Day nurseries can now get the local support they need, thanks to the launch of the National Day Nurseries Association's (NDNA) new flagship regional centres.
Diminishing occupancy levels and increasing business rates are just some of the issues facing UK private and voluntary daycare providers. With added competition from Government childcare initiatives, the sector has often felt that it has no-one to turn to for hands-on local business support.
Prompted by requests from its members, NDNA has launched the first phase of its regional development strategy by opening four regional centres - covering the North East and North West of England, London and East Midlands. A further centre in the West Midlands is due to open this month.
The centres will provide business support, training, community services and childcare.
Phase two of the project, which is now in development, will see the launch of four more regional centres, starting with Yorkshire and Humber in 2006, to cover each of the nine UK Government office regions.
Support infrastructure
Rosemary Murphy, NDNA chief executive, says, 'This venture is part of NDNA's long-term strategy. Many of our members are facing difficult times and we want to provide them with a regional support infrastructure.'
As well as supporting local providers by offering a base for networking, the centres provide childcare and community services based on the philosophy of the children's centres.
NDNA has accessed 1.5m worth of capital funding through the Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative (NNI) to build the centres. But with each one costing on average 1.5m, investment has also been sought from alternative sources - the Big Lottery Fund, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Government Office for the North East and London Development Agency. Finance has also been received from Allied Irish Bank.
Patricia Jackson, NDNA head of regional development, says, 'Our centres value the contribution that childcare makes towards regenerating an area.
We have forged links with providers like Jobcentre Plus, local colleges and Children Come First childminding networks who use our meeting spaces in order to deliver their services in some of the UK's most disadvantaged wards.'
Each regional centre provides 80 or more high-quality full-time day nursery places and two centres offer out-of-school care and holiday places. Parents can access adult learning and training opportunities, English as a second language, parenting skills and IT, or be signposted to other services.
With support from regional development managers (RDMs), appointed in July 2004, the centres are beginning to develop into community hubs.
Centre managers and RDMs meet weekly to discuss how the centre can respond to needs identified within the nursery. For example, speech therapy requirements, classes on parenting skills or welfare-to-work seminars.
They facilitate inter-agency working between day nurseries and external agencies such as Jobcentre Plus, schools and Primary Care Trusts and liaise with Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships to ensure that the centres are recognised as support mechanisms for the daycare sector.
By networking with members and other external agencies, RDMs also aim to increase the participation of day nurseries in the Government's children's centre agenda.
Outreach support
Ms Jackson says, 'The centres provide outreach and consultancy support for members and also promote NDNA's Quality Counts accreditation scheme with the aim of raising the standard of practice across the region.
'Over time, they will play a key role in supporting NDNA's commitment to developing the childcare workforce for the regions by attracting and training staff and creating a sustainable workforce. They will provide NVQ training, work placements and organise recruitment fairs for early years and childcare providers.'
The NDNA hopes that by providing childcare and integrated services to families in the local area, all the regional centres will secure approved children's centre status by 2006.
The London regional centre in Hounslow, in conjunction with the primary school next door, received approved children's centre status last month.
The North East Regional Centre in Hartlepool hopes to submit a joint bid for children's centre status with the neighbouring primary school for the 2006-10 round and the West Midlands NDNA Regional Centre in Birmingham is working closely with the local primary school to gain children's centre status.
The NDNA undertook a capacity audit of each area before opening a centre and made it policy not to go where a provider had already expressed an interest in opening a nursery.
Ms Jackson says that in order to avoid over-provision of places or duplication of existing services it is vital that the Government undertakes impact assessments, which include every private and voluntary provider in the area.
She says, 'Because Sure Start local programmes, neighbourhood nurseries and children's centres only exist in areas of disadvantage at present, they need to work well together and show a consideration for each other's objectives. If they don't, the Government investment we have seen over the past ten years could go to waste.'
Delivering support
Ms Murphy says that the implementation of NDNA's regional development strategy has been complex. 'Buying the land, getting lease agreements in place, forging links with LEAs and pulling together all the support agencies for children's centre status has been tough.'
On top of this, she says, there has been the 'odd voice of concern' raised by private providers who believe that NDNA is a support organisation, not a childcare provider.
She says, 'Providing childcare was not the driving force behind the project. However, by providing and setting up our own childcare provision, we have first-hand knowledge of the difficulties our members face.'
Ms Murphy says that anyone who has expressed a concern has been told to give the NDNA 12 months to let them see how it can support them. 'Our regional centres programme is driven by the need to support our members,'
she adds.
NDNA regional centre profiles
North East
* Incorporates Masefield Road Nursery, Hartlepool
* Opened 13 April 2004
* Cost of building, 1.4m
* 86 nursery places - 50 NNI places, 24 out-of-school places
* Services include: breakfast club, after-school and holiday playschemes, two training rooms, office for community hire
* Links with Action Team for Jobs - delivering employment advice and job club to local community until 2006, local Sure Start programme and contract with Social Services for respite and short-term care for children
* Children centre status - 2006 onwards
* Contact Gillian Greeves, centre manager on 01429 236 405 or Bob Todd, RDM, on 07795 834 569.
North West
* Incorporates Kingsway Nursery, Widnes, Cheshire
* Opened May 2004
* Cost of building, 1m
* 80-place nursery - 60 NNI places, 20 children's centre places
* NDNA has first option on one of the centre's training rooms
* Hot-desk office space for all NDNA staff
* Nursery places purchased by Sure Start
* Sure Start local programme, Connexions and library all based at the centre
* Children's centre status pending
* Contact Judith Scott, centre manager, on 0151 257 7079 or Neil Gardener, RDM, on 07795 834 562.
London
* Incorporates Nursery on the Green, Hounslow
* Opened 10 May 2004
* Cost of building, 1.7m
* 103 places - 70 NNI places and 26 children's centre places
* Partnerships formed with Hounslow Adult and Community Education, Jobcentre Plus, Hounslow Primary Care Trust and the National Childminding Association
* Funding received from the London Development Agency
* Children's centre status approved in conjunction with Norwood Green Infants and Nursery School
* Children's centre revenue funding secured in order to employ a full-time teacher at the children's centre
* Contact Alison McNeill, centre manager on 0208 574 2667, or Sandra Brouet, RDM, on 01208 574 2667.
East Midlands
* Incorporates Trent Road Nursery, Grantham, Lincolnshire
* Opened May 2004
* Cost of building, 1.3m
* 92 places - 50 NNI places, 20 out-of school places
* Services include breakfast club, after-school, wraparound and holiday playschemes
* The building has an annex which is being used by the Sure Start local programme to provide family support and counselling services, training and health services to local parents and their children
* Partnerships formed with Spittalgate Church of England School, Grantham College, Sure Start (Earlesfield and Harrowby) and the National Childminding Association
* Children's centre status pending
* Contact Sara Partridge, deputy centre manager on 01476 573 188, or Nathan Archer, RDM on 01476 573 188.
West Midlands
* Incorporates Hodge Hill Nursery, Birmingham
* Opening December 2004
* Cost of building, 1.2m
* 80 place nursery - 50 NNI places
* Forging links with Hodge Hill Girls School
* Children's centre status 2006 onwards
* Contact Judith Scott, acting centre manager on 0151 257 7079 or Helen Stanley, RDM, on 01785 823 997.
