MORTON MICHEL

Jim Rose Primary school report
Children in England are to begin school from the September after they turn four. But their parents will be able to request that they stay at a day nursery until their formal education begins at five. The recommendation to lower the school starting age and bring it into line with Northern Ireland... [Read more...]

BUPA sells Teddies Nursery Group to Bright Horizons
The Teddies Nursery Group has been bought by Bright Horizons Family Solutions from BUPA for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition of the 32 Teddies nurseries, along with the 101 settings it has across the UK, means that the US-based Bright Horizons has overtaken Busy Bees as the UK’s largest nursery... [Read more...]

Steiner schools apply to opt out of EYFS
Almost all of England’s Steiner schools are applying to the Government for full or partial exemption from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). About 98 per cent of the Steiner schools – believed to be around 30 – are in the process of applying to the Department for Children, Schools... [Read more...]

Laing and Buisson report - Day nurseries get 11p an hour increase on free entitlement costs
Day nurseries in England received from the Government an average increase of only 11p per hour for delivery of the free early year’s entitlement for 2009, research by Laing and Buisson has found. The Laing and Buisson 2009 Children’s Nurseries UK Market Report found that just under... [Read more...]

Aspect EYP status call
The Government’s Early Year's Professional (EYP) strategy is being undermined by a “credibility gap” of low pay and status, a trade union representing early years workers has claimed. The trade union Aspect said the minimum needed to close the credibility gap was to see EYPs achieve full.... [Read more...]

ChildCare & Nursery Show 2009
Organisers of this year’s Childcare and Nursery Show are reporting a surge in uptake amongst exhibitors. Twenty new businesses have now booked space at the show in addition to those organisations already involved. Due to the success of last year’s show, this year’s event has been relocated to... [Read more...]

Autism in Northern Ireland.
An initiative to help early years professionals recognise the early signs of autism in young children in Northern Ireland is being piloted by three charities. The charities, Early Years, Barnardo’s and Autism NI, are piloting the Keyhole Autism Training programme for staff working in pre-schools and day... [Read more...]

New Children’s Commissioner for Scotland
The new Commissioner for Children and Young People in Scotland is to be Tam Baillie. Mr Baillie, who is currently Director of Policy for Barnardo’s Scotland, will replace current officeholder Kathleen Marshall later this month. He has worked at Barnardo’s since 2003. Previously Mr Baillie worked ... [Read more...]

Children’s laureates pick favourite children’s books
The five writers who have occupied the post of children’s laureate have chosen their seven favourite children’s books. The choices were made by Quentin Blake, Anne Fine, Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson and Michael Rosen to mark the tenth anniversary of the children’s laureateship. The... [Read more...]

Book Trust’s reading week
A bedtime reading campaign will be part of this year’s National Family Learning Week, which begins on 27 May. The campaign is being launched by the Book Trust and the charity is inviting carers and parents to take part. There are lots of resources on the charity’s website at www.booktrust.org... [Read more...]

Flexible Working hours extended
A new Bill will give Ofsted the legal duty to inspect and report on the effectiveness of Sure Start children’s centres in England. The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, will see Ofsted begin a full programme of inspections of children’s centres... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Nursery University opens in US
An eye-opening documentary about the competitive goings on as parents from different social and economic backgrounds try to place their young children in exclusive day nurseries in New York City has just opened in the US. Nursery University tells the story of five families attempting to place... [Read more...]

Boris blames Blyton
Boris Johnson, erstwhile journalist, MP, current Mayor of London and prospective Prime Minister (if the London Evening Standard is to be believed) claims he owes his writing style to Enid Blyton. The Evening Standard quotes Boris as saying, “She taught me everything I know.”... [Read more...]

OFSTED Childcare stats changed
The number of registered childminders in England is the lowest ever recorded, according to the latest statistics from Ofsted. The latest Ofsted figures show that as of 31 December 2008 there were only 61,929 registered childminders – 1,671 fewer than at the end of August 2008. This is the eighth... [Read more...]

Price Comparison Website
A proposed Government-run price comparison website of childcarers in England has been compared to eBay and Amazon by the Prime Minister. The website, which is anticipated to be up and running from early next year, will have a message board for parental feedback on childcare providers... [Read more...]

Government Healthy Eating
There appears to be confusion at the heart of government about what department is responsible for ensuring healthy eating and good food for children under five in England’s day nurseries and pre-schools. Is good food a health or education issue? The question was raised after Health Minister Ben... [Read more...]

Child Based Top Business
The Child Base nursery group has been recognised as being one of the top 100 medium-sized companies to work for in the UK. The Newport Pagnall, Buckinghamshire-based company, which has 35 day nurseries in the south-east of England and an annual turnover of £21.2m, was placed 90 in the Top... [Read more...]

Ruth Pimentel
Ruth Pimentel, the former head of England’s Early Years Foundation Stage, has become a non-executive director of the Child Base nursery group. Mrs Pimentel, who left her Government post in January saying that she wanted to spend more time with her family, took up her new appointment last... [Read more...]

Scotland Gaelic review
A review of Gaelic-medium early years and childcare provision in Scotland is currently being carried out by researchers from Edinburgh and Stirling universities. The researchers from the Stirling Institute of Education at the University of Stirling and Celtic and Scottish Studies at the University of... [Read more...]

Wales Expenditure on Children
Around £4.4bn has been spent in Wales on children by the Welsh Assembly Government. The amount in 2006-07 is more than a quarter (28 per cent) of the Welsh Assembly Government’s total budget Expenditure per child aged from birth to 17 rose from £5,600 in 2005-06 to £5,900 in ... [Read more...]

OFSTED Children's Centres
A new Bill will give Ofsted the legal duty to inspect and report on the effectiveness of Sure Start children’s centres in England. The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, will see Ofsted begin a full programme of inspections of children’s centres... [Read more...]

