30th January

Call for tighter regulation of early years training providers
Tighter regulation of training providers is needed to ensure that students are ready to enter the early years sector, according to the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA).

In response to Professor Cathy Nutbrown’s ongoing review of early education and childcare qualifications, the NDNA said the quality of the delivery of qualifications is a bigger issue than the content of qualifications. 

After consultation with its members the NDNA response said employers believe that in many cases people completing qualifications are not "work ready".

Stella Ziolkowski, NDNA’s director of quality and workforce development, said: "NDNA believes this should be addressed with more robust requirements for trainers to be up-to-date with practice and initiatives which should help to ensure that this knowledge is transferred and that learners are fully qualified upon completion of their course.

"Areas of development should include the requirement for trainers to have higher-level qualifications to enable them to effectively teach core elements, such as child development and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage."

Ziolkowski said another issue facing the sector is its public perception of the level of skill required to do the job.

"There is an anomaly between the view of the sector and the demands the job actually entails, and there need to be actions taken to alter this, particularly with careers services that are the initial point of contact for those thinking of a career in the early year sector," she said.

"Of course, the sector will struggle to recruit and retain a high-quality workforce in the future without better pay and continued targeted investment in the right level of training and qualifications."

The organisation’s consultation response also included the suggestion of a licence to practise, which it said could improve the professionalism of the sector.

"There has been a real growth and very positive investment from governments in the early years sector over the past decade," Ziolkowski added.

"The workforce is enthusiastic and committed to providing the best quality care and early education for children and we hope that changes to the qualifications will enable them to continue to do so."

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

27th January

Brain scans in pre-school children identify children likely to develop dyslexia
Children with dyslexia could be diagnosed before they even start school as new research shows differences in their brain scans.

Developmental dyslexia, dyslexia that is not caused by brain trauma, is typically diagnosed at around seven to eight-years-old, however a team from the Children’s Hospital Boston in the United States found they could see signs of the condition on brain scans in children as young as four.

The researchers performed MRI brain scans on 36 pre-school age children while doing tasks that required them to decide whether two words started with the same sound.

They found that children with high activation in parts of the brain that control visual information and language perception, had better pre-reading skills such as rhyming, knowing letters and letter sounds and could separate sounds within a word, for instance ‘cow’ within ‘cowboy’.

Children at risk of dyslexia showed no increase in activation of the frontal parts of the brain that control thinking and learning, as seen in older children and adults with the condition.

Nadine Gaab from the Children’s Hospital Boston, said, ‘We already know that older children and adults with dyslexia have dysfunction in the same brain regions. However, this study tells us that the brain’s ability to process language sounds is deficient even before children have begun learning to read.

‘Families often know that their child has dyslexia as early as four-years-old, but they can’t get interventions at their schools. If we can show that we can identify these children early, schools may be encouraged to develop programmes.’

The authors go on to say that by identifying children at risk of dyslexia around pre-school age or earlier, they hope that it will reduce the negative social and psychological consequences children face.

source: Katy Morton, Nursery World

23rd January

Number of lone-parent families rockets
The number of lone-parent families has dramatically increased over the past 10 years, according to latest government figures.

The figures show that in 2011 there were 1.96 million lone parents with dependent children, compared to 1.7 million in 2001.

The popularity of marriage is also continuing to decline, according to the Office for National Statistics’ Families and Households in the UK 2001 to 2011 bulletin.

There were 262,000 fewer married and civil partnership couples in 2011 than there were in 2001. This is part of a trend since the early 1970s that has seen an increase in cohabiting couples. The number of cohabiting couples increased from 2.1m to 2.9m between 2001 and 2011.

The proportion of cohabiting couple families that have dependent children stood at 38 per cent in 2011, the same percentage as for married couple families.

Fiona Weir, chief executive of single parents’ charity Gingerbread, said the figures highlighted the need for government policies to "support the diversity of family life in the UK and avoid approaches that work for only one type of family".

"The news that there are now 1.96 million single-parent families in the UK shows that they are very much part of normal family life. Most single parents did not expect to be bringing up their child alone but most are doing a good job in difficult circumstances," Weir added. 

