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South East news | Playwork South East news
South East news
Ofsted and the Childcare Register under EYFS
Ofsted has released details of who will be exempt from the new national childcare register once the Early Years Foundation Stage comes into force. More here.
May 2008
Government gives Green Light to Skills Academy
The government has made a significant commitment to improving skills by giving the go ahead on a National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure today. This move promises to improve the standard of coaching across England, giving athletes training towards the 2012 Games an even better chance of claiming a place on the medals podium. Full details here.
May 2007
Breakfast Club support
Cereal manufacturer Kellogg's and education charity ContinYou have launched a national register to support the growth of breakfast clubs across the UK yesterday. Full details here.
May 2008
SkillsActive publishes 2006/2007 annual report
Today, SkillsActive publishes its 2006-2007 Annual Report. The report is available online, allowing readers to easily navigate electronically through the report. Read the report here.
6 May 2008
No Biking for Kids
Protective parents are denying their children the freedom they enjoyed in their own youth to take to the roads on a bicycle. More here.
May 2008
Multi-million pound youth fund open for business
Almost £200m has been made available to improve youth centres, particularly those in deprived areas. More here.
May 2008
Keeping it Safe - New Child Protection Standards Launched
The National Council for Voluntary Youth Services has now launched its standards and guidelines on child protection. The document is called "Keeping it Safe", and is aimed at voluntary organisations which work with young people. More here.
April 2008
SkillsActive and Skills for Justice launch online equality and diversity toolkit
SkillsActive is delighted to announce the successful launch of the online resource that helps organisations implement good equality and diversity practice in the workplace. More here.
April 2008
Foundation Degree in Playwork
We are recruiting for June/September 2008 and invite you to register to be sure of a place. More information here.
April 2008
Website for parenting professionals goes live
A website aimed at professionals that work with children and families has been launched by parenting charity Parentline Plus. See the website here.
April 2008
VQ Day for Vocational Awards
Vocational qualifications such as Apprenticeships, NVQs and City & Guilds are to receive their own day of recognition this summer on 23 July. VQ Day will celebrate the achievements and successes of the 17 million people in the UK who hold a vocational qualification. More here.
April 2008
Government ministers presented with activepassport for Playwork
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Rt Hon Ed Balls MP and Children's Minister Kevin Brennan have been presented with an activepassport for Playwork following a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Play. More here.
April 2008
Ministers Discuss the Children's Plan and Play
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Rt Hon Ed Balls MP and Children's Minister Kevin Brennan will be addressing the next meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on children's play. More here.
April 2008
NOS for Sport & Play Surfaces
SkillsActive, working with partners such as The Sports and Play Construction Association, South Birmingham College and Edexcel, is proposing the development of a set of National Occupational Standards at Level 3 for Sport and Play surfaces. More here.
April 2008
Improving the Skills Base
The government has launched a consultation to improve links between business and universities here.
April 2007
DCMS Funding Supports SkillsActive position as Playwork Sector Skills Council
SkillsActive have been successful in their bid for funding from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and have been awarded £350,000 per year for the next three years. More here.
April 2008
Development Council reveal workforce priorities
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) will tackle priority areas for the children's workforce over the next three years, according to new plans. More here.
April 2008
SkillsActive Welcomes the Fair Play Strategy
The Fair Play strategy was released today as part of the Children's Plan - the biggest ever investment in play. £235m will be invested, with an additional £10m added, in improving play opportunities for children across a wide range of places where they spend their time. The strategy details investment into supervised settings such as adventure playgrounds and play ranger schemes as well as revitalising play areas and raising the importance of play in schools.
Read SkillsActive's response here.
April 2008
Qualifications face Axe
Qualifications for 14- to 19-year-olds are to be cut back as part of moves to streamline the system. More here.
April 2008
Streamlined Qualifications System
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls has published proposals to simplify the qualifications system so that all courses are well understood and valued, and offer young people a clear route into further study or directly into skilled employment. More here.
April 2008
SkillsActive publish Diploma magazine for young people
A recent poll at a Schools' Science Conference found that 86 per cent of 14 to 18 year-olds would like to know more about the new Diploma in Society, Health and Development (SHD) being launched in September this year. So SkillsActive are on the case. More here.
March 2008
Government to build adventure playgrounds to entice children outside
THE government is to try to turn around the no ball games attitudes of councils and parents with the building of a new network of adventure playgrounds that encourage children to take risks and get dirty. More here.
March 2008
Government's child play campaign
A Government consultation on children's play is to be launched on Thursday amid concerns that opportunities to have fun outdoors are declining. More here.
March 2008
Employers groups stunned by demise of LSC
Employer groups have expressed 'utter amazement' at the government's decision to close the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), its chief skills funding vehicle. More here.
March 2008
Education for all
A year ago, the Leitch report on skills recommended setting up a new careers service for adults. The service was viewed as a key means of encouraging individuals at all skill levels to raise their aspirations and invest in their skills development. More here.
March 2008
Clubs for regular pupils only
Study support sessions and after-school clubs should only be open to pupils with good attendance records, according to a report by extended schools charity ContinYou. More here.
March 2008
Young People and the Diploma
86 per cent of 14 - 18 year-olds polled at a Schools Science Conference would like to know more about the new Diploma in Society, Health and Development. More here.
March 2008
SkillsActive launch employer toolkit for Children's Workforce Employers
SkillsActive, as part of the Diploma Development Partnership (DDP), has worked in collaboration with Skills for Health, Skills for Justice and Skills for care to develop the content for the Society Health and Development (SHD) Diploma. More here.
March 2008
Budget 2008: Extra £60m for UK skills
Alistair Darling has announced that an extra £60m will be spent on improving skills levels of the country's workforce. More here.
March 2008
SkillsActive recognises success of NVQ in Playwork
Today SkillsActive presented an award to a playworker in order to commemorate passing the 100,000th NVQ milestone across the active leisure and learning sector. More here.
March 2008
SkillsActive OUT2PLAY Conference
The conference, which took place on 5th March, attracted around 200 employers and playworkers from across the country giving them all an opportunity to listen, learn, develop and debate the hot skills topics in the playwork workforce. More here.
Mar 2008
Apprenticeships Success
Employing apprentices has a hugely beneficial impact on overall business performance, according to an independent survey for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in England. More here.
Feb 2008
Possible Futures for Playwork
Writers from across the play and children's sector have submitted papers to engage in creative discussion and debate about direction and development of the playwork profession. More here.
Feb 2008
Government Skills move to DIUS
Government Skills, the sector skills council for central government, will move from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Innovation, University and Skills (DIUS) from April 1, 2008. More here. (Feb 2008)
Ideas on the future of playwork for your comment and discussion
As part of the `Possible Futures for Playwork' project, sixteen papers on a variety of topics have been submitted to date for your comment and discussion. More here.
Feb 2008
Children must play more - Scouts
Outdoors play has been found to boost mental capacity, but hundreds of thousands of children are at risk of health problems because they never play outside, the Scout Association has warned. More here.
