A programme of workshops focuses on developing skills in extended practice, says Karen Faux.
A range of workshops are on offer at this year's Children's Centre and Extended School Show, run by Nursery World's sister publication, Children & Young People Now. They are organised into five zones: work, sustainability, community, partnership and wellbeing in action.
The importance of play is key in the programme. Paul Bonel, head of the playwork sector at SkillsActive, will talk about government plans to boost the role of play under the Children's Plan, and how SkillsActive is creating 'active passports' - online records of qualifications, training and development.
This is supported by a workshop from Play England entitled 'It's good to play: Make sure you're using play to create child-friendly communities', led by Lisa Davis, policy officer.
'The aim is to look at the importance of play in extended services and give practical tips,' she says. 'We will also look at the policy that relates to play and where our ideas fit in'. This includes talking in detail about the changes outlined in the new government policy, Fair Play, currently out for consultation.
Engaging with diverse and changing communities is a challenge for children's centres, and The Pre-School Learning Alliance will focus on this area with a workshop delivered by its divisional director Lynda Sandham. She will look at how children's centres can support the development of community cohesion and how they should respond to the pace of change in society.
In the sustainability zone, delegates can check out a range of finance issues, including available funding, effective business strategies and good governance. The National Foundation for Educational Research will run a session on how to consult parents and children as services are developed.
Delivering services to disabled children is also a key topic. As part of this, speech and language charity I CAN will deliver an interactive session full of practical tips.
Further information:
Children's Centre & Extended School Show 2008, 24-25 June, Royal Horticultural Halls, London SW1P 2PE www.ccandess.co.uk.
