Ofsted's final review covering 2005 to 2008 highlights that quality assurance schemes still have a role to play when it comes to providers delivering the best standards of education and care.
Currently around 5 per cent of childminders and 16 per cent of daycare providers participate in schemes, and Ofsted reports that these are more likely to achieve good or outstanding grades.
According to its latest review, 85 per cent of childminders involved in a quality assurance scheme provide good or outstanding care, compared with 59 per cent who are not in a scheme.
Among daycare groups, 74 per cent of those in a scheme provide good or outstanding early education, compared with 62 per cent who are not.
In 2006 the National Quality Improvement Network (NQIN) superseded Investors in Children, which officially endorsed schemes. NQIN is delivered by the National Children's Bureau and funded by a project grant from the DCSF Children and Families Voluntary Sector Grant programme.
In the summer it carried out a survey on local authorities' approach to quality assurance. Over half of the 70 authorities which responded said they have a policy or strategy to support quality improvement. All reported that they used some form of quality assurance scheme, with the most commonly used including the NCMA's Children Come First and the NDNA's Quality Counts. Almost three-quarters of respondents reported their local authority used locally developed schemes.
However, actual participation rates by settings were variable, with half of local authorities believing that less than 25 per cent of their settings were actively involved. This was attributed to a lack of funding.
Heather Mason, the NCB's development officer at the Early Childhood Unit, says, 'With the new Ofsted process based on self-evaluation, quality assurance schemes will be extremely helpful, as they are based on a self-evaluative process and help the setting gather relevant evidence of good practice. With the emphasis on improving quality experiences for young children and on closing the gap for the most vulnerable, it is crucial that all settings have a quality improvement process, using a quality assurance scheme.'
Numbers of schemes have not declined since the Investors in Children stamp was withdrawn. The big national organisations have continued developing and selling them.
'This has been supplemented by a wide range of local authority schemes,' says Ms Mason. 'Additional quality improvement tools such as Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales (ECERS) have been produced and are being used to help local authorities assess the quality of settings.'
The NQIN is launching its companion guide to the quality improvement principles it has developed, which provides a framework for authorities to further develop quality improvement processes. National Strategies is supporting this with advice on the role of early years consultants, as well as providing practical materials for settings.
NCB will publish its survey in November. For details see www.ncb.org.uk/qualityimprovement.