More Ball Games
David Cameron has launched a report entitled 'More Ball Games' that aims to make Britain the best place in the world for children to grow up. It is the second report from David Willetts' Childhood Review, which was set up after UNICEF judged the UK the worst place to be a child out of 21 developed countries. Read the report here.
Feb 2008
SkillsActive at the IPA Conference in Hong Kong
SkillsActive hosted a workshop at the 17th International Play Association World Conference in Hong Kong in January, co-organised by Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Playright Children's Play Association. More here.
Feb 2008
Employers urged to change attitude to training to keep staff happy
A new Learning & Skills Council (LSC) survey reveals "a clear need for employers to change their attitude to training if they are to reduce staff turnover and boost morale." More here.
Jan 2008
Train to Gain & Gender Inequalities
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) have revealed their plans to help shatter the glass ceiling by funding more workplace training for women in London to enable them to progress up the career ladder. More here.
Jan 2008
Compulsory cooking lessons for all young people
Every young person will do compulsory practical cooking lessons for the first time ever, Children, Schools and Families Secretary of State Ed Balls announced today. More here.
Jan 2008
Concern over Nursery Sell-offs
The Pre-School Learning Alliance has raised concerns about the sustainability of the nursery sector after it emerged that Kids Unlimited is likely to become the third major provider to be sold off in the last few months. More here.
Jan 2008
Checklist to aid childcare choice
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has created a childcare checklist for childcare providers. See the list here.
Jan 2008
FE Video.co.uk is launched
FE Video is an online video and movie sharing service for the Further Education and Work Based Learning industry. More here.
Jan 2008
Children's Rights Review
Children's charities have welcomed government plans to review its position on the rights of asylum seeking and refugee children. More here.
Jan 2008
Government seeks views on youth sector supportThe
The government is asking professionals working with young people for their views on how they are supported by youth sector agencies. Access the consultation here. More here.
Jan 2008
Bill promises better education for autistic children
Lee Scott, Conservative MP for Ilford North, is leading calls for local education authorities to be given ring fenced budgets to support children with autism. More here.
Jan 2008
LifeTime in Play in London Award
Nominations are now invited for the third Lifetime in Play in London Award, for those working in play from any area in the country. Nominations deadline Monday 18 February. More here.
Jan 2008
Equality & Diversity
Skills for Justice in partnership SkillsActive are working on behalf of the Skills for Business network to address equality and diversity. The main aim of this project is to provide information, guidance and solutions to equality and diversity issues raised in sector skills agreements (SSAs). More here.
Jan 2008
WorldSkills Contestants congratulated
UK Worldskills contestants go to Number 10 Gordon Brown, at his Downing Street residence, congratulated a group of 22 gifted contestants who represented Britain at WorldSkills, the world's largest skills based competition, held in Japan, last November. More here.
Jan 2008
Skills at Work
Learning new skills can be fun and helps to create a loyal and motivated workforce, according to The Campaign for Learning, as they today announced the theme for this year's, National Learning at Work Day. More here.
Jan 2008
Pathfinder Projects to help Young Carers
Six government pilots looking at family support are to receive additional funding to extend their work to help young carers. More here.
Jan 2008
Possible Futures for Playwork
Play England, in collaboration with SkillsActive, the Joint National Committee for Training in Playwork (JNCTP), Play Wales, PlayBoard Northern Ireland and Play Scotland, present an important opportunity for all in the playwork sector to contribute their views on Playwork in the UK 2008, through the project Possible Futures for Playwork - submission deadline 31 January. More here.
Jan 2008
Nominations open for Learndirect Annual Achievement Awards
Learndirect launches its annual Achievement Awards to illustrate the difference skills can make and to recognise people's learning. More here.
Jan 2008
Apprenticeships Award 2008
An Apprenticeship is the key to your future. Why not make that key golden by entering the Apprenticeship Awards 2008?More information here.
Jan 2008
Making Workplace Learning Matter
Liz Smith, Director of unionlearn, writes of two important anniversaries this year for those involved in union workplace learning: the tenth anniversary of the Union Learning Fund (ULF) and the fifth anniversary of statutory rights being won for Union Learning Reps (ULRs) to have facility time to carry out their duties, and training by the TUC or their union. More here.
Jan 2008
Review encourages SMEs to take on apprentices
The Minister for Skills, David Lammy, is seeking to promote the value of apprenticeships in the public sector with a "hub and spokes" model as part of a massive expansion of the scheme. More here.
Jan 2008
Interview with the Chief Executive of the Commission for Employment and Skills
The UK's skills shortage is costing the country billions of pounds - and all eyes are on Chris Humphries to help solve it. More here.
Jan 2008
Training for Unemployed
Gordon Brown has said that skills and not benefits will offer the 'best welfare' provision for the unemployed. The comment came as the government announced plans for a cash reward system for unemployed people who complete back-to-work training. More here.
Jan 2008
Skills Key to Welfare Reform
Gordon Brown is due to map out the future of the welfare system, insisting a new skills-based approach is crucial to tackle the challenges of the coming decades. More here.
Jan 2008
FE Learners in 2006/07
The number of learners in further education and work based learning has increased on previous years according to figures released by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Statistics for 2006/07 show that around 220,000 learners enrolled on Train to Gain and 350,900 adults enrolled on Skills for Life programmes, an increase of 15 % from the previous year. More here.
Dec 2007
Unsupervised Children more Active and Sociable
Youngsters who are allowed to leave the house without an adult are more active and enjoy a richer social life than those who are constantly supervised, according to a study conducted at UCL and reported in a special edition of the journal Built Environment. More here.
Dec 2007
Children's Commissioner for Wales
Keith Towler, Director of Save the Children in Wales, has today been appointed as the new Children's Commissioner for Wales. More here.
Dec 2007
Play Scotland Launches Scotland's first ever Play Commission
Play Scotland is delighted to announce the launch of Scotland's first ever Play Commission. The Scottish Play Commission will examine the state of Play in Scotland through a series of conversations and events, supported by leading Academics and Practioners in Play from around the world and will formulate a number of key recommendations that should provide the framework for a National Play Strategy for the Scottish Government to consider. More here.
Dec 2007
SkillsActive Welcomes Government Pledge of £225m towards Children's Play
Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls yesterday (12/12/07) launched the ‘Children's Plan', which marks the beginning of a new relationship in which Government commits to working with families and their children and making sure that their needs come first. More here.
Dec 2007
Minister promises more funding for disabled young
Children's Secretary, Ed Balls, has announcee further funding to support disabled children and young people. More here.
Dec 2007
Children's Plan to focus on media
The effect of the media on children and young people is expected to be highlighted in a government strategy due to be published this month. More here.
Dec 2007
Funding for Young People
A £420m fund for more places to go and things to do for young people was allocated across the country yesterday by Children's Minister Beverley Hughes. More here.
Dec 2007
Ministers release £75m to fund national volunteering scheme
A national volunteering programme to get thousands more young people in England giving up their time for good causes will be launched by ministers tomorrow (22 November). The £75m "vinvolved" programme will replace and expand on the Millennium Volunteers scheme and seek to provide volunteering activities for up to half a million 16-25-year-olds. More here.