OFSTED LA Childcare data
The arrangements Ofsted uses to provide data about registered childcare providers to local authorities in England is changing from October. A new Information System for Parents and Providers (ISPP) will then be introduced. This will replace the current system, where Ofsted sends the data to local... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Sisters are doing it for your health
People who grow up with at least one sister are generally more balanced and happier adults, while those who grow up with no sisters tend to be more distressed, psychologists have found. Research by Liz Wright at De Montfort University and Professor Tony Cassidy of the University... [Read more...]

Nanny sues DeNiro
A former nanny to Robert De Niro has accused the Hollywood superstar of owing her more than $40,000 in overtime payments. Alexis Barry worked for the ‘Meet the Parents’ and ‘Raging Bull’ star and his wife, Grace Hightower, in 2006, looking after their son Elliot, now 11. She alleges... [Read more...]

Hungry and thirsty burglars target two US daycare centres
Burglars broke into two daycare centres in the United States on 30 March and got away with thousands of dollars of computer equipment, canned goods, nappies, sweets – and 15 gallons of milk. The thieves stole a $7,000 security camera, a laptop computer, a fax machine, a digital... [Read more...]

Gloucestershire school EYFS opt out
An independent school in Gloucestershire found to be “outstanding” by Ofsted when it was inspected just over a month ago has become the first in England to apply for exemption from parts of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Acorn School in Nailsworth, which is registered for 120 pupils aged three... [Read more...]

EYFS Consultation
The Government wants local authorities in England to be given powers to collect Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP) data and information about individual children from independent settings that are exempt from Ofsted registration and not funded under its free early years entitlement scheme... [Read more...]

Cambridge Review EYFS
A major report has warned that the primary curriculum in England is exerting a “downward thrust” on the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). The warning was given last month by the Cambridge Primary Review report Towards A New Primary Curriculum, which said the recent expansion... [Read more...]

CRB loophole exposed by German paedophile
A German paedophile who worked as a nurse on at least three children’s wards had passed four sets of criminal record checks in England despite a conviction for abusing young boys. Lars Gellner, 37, fled Cambodia in 2006 before he could stand trial for a series of attacks on children aged 12 to 19... [Read more...]

FSB warning over nursery closures
Hundreds of day nurseries across England may close as a result of the Government’s forthcoming extension of its free early years entitlement from 12.5 hours to 15 hours a week, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned. The FSB has called there to be a proper Regulatory Impact Assessment of the... [Read more...]

MHSA and children’s medicines
Over the counter cough and cold medicines should no longer be given to children under the age of six as there is no evidence that they work. The advice was given by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which said there “no robust evidence” that such medicines work and that they... [Read more...]

New Welsh law and child poverty
Local authorities in Wales will have to ensure there is free high-quality childcare in disadvantaged areas of the country, under a new proposed law that seeks to end child poverty in the country by 2020. The proposed Children and Families (Wales) Measure, which was laid before the National Assembly by Welsh... [Read more...]

Scotland heads inequality review
The charity Children in Scotland is to head a UK-wide research project to examine how improving the qualifications and skills of people working in early years can help reduce poverty and improve social inclusion. The two-year research project is part of a cross-European research programme that is also taking place... [Read more...]

Nanny of the Year competition announced
Nominations have opened for the Professional Nanny of the Year Award 2009. Now in its fifth year, this prestigious national award recognises the professionalism of nannies employed throughout the UK. The Award is organised by Voice: the union for education professionals. The 2008 winner, Debbie... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Boy thanks food bank with $100 deposit
A nine-year-old boy in Wisconsin has given $100 he received as a Christmas gift from his mother to local food shelter. Mykal Lake of Chetek gave the money to the Chetek Food Shelf to thank it for its help when his mother was unemployed for two years. He was given the money by his mother... [Read more...]

Pretty Woman star chooses home with children to Hollywood glitz
Hollywood actress Julia Roberts turned down an invitation to attend last month’s Oscars ceremony so that she could spend the night at home with her three children and her husband. The former Best Actress Academy Award winner was offered a place at the Los Angeles event on 22 February... [Read more...]

Ofsted children’s services director leaves post
The Government is committed to seeing all childcare professionals in England qualified to at least Level 3 – A-level standard – within the next six years. The announcement was made last month by Beverley Hughes at the launch the Government’s Next Steps for Early Learning and Childcare: Building... [Read more...]

Government wants all childcarers trained to Level 3 minimum within six years
The Government is committed to seeing all childcare professionals in England qualified to at least Level 3 – A-level standard – within the next six years. The announcement was made last month by Beverley Hughes at the launch the Government’s Next Steps for Early Learning and Childcare: Building... [Read more...]

Childcare costs in another inflation-busting rise
The cost of childcare in the UK has risen by almost double the rate of inflation over the past year and now costs between £8,600 and £20,800 a year, according to figures published last month by the Daycare Trust. The Trust’s annual Childcare costs survey 2009 said the typical yearly cost of a day nursery place... [Read more...]

Day nursery sector is economic dark cloud’s silver lining
An increase in demand for childcare is buoying up the UK day nursery during the economic downturn, according to Christie and Co. In its Business Outlook 2009 report published in mid-January, the specialist estate agents said childcare was one of the few sectors in the UK to benefit from the economic... [Read more...]

Controversial child database begins roll-out
The Government has finally launched the first implementation phase of its controversial children's database, ContactPoint, after months of delays. The information database covers every child in England and had been due to launch in December 2007 but was delayed following the loss of disks holding ... [Read more...]

Treetops to reopen Fulham state-of-the-art nursery
The Treetops Nursery Group is to reopen the Happy Times nursery site in Fulham that closed suddenly at the end of November. The Derby-based group has acquired the site of the former site of the Happy Times nursery and intends to open the state-of-the-art setting as Treetops Fulham on 23 March. The company ... [Read more...]

