Children's Services Update

(11/06/2010) Update on Recent Activities

Children’s Centres Newsletter UNISON has published a newsletter for children’s centre staff. The newsletter contains information on the UNISON ‘Shout Out for a Sure Start’ campaign as well an application form and news for children’s centre workers. The newsletter has been mailed directly to children’s centres in England.

Celebrities, children's charities and parents come together to ‘shout out for a sure start’

(10/02/2010)TV presenter and former Mum of the Year, Melinda Messenger, and popular children’s TV character, Peppa Pig, will today come together with charities, trade unions and parents to ‘shout out for a sure start’.

Nursery World Show 2010

UNISON is supporting the Nursery World Show 2010. It is the leading exhibition dedicated to early years and has a mix of workshops and seminars on early years practice.

Guidance on Single Funding Formula

(05/08/2009)The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) has recently issued guidance on the implementation of a ‘Single Funding Formula’ for early years education in England and is currently also consulting over the extension of the offer of free early years education for three and four year olds. A UNISON circular providing information on this can be downloaded from below.

UNISON Branch Guide to Sure Start Children’s Centres

Children’s centres have been established across England to provide integrated services for children across education, social care and children’s health. The government has set ambitious targets for the expansion of provision of children’s centres and the guide provides information not only on the services provided in centres but also on the employment and governance questions that multi agency working can pose for UNISON branches.

Next Steps for Early Learning and Childcare, Building on the 10-Year Strategy

(23/02/2009)The government recently published its updated childcare strategy. The report follows on from the original childcare strategy published in 2004 and its Children’s Plan published in 2008.

2020 Children's Workforce Strategy

(December 2008)The Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) have published a new Children’s workforce Strategy.

The report sets out the government’s plans to develop the workforce to deliver the Children’s Plan, published last year. The report follows on from the work of the Children’s Workforce Expert Group and covers the entire children’s workforce in education, health, social care, youth justice, play and youth workers.

CWDC Publishes New Qualifications List for Early Years Workers

(November 2008) The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has recently published its new qualifications list for staff delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).The EYFS covers children in the age range 0-5 and this will affect staff working with children in this age group. The list details all relevant qualifications that will be considered ‘full and relevant’ by the CWDC for staff to be included in the staff: child ratios required by Ofsted regulations.

Information sharing Protocol

(November 2008)This pocket guide is part of the HM Government information sharing guidance package (2008), which aims to support good practice in informationsharing by offering clarity on when and how information can be shared legally and professionally,in order to achieve improved outcomes.

Independent Safeguarding Authority

(August 2008)The government announced on 1 April 2007 that the new Independent Safeguarding Authority will ‘go live’ from October 2009 and that it will cost £64 for staff to register. All staff working directly with children will be required to register. UNISON guidance can be downloaded from the links at the foot of this email.