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Full circle

Parents get training, children get quality care and the childcare sector gains workers in a new initiative. Mary Evans reports The early years sector's version of the conundrum, 'Which came first, the chicken or the egg?' is 'Which comes first when encouraging unemployed parents into work: the provision of training or childcare?'

The early years sector's version of the conundrum, 'Which came first, the chicken or the egg?' is 'Which comes first when encouraging unemployed parents into work: the provision of training or childcare?'

The East London Childcare Institute's innovative answer is: neither. Offer both at once. ELCI, which was officially opened last month, aims to break the cycle of social exclusion and poverty in the area by giving parents access to its 57-place nursery while training them to become childcarers.

This neatly solves the problem facing many low-income families, particularly lone parents, who cannot afford quality childcare but must, if they are going to get the training and education they need to improve employment prospects.

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