Early years expert group to advise children's minister on policy

Described as a ‘co-production’ by children’s minister Sarah Teather, it  has been formed to develop a collaborative approach between Government and the early years sector to help to draw up an early years policy statement and to address major policy issues.

In her column in this week’s Nursery World, the children’s minister said of the steering group, ‘Our approach is a genuine partnership, signalling the start of a longer-term shift to a new way of working. This is what we are calling ‘co-production’, and I have already brought together a group of individuals to think about our collective purpose, and sustainable, national, leadership, as well as specific issues of policy.’

‘My hope is that this steering group will help me and my officials develop a better way to achieve our shared goals, and define that new way of working for the future.’

Members named so far are:

• June O’Sullivan, chief executive, London Early Years Foundation
• Ann Gross, director of Early Years, Extended Services and Special Needs Group, DfE
• Anne Longfield, chief executive, 4 Children (pictured top right)
• Eva Lloyd, Reader in Early Childhood at the University of East London
• Heather Gwynn, director chief nursing officers directorate, Department of Health.
• Sue Egersdorff, operational director for Extended and Integrated Leadership Development for the National College
• Bernadette Duffy, Head of Thomas Coram Children’s Centre (pictured right)
• Ann Crichton, chair of Children’s Centre Leaders Reference Group
• Sonia Sharp, director of children’s services for Sheffield Local Authority
• Linda Uren, acting director of children’s services for Gloucestershire Local Authority.

A further health representative is to be confirmed.

Eva Lloyd, pictured, said, 'The steering group is work in progress and a learning journey for everyone involved. It brings together individuals with experience and knowledge of delivering early years services in the voluntary sector and statutory sector, local government children's services expertise, knowledge of pertinent research, leadership issues and of relevant health policy and practice. Of course we are not the only people involved in the "co-production" process, as the Government will be seeking the views of other early years stakeholders as part of this process, for instance in streamlining the current Code of Practice.

'The four main areas the steering group is looking at are the quality of the workforce, the mixed market of early years provision, Sure Start centres in the new environment and working with health professionals.'

The work of the Co-production Steering group will explore pathways for the implementation of the Coalition priorities for early years as laid down in the DFE Business Plan, underpinned by the outcomes of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the Government's key principles for public service reform.'