Nursery World - Editor's view (41)

You don't what you've got 'til it's gone. This might be the future verdict on the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships, as control of planning and delivery of new childcare places moves to local authority chief executives (see Special Report, pages 10-11). EYDCPs had a troubled start as the different early years sectors struggled to work in partnership and the targets set by central government proved impossible to meet. Since then, some partnerships have achieved much. But criticisms continue, as in the Government's cross-cutting review which said that only 30 of the 150 EYDCPs in England were working well and that local authorities might choose to dispense with them altogether in some cases.

EYDCPs had a troubled start as the different early years sectors struggled to work in partnership and the targets set by central government proved impossible to meet. Since then, some partnerships have achieved much. But criticisms continue, as in the Government's cross-cutting review which said that only 30 of the 150 EYDCPs in England were working well and that local authorities might choose to dispense with them altogether in some cases.

Despite all the problems, EYDCPs have built up a valuable bank of expertise, employing some top practitioners, and have harnessed the involvement of the private and voluntary sectors. The fear now is that money may not be ring-fenced for childcare development if the local authority holds the purse strings, and that input from private and voluntary providers may disappear. Whatever the future for the EYDCPS, the benefits of partnership working should not be cast aside.

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