Nov 2007
Still Home Alone?
A new report launched this month by 4Children and Karen Buck MP, "Still Home Alone?", outlines how the lack of childcare for 11 – 14 year olds is putting thousands of children at risk of isolation, boredom and temptation into crime. More here.
November 2007
RoSPA urges more risk-taking
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has championed the merits of children experiencing risk, including grazes, bruises and even broken bones. More here.
Nov 2007
Breakfast clubs awards
The Breakfast Clubs Plus Awards scheme launched by education charity ContinYou and Kellogg's, will recognise the best UK breakfast clubs. There are five categories: achieving sustainability; added-value activities; community involvement; improving emotional health and wellbeing; and nutrition. Each winning club will get £1,500. Runners up will get £650. Application forms are due by 30 November. Apply here.
Nov 2007
Queen's Speech
SkillsActive has looked at the Queen's Speech and produced a briefing highlighting relevant points. More here.
Putting the Life into Lifelong Learning
Liz Smith, director of unionlearn, writes about the importance of lifelong learning in her November column for FE News. More here.
All work and all play
Shouldn't every town have a play ranger to provide a safe environment for children's adventures? More here.
Clarification on the Use of National Occupational Standards for Playwork
SkillsActive has issued a statement to clarify the use of NOS for Playwork and Children's Care, Learning and Development (CCLD). More here.
November 2007
Play England Annual Report
Play England have just published their Annual Report here.
Leitch skills pledge gathers momentum as employers begin to see the benefits
More than 400 companies have now signed the government skills pledge to train their staff to Level 2 by 2010, almost double the number committed to the initiative in September. More here.
November 2007
Charity Staff Skills Shortage
Almost three out of 10 voluntary sector organisations employ staff who are not sufficiently skilled to carry out their roles, new research shows. More here.
November 2007
2.5 million employees covered by Skills Pledge
Interserve Plc, VT Group Plc, EDS UK and Reliance Security Group Ltd are the latest four companies to make the voluntary commitment to help all their employees gain at least a Level 2 qualification - the equivalent of five GCSEs at A - C grade. More here.
Nov 2007
Children and Risk - the effects on childhood
We all want to keep children safe - but are we going the right way about it? A new report, No Fear: Growing up in a risk averse society, by Tim Gill, argues that by overprotecting children we stop them developing the skills and resilience they need to protect themselves. More here.
October 2007
Taking Part Survey Report
A recent report by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is the first publication about engagement in culture, leisure and sport based on the Taking Part child survey. The aim of the report is to set out the key headline findings in order to baseline levels of engagement amongst 11 to 15 year olds. More here.
October 2007
Alliance aims to boost business skills
The government is backing a joint initiative between colleges and businesses aiming to provide a closer match between training and the core skills required by employers. More here.
October 2007
The Future of Playwork - Listening and reflecting
Play England is to sponsor a debate for the playwork sector on its future development and direction. In collaboration with SkillsActive, the Joint National Committee for Training in Playwork (JNCTP) and Play Wales, Play England will invite and publish papers, host a facilitated discussion on 17 December, and stage a major conference in the Spring of 2008. More details here.
Government Spending Review & Pre-Budget Report
The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, this week unveiled its Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review, which outlines the current state of the economy and departmental spending plans for the next three years. Read SkillsActive's report here.
Staying Safe
The Staying Safe government consultation looks at risks faced by children and young people, and closes at the end of this month. SkillsActive looks in more depth here.
Childcare Nation? Progress on the childcare strategy and priorities for the future
This comprehensive progress report on the Government's childcare strategy has been compiled by Daycare Trust and the National Centre for Social Research. As well as charting progress to date on delivering the strategy, the report spells out what still needs to be done to ensure access to childcare for all who need it. The report addresses six key areas: Outcomes for children; Quality and the childcare workforce; The state of childcare provision; Parents' work patterns; Changes in patterns of childcare use and Childcare costs. Full details here.
October 2007
Unionlearn Climbing Frame
Union members can now climb a workplace learning framework
An innovative new electronic framework for learning, the unionlearn Climbing Frame, was launched last month at the TUC Congress at Brighton. More here.
Drive for More Public Centre Apprenticeships
Skills Minister David Lammy today called on major public sector employers to offer more Apprenticeships to young people and adults and break down barriers preventing their take up. More here.
September 2007
Skillsactive Commemorate NVQ Milestone
SkillsActive celebrated the 100,000th National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) across the active leisure and learning sector with a special awards ceremony at Leisure Industry Week in Birmingham. More here.
September 2007
Extra £2bn for jobs and skills
The European Commission has agreed proposals to an investment programme which will see £2bn being spent on UK jobs and skills within the next seven years. More here.
£2B Investment
A £2 billion investment in jobs and skills in England over the next seven years from the European Union has today been welcomed by Work and Pensions Minister Mike O'Brien. More here.
September 2007
ECM and the Environment
Achieving the goals of Every Child Matters may not be possible without making the environment one of its top priorities, research released last week has claimed. More here.
August 2007
Skills and the importance of Employers
Skills Minister David Lammy outlines the importance of skills and how partnership between government, employers and individuals has the power to transform our skills base, here.
August 2007
Leitch Briefing 3
In the third in a series of briefings on the outcomes of the government's response to Leitch, SkillsActive looks at reforms to Train to Gain and the Skills Brokerage service, here here.
Leitch Briefing 2
In the second in a series of briefings on the outcomes of the government's response to Leitch, SkillsActive looks at the UK Commission on Employment and Skills here.
Leitch Briefing 1
In the first of a series of briefings on the key recommendations of the government's Leitch Implementation Plan, SkillsActive looks at what the Skills Pledge will mean for employers, here.
Employability
The Employability Skills programme has been launched today by employment minister Caroline Flint and skills minister David Lammy. More here.
August 2007
Action on Skills Training
The Education and Skills Committee today releases its report on Post-16 Skills (02/08/2007) The report welcomes the Government's commitment to skills but states that a truly ‘demand-led' system is not yet a reality. While supportive of the principles behind Train to Gain, the Committee raises serious concerns about its implementation. More here.
August 2007
Colleges and Qualifications
Colleges win awarding power but businesses will have to wait for increased influence over courses, say ministers in reponse to Leitch. Colleges and employers are to be allowed to create their own qualifications without reference to awarding bodies. The qualifications will be overseen by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. More here.
July 2007
Dilemma for Universities over Leitch
The Government has signalled a cultural revolution in higher education as it unveiled its plans for reskilling the nation. But in the week in which the Government published its response to the Leitch report on skills and moved to give further education colleges the unprecedented power to award higher education qualifications, universities faced a clear choice: embrace the £5 billion skills agenda or leave it to colleges and the private sector. More here.
Staying Safe
SkillsActive will be responding to the new consultation from the Department for Children, Families and Schools on striking a balance between protecting children without wrapping them in cottonwool. More here.
July 2007
In-House Training
Employers are to be encouraged and empowered to develop their own in-house training schemes, the government has announced. More here.