Parents need to be more responsible, leading early years academic warns
A leading early years academic has said that parents and families must take more responsibility for the choices they make about how they live their lives as their decisions could have far-reaching implications for their children’s development. The call by Kathy Sylva, Professor of Educational Psychology... [Read more...]

Ofsted information warning to day nurseries
Ofsted has told day nurseries in England to contact the Information Commissioner if they are concerned about information about their businesses obtained from the inspection watchdog by the independent data, statistics and analysis company Laing and Buisson. Ofsted said last week that it had had to... [Read more...]

Introducing Managers 'R' Us
Introducing Managers ‘R’ Us, the only on-line networking and resource site designed especially for Early Years & Childcare Managers. The site has been developed to enhance and support Managers in their role leading and managing staff teams. From recruitment to induction, each section is packed ... [Read more...]

Smacking of children equal to “electric fence to animals”
The smacking of children has been likened to being a deterrent similar to electric fences used to keep animals in a field. The vivid analogy was made in the Court of Appeal in Belfast last week by lawyers for Northern Ireland Children’s Commissioner Patricia Lewsley during her attempt to ban the physical... [Read more...]

Government spends £9m on phonics for early years and primary schools
The Government is to give £9m of funding for training to develop high-quality phonics in early year’s settings and primary schools in England. From April, 51 local authorities will join the 100 already doing the Communication, Language and Literacy Development programme designed to implement Sir... [Read more...]

Parents want more men to work as childcarers
More men should work in day nurseries and other early years settings, a survey of parents by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) has found. The survey of 1,009 parents found that more than half (55 per cent) of them wanted a male childcare worker for their nursery-aged children...[Read more...]

And Finally...

World Forum comes to Northern Ireland
Belfast is to be the venue of the 2009 World Forum on Early Care and Education this summer. The 2009 World Forum from 16 to 19 June marks the 10th Anniversary of World Forum Foundation and is expected to bring together more than 600 early childhood administrators, trainers, caregivers... [Read more...]

Smaller snacks on way?
The Government is reported to be about to ask manufacturers to shrink the size of chocolate bars and fizzy drinks. As part of its Change4Life campaign for healthy living Health Secretary Alan Johnson is to tell firms such as Mars, Coca-Cola, Britvic and Nestlé that smaller versions of... [Read more...]

Breaking news - New National Director announced for Early Years Foundation
The successor to Ruth Pimentel as head of the Early Years Foundation Stage in England is Sue Ellis. Ms Ellis, who has more than 30 years of experience in the early year’s sector including work as an Ofsted inspector, becomes National Director, Early Years on 1 February. She will be responsible for the development and... [Read more...]

Morton Michel Childcare Dash game
Have you played yet? Are you on the leadeboard? Have you seen the inspector yet? Please do forward to anyone who works in the childcare sector. To play Morton Michel Childcare Dash click here.

Ofsted on collision course with UNISON over plans to outsource early years inspections
The public service union UNISON intends to take legal action against Ofsted over its plans to outsource its early years inspections and restructure the organisation. Unison has sent Ofsted a pre-action legal letter just before Christmas asking it to revoke the proposals on the grounds that Ofsted has not complied... [Read more...]

Government will not bail out childcare sector during recession
The Government will not give financial support to childcare sector businesses that are struggling financially as a result of the recession. The Department for Children, School and Families (DCSF) said financial support was not an option for the sector, following closure of the London-based Happy Times group at the end of... [Read more...]

New vetting scheme continues to take shape
The vetting and barring of people working with children and vulnerable adults in England and Wales is to be run by the newly created Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) from 20 January. The scheme covers all people who work or volunteer, or seek to work or volunteer, with children or vulnerable adults. In Wales alone... [Read more...]

Scotland unveils its Early Years Framework for children and families
Schools across Scotland have been invited to join in a year-long celebration of Scotland's culture, heritage and contributions Scotland has made to the world has begun. Homecoming Scotland 2009, which takes place on the 250th anniversary of the birth of author and poet Robert Burns, want schools across Scotland ... [Read more...]

Northern Ireland teachers strike for parity
Improvements to the life chances of Scotland’s children and tacking social inequalities are at the heart of the Early Years Framework launched last week by the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). The Scottish Government said the Framework, which was developed in collaboration... [Read more...]

Two year olds need to face forward in buggies, psychologist argues
Young children aged two and up should be in forward-facing buggies to let them see the world around them, a chartered psychologist and early years specialist has advised. The advice from Jennie Lindon follows research by Dr Suzanne Zeedyk of the University of Dundee, who found that 86 per cent of children aged from ... [Read more...]

Early years recognised in New Year's Honours
Professor Tina Bruce has been awarded the CBE in the New Year’s Honours in recognition of more than 40 years of work in early years. Tina, visiting professor of Early Childhood Studies at the University of Roehampton, which she co-founded in 1986, has been the early year’s pedagogue for more than 100 local authorities... [Read more...]

Eighth award for primary teacher's child safety invention
A primary school teacher in Aberdeenshire has received her eighth award for her child safety invention that links children together when walking outside. Elaine Stephen, from Buchanhaven School in Aberdeenshire, received the John Logie Baird Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit for the Walkodile, a flexible central spine ... [Read more...]

Scotland's year of cultural celebration and exploration
A primary school teacher in Aberdeenshire has received her eighth award for her child safety invention that links children together when walking outside. Elaine Stephen, from Buchanhaven School in Aberdeenshire, received the John Logie Baird Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit for the Walkodile, a flexible central spine ... [Read more...]

Morton Michel Monthly Draw
This month we have an amazing prize kindly donated by GALT Educational. Please scroll down to see how you can enter the draw to win this truly fantastic item which has retail value of £622... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Lifestyles of the rich and famous, ABC style
Eddy Groves, the former head of ABC Learning Centres, is reported to be about to remarry in Australia. According to The Gold Coast Mail, Thursday 15 January may be the day the ousted ABC Chief Executive will marry his partner, former ABC employee Viryan Collins-Rubie, following his divorce late... [Read more...]

