools from 21.2 to 20.9.

. 89.2% of class sizes in primary schools and 93.2% of secondary schools have 30 or less pupils.

The final figures are published in September.

NDNA Marks Increased Support for Scottish Nurseries with Special Guests at Celebration Event
 

National Day Nurseries Association, NDNA Scotland, 1 May - National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) today marked the start of increased support for member nurseries in Scotland with an official celebration event held at the City Chambers in Edinburgh. 

NDNA members were joined at the event by a variety of special guests involved in the early years sector in Scotland including representatives from Scottish Government and agencies, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations. Guests will also hear speeches from Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, Sarah Carr OBE, NDNA Chair of Trustees, Purnima Tanuku, Chief Executive of NDNA and Jaqui Drinkwater, owner of the Corner House Day Nursery in Edinburgh and the NDNA National Chair for Scotland. 

The reception marked the arrival of increased support for members with the appointment of a Development Officer and an office base. The theme of the event centred on how to strengthen the voice of the sector to influence policy development and childcare strategy in Scotland to ensure children and families can get the greatest benefit from high quality day nursery care. The event explored the importance of engaging local and national government in order to really make a difference and a key role of new Development Officer, Jane Logie, will be to support the growth of networks. 

NDNA has been present in Scotland for a number of years, and has a committed and enthusiastic membership base of day nurseries. Recently appointed part-time Development Officer, Jane Logie, who attended the event will be responsible for creating networks so that nurseries in Scotland can share information, advice and good practice. She will also work with local authorities to encourage the sharing of information, good business practice, membership and highlight the issues day nurseries face. 

Purnima Tanuku, Chief Executive of NDNA comments: "We are delighted to be celebrating the developments of NDNA Scotland and the further support that we will now be able to offer our members. We are pleased to be joined by a variety of guests here today to help us mark the start of our infrastructure in Scotland. We're delighted that Kathleen Marshall could take the time to be with us today as we continue to promote the importance of a quality early years care. This is a great development for NDNA and just the beginning for NDNA Scotland and I would personally like to thank all the committed volunteers who have made reaching this point possible."

Kathleen Marshall, Scotland's Commissioner for Children and Young People comments: "I am very pleased to be attending today's event to celebrate these developments with other key organisations within the sector who share the common goals of ensuring young children receive the best possible care and promoting good practice. I look forward to working closely with NDNA to achieve these goals and am sure that this development will be key to supporting the early years sector in Scotland".

6. INTERNATIONAL NEWS

AUSTRALIA

PM'S 2020 VISION PUTS CHILDREN FIRST 

Early Childhood Australia, a national early childhood advocacy organisation, says that the Prime Minister's proposal to put young children at the centre of the 2020 vision for the nation, through universal, high-quality and affordable Parent and Child Centres, is a cause for celebration. 

Margaret Young, National President of Early Childhood Australia, describes the Prime Minister's statement that 'early childhood reform lies at the intersection of our aspirations for the nation' as 'inspiring and courageous': 

'It acknowledges the significance of early experience and learning for individuals and society, the realities of life for today's young families and the long-term impact of both on long-term productivity,' said Ms Young. 'In proposing to make high-quality integrated services available for families with babies and pre-schoolers, Mr Rudd rightly puts young children first.' 
Ms Young applauds the Prime Minister's inclusion of more four-year-degree-qualified early childhood teachers for all children in early learning environments: 

'This acknowledges that teaching young children is an intentional professional task. Unless we recognise this we won't achieve the outcomes that are needed.' 

Early Childhood Australia says the expected outcomes from these centres would position children well in the here and now, and for successful participation in school and the long-term future of the country. 
Early Childhood Australia hopes that the Prime 

Minister's vision for early childhood becomes a vision for the nation at the 2020 summit. 

Read the Prime Minister's interview here
http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Interview/2008/interview_0204.cfm

WORLD'S BIGGEST PLAYGROUP DAY - A DAY FOR PLAY

Playgroups are an integral element of the Prime Minister's 2020 proposal for universal, high quality, affordable parent and child centres for all Australian children up to the age of five.

Celebrating the World's Biggest Playgroup Day as part of National Playgroup Week, we should recognise that playgroups are a significant but often under-used resource.

Playgroups have the capacity to deliver essential education and support for parents. They already provide support through shared experiences and interaction but we need to explore expanding their role as the providers of information and training direct to parents. 