July 2007
Ed Ball on Every Child Matters
SkillsActive has produced a briefing looking at Ed Balls' first major speech as Secretary of State for Children, Families and Schools. More here.
July 2007
Decline in Outdoor Play
Only one in five of today's children play outside in the street or local parks every day, according to new research by Play England. More here.
July 2007
Looked After Children
The National Children's Bureau (NCB) today welcomes the publication of the government's White Paper on looked after children, which the charity believes is a useful next step to improving the outcomes for children and young people in care. More here.
July 2007
Train to Gain advert
The Learning Skills Council(LSC) has launched a new advertising campaign urging employers to invest in training through the skills brokerage service Train to Gain. The cross media campaign continues the "Our Future. It's in our hands" concept with an ad campaign urging individuals to improve their skills. More here.
Children's Fund - £396 million for 2008-11 confirmed
In a major speech hosted by the National Children's Bureau yesterday evening, Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, confirmed that the Children's Fund will continue for a further three years with an investment of £396 million. More here.
July 2007
Funding Boost for Schools
According to the Secretary of State for Children, Familes and Schools Ed Balls, every child will be able to access breakfast clubs, out-of-hours tuition and after-school clubs in sport, music and drama with investment of more than £1billion in the extended schools programme over the next three years. More here.
July 2007
New Youth Strategy
Young people will have access to new and improved youth facilities in every community under plans unveiled today in the Government's Ten Year Youth Strategy. More here.
July 2007
Pledge for Youth Clubs
Plans for a network of youth centres providing stimulating activities for teenagers in every community in England were set out yesterday by Beverley Hughes, the children's minister. More here.
Aiming High for Young People: A Ten Year Strategy for Positive Activities was published on Thursday 26th July 2007. and can be downloaded here.
July 2007
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
The Government today unveiled major new plans to help over 4 million adults learn new skills and improve existing ones over the next three years. The plans will help make Britain's workforce one of the most skilled in the world by 2020.
World Class Skills, published today in response to the Leitch review of skills, will introduce new legislation to strengthen the current funding entitlement for adults to training in basic literacy and numeracy, giving adults a legal right to free training for the first time. More here.
18 July 2007
SkillsActive Welcomes New Chair of All Party Group on Play
SkillsActive have welcomed Janet Dean, MP for Burton, as the new chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Play. The group's previous chair, Helen Goodman MP, is relinquishing her role following her appointment as Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, but Janet has agreed to head up the group. More here.
July 2007
Biggest BL Award Yet
The Big Lottery Fund this week made its biggest ever award for children's play projects, with five councils getting more than £1m each. More here.
July 2007
Campaign against commercialisation for children
Compass have launched a campaign against the commercialisation of childhood, calling for measures to promote the provision of better play opportunities and safer streets, and support for children, parents and carers to withstand the growing pressures of commercialisation that dictate how children play. More here.
July 2007
Playtime! Launch
Playtime!, a practical guide to putting play back into the school playground, was launched recently. More here.
June 2007
Our Future - it's in our hands
An advertising campaign encouraging people to upgrade their skills through education and training is being launched by the government - more here.
July 2007
Government Changes
SkillsActive gives a guide to the changes in government that affect our sector. More here.
July 2007
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Secretary of State John Denham today announced the responsibilities of his Ministerial team at the new Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The Department's primary role will be to drive forward delivery of the Government's long-term vision to make Britain one of the best places in the world for science, research and innovation and to raise the level of education and skills at every level in our economy to give the UK the competitive edge. More here.
July 2007
SkillsActive praised by the Lords
The work of SkillsActive and employers was highlighted and praised in a debate in the House of Lords last week. More here.
July 2007
New Education Departments
The Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Trade and Industry have been replaced by two new ministries - the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills.
The new Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform will take on the business and industry remit of the disbanded DTI. More here..
29 June 2007
New Diplomas Key to engaging Young People in Learning
Two employers involved in the design of the sport and leisure diploma agree that the new qualification will revolutionise the education system in England and make education more accessible to more young people. More here.
June 2007
Culture Minister champions children's right to play
London Play, the children's charity, applauds Culture Minister David Lammy MP for championing the need for more play spaces for children, and for children to have a greater stake in urban planning. In Making Space for Children* he cites London's newest adventure playground - "the wonderful, lottery-funded Somerford Grove Adventure Playground in my constituency" - as an example of "what can be achieved". More here.
June 2007
SkillsActive announce Nancy Ovens Bursars for 2007
For the second year running SkillsActive have been proud to sponsor and organise the Nancy Ovens bursary, and are delighted to announce eight winners for 2007. More here.
June 2007
Why Higher Education means Business
How universities and employers are collaborating to offer workplace training as part of the Leitch review. More here.
ACTIVE LEISURE SKILLS ACADEMY GETS GREEN LIGHT
SkillsActive is delighted to announce that it has won government endorsement for its proposal to develop a National Skills Academy for the active leisure and learning sector. More here.
18 June 2007
Get Play Noticed
Following the outrage in the playwork sector after the launch of the DfES Children's Workforce Strategy and less priority placed on the importance of playwork, the DfES has now given the playwork sector the opportunity to feed into a follow-up consultation entitled ‘Refresh'. More here.
June 2007
Leisure Industry Signs up to Government Skills Pledge
SkillsActive and two major employers from the Active Leisure and Learning Sector today (14 June) attended the launch of the government's Skills Pledge and committed themselves to improving the skills of their workforce. More here.
June 2007
Every Disabled Child Matters Update
The report of the Disabled Children's Review - 'Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families' - has been launched. The report sets out the key elements of the £340 million funding package for disabled children, which includes:
- a specific grant of £280m to deliver a step change in the provision of short breaks
- £35m to pilot accessible childcare
- £19m for a Transition Support Programme, modelled on the Early Support programme but focussed on young disabled people in transition to adulthood
- £5m to help more parents get involved in shaping services at a local level, including through parents forums.
To download 'Aiming high for disabled children' and find out more go to www.edcm.org.uk.
Workforce Development: Survey reveals training barriers
Training and development are of huge importance to the children's workforce but getting funding for courses is not always easy, a survey released last week shows. More here.
May 2007
Ministers promise £340m in deal to transform services
Ministers this week promised £340m to transform England's disabled children's services in what campaigners have hailed as a victory for children. More here.
END OF PHASE THREE VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY SECTOR WORKFORCE PROJECT
In 2004 SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for Active Leisure and Learning was assigned lead responsibility for the Voluntary and Community Sector Workforce Project across all other SSCs in partnership with the UK Workforce Hub. Read more here.
May 2007
EDCM Local Authority Charter
A key part of the EDCM campaign is raising the profile of disabled children's issues locally. You can help to make disabled children matter in your local area by highlighting the EDCM Local Authority Charter to every local authority so they can sign up to it. More information here.
May 2007
LSE South-East Awards
Learners and employers from across the South East recently celebrated their success in vocational training at the inaugural LSC South East Learning and Skills Awards. The event was hosted by former Olympic athlete, Colin Jackson CBE, who presented the awards to winners, while ITV Meridian news presenter Mary Green, hosted the glittering dinner and prize-giving ceremony on Thursday 26 April 2007. Full article here.
