The two-year project will operate from five of the PLA's Neighbourhood Nurseries and provide basic skills courses alongside childcare training to help improve job chances and promote social inclusion.
Pauline Henniker, director of family programmes, said, 'The project will build on our capacity to develop skills for life. It is increasing our ability to deliver improved training for parents.'
The PLA is set to embark on the first phase of the scheme to run a tutor training programme. Tutors can gain a professional City and Guilds qualification as part of their training. Once qualified, they will run 'Getting Started Plus' courses using five of the PLA's Neighbourhood Nurseries as training hubs. Parents will have the opportunity to take national tests in literacy, numeracy and language skills.
Ms Henniker said that the courses for parents are expected to be up and running by April in Neighbourhood Nurseries in Bexley in London, Aylesham in Kent, Southampton, Leeds and Birmingham.
The PLA operates 28 Neighbourhood Nurseries. Chief executive Steve Alexander said that its experience in this area had given the PLA a track record of delivery to build on for future involvement in children's centres.
He told Nursery World, 'The Alliance has delivered and been involved in community development for many years, so we want to play our rightful part in the development of children's centres. The experience we've gained through opening 28 Neighbourhood Nurseries puts us in very good stead, as the largest single provider of Neighbourhood Nurseries in the voluntary sector.'
PLA's other current projects include research on engaging BME communities in the take-up of services, working with children of asylum seekers, and involving fathers in nursery settings. In the Spring the PLA will publish its three-year strategic plan for 2005 to 2008.
