30th June
New Confidential Advice Service for Children
You've got the Right is a new confidential advice service for children on human rights and equality law in England. This new service is provided by the Children's Rights Alliance for England and is aimed at children under 18 years old. It aims to answer such questions as:
Have you ever been stopped by the police and wondered why?
Do you need more information about your rights at school?
Do you have a say in seeing a parent who doesn't live with you?
Do you have trouble accessing services because of a disability?
Are you being bullied because of your race?
You've got the Right has legal experience to help you solve your problem. They can advise you over the phone or by email about the law, your human rights and what to do if you are being treated unfairly. Whilst the service is for anyone under the age of 18 they can advise adults calling on behalf of children.
You can call the freephone helpline on 0800 3288759 between 3.30pm and 5.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Alternatively you can email them at advice@crae.org.uk.
25th June
Play Day 2008 in Wakefield
Playday is the biggest annual play celebration in the country. On Playday each year, thousands of children take part in free play celebrations across the UK. Playday is partly about giving children and families a great day out, but it also aims to get across some serious messages about play and children.
This year’s Playday is taking place on Wednesday 6th August in Thornes Park in Wakefield. The theme is “Give us a Go” and will involve ‘risky’ play opportunities for children and young people.
We will be providing a wide range of FREE activities and play opportunities at the event for children and young people up to the age of 18, these include face painting, bouncy castles, DJ mixing, arts and crafts, sumo suits, large garden games, mobile archery, bungee run, grand national (with inflatable horses), jousting, circus skills, live band, straw bales and magician.
Children and their families will also be able to visit Wakefield Council’s swimming pools on Playday where each child can claim a free swim.
There will also be 2 satellite events being held in Airedale and Featherstone.
If you would like to be involved in any way or would like further information, please contact the Childcare and Market Development Programme on 01924 305630 or email information@wakefield.gov.uk.
20th June
Government Caves In Over Ofsted Registration Fees
The government has backed down over massive hikes to Ofsted registration fees for nurseries and childminders after strong objections from the sector. But children's minister Beverley Hughes has only agreed to slowly raise fees until 2010, when they will be reviewed again.
Speaking at the annual conference of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) in Manchester, Hughes said the government had decided to increase Ofsted fees gradually under a system of banding. She said: "I believe this will give reassurance and bring stability to the sector, whilst helping providers manage change."
The move has been warmly welcomed by the sector. Steve Alexander, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said: "The minister's announcement shows the government is listening to the concerns of providers."
Andrew Fletcher, director of communications at the National Childminding Association, added: "The childcare sector is going through considerable policy change with the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage and we are pleased the department has listened to these concerns and decided to pursue the more proportionate fee increases."
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA, said: "Members had huge concerns about the impact of the proposed fee increases upon their sustainability and potential increases for parents, and many felt it was a threat to viability."
The three bands will be: childminders, sessional or after-school care, and full daycare. Fees for the first two will increase by £5 a year to 2010, and fees for full daycare will increase by £20 a year.
source: Cathy Wallace, Children & Young People Now
Draft Strategy Out for Consultation
The Wakefield Early Childhood and Extended Services Strategy consultation document covers the development of a three year Early Childhood and Extended Services strategy. This covers planning for the 0 - 13 age range and is the lead plan for the local authority and key partners, who are represented on the Early Childhood and Extended Services Planning Group.
Improving positive outcomes for children and families, particularly in early childhood, has been a national priority for several years. This strategy affirms Wakefield’s intention to seize the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and families across the district through providing positive and early support to younger children and their families.
The document presents a brief overview of the elements and plans and provides information on how these will be implemented across the District, for example, the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment, delivery of the Children’s Centres and Extended Schools core offers and implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
It will allow for preventative services to be available to all children, with a clear focus on those most in need and identified as vulnerable.
If you would like to take part in this consultation go to http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/Education/EarlyYears/EarlyChildhoodandExtendedServicesStrategy2008-2011/Default.htm where you can download a copy of the Draft Strategy and then complete the online consultation form to feedback your comments. All responses should be received before the end of July. If you would like further information, please contact 01924 305630 or email information@wakefield.gov.uk
17th June
Wakefield Childcare Sufficiency Assessment and Childcare Development Plan
Along with the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) a Wakefield Childcare Development Plan has been established which supports the delivery of an effective childcare market by identifying action points arising from the CSA to narrow the gaps in the childcare market in order to meet the duty to secure sufficient childcare.