Washington union takes action on behalf of home childcarers
A union representing home-based childcarers in the United States has begun legal action against the governor of Washington for failing to fund a pay contract for 2009 to 2011. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 925, which represents home-based childcarers, filed its suit on 6 January... [Read more...]

Lib Dems childcare proposals
An extension of the free early years entitlement to 20 hours per week and for children from the age of 20 months is among proposals for the future of childcare in England by the Liberal Democrats. In The Best Start for Children, The Best Deal for Families published last week, the Lib Dems set out their vision for the future. As well [Read more...]
Morton Michel Chldminder wins Childminder of the Year Award
A Derbyshire-based childminder has won the first-ever Nursery World Childminder of the Year Award, which was sponsored by Morton Michel. Sarah-Jane Turner, who has worked as a childminder in Dronfield for eight years, was unable to attend the ceremony in London on 21 November because her five-year-old son was in [Read more...]
Aberdeen Children Save
School children in Aberdeen have shown that they are not too young to learn the importance of saving and spending money wisely. On a recent visit to Walker Road Primary School in the city, Schools Minister Maureen Watt was told about the School Saving Service, operated by the North East Scotland Credit Union (NESCU) [Read more...]
Baby P
Ofsted has called for urgent action to reform the serious case review system set up to ensure that lessons are learnt when a child dies or is seriously injured as a result of abuse or neglect. The call was made last week and follows several weeks of social turmoil following the revelations about the circumstances of the [Read more...]
CWDC EY Qualifications
The Children’s Workforce Development Council (CWDC) is developing a new Qualifications List for professionals delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage in England. The Leeds-based organisation said it had reviewed the qualifications held on the Early Years and Playwork Qualifications Database and had placed [Read more...]
Daycare raises the bar
Poor pay and conditions still blight the childcare workforce despite a decade of Government investment in the sector, a report by the Daycare Trust and the TUC has found. The report, Raising the bar: What next for the early childhood education and care workforce?, found that although the Government had made substantial [Read more...]
Silent night, peaceful night
A bright and colourful leaflet in the style of an Advent calendar is advising parents and carers how to ensure that young children do not have any accidents in the home during the festive season. The leaflet, ‘Tis the season to be careful, has been produced jointly by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and [Read more...]
Two year olds pledge backtrack
The Government has denied that it is backtracking on the Prime Minister’s pledge that all two-year-olds will have free childcare. The denial was made by the Department for Children, Schools and Families after the Conservatives claimed that small print in the Pre-Budget report published on 24 November showed that the [Read more...]
Happy Times group closes
The London-based Happy Times nursery group has gone out of business. The nursery group’s four day nurseries in Battersea, Fulham, Hammersmith and Richmond closed their doors without notice on 28 November. The telephone line to the company’s head office has been disconnected and all contact information has been [Read more...]
Monthly Draw
Win a box full of puppets! [Read more...]

And Finally...

Christmas cheer
The PA company for the Topshop fashion clothing group must have been kept busy after supermodel Kate Moss decided to treat her daughter's nanny to a £3,000 shopping spree at the said emporium. In the spirit of Christmas cheer Kate apparently encouraged Mary Davidson, nanny to her six-year-old ... [Read more...]

Christmas jeer
Croydon Council’s education chief has resigned after being revealed to be a former member of the Provisional IRA. Maria Gatland, a Conservative councilor, was a member of the terrorist organisation for a year in the early 1970s, when she was known as Maria Maguire. Her earlier life as an Irish Republican terrorist ... [Read more...]

EYFS head resigns
Ruth Pimentel has resigned as head of the Early Years Foundation Stage after three years in the post. However, her employer, Capita, said she will not be leaving her post of National Director, Early Years until her successor is appointed... [Read more...]

Ofsted admits EYFS may be a factor in declining childminder numbers
The introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage in England two months ago may be driving some registered childminders out of the sector. The admission by Ofsted was made at the end of last week following the publication of the latest figures of childcare providers which show that, as of 31 August.... [Read more...]

EYFS opt-out process is “difficult and time-consuming”
Concerns about the complexity of the exemption process from the Early Years Foundation Stage in England and the length of time needed to undertake it have been expressed by practitioners. The process is lengthy and not straightforward as it requires ongoing consultation with... [Read more...]

Busy Bees still buzzing about 25th anniversary celebrations despite problems Down Under
Busy Bees, the UK’s largest day nursery group, has celebrated its 25th anniversary at a reception in the House of Commons in mid-October. The event was attended by all of Busy Bees’ long-serving employees, who have worked for the company for more than 20 years, as well as... [Read more...]

The former Director of the Workplace Nurseries Campaign has joined the Department for Children, Schools and Families
In last month's Government reshuffle Baroness Delyth Morgan became Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Children, Young People and Families. She has joined the department from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills where she was Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Intellectual Property... [Read more...]

Settings chew over latest nursery food report findings
A Soil Association report has criticised the quality of food that some day nurseries in England and Wales give to young children. The Soil Association report, Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie, produced in conjunction with Organix and published last month, said that young children “are not getting the healthy start they deserve”... [Read more...]

Changes to vetting of childcare staff on way
Volunteers and those on placements working with children are to be the first people to be assessed by the Government's new vetting and barring scheme. The scheme is to be introduced next October by the Independent Safeguarding Authority, a statutory body established by the Government under the Safeguarding... [Read more...]

Smacking not an issue for parents in Scotland
Most parents in Scotland have no major problems managing their children's behaviour and few say they smack their children to discipline them. The survey, in the report, What Scottish parents tell us, published last month, found that only five per cent of parents had smacked their child “fairly often” or “sometimes”... [Read more...]

And Finally...

