In brief...Registered childminders
Wednesday, February 28, 2001
Registered childminders are to help teenage parents in four of the most deprived areas of England. The 3m, three-year Government initiative is in partnership with the National Childminding Association and will take place in North-east Lincolnshire, Blackpool, Barking and Dagenham, and Greenwich. It aims to help teenage mothers to stay in education, training and employment by using NCMA approved childminding networks to provide up to 16 hours of free childcare a week as well as parental support. Employment and equal opportunities minister Margaret Hodge said the aim was to break the cycle of teenage parenthood and a lifelong dependency on benefits.