CHARITIES HAVE COUNCILS' MISSING SKILLS

Local authorities must work with voluntary and community sector organisations to boost children's early learning – because they have the specific skills that councils don't.

That was one of the crucial issues highlighted by Beverley Hughes, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families, at a conference in London on Wednesday June 25.

The event showcased the success of the Early Learning Partnership Project which brought together nine different voluntary organisations (Barnardos, ContinYou, Coram Family, Family Welfare Association, HomeStart, NCH, Pre-School Learning Alliance, Pen Green and Thurrock Community Mothers) to help parents boost their young children's learning.

Speaking to an audience of over 350 local authority commissioners and early years workers, the Minister also urged councils to involve voluntary organisations in providing family support services by giving them the funds to bring their successful community projects into the mainstream. This would be one important way in which local authorities will 'narrow the gap' of attainment between children who start life in poor families and those who do not, the Minster added.

When responding to questions the Minister also said that the public sector needs to challenge itself to do things differently, and by being more adventurous with its service provision, taking it well beyond the traditional 9am to 5pm offer, enabling families to use services at times that are convenient and when they are needed.

The Family and Parenting Institute (FPI) co-ordinated ELPP. FPI's Chief Executive Mary MacLeod, who chaired the event, said that the route to changing futures and helping social mobility is a combination between raising aspirations in parents and supportive policy.

Funding local voluntary projects will not only make the most of charities' expertise but also help to sustain the success of the Early Learning Partnership Project which include 2,000 practitioners trained in supporting parents to understand and promote early learning by making intelligent and informed decisions about how to work with vulnerable families.

Liz Fajemisin, a Services Development and Commissioner in the London Borough of Croydon described how a council commitment to funding was the best way to get the most from partnerships with voluntary organisations. She also identified that families need a range of services, from group sessions, home visiting and more general parent to parent support to make sure parents get the help and support they need In a way that they feel comfortable using.

Pictured (left to right) Beverley Hughes, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families and Mary MacLeod, Chief Executive, Family and Parenting Institute.

More information on the ELPP can be found at www.familyandparenting.org/elpp

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For more information
Please contact Emma Brennan on 020 7424 3477 or 078139 51418, press@familyandparenting.org.

Notes to editors
The Early Learning Partnership was funded by the Department for Children Schools and Families. The Government wanted to explore the different ways of encouraging parents to get involved in early learning activities and how they could be used to train the early years workforce.

The Family and Parenting Institute managed the delivery of the Early Learning Partnership Project.

There were nine organisations involved in the Early Learning Partnership Project: Barnardos, ContinYou, Coram, Family Welfare Association, Home-Start, NCH, Pre-School Learning Alliance, Pen Green and Thurrock Community Mothers.

The organisations then used one or more of 12 tried and tested ways of encouraging early learning. These are: Book Start, Campaign for Learning, Home-Start Listening and Learning with Children, ICAN, Newpin Family Play Programme, One Plus One, PAFT (Parents As First Teachers), PEAL (Parents, Early Years and Learning)/NCB, PEEP (Peers Early Education Partnership), PICL (Parents Involvement in their Children's Learning), Share and Thurrock Community Mothers.

Oxford University has carried out an evaluation to find out what worked the challenges the projects faced and develop recommendations for future early years projects.

June 2008