The release of the new figures comes ahead of a challenge to government plans to charge lone parents to use the Child Support Agency (CSA) in the House of Lords next week.

Lord Mackay of Clashfern has tabled an amendment during the Welfare Reform Bill’s report stage in the House of Lords, which would waive charges for parents who have no alternative other than using the service.

Those for whom private payment arrangements are either not possible or appropriate would not be charged under Lord Mackay’s amendment.

Weir said: "The government plans to charge parents to use the CSA in order to ‘incentivise’ them to instead make private arrangements.

"But in reality most single parents go to the CSA as a last resort – when they have to, not because they want to.  If a child’s other parent simply won’t respond or refuses to pay, these government proposals will penalise the parent with main care and her children. That’s plainly unfair."

source: Joe Lepper, Children & Young People Now

19th January

Fifth of childminders lack knowledge or confidence in EYFS
One in five childminders is completely unaware of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), knows little about it or is opposed to it, according to latest research.

The 18-month NCB study includes a survey of 581 childminders as well as interviews with a further 25 childminders and 20 parents who use them.

The study concludes that the 20 per cent who know little about the EYFS or oppose it will become increasingly "vulnerable in today’s early years environment" as they struggle to compete with other childminders and the nursery sector.

Excessive paperwork and a lack of support in dealing with the EYFS were among childminders’ chief concerns.

The report states: "Some childminders still believed that the framework needed to be simplified and that the paperwork used to capture children’s developmental progress should be standardised."

The report urges local nurseries to do more to help childminders understand and implement the EYFS.

But childminders interviewed said that many nursery staff had a "negative perception of childminders" and were reluctant to offer support.

Many said nurseries were also reluctant to "share pertinent information about children with childminders".

One childminder with seven years’ experience told researchers: "I’ve made sure when the children have started preschool I’ve done a transition report for them so that the key workers know. I have to force my way in and I pin the key workers down and I say, right, I’ve got this, look at it.

"And it’s obstacle after obstacle all the way where the sharing of information with other settings is concerned. I don’t know whether they just see us as secondary and not on a par with them."

The half of childminders surveyed who were members of a local council or National Childminding Association network were more likely to be positive of the EYFS. They praised the support such network offered on regulatory matters and paperwork.

The survey also revealed that 12 per cent had no childcare specific qualification.

source: Joe Lepper, Children & Young People Now

17th January

Revised standards for early years professionals unveiled
Graduate-level early years professionals will be required to meet a new set of standards that are more closely linked with standards in health and social care professions, from September.

The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has launched a 10-week consultation on the revised standards, which will be implemented by training providers.

There are currently 39 standards covering six areas, including communicating and working with families, and relationships with children.

The consultation sets out proposals to reduce the number of standards and make them fit more closely with standards in social care and health services to improve joint working.  

Judith Thompson, assistant director of early years at CWDC, said: "The main aims of the review are to streamline the standards where possible, link them to other professional standards, test how they can support the concept of teaching in early years and help to spread leadership practice."

More than 8,500 staff across England have gained the status, which launched in 2007.

Staff working with young children are being encouraged to give their views on the standards by 23 March.

After CWDC ceases to be a non-departmental public body at the end of March, the early years professionals programme will be led by the new Teaching Agency.

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

First national food guidelines for under-fives released
Childcare providers have been armed with guidance on what food to provide for young children in their settings, after calls for clearer national support on the issue.

It is the first time that providers will have nationally recognised advice covering portion sizes, food types, sample menus and guidance on how to tackle fussy eating.

The School Food Trust, which has published the guidance, said that while many childcare providers do well in this area, some are giving young children food more appropriate for older children and adults.

Patricia Mucavele, The School Food Trust’s nutritionist, said: "There’s lots of support being put into place to help any early years provider start to use these guidelines.

"We are piloting training with five local authorities already and will be coming to more areas in the coming year. This is just the beginning, and we hope that as many providers as possible will use these guidelines to help children get a healthy start in life."

A government-commissioned report published by the Advisory Panel on Food and Nutrition in Early Years in November 2010, recommended that childcare providers and parents need clearer guidance on what under-fives should eat and drink while in childcare.