This could include parental education in vital areas like nutrition, discipline, identifying behavioural disorders, or promoting parental well being. 
Each week more than 135,000 children and babies, their parents, grandparents and caregivers meet together at 8,000 playgroups across the country.

For the past 19 years, Mary Mallett has been central to the development of playgroups and is this year's recipient of the special award for services to playgroups throughout Australia.

She began her involvement as a mother and went on to become President of Playgroup Australia and this award recognises her years of service to children and families through the playgroup network. 

The Australian Government values the contribution made by playgroups to supporting strong families.

Over the next few months, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs will be working with Playgroups Australia to develop new ways of delivering services through playgroups.

The Government is also funding Playgroup Australia to support community playgroups delivered through State and Territory Playgroup Associations as well as delivering Supported Playgroups to families at risk.

CANADA

FAMILY CHOICES AGENDA FUNDS 6,500 MORE CHILD-CARE SPACES, UP TO 35 MORE SITES

Unprecedented Child-care Expansion Strengthens Workforce, Creates Core Curricula: Mackintosh
An ambitious five-year, 12-point child-care agenda called Family Choices will mean more accessible, quality, low-fee child care for Manitoba families, Family Services and Housing Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today. Mackintosh was accompanied by Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjornson who unveiled an enhanced capital fund for more child care in schools.

"Parents have a tough job balancing family and work commitments and families need more choices to help them strike that balance," said Mackintosh.  "Helping parents achieve that contributes to the province's prosperity and helps ensure a strong start for children."

"Schools provide a natural setting for early learning and child-care programs, and are extremely convenient for parents," Bjornson said.

Since 1999, the government has doubled funding for child care and allocated funding for over 7,000 more spaces. Family Choices will increase funding by a further 84 per cent to fund 6,500 more child-care spaces and enrol 1,300 more children in nursery programs in just five years.

Family Choices includes:

1.      6,500 more funded child-care spaces a 28 per cent increase.

2.     Nursery school for 1,300 more children a 33 per cent increase.

3.      Family Choices Building Fund, up to 35 more program sites,capital to prioritize converting surplus school space, and a $22.5-million increase from Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth to create a $37million fund.

4.      Child-care safety charter. Canada's first legislated comprehensive code with minimum safety standards, and  resources to help  meet standards. 

5.      Age-appropriate curricula and enhanced program quality
·        each licensed program to determine play-based learning with provincial criteria and a new act;
·        learning to include literacy, numeracy, interpersonal skills, emotional and physical development;
·        parent information on expected learning outcomes; and
·        enhanced enforcement of standards.

6.      Centralized online wait-list
·        an accurate account of families seeking spaces and a straightforward registration process.

7.      Lowest fees outside Quebec
·        maintaining regulated maximum fees, and
·        ensuring predictable costs for families.

8.      Greater inclusion
·        enhanced inclusion training and mentoring for workers and specialized resources for children with disabilities, and
·        better training and accessibility to provide greater service to Manitoba's diverse cultures including francophones, Aboriginal people and new immigrants.

9.      More flexible hours
·        more funding for off-hours programs, and
·        development of seasonal spaces.

10.    Stronger workforce
·        a 20 per cent overall funding increase for pension plans, wage increases and adjustments to establish a minimum wage base;
·        more training spaces; and
·        a recruitment campaign including Aboriginal student incentives, staff upgrade assistance, scholarships and more home-based providers.

11.    Strategic expansion
·        new planning capacity to help target spaces,
·        reduced barriers for more school-age spaces in school,
·        new small-centre model for smaller communities, and
·        home-based child-care incentives in under-serviced communities

12.    Stronger parental stewardship
·        a pilot voluntary regional governance network, and
·        an advisory council in a new act with parents and stakeholders.
 
In the first year of the Family Choices agenda there will be:
·         funding for 1,500 more child-care spaces,  
·         funding for 100 more children in nursery school,
·         a three per cent overall increase for wages effective July 1 plus a low-wage adjustment,
·         equalization of tuition for early childhood education students at rural Red River College sites, and
·         safety charter implementation assistance for all child-care facilities.
 
The total new investment for 2008-09 is $7.75 million. It is estimated that funding for child care will increase to $201.8 million over the five-year plan, up from $109.8 million in 2007-08. More information about Family Choices is available at http://www.manitoba.ca/familychoices.html.
 
 

7. MORE EDUCATIONAL SITES 

For more educational sites visit 

Sites for Teachers 

http://www.sitesforteachers.com/perl/rankem.pcgi?id=under5s
 

Kind regards 
 

The Under5s Team 
Http://www.under5s.co.uk