East London is about to see the birth of a new childcare college that has set itself the task of regenerating the area. By Annette Rawstrone
A unique and innovative new venture is addressing the quality and quantity of childcare provision in east London in a bid to break a cycle of social exclusion and poverty in the area.
The East London Childcare Institute aims to train more local people to work in the childcare sector to help increase the availability of childcare. Currently lack of provision and prohibitive childcare costs in Newham and neighbouring boroughs mean parents have problems accessing childcare without being in paid work - but they cannot get employment without education and training.
'Childcare in its own right is an extremely important regeneration tool. Providing comprehensive childcare is significant if people are to take home pay,' explains Steve Clare, assistant chief executive (operations) of Newham Training and Education Centre (NEWTEC), who is overseeing the project.
Building bricks
The Childcare Institute, which will cost more than 6m (see box) to set up, is based on a central site in Stratford, close to a major public transport interchange. Building work started in mid-November last year and the four-storey building, with an on-site 60-place nursery, will be ready to deliver courses in April 2003. Initially it hopes to train about 300 people a year, but will work towards having 400 to 600 people through its doors within three years of opening.
The Institute is being delivered by a partnership led by NEWTEC, an award-winning training provider specialising in ICT and early years programmes. Other partners include Newham Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP), London East Learning and Skills Council, Stratford Development Partnership, University of East London, Social Enterprise London and the Daycare Trust.
Chair of Newham EYDCP Reverend Quintin Peppiatt says, 'There is a desperate need for training of childcare workers in east London because we have real problems with recruitment, which is a particular concern for the EYDCP.
'It is important for us to grow our own people because the cost of living in London deters childcarers from moving into the area. The Institute will be a flagship development in the borough and for east London as a whole. We're also excited about it because it will be providing childcare places through the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative as well as being a boost for training.'
Training centre
Along with helping low income families to gain employment the Institute also aims to target unemployed people interested in training for a career in the childcare sector. The Institute will provide training in a range of early years childcare skills and will deliver courses in an integrated fashion by starting with lower level training such as 'Making Choices', the one-week introduction to childcare courses, modern apprenticeships, CACHE Level 1 Foundation in Childcare and CACHE childminding units 1-3.
The Institute particularly wants to encourage people to train as childminders because there is a shortage in Newham and it is currently looking for an accredited course on business skills for childminders, to include accounts and marketing.
After the first 18 months the Institute will introduce higher level courses including a Foundation Degree in Childcare. The Institute is also interested in delivering training for NVQ assessors and wants to help people already working in the sector to gain further skills.
'We recognise that setting up the Institute is a major challenge, and we are already having problems recruiting some of the strategic staff, but we are confident that we are developing something exciting which will become a model of good practice which will integrate unemployed and employed learning,' says Mr Clare.
'We want to give people the training skills that employers want, not what we think they need, so we are talking to the employers. It will not just be childcare training but basic key skills such as computer literacy. We are keen to ensure they don't just learn what is in the curriculum, but IT skills, business studies and more indefinable things such as a good attitude to work, commitment and reliability so they get ready for the work environment. We want to help students hone interview and telephone skills and time-keeping. I think by doing this we are more likely to have people who can gain work, keep work and be successful.'
The Institute will also, in partnership with the EYDCP, have a business development worker who will offer business start-up support to help with the establishment of new nurseries and other childcare projects in east London, including private businesses as well as social enterprises. Assistance will be given in areas such as identifying suitable premises, finding sources of capital and revenue, business planning, marketing and updating of professional skills. Mary Conneely, London East Learning and Skills Council executive director, regards the Institute as the 'missing link' in the social infrastructure and one that will meet the needs of local businesses. 'Quality childcare is critical to ensuring vibrant communities,' she says. 'A high quality childcare institute will raise the "game" which is necessary so that workers in this industry are better paid and seen as having a worthwhile career.
'East London needs skilled workers as a whole. The Institute is an asset in its own right, its function is to train childcare staff and build capacity of existing childcare workers, and it ensures the means for expanding local good quality provision so that families will have the childcare support that enables lone parents and the unemployed to return to work.'
Future plans
The 60-place on-site nursery will have 50 places for people learning in the centre. There are ten baby places and in the future evening provision and a Saturday creche will be considered.
The nursery will be available to students once they have found employment to ease their transition into work. 'We have learned through experience that a good childcare infrastructure is vital to access learning and then employment,' says Mr Clare. 'NEWTEC already has a 37-place nursery and we have found that students want to continue using the nursery after their training because they do not want the further burden of finding additional childcare when working.'
The nursery will also be used as an integrated learning resource for those studying child development, education and early years management.
Funding
The East London Childcare Institute site cost an initial 650,000. Capital building costs are estimated at about 6m excluding legal fees and ICT equipment. Funding gained includes:
- 4m (3.8m capital) from the London Development Agency
- 1.2m from the European Regional Development Fund (subject to contract)
- 94,300 capital (and 270,000 revenue) from the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative
- 135,000 from the Learning and Skills Council's expanding childcare programme
- 400,000 from the London East Learning and Skills Council. NEWTEC has developed a funding strategy and is currently preparing a series of bids to fill a small capital shortfall.