May 2007
Building a World Class Workforce for Children & Young People
The first interactive CD toolkit to help employers develop their employees in the playwork sector has been produced by SkillsActive. More information here.
May 2007
Manifesto: Your sector needs you
Children Now is giving frontline workers the chance to set the policy agenda through a manifesto to be put before ministers, to help identify the next steps needed for children's services in the UK. With all 20 proposals now put forward, we need readers to decide which 10 should go into the final document. More information here.
2 May 2007
SkillSactive Energises the Industry at Wembley
Top industry figures yesterday came together at SkillsActive's second annual convention to address the sport and active leisure industry in the first ever convention for the industry held at the prestigious Wembley Stadium. More information here.
2 May 2007
14-19 Diplomas
Diplomas will be a new option for 14-19 year olds who want to pursue more work-related study. More information here.
Skills minister calls for more flexible training
The government is urging closer working ties between skills brokers and employers in an effort to increase the take-up of the Train to Gain initiative. More information here.
April 2007
Children's Stars Awards 2007 - DEADLINE EXTENDED to 30 APRIL
Every day there are thousands of deserving and dedicated people working with our children and young people who we just can't do without. They give so much to our families and communities, day in day out.
The Children's Stars Awards 2007, run by 4Children and supported by various partners, celebrates the most dedicated, inspiring and deserving people working with children and young people in the country. From extended school and children centre workers to childminders, nursery workers and playworkers, 4Children is looking for the best practice in the childcare world.
Nominate your star today - and make sure they get the recognition they deserve! More info here.
The Leitch Report
The report, Prosperity for all in the Global Economy: World Class Skills, produced by Lord Leitch, examines the UK's long-term skills needs, and sets out ambitious goals for 2020 in order to make the UK a world leader in skills. Read the report here.
Recognising Training & Investment in Staff
Government must recognise the training and investment by firms in their staff. British workers are wrongly branded as low-skilled because the national qualification system does not recognise the excellent training schemes many undertake at work, the CBI said today (230704). More here.
April 2007
Every child matters: DfES draws up plans for a national framework to measure outcomes
The Government is drawing up plans to create a national framework for measuring progress on Every Child Matters outcomes. More here.
Conservative Party inquiry into the quality of Childhood in the UK
David Cameron has launched a special investigation into the way children are treated in Britain - with the aim of improving their lives within families and the wider community. More information here.
March 2007
Threat to Future Play Funding
The National Children's Bureau (NCB) is calling on the government to develop a plan of action on children's play following Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell's announcement that an additional £675m of lottery funding will be required to help fund the 2012 Olympics, including £425m from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG). More information here.
LSC Bids
The Learning and Skills Council is encouraging more voluntary sector bodies to bid for its contracts. The council, which gets £10.4bn a year from government to fund
adult education and training, is staging a conference jointly with Futurebuilders on 16 March. More information here.
Child Protection - Play England
Play England has produced "Safeguarding Children and
Young People", a briefing outlining new approaches to child protection resulting from Every Child Matters, the Children Act 2004 and new guidance produced by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES): Working Together to Safeguard Children. To download a copy of the briefing click here.
February 2007
Call for examples of good practice
Play England is developing an online database of good practice in play provision, to help raise awareness of quality play provision and the range of ways it can be delivered. The database wil include case studies of play across a range of different services and themes and will be available for anyone to access. If you know of an example of good practice, please email the name of the provision, the main contact and their details, and one sentence about why you consider it good practice, to Lauren Lacey.
Integrated Practice Training
Research shows many practioners are confused about integrated working. Some said they had no idea what it means. The training is being piloted in eight areas. More information here.
February 2007
Time To Play - downloadable resources
Following many years of providing comprehensive, quality training to hundreds of seasonal playworkers, Brighton & Hove's Out of School & Play Service have developed a creative and exciting 15 hour course that meets the nationally recognised Playwork Induction Standard and is fully endorsed by SkillsActive, downloadable from the PSE website. More information here.
Preventing Obesity
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued guidance in December to address both the prevention and treatment of obesity in adults and children. The guideline contains wide-ranging recommendations, for the NHS, schools and early year's providers, local authorities, employers and town planners. NICE recommends that local authorities should create and manage more safe spaces for incidental and planned physical activity by providing facilities such as cycling and walking routes, cycle parking, and safe play areas. More information from www.nice.org.uk.
Obesity prevention strategy aims to increase play opportunities
The Department of Health's Healthy Living Social Marketing Strategy, a key part of its Obesity Prevention Strategy, has identified 'increasing the availability and access to safe and attractive areas for children to play unaccompanied" as a key to achieving one of its seven objectives: increasing the level of everyday activity in children. Play England and the National Childrens Bureau are in discussion with the DH officials to explore this common objective.
Criminal Records Bureau on line Service
The CRB launched its new online service on 3 January. Customers can now track online the progress of their CRB application, from receipt through to issue. Over the coming months the service will be expanded to allow customers to track multiple applications at the same time. The service can be accessed from the CRB website, www.crb.gov.uk.
Excellence in Volunteer Management
Volunteering England is launching the Excellence in Volunteer Management support and training programme for Volunteer Managers later this month, developed following extensive research. More details here.
January 2007
Making Choices
The 'Making Choices' orientation programme has been reviewed and updated, to ensure that it meets current and future needs and trends in the development of children's services. More information here.
December 2006
Time for Play
The government document Time for Play (DCMS 2006) states that Local Area Agreements (LAAs) `are the way forward in the pursuit of better play opportunities', describing them as `a radical new approach to delivery based on local need'. In the next few years all local authorities will be
expected to develop LAAs which will form the basis for distribution of their central government funding allocations.
Play England has recently published two briefing papers, one aimed at local authority planners to explain why the could include play in their LAA, and one aimed at the play sector to support you in working with your local authority to include play in your council's LAA.
Both briefings are downloadable here.
December 2006
Every Disabled Child Matters - 10,000 supporters signed up
EDCM has reached its target of 10,000 supporters, and now aims to increase that to 25,000 by July 2007.
If you haven't signed up yet, please do so now using the form on the EDCM website - and ask everyone you know to do the same. If you would like EDCM leaflets to be made available at your school, children's centre, or anywhere else, you can download them below or email EDCM at info@edcm.org.uk and we will send them to you.
December 2006
University trained EY Professionals
Thirty universities across England will offer professionals the chance to train as a new breed of early years leaders.
The Children's Workforce Development Council last week revealed the organisations that will be delivering training and assessment for Early Years Professional Status during the second phase from January 2007 to March 2008.
The National Day Nurseries Association, together with the Open University, will remain a national provider, alongside others including consultancy firm Tribal Group.
The new role is a lynchpin in the plans for reform of the children's workforce. The Government aims to have a graduate-level leader with Early Years Professional Status in every children's centre with early years provision by 2010, and in every full daycare setting by 2015.
13 November 2006
CWDC sets target of 70% of Early Years workforce qualified to Level 3 by 2010
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) today published a report outlining a vision about how 70% of the early years workforce can become qualified to Level 3 by 2010.