Childminder Julia Deakin, who helped test the the guidelines, said: "Perhaps the best part of the process has been learning and following the fantastic new healthy recipes. They are easy to follow and delicious, the children have loved them all."

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said: "The guidelines will assist childcare providers as they navigate through the maze of information about what food and drink is nutritionally appropriate and inappropriate for young children."

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

13th January

Cameron hint over child benefit cuts for better-off
David Cameron has said the government is looking again at the impact on some families of its proposed changes to child benefit for the better-off.

From April 2013, families where one parent earns more than about £44,000 a year are set to lose the benefit.

Critics say the move would penalise families with one high earner.

In a magazine interview, Mr Cameron acknowledged the changes could create a "cliff-edge" effect and the Treasury was examining their implementation.

However, Mr Cameron gave no indication that the policy - announced by Chancellor George Osborne in October 2010 - would be altered.

Campaigners say anomalies in the proposals would mean that some parents will lose thousands of pounds if their income rises above the 40% tax threshold, currently about £44,000 but due to fall to about £42,000 in 2013.

While a couple with three children could lose around £2,500 if one parent earns just a few pounds over the threshold, even if the other is unemployed, another couple where both parents each earn just under £44,000 and enjoy a total household income of more than £80,000 will keep all their benefit.

In an interview with The House Magazine, Mr Cameron suggested he did have some concerns over how the proposed changes were structured.

"Some people say that's the unfairness of it, that you lose the child benefit if you have a higher-rate taxpayer in the family (but) two people below the level keep the benefit," he said.

"So, there's a threshold, a cliff-edge issue. We always said we would look at the steepness of the curve, we always said we would look at the way it's implemented and that remains the case. But again, I don't want to impinge on the chancellor's Budget."

George Osborne will deliver his third Budget - where tax and spending changes are traditionally announced - in March.

Mr Osborne has defended the child benefit cut - which could save up to £1bn a year - as tough but necessary, saying those on higher incomes must contribute their share to helping cut the budget deficit.

Labour have criticised the proposals, saying they have caused "huge anxiety" and that all families need support in tough times.

source: BBC News Online

12th January

Discontent widespread among children, study shows
Half a million children across the UK are unhappy with their lives, the latest report from The Children's Society has estimated.

The charity, which carried out the research with 30,000 children aged eight to 16, is calling for a "radical new approach" to increase happiness levels among children.

The Good Childhood Report 2012 reveals that children who have low levels of happiness are less likely to enjoy spending time with their family and friends and are more prone to worry about the way they look, potentially leading to eating disorders and depression.   

The report found stability is an important factor for children, with almost a quarter (23 per cent) of children who have moved home more than once over the past 12 months having low levels of wellbeing.

Elaine Hindal, The Children’s Society’s campaign for childhood director, said: "We are calling for a radical new approach to childhood, placing wellbeing at the heart of everything we do. We want our country to be the best place for our children to grow up. Yet unless we act now we risk becoming one of the worst and creating a lost future generation."

The problem of inequality was also identified in the report with around a quarter of children saying they often worry about the way they look and "fit in" with their peers.

The report found bullying to be a major issue affecting wellbeing with 36 per cent of children bullied more than three times in the past three months significantly more likely to experience low levels of wellbeing compared to six per cent of children who had never been bullied.

The Children’s Society has now identified six key ingredients for a happy childhood:

• having the right conditions to learn and develop
• having a positive view of themselves
• experiencing what matters to them
• having a positive relationship with their family and friends
• living in a safe and suitable environment
• having the opportunities to participate in positive activities to help them thrive

The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said the report should act as "a wake-up call to us all".

"The moral test for any society is how it treats its most vulnerable, including children," he said.

source: Vesela Gladicheva, Children & Young People Now

9th January

Ofsted tightens training requirement for registered childminders
Childminders will be required to undertake relevant training before applying to the childcare register under proposals for Ofsted's revised early years inspection and registration regime. In light of the recommendations set out in the review of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Ofsted has published its consultation on changes to how it will register and inspect settings including nurseries and childminders.

