Nursery World - Schools 'best for early years service'

Primary schools are the fastest route for the Government to develop universal early years provision, according to the head of a leading children and family research institute. Gillian Pugh, chief executive of Coram Family, spoke at the launch in London of Re-framing Children's Services, the third annual review journal of the National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations (NCVCCO). Referring to a chapter she had written in the report on the need to provide services fit for young children and their families, she told delegates she was 'baffled' that only two Early Excellence Centres in England were in primary schools.

Gillian Pugh, chief executive of Coram Family, spoke at the launch in London of Re-framing Children's Services, the third annual review journal of the National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations (NCVCCO). Referring to a chapter she had written in the report on the need to provide services fit for young children and their families, she told delegates she was 'baffled' that only two Early Excellence Centres in England were in primary schools.

In the report Dr Pugh argues that primary schools are the quickest way for the Government to develop universal early years provision and 'one-stop shops' because 'there are already primary schools in every community'. She calls for children's centres to be attached to primary schools offering a flexible network of services for families and young children, next door to a health centre, and providing a drop-in facility for childminders.

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