And finally...Gone to pot
A childcare centre on an American air force base in New Mexico has been temporarily closed following an anonymous tip-off that some of its staff were using recreational drugs. According to Kirtland Air Force base personnel, three employees have been fired and are facing charges of drug possession... [Read more...]

And finally...Silly chili
A teacher at a childcare centre in Singapore has pleaded guilty of rubbing an extremely spicy chilli on the face and mouth of a four-year-old boy after he was about to throw a wooden stick playfully in the direction of her three-year-old son, who also went to the same centre... [Read more...]

Call for schools to boycott Foundation Stage target-setting for five year olds
A leading early years consultant has called for schools across England not to comply with the setting of targets around literacy for five year olds under the Foundation Stage Profile. The call has been made by Margaret Edgington, an independent consultant who is growing increasingly concerned about what she... [Read more...]

Brown's childcare pledge for two-year-olds gets mixed reception from sector
Gordon Brown’s pledge to create free nursery places for all two year olds has received a cautious welcome from the early years sector. In his keynote speech at the Labour Party conference last month the Prime Minister said he wanted Britain to be among the leading nations in pre-school services. He told delegates:... [Read more...]

Childminder names and addresses not being published on Ofsted website
The names and addresses of home-based registered childminders in England will not be published on Ofsted's website. The decision follows a consultation with childcarers, parents and local authorities by the education and childcare watchdog earlier this year. As a result, the Ofsted website has only limited information ... [Read more...]

Nanny professionalism to be discussed at conference
A one-day national conference for nannies is to held at one of England’s leading nanny training colleges next year. The conference on 26 September 2009 at Chiltern College in Reading, Berkshire, will be free to nannies. It is being organised by the college in partnership with VOICE, the Union for childcare and education... [Read more...]

Government signs UN Convention on children's rights and is criticised by UN for allowing smacking
Although the Government has finally signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child it has been criticised by the UN for not outlawing the smacking of children by their parents. On 22 September Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the Government had decided to remove the immigration-based reservation to Article 22 of ... [Read more...]

Free childcare to help low-income families to work
Although the Government has finally signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child it has been criticised by the UN for not outlawing the smacking of children by their parents. On 22 September Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said the Government had decided to remove the immigration-based reservation to Article 22 of ... [Read more...]

There is such a thing as a free lunch - for primary schoolchildren in Scotland
All pupils in the first three years of primary school in Scotland are to be entitled to free school meals from August 2010 following successful pilot schemes in five local authorities across the country. The pilot schemes covered 35,000 children in primary schools in Fife, East Ayrshire, Glasgow City, West Dunbartonshire... [Read more...]

Expectant fathers get own antenatal programme
An antenatal programme for expectant fathers has been launched by the Fatherhood Institute. The Hit the Ground Crawling antenatal programme is the UK version of a groundbreaking American antenatal peer support programme for dads-to-be. The Abergavenny-based Institute is offering training for Sure Start children’s... [Read more...]

Improved detection of autism planned for Northern Ireland
A redesign of Northern Ireland’s pre-school health visiting programme in order to promote the early identification of autism and developmental delay in children is on the cards. The redesign is part of three-year action plan to improve autism services for people of all ages affected by the condition, which was launched by... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Morton Michel commended
Morton Michel has been commended in this year’s prestigious UK Broker of the Year Awards. The company was a runner-up in the Marketing Campaign of the Year category for its ChildCare Club. The awards ceremony was held in London on 19 September... [Read more...]

Teacher of the Year
Pepe Rahman Hart, head teacher of Trinity Church of England Primary in Radstock, near Bath, is the winner of the ITV teacher of the Year award. Ms Hart has been the head teacher since the school opened three years ago when two local schools merged. As a result of her hard work and determination, she has... [Read more...]

Out with the old, in with the new(er)
John Denver is out, while Snow Patrol, Blur and Radiohead are in, when it comes to songs being featured in the revamped music curriculum for Junior Certificate students in the Republic of Ireland. A report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment proposes that newer songs should be introduced into ... [Read more...]

Unicef tetanus campaign gets backing from Pampers in US
Hollywood actress Salma Hayek is leading a Unicef campaign to help young mothers fight tetanus in Africa. The ‘From Dusk To Dawn’ star, who is a new mother, was so moved by the efforts teenagers are taking to stay healthy on a recent fact-finding mission to West Africa that she felt compelled to tell Americans... [Read more...]

Creative Minds Issue 3 now available
The Autumn issue of Creative Minds digital magazine is now ready for you to view by clicking here.

Government propaganda Early Years Foundation Stage becomes statutory in England
The controversial Early Years Foundation Stage has begun with neither a bang nor a whimper but a low-key Government campaign in an attempt to undermine its critics. Nicknamed the “nanny curriculum” because of its emphasis on 69 learning goals which include two controversial goals around children’s literacy... [Read more...]

Childminder numbers in England continue to fall
The number of registered childminders in England has fallen to 64,300 - the lowest number ever. The figures, published by Ofsted last month, show that the number of childminders has fallen for the sixth consecutive quarter from a peak of 72,700 in June 2004. There are now 8,400 fewer childminders than four years... [Read more...]

Foundation Phase introduced in Wales
The rolling out of the Foundation Phase in Wales on 1 September has been hailed as a “landmark day” for the country by First Minister Rodhri Morgan. He made his comment during a visit to Brynnau primary school in Brynna, near Llanharan in Rhonnda Cynon Taff, with Education Minister Jane Hutt, and said the... [Read more...]

ABC sells Busy Bees Childcare Vouchers for £90 million
Busy Bees ChildCare Vouchers has been sold for £90 million to Computershare, the Australian listed share registration company. The sale by ABC Learning Centres, which has been in financial turmoil since February when its share price collapsed from AUS $5 to 54 cents, was completed on 2 September... [Read more...]

Parent and relatives top for childcare in Scotland
Maintained or private day nurseries are the most popular types of childcare apart from a parent or relative, the 2007 Scottish Household Survey has found. The survey, which was published last month, found that the most common types of childcare in Scotland are either a parent or other adult in the household (45 per... [Read more...]

