Grandparents and fathers the focus of National Childcare Week
Katy Morton
Monday, July 2, 2012
The Daycare Trust is urging early years settings to reach out to fathers and grandparents as this year's National Childcare Week gets underway (2-9 July 2012).
Childcare providers are being urged to involve the whole family of the children they care for during National Childcare Week, which this year has the theme of Families in Focus.
Research by the Daycare Trust shows that four million grandparent carers in the UK provide an average of ten hours of childcare each per week. According to the charity, many grandparents have expressed a wish for greater involvement at their local children’s centre.
A survey last year by parenting club Bounty also reveals that four times as many mothers than fathers volunteer at a nursery, children’s centre or school.
To celebrate National Childcare Week, the Daycare Trust is working with nurseries and childminders to organise a Big Breakfast Bonanza, where children, parents, carers and other family members are invited to share a breakfast party, and find out how they can get more involved with their setting.
As part of the Big Breakfast Bonanza, the Daycare Trust will be running a photo competition, asking childcare settings to send in their photos of the most imaginative and impressive breakfast, and the most dads or grandparents, at a Big Breakfast Bonanza.
Now in its 15th year, National Childcare Week, supported by The Good Care Guide and Care.com, aims to promote, celebrate and raise awareness of issues in the childcare sector.
Anand Shukla, chief executive of Daycare Trust, said, ‘Evidence shows that children do better when partnerships between home and the childcare setting are strong. We know that in particular many grandparents and fathers would like to get more involved at their child’s children centre or nursery, but feel isolated and unsure about how to do so.
‘Through holding Big Breakfast Bonanza events in National childcare week, childcare settings are welcoming all family members and providing the perfect chance for them to find out how to get more involved. From attending grandparent and toddler groups, to joining parent committees there is a whole range of opportunities on offer, which stand to benefit families, children and childcare providers alike.’