Whilst recognising that there are a number of barriers to be addressed, the report sets out CWDC's view that Level 3 should become the minimum qualification for those working in early years and that 70% of the workforce should have a relevant Level 3 qualification by 2010. CWDC has made a number of recommendations, which cover how the organisation and its partners can establish the vision, how the changes might be funded and how best to ensure the target is achieved. Full report here.
13 November 2006
Playworker of the Year
SkillsActive both sponsored and presented the Playworker of the Year (Northern Ireland) award, at Playboard's 21st anniversary conference in Belfast. This year's award went to Patricia Mills, from Roden Street Community Development Group, Belfast, who was recognised as the most dedicated and inspiring playworker in Northern Ireland. More details here.
Earlier this year, Jessica Veit from YMCA Day Camps in Waltham Forest was recognised as one of the most dedicated amd inspiring childcarers in England, winning the title of the SkillsActive Playworker of the Year. More details here.
Play England Play Enablers
Play England has appointed a team of 20 play experts, all specialists from a variety of backgrounds with senior level experience, to help local authorities develop play strategies and access funding from the Big Lottery Fund Children's Play programme. More information here.
October 2006
Play Professionals
Playwork South East has produced a short film focussing upon playwork as a professional career option. Play Professionals is designed to attract young people into the sector and its target users are the 14-19 year olds. The film provides an overview with feedback from real playworkers about what the job entails and why they enjoy being a playworker. More information about the film and how to get a copy here.
Play: Deficiency has ill effects on children
A group of 110 teachers, academics and other prominent figures have cited a lack of time and space to play as one of many factors ruining childhood today. Childcare expert Dr Penelope Leach and Professor Tim Brighouse, the commissioner for London schools, were among those who sent a letter on the subject to The Daily Telegraph.
The letter blames junk food, electronic entertainment and hyper-competitive schooling for a rise in childhood depression and behavioural problems.
Children need "real play - as opposed to sedentary screen-based entertainment," it said.
The statement is a boost to efforts to ensure the Government recognises children's need to play freely, campaigners said this week. But it comes not long after the Government ruled out including play in the core offer for extended schools.
September 2006
Extended schools: Play will be left out of core offer
Hopes of play being included in the core offer for extended schools were dashed at the recent launch of the Government's vision for play. More information here.
(1 September 2006)
Play: ‘only as safe as necessary'
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents are advocating the use of more adventurous playgrounds, with an element of controlled risk in order to reduce the number of children playing in dangerous areas. More information is available from www.rospa.com.
Play to combat social exclusion
The Department for Education and Skills has published a series of final reports of the National Evaluation of the Children's Fund. They all refer to the importance of play in combating the social exclusion experienced by groups of children such as gypsy / traveller children, children from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, refugee and asylum seeking children and disabled children. The two reports which focus on disabled children are Preventing Social Exclusion of Disabled Children and their Families (a literature review paper) and Preventative Services for Disabled Children. All of the reports can be downloaded from www.dfes.gov.uk. July 2006
Playwork in Extended Schools
Two new guides have been released by SkillsActive regarding playwork in extended schools. The first guide is aimed at strategic planners; focusing upon the benefits of playwork for the community and emphasising the importance of free play. The second guide is aimed at advisors and headteachers, and looks at how playwork skills and philosophy can be adopted within a school context. They are based upon work in the Play in Educational Settings paper (www.freeplaynetwork.org.uk). The leaflets can be downloaded from: www.skillsactive.com.
New Childcare Act
The Childcare Bill has now received Royal Assent and becomes the Childcare Act. The legislation places several new duties on local authorities to improve the outcomes for young children and reduce the gaps between them; to secure sufficient childcare to enable parents to work; and to provide information to parents about childcare and a wide range of services that may be of benefit to them in bringing up their children.
The Government had originally planned to give Local Authorities a duty to ensure that appropriate childcare was made available for non-disabled children up to the age of 14 and for disabled children up to the age of 16. Following a successful campaign from Disabled children's charities however, the Bill was amended so that councils must now ensure there is childcare for disabled young people up to the age of 18. The Bill was also amended so that local authorities must have ‘specific regard' to parents with disabled children when providing information about childcare.
The legislation has been broadly welcomed. However, councils are concerned about how they will meet their new duties without extra funding. In particular, they have highlighted the high cost of childcare for disabled children and young people. (July 2006)
PLAYLINK/Free Play Network Policy & Strategy Discussion Forum
The first joint PLAYLINK/Free Play Network online discussion forum on play strategies has now finished. Contributions that were posted on the site are still available to view here, but the forum is now closed to new additions. If you have further queries, PLAYLINK can still be contacted on this and other matters. (Contact PLAYLINK on 0207 720 2452 or by email info@playlink.org.uk)
In its two weeks of operation the play strategy discussion forum attracted around 120 comments and questions, and there were over 5000 hits on the forum. In quantitative (measurable) terms, Playlink/FPN are pleased with the interest the discussion forum stimulated. Further comments are invited (they will not be posted) on how useful - or otherwise - you found the forum, and any suggestions you might care to make. Comments and suggestions can be sent by email to info@playlink.org.uk.
Early Childhood Stakeholder Group
A new stakeholder group that will advise Ministers on the implementation of the Government's 10-Year Childcare Strategy and wider early years and childcare policy has met for the first time this month (June). The new Sure Start, Extended Schools and Child Care Stakeholder Group is chaired by Dame Julie Mellor and consists of members from local authorities, health, the private and voluntary sector and frontline staff. For more information go to the DFES website here.
Extended Schools Sideline Play - Barnardo's Report
Play is being squeezed out of extended school, a Barnardo's report launched on 22nd May 2006 has found. The report compares ASCs in England and Denmark, and their experiences of providing play within extended schools - ASCs in Danish schools often offer more outdoor and 'risky' play opportunities, and Barnardo's is also concerned that extended schools should provide different ways to include the most disadvantaged children, often alienated from formal education at an early age. To download the report - More School: Less Play? - go to www.barnardos.org.uk/resources.
Playworker Honoured by Government Minister
London's oldest playworker received London Play's inaugural Lifetime in Play in London Award from Culture Minister David Lammy. Janet Dalglish MBE, aged 87, recalls how she would take a suitcase full of cardboard and scraps of material to the local primary school bombsite for children to play with - sites which later evolved into London's adventure playgrounds. Janet also contributed to setting up the International Play Association. (ack: PlayToday)
National Childcare Week
CHILDREN AT THE CENTRE FOR NATIONAL CHILDCARE WEEK
The Daycare Trust commemorates 20 successful years of campaigning with a week that places children at the centre of childcare. National Childcare Week (5th-11th June 2006) celebrates the great start in life that quality early education and care can provide for children, when it is developed around their needs. More information here.
Childcare: National Occupational Standards
The DfES, Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and SkillsActive have launched the new National Occupational Standards (NOS) in Children's Care, Learning and Development, and Playwork and the Transitional Modules.
The NOS have been reviewed and redeveloped in response to the growth within the childcare sector. There are also two Transitional Modules that will enable the workforce to move between the playwork and childcare sectors without having to gain additional full qualifications.