Play on the agenda for disabled children in Wales
Every local authority in Wales is to be monitored by the Children’s Commissioner’s office to ensure that they implement the play strategy for disabled children which is part of the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP), which became law at the start of September... [Read more...]

Child poverty affects health for life, report finds
Children from disadvantaged families in the UK are more likely to be born underweight and suffer more ill-health during their lifetime compared to babies born in the richest families, a report by the End Child Poverty campaign has warned. The report, Childhood Poverty and Adult Health, also said that children born in ... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Childcare for babies “is abuse”, claims Australian author
A leading Australian children’s author has caused controversy down under with her claim that placing babies into childcare is a form of abuse. According to leading children’s author Mem Fox, the 62-year-old author of the best-selling books Possum Magic, Koala Lou and Where Is The Green Sheep?, Australian... [Read more...]

Tradition leads the way in Welsh baby names
Parents in Wales are turning to the tradition and the Bible to name their babies, The Western Mail reports, with Isaac, Rhys and Carys among the most popular baby names in Wales. A review of more than 121,000 names on the Children’s Mutual Trust accounts database has found that Rhys, Kian and Dominic were... [Read more...]

Budget cuts cut California childcare
The Sacramento, California-based childcare business I-5 has run out of money and has been forced to shut its doors indefinitely as a result of the current political stalemate over the state budget, which by 2 September was more than 60 days overdue... [Read more...]

Man found dead in ABC nursery grounds
As if things haven’t been bad enough for the troubled Australian company ABC Learning Centres recently, the body of a dead man has been found outside one of its day nurseries in Canberra. On 31 August a man in his 20s was found stabbed to death in the grounds of the ABC Learning Centre on Giles Street... [Read more...]

Daycare helps prevent child obesity in USA
Children in the United States who attended a daycare centre or nursery school before starting kindergarten at five are less likely to be overweight that those who are been cared for by parents, friends or relatives, according to a report in the journal Pediatrics. A study of almost 16,000 first-time kindergarten... [Read more...]

Open Eye's second open letter
The ongoing war of words between the Open EYE campaign and the Government for the hearts and minds of England's childcarers and parents continues. On 24 July the Open EYE campaign against the statutory literacy and numeracy goals of the Early Years Foundation Stage, published a second Open Letter... [Read more...]

Analysts warn nurseries of possible recession in sector
The UK day nursery sector may be on the brink of recession and have to make redundancies as a result of the economic downturn, a leading firm of industry analysts has warned. A report by Plimsoll Analysis published last month said that of 301 UK day nursery businesses that it had assessed, 119 were in danger of... [Read more...]

Nanny cleared of manslaughter of baby
A nanny accused of the manslaughter of a 13-month-old baby has walked free from court after the judge directed the jury to find her not guilty. Linda Wise, 47, went free after the ruling on 25 July, which came at the end of a five-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The prosecution had argued that Isaac died as a result... [Read more...]

Three-year-old among young children excluded from Welsh schools
A nanny accused of the manslaughter of a 13-month-old baby has walked free from court after the judge directed the jury to find her not guilty. Linda Wise, 47, went free after the ruling on 25 July, which came at the end of a five-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The prosecution had argued that Isaac died as a result... [Read more...]

Foundation Phase faces funding support staff problems
A nanny accused of the manslaughter of a 13-month-old baby has walked free from court after the judge directed the jury to find her not guilty. Linda Wise, 47, went free after the ruling on 25 July, which came at the end of a five-week trial at Liverpool Crown Court. The prosecution had argued that Isaac died as a result... [Read more...]

Parents “willing to pay for Early Years Professionals”
More than half of parents using daycare want Early Years Professionals in nurseries and are prepared to pay more for the previlege, a survey for the Children's Workforce Development Council has found. The survey of 1,009 mothers and fathers across England found that 54 per cent of parents would pay more for... [Read more...]

Three reports highlight the rising cost of holiday childcare
The cost of holiday childcare and the effects of the ongoing credit crunch on parents spending have been revealed in three reports published in the past month. The most recent, a survey for Busy Bees of 200 after-school clubs and holiday clubs [— and I must go on record here and state that I was... [Read more...]

”Oh we do like to be beside the seaside ... in Spain, France, Italy, anywhere but the UK ...”
English children are more likely to have holidayed abroad than they are to have been on a British beach holiday, a survey for Travel Lodge has found. The survey of children aged five to 12 found that although more than three-quarters (78 per cent) had been abroad, only 10 per cent had ever visited the British coast, ... [Read more...]

Coram gets £100,000 donation from Lloyd's businesses
Coram, the UK’s oldest children’s charity, has received more than £100,000 from insurance brokers and underwriters that are members of Lloyd’s of London. The money, which was the largest corporate donation the charity has ever received, was raised during June when four teams from Marketform, Willis... [Read more...]

Ireland's young children to be vaccinated against meningitis and hepatitis B
Ireland’s routine childhood immunisation programme to be expanded from next month to include vaccines against pneumococcal meningitis and hepatitis B. Immunisation guidelines published on 28 July said that the new vaccines will be given in three doses to children aged two months, four months and 12 months, resulting... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Lowe and nanny both claim court victory
The ongoing legal dispute between Rob Lowe and his ex-nanny Jessica Gibson took another twist at the end of July when both claimed victory in her legal battle with the actor. On 31 July a judge threw out four of the Hollywood star’s claims against her in court on 31 July. But Superior Court Judge Denise... [Read more...]

Nanny of the Year 2008 named
Debbie Darnborough, 26, from Church Stretton in Shropshire, is the Professional Nanny of the Year 2008. She currently cares for three children aged seven, four and five months. The runners up were Sophie Mitchell, 27, from Morden, Surrey, who is currently caring for two children aged two-and-a-half and one... [Read more...]

