In July, we offered CYP Now readers the chance to submit questions to children’s minister Edward Timpson on the impending introduction of the reforms to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support. He outlines his answers on the key issues below. Read full article…

        A consultation will be launched shortly on the plans with a view to merging all education inspections under a single framework from September 2015. Michael Cladingbowl, Ofsted’s national director of inspection reform, is leading the plans. Sean Harford, Ofsted’s national director for schools policy, and regional director for early years, tweeted […]

          Skills for Care has confirmed that there will be an interim framework  for early years apprenticeships in place from 1 September. As widely anticipated, it also confirms that apprentices will be required to already hold GCSE English and Maths at Grade C or above before they start on the Early Years Educator […]

  Welcome to the August child care blog. Those of you working in holiday clubs this summer may be faced with children from a very broad age range. Naturally, all practitioners hope children will have a fantastic time over the summer. But while some children attend a holiday club just for fun, it’s true that […]

A new report by Citizen’s Advice reveals self-employed parents or those in jobs with ‘irregular hours’ face restrictions to securing high-quality childcare. The report, ‘ The practicalities of childcare: an overlooked part of the puzzle ‘, is based on a survey of 400 childcare providers across the country. Survey questions were developed in response to 700 consumer enquiries about childcare in one year, which commonly […]

          Writing on Twitter this morning, Sam Gyimah, also parliamentary secretary at the Cabinet Office, confirmed that childcare and early years are part of his education brief. More details of his responsibilities are expected on the GOV.UK website later today. Sam Gymiah, MP for East Surrey, was appointed parliamentary under secretary […]

The report, No more baby steps: a strategy for revolutionising childcare , makes a number of recommendations, including extending the two-year-old offer to all families and funding places for three-and four-year-olds for 48 weeks a year, up from the current 38 weeks. Similar recommendations were made in a report earlier this month from the IPPR, but the new report sets out the financial measures […]

          Preparing to Work in Home-Based Childcare is aimed at people wanting to operate in a home-based childcare setting as a registered childminder, childminding assistant, nanny or au pair. It was developed following the introduction of the Early Years Educator (EYE) as an introduction and potential progression route to EYE status. […]

          The Department for Education had guaranteed funding for 1,000 bursaries worth up to £1,500 with a further £300 available for more training. Figures obtained by Labour through a Freedom of Information request reveal that out of a total of 48 applicants, just 23 were successful. Last November, the DfE doubled […]

    Welcome to the July child care blog, At this time of year, many of you will be working in holiday clubs where children at the top of the early years age range will be playing alongside older peers. So this month we have a summer activity for you that works really well with […]