“I left school at 16, pregnant, with no qualifications. Some may argue I was not a great role model for today’s young people. The direction of my life was set but something happened. Labour’s Sure Start centres gave me and my friends, and our children, the help and support we needed to grow and develop. … More A Strong Team in place: time to take the fight to the Tories
LFoSS volunteer Aisha Afzali reports: On the 12th of July 2016 Parliament held a debate concerning ‘Early Years Development and School Readiness’. It was interesting to witness various perceptions and ideas on the matter. Whilst this matter is quite complex to summarise I would personally split this debate into three parts; initiatives, outcomes and reflections.
Finally all our pestering has paid off! At last the Government have relented and announced a timescale for their long-delayed consultation on the future of Children’s Centres. It’ll now be in Summer 2016 – exactly a year after it was first announced. Still: better late than never. Worryingly, rather than the inclusive, stand alone consultation we … More Hallejuah!
Oh dear. The Government has been caught red-handed trying to hide politically embarrassing new research on the impact of Sure Start. Politically embarrassing because this same Government has halved Sure Start funding and is constantly talking the programme down. Awkwardly the new Oxford University research proves once again that Sure Start provides a truly transformative service for … More Sure Start works. Government policy doesn’t.
Childcare providers in England say the childcare system is at “breaking point” as plans to double free provision for three and four-year-olds in England are pushed forward. The current allowance of 15 hours a week for three and four-year-olds will now be doubled to 30 for working parents. The Pre-School Learning Alliance – which represents … More Childcare System at “breaking point”
The Government has recently unveiled three high profile childcare policies. Free nursery places for disadvantaged two year olds. Childcare providers will be able to change carer-child ratios so one adult can care for six two-year olds, instead of the current four children – and one adult can care for four one year olds, instead of … More Government Childcare Plans: Under-Funded, Incoherent Chaos
Labour Friends of Sure Start 