Government wants female brickies
The Government is reported to be urging teenage girls to become bricklayers and mechanics and more male school-leavers to take up childcare and hairdressing apprenticeships in order to plug gaps in the labour market. Skills Secretary John Denham told the Daily Mirror that not enough girls are training for what... [Read more...]

Government goes ahead with EYFS literacy goals despite growing concerns
The Government's decision to review and not suspend two controversial literacy Early Learning Goals has been criticised by leading early years academics.The literacy goals are that by around the age of five, most children will be able to, use their phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically... [Read more...]

Head of Early Years Foundation Stage defends literacy goals
The national director of the Foundation Stage has sought to defend the two literacy Early Learning Goals. In an interview conducted four days before Beverley Hughes said there is to be a review of the two goals in two years time, Ruth Pimentel defended them. She said: “The Early Learning Goals have been around... [Read more...]

Government's Ofsted fee U-turn
The Government’s U-turn over proposed huge increases in fee banding for Ofsted registration has come as a great relief to day nurseries and childminders across England. The announcement of the Government’s decision not to press ahead with proposals that would have seen fees rocket by 500 per cent for... [Read more...]

Welsh Assembly Government gives extra £5m to help Foundation Phase roll-out
The Welsh Assembly Government is to provide an extra £5 million to safeguard the roll-out of the Foundation Phase. The £5 million is on top of the £25 million for the roll-out of the Foundation Phase from September. Jane Hutt, education minister, said: “My commitment to the Foundation Phase has never wavered... [Read more...]

Creative Minds digital magazine
Click here to view the Summer 2008 issue of Creative Minds. Full of inspirational ideas to keep your children occupied throughout the summer

Northern Ireland nurseries granted taxi licence temporary exemption
Nurseries and after-school clubs in Northern Ireland that transport children in vehicles have been granted temporary exemption from needing to have taxi licences. The Department of the Environment said last week that the exemption had been granted while a review of transport services operated by them takes... [Read more...]

School staff in two-day pay strike
School support staff will be among 600,000 local government workers to go on a two-day strike for higher salaries later this month. The industrial action by members of the Unison trade union on 16 and 17 July will affect schools and local council services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The action... [Read more...]

Healthy meals and menus for Scotland's primary schools
Unhealthy snacks will be a thing of the past in primary schools across Scotland when the autumn term begins next month. Legislation passed in the Scottish Parliament means that from August primary schools will no longer provide sweets and fizzy drinks for children. Instead they will offer children at least two portions... [Read more...]

Healthy meals and menus for Scotland's primary schools
Unhealthy snacks will be a thing of the past in primary schools across Scotland when the autumn term begins next month. Legislation passed in the Scottish Parliament means that from August primary schools will no longer provide sweets and fizzy drinks for children. Instead they will offer children at least two portions... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Working mothers
More working parents in Australia are managing childcare by themselves rather than seek the services of formal provision, research by the Australian Institute of Family Studies found. Nearly one third of families where both parents are working and have young children are opting for parent-only-care... [Read more...]

Baby botherers
Two child welfare groups in the United States have criticised The Baby Borrowers, a reality show on NBC intended to give teenage couples a taste of what it is like to be parents of babies and toddlers. The group Zero to Three said the programme “exploits young children with potential harmful consequences”... [Read more...]

Leading early years academics voice concerns over literacy early learning goals
A group of early years academics has written to the minister for children to voice concerns over two of the 69 Early Learning Goals contained in the Early Years Foundation Stage, which becomes statutory for all day nurseries and childminders from September. The Early Education Advisory Group, whose... [Read more...]

Creative Minds - Issue 2 now available
We are delighted to announce that Issue 2 of Creative Minds digital magazine is now available for you to view by clicking here

Steiner schools get accomodated by EYFS
Steiner schools and kindergartens in England have been told by the Government that they can continue without being compromised by the Early Years Foundation Stage. In a letter to the Steiner Waldorf Schools Fellowship, Beverley Hughes, minister for children, said: “The EYFS is designed as a flexible, play-based... [Read more...]

Fewer families are using formal childcare, Government survey finds
The percentage of families using formal childcare has fallen slightly over the past three years from 57 per cent to 54 per cent, a survey for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has found. The Childcare and Early Years Survey 2007: Parents’ Use, Views and Experiences, produced by the National... [Read more...]

Foundation Phase “needs more money to succeed”
The Foundation Phase in Wales will need more money if it is to succeed, the education minister has admitted. In a statement for a meeting of the Welsh Assembly Government’s cross-party finance committee on 22 May, Jane Hutt said: “I am quite clear that the amount currently allocated within my budget for future... [Read more...]

Government acknowledges worth of social enterprise day nurseries
The Government has voiced its support of the work of community nurseries run as social enterprises as a means of helping to address child poverty. At the launch in Westminster last month of the report Social enterprise: A childcare solution for London? by Capacity, a not-for-profit public interest body, Graham Archer... [Read more...]

Childcare hard to find for parents in Northern Ireland
Many families in Northern Ireland are having difficulties in finding childcare and want the Northern Ireland Executive to do something about the shortage of care providers, a survey for the Northern Ireland Childminding Association has found. The survey, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, was carried out by... [Read more...]

Family mealtimes may hold key to child obesity
Child obesity and poor performance at school may be linked to a decline in traditional family mealtimes, according to research from the University of Wales, Newport. Research carried out among 450 nine-year-old children from 18 primary schools across Newport by the Dyscovery Centre at Newport University in south... [Read more...]

Unhealthy options soon to go from Scottish primary school menu
Sweets and fatty foods are to disappear from menus in Scottish primary schools from this August. Under regulations introduced in the Scottish Parliament last month, from the start of the autumn term all primary schools will have to offer at least two portions of fruit and vegetables every lunchtime provide pupils... [Read more...]