For copies of the standards visit www.cwdcouncil.org.uk.
22/03/06
Engaging with the Voluntary and Community Sector
The DCMS Strategy for Implementation of HM Treasury's Cross Cutting Review, 'The Role of the Voluntary and Community Sector in Service Delivery'. This document
includes a short piece on volunteering in play and playwork
21/03/06
Common Core of Skills and Knowledge
This webpage sets out the basic skills and knowledge needed by people (including volunteers) whose work brings them into regular contact with children, young people and families.
21/03/06
World Class Childcare Workforce
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes has set out the next steps in delivering a world-class children's workforce, including the development of an integrated qualifications framework. To support this improvement the minister confirmed how the new Transformation Fund of £250m would be used to secure high quality early years provision and better outcomes for children and their families through investment in a better qualified early years workforce, without compromising efforts to make childcare more affordable. More information here.
21/03/06
Extended Schools - a call to get involved
A year on from launching its prospectus on extended schools, the DfES is urging local voluntary and statutroy childcare providers to get involved with local schools. A leaflet on play in extended schools has been written by CPC/SkillsActive and ContinYou, which will be on the teachernet website at www.teachernet.gov.uk. They are also organising a series of seminars around the role of sports, arts and play organisations in the extended school programme (more details from www.skillsactive.com). The prospectus is available from the DfES or local authority lead childcare officers. Further information and support for childcare providers is also available from the 4Children's Information Helpline on 020 7512 2100 or visit www.4children.org.uk/extendedschools.
21/03/06
All-Parliamentary Group on Play
As an update to the first meeting of this group held in December (see below), the MPs on the group from the south east are Ann Widdecombe (Maidstone and the Weald), Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham), and Julian Brazier (Canterbury).
Government Plans to Subsidise Childcare Wages
The Children's Minister, Beverley Hughes, has announced a £250m plan to subsidise wages in private and public-sector nurseries. Childcare facilities will be able to apply for up to £16,000 over two years to help employ graduate workers and improve staff training. Up to £52m has been put aside to develop new qualifications, pay university fees and supply cover for staff who train for a degree. In return nurseries must cap the cost of full-time fees at £175 per week. Ms Hughes said the plan was designed to improve provision of child care without penalising parents. Daniela Reale, of the Daycare Trust, welcomed the plan as a 'first good step' but said £250m was not enough to 'really improve the workforce'. Gordon Brown said the provision of proper child care was one of the long-term challenges for the government. (Source: The Guardian 140206)
210306
FILM PROJECT RECRUITING YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THE SECTOR
Playwork South East, SkillsActive and the DfES have been working together to develop an exciting initiative to attract young people to the playwork sector in the form of a DVD. The film will be shown in schools across the UK to young people aged 14-19, and promotes playwork as a viable and exciting career option. The initiative highlights the expansion of the sector and the need to draw young people into the playwork field. More information here.
February 2006
Parliamentarians get serious about Play
A new backbench group of parliamentarians met for the first time this week to take action on issues affecting children's play. Taking place in Westminster, the inaugural meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Play elected officers to the new group and heard a presentation on play from the Children's Play Council.
Over forty Parliamentarians have already joined the new group sponsored by SkillsActive, who is providing the administrative and research support. The group intends to meet quarterly to focus on hot issues affecting children's play. The mission statement agreed by the group at its inaugural meeting states that the group will "meet to consider, and take action on, current issues affecting the right of every child to play freely."
In his presentation to the group, Adrian Voce, director of the Children's Play Council, highlighted the need for Parliamentarians to help guarantee that play is a priority for government, especially given the diminished opportunities in today's society for children and young people to play freely.
Helen Goodman MP, elected as chair to the group, went on to suggest potential themes for future meetings, including extended schools and play, learning from the Welsh experience of play policy, planning for play space in new housing developments, and the children's workforce. Helen stressed the importance of the group being an action group to move forward issues having a negative impact on children's access to play.
She said: "Play is essential to a good childhood. I am delighted that so many colleagues from across the political spectrum agree that we must act to protect children's opportunities for play."
15 December 2005 - ack: SkillsActive Press Release
Action Re:Play
Playwork South East organised an event in November 2005 to consult on the future of play and playwork within the region, and invited the Children's Play Council to use the event to highlight and provide information about the Big Lottery in light of their announcement to support the development of a regional infrastructure for play through funding from the Big Lottery.
For feedback from Children's Play Council consultation, Time to Play, click here.
Participants were asked to give an idea of what they felt should be included in the south east strategy for play and playwork, under the headings of Advocacy, Networking Partnerships, Training & Education, Communication & Information, Funding and Quality Assurance - you can see these ideas here.
December 2005
Quality Training, Quality Play 2005-2010
SkillsActive's first UK strategy for playwork education and training was previewed at the Playwork into the Future conference in October, based on the consultation with hundreds of playwork professionals and outlining a vision for playwork over the next ten years. The strategy includes improving the status of playworkers by setting up a professional body to set minimum standards, improving pay and conditions, and offering better access to qualifications. The full strategy will be available in December, but a summary can be dounloaded from www.playwork.org.uk.
December 2005
Play Day Ideas for 2006
The Playday Steering Group would like to agree a theme for next year's Playday as soon as possible in the new year but want to get some views about what it might be. Below are the themes suggested for last year but you may have other more exciting ideas.
The Playday theme helps to coordinate the focus on play at both local and national level. It is used by the Children's Play Council as the basis of research and publicity as well as increasing awareness about the need for more investment in play opportunities across the UK.
Suggestions from last year were:
`Make plans for play' (focusing on the need for local play policies and strategies)
`Reclaim the streets for play' (need to reclaim the streets and public
spaces for children, including reduction in speed limits, Home zones etc)
`Playing with the elements'
`Fit for play' (taking a play is healthy angle) (This theme was used)
If you have any more ideas please send them to icole-hamilton@ncb.org.uk by Monday 19 December 2005, and they will be circulated for voting in early January.
National Register of Playworkers
SkillsActive is undertaking a Feasibility Study to inform the development of a national register of playworkers. As part of the study they are surveying playworkers across the country and you can access the questionnaire here in either Word format or PDF format.
Word Format: If you have MS Word you can complete the survey on-screen. When you open the file please select ‘read-only', and then save it under a new name when you have completed it, and return it as an e-mail attachment to survey@matthewbyrne.org.uk.
PDF Format: If you have Adobe Reader you can print the survey instead. In this case please return it by post to Matthew Byrne, Flat 3, 13 Church Road, Exeter EX2 9AX.
November 2005
News Just In! Government do a U-Turn!
Plans to cease regulating child care for some five- to eight-year-olds have been dropped in the face of mounting opposition from the child care sector, children's minister Beverley Hughes confirmed this week. More details here.