The consultation sets out the inspectorate’s aspiration to allow registered providers more autonomy in managing services and focus attention on progress in children’s learning and development.

Currently, childminders can be accepted onto the register without relevant experience, but are required to undertake training within six months of registration, but Ofsted’s proposals seek to change this.

The inspectorate will also reduce the number of areas settings are judged against to four, which will cover EYFS outcomes for children; quality of early years provision; leadership and management; and overall effectiveness of provision.

Jean Humphrys, Ofsted’s director of education and care, said: "Removing unnecessary regulation and bureaucracy is important to providers. Ofsted is aiming to find the right level of enforcement to ensure that children are safe and well cared for. Our overriding ambition it to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.

"The changes we are proposing provide a balance. They will reassure parents that our systems and processes for regulating early years and childcare providers are robust, preventing unsuitable people from having access to children, while simplifying inspection for those providing care."

Other changes include the way concerns are investigated. Under the proposals, the watchdog will carry out a full inspection and publish the report on its website if it receives information that raises concerns about the setting, in an attempt to offer greater transparency to parents.

On all other inspections, Ofsted proposes to continue visiting each setting once in every 47-month period. Unnanounced inspections for most group provision will also remain and childminders and holiday playschemes will be called no more than five days in advance of an inspection.

Ofsted is encouraging all those with an interest in early years, including parents and carers, to respond to the consultation before 6 April.

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

6th January

Mothers fear misdiagnosis from toddler development checks
Mothers have voiced concern over the possible misdiagnosis of their children as a result of proposed development checks of two-year-olds, a Pre-school Learning Alliance commissioned survey has found. The survey conducted by the Bounty parenting club questioned nearly 2,000 mothers on their views on the proposed checks for two-year-olds as set out in the revised Early Years Foundation Stage.

Under the proposals, health visitors and early years professionals will draw up progress reports on the development of toddlers across England.

However, 89 per cent of respondents expressed worry that the report could result in a possible misdiagnosis of their child because of different rates of development in young children.

Despite this, 85 per cent believe an early progress report could help to identify and manage any concerns that may arise over their child’s development.

Seventy one per cent of mothers said the report should place greatest importance on their child’s communication, language and literacy skills.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said: "This survey shows that mums see benefits in the government’s proposed development check reports.

"But the results also show that they have some concerns about these checks, especially around the risk that some toddlers may be misdiagnosed when fluctuations in development are perfectly natural for children of this age.

"We hope the government takes note of these parental concerns as misdiagnosis could result in undue anxiety for thousands of parents and unnecessary pressures and interventions for some young children."

Further results showed that 52 per cent of respondents wanted to know about their child’s ability to solve problems, demonstrate reasoning and numeracy skills, while 48 per cent wanted to know about their child’s knowledge and understanding of the world and 36 per cent about their creative development.

Half said the progress report should indicate whether their child required extra support or intervention by professionals, while 39 per cent wanted the progress report to show evidence of best practice in the early years setting that their child was attending.

source: Janaki Mahadevan, Children & Young People Now

3rd January

Millions of families to receive healthy recipe cards
Four million recipe cards will be sent to families to help them plan healthier meals as part of the Department of Health's Change4Life campaign.

Through the Supermeals initiative, families will receive recipe cards with ideas for healthy and affordable meals, along with discounts on fruit and vegetables and low fat yoghurts in over a thousand supermarkets across the country including Asda, The Co-operative and Aldi.

Recipe cards will be distributed through Asda supermarkets, health NGOs and door drops to Change4Life supporters.

A new online recipe finder and meal planner to help families plan their meals has also been launched, and one hundred thousand copies of a new cookbook published featuring recipes by celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott.

The new initiative follows research by the Department of Health that revealed the second most popular evening meal for families is a sandwich opposed to a balanced meal.

Chef Ainsley Harriott said, ‘This is a great way to give people the tools and imagination they need to get back into the kitchen and give cooking a try. All you have to do is make an effort to sit down and pull together a simple meal plan and follow some handy cost effective recipe ideas from Change4Life.'

source: Katy Morton, Nursery World