Both documents can be found at www.wakefield.gov.uk/education/earlyyears and by clicking on 'Childcare Sufficiency Assessment'. A full copy of both documents will also be available shortly in the following libraries:
- Airedale Library and Learning Centre
- Castleford Library
- Kettlethorpe Library
- Normanton Martin Frobisher Library & Environment Centre
- Ossett Library
- Pontefract Library
- South Elmsall Library
- Wakefield Drury Lane Library
- Wakefield Learning and Local Studies Library at Balne Lane
For further information call the Childcare and Market Development Programme on 01924 305630 or email information@wakefield.gov.uk
11th June
Disabled Children in Tax Credits Win
About 30,000 families with disabled children are to receive unclaimed tax credits thanks to disability campaigners. After pressure from Every Disabled Child Matters and Contact a Family, families will no longer have to contact HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to say they are receiving Disability Living Allowance in order to receive the disability element of tax credits. The charities convinced the government the current system was unfair. Instead, an automated system will identify and contact eligible parents.
At worst, families could have been missing out on up to £3,500 every tax year. Families who have lost out on cash will be able to get payments backdated for three months. However, it could take HMRC up to four months to identify all eligible families. The charities campaigned for a change in the system after research showed that parents were uninformed about how to claim tax credits.
Jill Harrison, external affairs director at Contact a Family, said: "We are delighted that those families who were missing out will now get their full benefit entitlements. It costs three times as much to raise a disabled child and with fuel and food bills escalating, families are struggling to make ends meet, so every penny counts."
source: www.cypnow.co.uk
Nursery Settings to Pilot a Children's Rights Approach
Nurseries in England are testing a United Nations-backed scheme to make children's rights an integral part of their services. Unicef aims to adapt its Rights Respecting Schools project for the early years sector by embedding the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into everyday practice.
Six local authorities are testing the approach to see how Rights Respecting Early Years Settings will work in practice. They are: Bracknell Forest; Dorset; Durham; Hampshire; Rochdale; and Wandsworth.
Hampshire's early years advisory teacher Pam Hand is co-ordinating the work: "The approach is something that should be happening in good early years practice anyway so, rather than introducing something extra, it aims to support good practice." She added the work would link in with Every Child Matters and the Early Years Foundation Stage.
The approach asks services to discuss the convention with children, increase their understanding of common experiences across cultures, develop their independence and ensure all children have a voice.
source: Tristan Donovan, Children & Young People Now
Young Carers Receive £6m Boost in Government's Latest Strategy
The government is to spend £6m to enhance suppport for young carers through children's services and schools.
The money was announced as part of the government's Carers Strategy, which was published yesterday (10 June). The funds will help identify earlier young people taking on inappropriate caring responsibilities and will be used to offer more joined-up support to their whole family.
Imelda Redmond, chief executive of Carers UK, said: "It is really important the family is seen as a whole and that they all get the support. What we need to see is children's services departments and adult services working more closely together."
Certain professionals will also receive training to help spot young carers.
Redmond said: "Healthcare professionals, discharge planning nurses and GPs all need to be aware that if a young person has an ill parent, who may also be a single parent, they have got to think through their support."
The strategy, launched by the Department of Health, also aims to ensure support is embedded in schools.
Alex Fox, assistant director for policy and service development at The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, said: "We welcome the focus on new resources for schools. There is a huge task to be done.
"We have just had new results back on research on young carers aged 16 plus, which show young carers are not getting picked up until it is too late to address their educational needs. The government needs to get more ambitious about every school having a young carers strategy and a lead professional who co-ordinates responsibility for young carers."
The government's consultation on the strategy found young carers have an attachment to their caring role. But Fox said the attachment is towards responsibility for their family member and not the role itself: "We shouldn't start from a point where we're saying young people want to do this or choose to do it. No one chooses something that's out of necessity."
source: Sarah Cooper, Children & Young People
10th June
Website for Fathers Goes Live
A website for dads to get parenting support has been launched by Family Matters Institute. The site, www.dadtalk.co.uk, has a forum where dads can talk to each other and contains articles, videos and podcasts which will help them to take part in debates.
They can also be signposted to specialist services through the site, which is being launched today.