31 October 2005 (Ack: SkillsActive)
Childcare Bill Consultation
The Childcare Bill proposes that out-of-school clubs only with children over five years old will not be required to register with Ofsted and undergo day-care inspections. Provision for children up to five years old will need to register and be inspected against a new Early Development and Learning Framework. Providers catering for children aged six and over will need to meet minimum standards outlined in the Childcare Bill and join a new Ofsted Childcare Register to enable families to claim childcare tax credits. These changes could lead to five-year olds being excluded from adventure play provision.
The bill also proposes to withdraw support from Investors in Children, saying that quality will be assured through the Childcare Register. The consultation documents have been sent out through the PSE networks, and the results will be published here as soon as they are known.
September 2005
Ofsted Updates ECM Guidance
Ofsted has updated its publications relating to Every Child Matters - details here.
CHILDREN'S PLAY COUNCIL AWARDED LOTTERY GRANT
TO DEVELOP PLANS FOR PLAY
A development grant of £156,020 from the Big Lottery Fund will enable the Children's Play Council to lay the foundations for the strategic expansion of children's play in England. The Council has been asked to prepare plans for a regional support structure for the play sector and draft guidance for local authorities in drawing up play strategies. More here.
September 2005
Beverley Hughes, new Minister for Children
The new Minister for Children spoke at one of her first public appointments in June, Playing Together, the joint CPC and 4Children conference, saying that "play is an end in itself and must be encouraged for its own sake", and added that this has a vital role in helping children to achieve the key outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda. She said that this policy was to be implemented through a "lasting infrastructure of seamless servcies based around children's centres and extended schools" that would become a fundamental part of "the 21st century welfare state".
(June 05 - ack:CPC)
David Lammy
Tottenham MP David Lammy is the new Minister for Culture and has responsibility for play at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. He was previously minister in both the Departments of Health and Constitutional Affairs.
(June 05 - ack:CPC)
Choosing Play for Health
The new Department of Health publication "Choosing Activity: a physical activity plan" marks an important step by the government in acknowledging the importance of free play as a key aspect of public health and to tackle the problem of childhood obesity. Combined with the DfES draft guidelines for children and young people's plans, these new guildelines offer an unprecedented opportunity for promoting the importance of children's right to play. Choosing Activity is available here.
June05
Government Funding for Play
A long campaign by the play sector in England reached the best possible outcome on 30 March, when the Big Lottery Fund announced a £155m play programme. Distribution of the money will be based on the recommendations of the Play Review, a decision that many in the play sector are seeing as a watershed for the status of free play opportunities. The Big Lottery Fund announcement can be seen here. The intention is to launch the programme later this year.
(May05)
GOVERNMENT HELD TO ACCOUNT OVER PLAY & RECREATION
The Government has amended the Every Child Matters Inspection Framework to specifically mention the word 'play', having been prompted by consultation comments from the play sector. More information here.
(May05)
A Question of Balance: Lone parents, childcare and work
This report from the Department of Work & Pensions presents findings of qualitative research to increase the understanding of lone parents' attitudes towards and experiences of childcare, their decisions about childcare and work, and their views and experiences of recent and imminent policy initiatives and changes.
Every Child Matters Inspection Framework
Integrated Inspection: framework
Ofsted have published details of the new arrangements for Joint Area Reviews. - a requirement of the Children Act 2004. The new arrangements are designed to fulfil the requirements of the Children Act 2004 for integrated inspection.
The arrangements have been devised by the 10 inspectorates and commissions which inspect settings and other services for children and young people to support improvement in the five outcomes identified in Every Child Matters. More information at www.ofsted.gov.uk.
Childminding & Extended Schools: briefing
The National Childminding Association (NCMA) have published a briefing document, Home-based Childcare and Extended Schools, explaining the benefits for schools, parents and children of including registered childminders as part of a full wrap-around childcare offer. The paper says that childminders offering high quality, flexible, home-based childcare are ideally placed to play a key part in the new extended schools.
NCMA's briefing, Home-based Childcare and Extended Schools, can be downloaded from their website at www.ncma.org.uk.
Recreation for All
The Government has conceded to pressure to take account of children's enjoyment of their free time in the Children Bill. Furthermore, an assurance was given by the Minister that the Government recognises play as a fundamental aspect of children's enjoyment and that the new wording of the Bill is in part intended to reflect this. More information here
Children's Play Review
The Children's Play Council have published their government-sponsored review into children's play - Getting Serious about Play - as well as an explanatory leaflet - Children's Play Review, Feedback to Children & Young People.
Copies can be downloaded here
At a meeting with DCMS Minister, Estelle Morris, she stated that the Government would respond by September.
Early Years Outdoors
A new support service funded by the DfES SureStart Unit, called Early Years Outdoors, is about to be launched by Learning Through Landscapes. This will enable those working with the under fives to plan and manage high quality, creative outdoor play and learning in a safe environment - by way of an expert advice line, support materials, website resources, case studies and news. The first 3,000 settings will get a 50% reduction on the yearly subscription fee of £50. To subscribe or apply for an application pack, go to www.ltl.org.uk/earlyyearsoutdoors
Playwork South East news
Vanessa Roberts
Having spent the last year on secondment to West Sussex County Council, Vanessa has been offered the position permanently and has decided to accept it. We will miss her contribution within Playwork South East very much, but wish Vanessa the best of luck in this venture.
An advert for a new Development Manager will be appearing shortly.
November 2007
PSE and SkillsActive
Not sure about the connection between PSE and SkillsActive? All will be explained here.
Making the Change to Inclusion
An event run by KIDs attended by Tony Delahoy, PSE Endorsement & Quality Officer. Full details here.
Extended Services Seminar
Engaging Hearts & Minds, Reaching Strategic Goals.
A report on this joint PSE/London Centre event, plus copies of the presentations from Gordon Sturrock and ContinYou.
Spirit of Play 2007
Spirit of Play 2007 was held on Saturday 17th March in Chertsey, Surrey. More details here.
Elections
Playwork South East's AGM took place on 15th June 2006 when it was agreed that the Directors formally hand over to SkillsActive temporarily, who will now carry on the work the centre and at the same time identify a new host to take over later in the year.
Over the next few months Playwork South East will be reviewing its membership, structure and objectives to make sure they are fit for purpose.
Playwork South East will also be supported by an advisory group made up of representatives from the sector. If you are interested in contributing to this group or in finding out more information about the organisation, please email hanna@playwork.org.uk with your contact details and we will get in touch to have an informal chat about how you can contribute to the work of Playwork South East.
Playwork South East is a voluntary organisation that aims to support play and playwork across the region. Our key focus is around building capacity and access to good quality play opportunities for children and making sure that the training for playworkers meets the needs of employers. We are keen to make sure that we represent all sectors of the workforce and would welcome your involvement.
There are a number of benefits to getting involved with Playwork South East, not least the opportunity to discuss new developments and challenges facing play and playwork.
Business Plan
Playwork South East's Business Plan 2006-2007 is available here.
Legal Status
SkillsActive have recently taken on the employment of the South East Centre staff as the result of a number of issues. The work program will be carrying on with minimal interruption, including supporting and developing Re:Play and planning next year's Spirit of Play event. Existing funding will be ring-fenced for work in the region and new hosting arrangements will be explored later in the year.
August 30, 2006
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