Think-tank wants new curriculum for children aged five to seven
A leading left-of-centre think-tank wants to see a new curriculum for five- to seven-year-old children created in primary schools with learning through play at its heart. The call by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) was made last month in the report Thursday’s Child, which looked at the successes and failures... [Read more...]

Disabled child's story makes Welsh book shortlist
A book telling the story of how a journalist coped after her son was diagnosed with a devastating brain injury soon after his birth has been shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year 2008. Nia Wyn’s Blue Sky July, which has won huge critical acclaim since it was published last October, is a personal diary written to help... [Read more...]

Cartoon helps Irish pre-school children learn about Travellers
A cartoon programme to help tackle the exclusion of Traveller children is being rolled out in nurseries and playgroups across Northern Ireland. The programme, which has been shown on national television across the whole of Ireland on UTV, Channel Four and RTE, focuses on the simple story of a Traveller child... [Read more...]

And Finally...

‘West Wing’ star goes after nannies and drops lawsuit against chef
Further to last month’s news that Rob Lowe and his wife Sheryl were suing two former nannies comes the news that the former ‘West Wing’ actor has dropped a lawsuit filed against his former chef after he reportedly agreed to provide information on the nannies, who have accused the star of sexual... [Read more...]

Spider-Boy has soft landing
Four-year-old Dejohn Torres jumped 25 feet from the second-floor balcony of his grandparents' apartment in Miramar, Florida, having been inspired to do so by Spider-Man, The Miami Herald reports. He landed in the bushes below with only a few bumps and bruises, then wandered around for about 45... [Read more...]

Childminder numbers fall to new low in England while nursery numbers continue to rise
There are now fewer than 65,000 registered childminders in England, Government figures show. Statistics published by Ofsted on 28 April show that by 31 March 2008 there were 64,648 childminders offering 298,600 places to children under the age of seven. This was 1,128 fewer than at 31 December 2007... [Read more...]

Computer and DVD use at young age inhibit children's development
Children’s long-term development may be harmed by exposure to computers and technology at too young an age. The warning has been given by internationally respected psychologist Dr Aric Sigman in his report, Does not compute: Screen technology in early years education, published at the beginning of May. In the... [Read more...]

Childcarers have lowest qualifications and are worst paid in human services workforce
People who work in childcare in England and Scotland have the lowest qualifications and are the worst paid the entire human services workforce, an analysis of the Labour Force Survey for the Department for Children, Skills and Families (DCSF) has found. The analysis is contained in the report, Working Together: Volume 1, ... [Read more...]

Welsh Assembly Government gives extra £5m to help Foundation Phase roll-out
The Welsh Assembly Government is to provide an extra £5 million to safeguard the roll-out of the Foundation Phase. The £5 million is on top of the £25 million for the roll-out of the Foundation Phase from September. Jane Hutt, education minister, said: “My commitment to the Foundation Phase has never wavered. In... [Read more...]

BBC denies “dodgy chronology” and Whistleblower inconsistencies
The BBC has denied that its reporter was turned down by any other day nurseries for its Whistleblower programme on childcare, screened earlier this year. Asked how many other day nurseries reporter Imogen Willcocks was turned down before securing jobs at two day nurseries, a BBC spokeswoman... [Read more...]

Well-meaning nurseries give young children inappropriate food
Day nurseries are giving young children too much fruit and vegetables and not enough food appropriate to their energy and nutrition needs, a report by East Sussex Trading Standards has found. The report, Nippers’ nutrition: A study into the nutritional quality of meals supplied by local nurseries for children less than five... [Read more...]

Watch those fingers!
With approximately 40,000 finger-trapping accidents occurring each year, door safety has become a headache for those responsible for Health and Safety in their childcare facilities. Finger-trapping accidents are not only painful and distressing for the victim but also those who witness the accident and have to... [Read more...]

Loss of start-up grant will increase Northern Ireland childminder shortage - warning
Northern Ireland has too few childminders to meet the demand of parents for home-based childcare and the shortage could worsen following the withdrawal of a £400 start-up grant for small businesses in the province. The warning was given last month by the Northern Ireland Childminding Association (NICMA)... [Read more...]

Proposal of informal childcare payment to parents dismissed by Conservatives
The Conservative Party has been quick to distance itself from proposals by a centre-right think-tank that would see parents with children aged up to three receive between £50 and £60 a week to spend on formal or informal childcare. The Policy Exchange made its suggestion in the report Little Britons, published on 21... [Read more...]

Country life doesn't appeal to urban children
Children and young people living in towns and cities don’t visit the countryside enough, a countryside campaign group has claimed. A survey of 1,000 school pupils living in urban districts of England by the campaign group Year of Food and Farming found that one in five children and young people never left their urban... [Read more...]

Violent assaults double on children under 10 in England and Wales
The number of children going to hospital after sustaining violent injuries has more than doubled in England and Wales. Figures compiled by the Violence and Society Research Group at Cardiff University show that in 2007 an estimated 8,067 children from birth to the age of 10 were injured, compared to 3,805 in 2006... [Read more...]

Extended schools survey
A survey about extended schools in England is being conducted by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills (DCSF). The DCSF said the survey of senior managers in schools, as well as face-to-face interviews with pupils and parents, was to enable better understanding of “views about the... [Read more...]

And Finally...

Nanny trouble in Hollywood
war of words and lawsuits has broken out between two former nannies employed by actor Rob Lowe and his wife Sheryl. Laura Boyce, who worked for the Lowe family until she was fired last November, was sued by the Lowes last month over claims she violated confidentiality terms. She has countersued... [Read more...]

Miley Cyrus “is wealthiest child in the world”
Last month few people in the UK had heard of Destiny Hope Cyrus, 15-year-old daughter of American country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, best-known in the UK for his one hit song ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ in 1992. But that was until photographs of his daughter, known by her nickname Miley, appeared in Vanity Fair magazine... [Read more...]

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