The site has been established by a consortium involving Eastside Young Leaders Academy, Luton Young Leaders Academy, The Orangee Ltd and the Family Matters Institute.
Matt Buttery, chief executive of the Family Matters Institute said: "There is no single definition of a father and DadTalk explores that diversity, encouraging all dads to aspire to more for themselves and their kids."
The site is being funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families under the Parent Know-How scheme.
source: Sarah Cooper, Children & Young People Now
Families with Disabled Children to get Tax Benefits
Thousands more families with disabled children will be better off after realising they were entitled to tax credits. Up to 30,000 families were not getting the disability element of tax credits because they did not know to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) they were receiving Disability Living Allowance.
After work by Contact a Family, Every Disabled Child Matters, HMRC and the Department of Work and Pensions, the HMRC has found a way to identify the families currently missing out and give them the correct tax credits.
Officials have also put measures in place to make sure future claimants get their full entitlements. Now all new successful Disability Living Allowance claimants will have an orange card sent off to HMRC which acts as an alert and ensures they get their full entitlements immediately.
Jill Harrison, external affairs director for Contact a Family, said: "We are delighted that those families who were missing out will now get their full benefit entitlements and welcome the government's commitment to solving this situation."
Steve Broach, Every Disabled Child Matters campaign manager, added: "Once we realised so many parents could be affected we lobbied for government to commit to addressing the issue and secured its inclusion in Aiming High for Disabled Children. Now all those families will be better off as a result."
source: Sarah Cooper, Children & Young People Now
More Support Needed for Prisoners' Families
Children and families of prisoners need better help, a support group has said. Action for Prisoners' Families (APF) has revealed the Prisoners' Families Helpline, which it manages, has received nearly 17,000 calls in 15 months.
Most callers needed help with maintaining family contact and with navigating the prison system. However, the number of visitors to the Prisoners' Families Helpline website has also rocketed in recent years, rising from 12,350 in 2004 to 43,430 in 2007.
Lucy Gampell, APF director, said: "These are staggering numbers, which indicate the high level of need experienced by prisoners' families. Families and children are left in a state of shock and confusion when someone close to them is sent to jail. Most of them receive no help to guide them through the complex prison system and the psychological, financial and social upheaval that follows the imprisonment of a parent, partner, child or other family member."
source: Alison Bennett, Children & Young People Now
9th June
Free Books for School Children
Every five year old and 11 year old in England will be given free books by the end of the year. The charity Booktrust has announced it wants to give out more than 2m free books by Christmas.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families-supported project, which has attracted funding of more than £4m, will see reception-aged pupils get a free copy of Harry and the Dinosaurs go to School by Ian Whybrow.
Children in Year Seven will be able to choose their own book from a list of 12. All children will also be given free poetry anthologies. The idea is to encourage children to read for fun and pleasure.
Viv Bird, director of Booktrust, said: "These books have been chosen with great care to encourage the simple enjoyment of reading among five- and 11-year-olds when they start at primary and secondary school, which for some can be a stressful time."
source: Cathy Wallace, Children & Young People Now
2nd June
NCH to Rebrand as Action For Children
The UK's biggest children's charity is to change its name this September as part of a refocusing of its work.
NCH, which had the biggest income of any children and young person's charity in 2006/07, plans to relaunch as Action for Children. The move follows internal research that showed few members of the public knew about the charity despite its size.
The name change is being complemented by changes to improve the efficiency of the charity's back office services and plans to increase its campaigning work.
source: Tristan Donovan, Children & Young People Now
Parents Turn to Family to Cut Costs of Childcare
Parents are increasingly shunning formal childcare in favour of grandparents and family members, research has found. According to a survey of more than 7,000 parents in England, 84% of families have used some form of childcare. But the percentage using formal childcare was 54% - a drop from 57% in 2004.
More than 35% of parents still think childcare in their local area is too expensive. Families with lower household incomes were less likely to use formal childcare, meaning the most disadvantaged children could still be missing out. Nearly half of all families had used grandparents to care for children. One fifth used other relatives and a further fifth used friends and neighbours.
"Cost remains an important barrier to the use of childcare for some parents," the report said. "The evidence suggests overall that the ten-year childcare strategy has not had as much impact as intended, particularly in relation to the most disadvantaged children." The study was carried out by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
source: Cathy Wallace, Children & Young People Now