SUMMARY/PURPOSE
This report invites the Children’s
Committee to consider the draft Early Years and Childcare
Implementation Plan and to recommend the draft for approval by the Full Council.
1.To consider
and approve the Early Years’ Development and Childcare
Plan 2003 -2004. The Plan sets out the targets and objectives
in the local implementation plan. The Executive/ Full Council will need to
approve the plan in order to meet DfES requirements on ratification and local
authority agreements.
This report
invites the Executive to consider the
draft Early Years and Childcare Implementation Plan and to recommend the draft
for approval by the Full Council.
BACKGROUND
1. The
local authority is required to submit an Early Years
Development and Childcare Implementation Plan 2003 - 2004 to the DfES
by 1st February 2003. The
plan must be developed through an Early Years Development and Childcare
Partnership (EYDCP) composed of relevant organisations, agencies, other local
authority directorates, interested individuals and member representatives.
The Plan must follow the guidelines provided by the
DfES. This Plan outlines the
implementation actions required to meet the final year of the full Strategic
Plan 2001- 2004, and outlines targets in the following areas:-
·
Early education places
for three year olds
·
Out – of – school targets
for child care places for children between 4 years and 14 years (16 years for
children with special needs). This includes specific targets for the most
disadvantaged areas on the Isle of Wight and includes places for children with
special needs.
·
Child care places for
children from 3 months to 4 years, particularly in areas of disadvantage. This includes plans for six new
neighbourhood day nurseries, recruiting more childminders, and how the
Partnership proposes to support existing and proposed providers with training,
grants and advice.)
·
Meeting the national
child care standards and maintaining high quality in child acre and early
education. This includes the continued
promotion of our successful Quality Assurance Scheme, and a comprehensive
programme of professional development and accredited training.
·
Support from qualified
teachers in all early education settings.
This area outlines the professional support offered from LEA staff,
teachers and advanced skill teachers, area SENCos, advisers and consultants in
all early years settings offering Foundation Stage early education, and will
ensure that our current high standards in OFSTED early years’ inspections is
maintained.
·
Support for children with
special or additional needs at home, in pre-schools and on transition into
school.
These targets build upon the progress already made in
the first two years of the Strategic Plan 2001 – 2004, which members agreed in
2001.
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
[Insert here
refernce to Corporate Plan objectives (presumably those litsed under reference to
Education and Community Development Strategic plan), and Community Strategy Actions (presumably
primarily though not exclusively actions under the Developing
Learning Skills Theme)]
2. The
Early Years Development and Childcare Strategic Plan 2001 – 2004 was approved
by the Isle of Wight Council members and the DfES in 2001. Elements of the plan are highlighted in the
Corporate and Service plans of this authority and feature in the Education
Development Plan 2002.
This is a statutory plan which has national, local and
regional policy objectives.
The
need to ensure affordable, accessible childcare impacts on regeneration
strategies and the inclusion agenda, and early education impacts on the
potential for improving standards in later education.
As parents are encouraged, where appropriate, to
return to training or work they need to be assured of the highest quality child
care. It is also a local objective to
provide inclusive education, care and support for children with special needs,
and the EYDC Partnership.
3. This
new document sets out the current position and remaining actions with regard to
the local and national targets for childcare, early education, special needs in
the early years, recruitment of childcare staff, and training and quality
assurance.
CONSULTATION
4. The
draft Plan must be consulted upon by a cross section of relevant organisations
and providers. This document was drawn
up following consultation with EYDCP members through the sub-groups and working
parties of that organisation.
5. In
addition, it was circulated to a representative group from schools,
pre-schools, out-of-school clubs, SEN services, childminders, policy makers,
EYDCP members, sub-committees and Partnership officers, with a deadline of
comments and amendments by 2nd January 2003. At the end of the consultation period all requested
amendments ny such comments have beenwere absorbed
into this document.
[To what
extend were the outcomes of consultation followed, and if
not why not?
What
opportunity have the Select Committee had to look at this, given it is part of
the Policy
Framework?]
FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS
6. Costs
associated with the activities outlined in the Plan will be funded from
specific grants, child care grants, and base budget provision. Training and professional development costs
are met through DfES training grants, including Standards Fund and Foundation
Key Stage grant.
The Partnership adheres to the principles of Best
Value when monitoring contract arrangements with providers of Early Years
services and when seeking procurement of goods or services. Any grants awarded to individuals or groups
are subject to stringent internal and external audit arrangements.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
87. The approval of the Early Years Plan is
a statutory requirement under s120 School Standards and
Framework Act 1998, and is one of the small number of plans which forms part of the
Policy Framework which, subject to a recommendation from the Executive ,
is determined by the Full Council.
1.The
Executive/Full Council needs to approve the plan in order to meet DfES
requirements on ratification and local authority agreements.
1.All EYDCP
planning documentation complies with the requirements of statutory and
legislative frameworks, e.g. Crime and Disorder issues, and Discrimination
legislation which covers Human Rights, Disability Act and Race Relations Act.
OPTIONS
8. Members
are advised that failure to ratify the Early Years Plan will result in the
local authority and the EYDCP forfeiting significant grant funding, and
statutory targets and objectives not being met. As such there are no alternatives.
EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT
9. The
Early Years Plan sets out key targets which are both challenging yet achievable
within identified budget restraints.
Where the plan sets out targets over and above the statutory minimum
requirements, the Partnership is confident that these are achievable. These will be closely monitored to ensure
that risks are minimised in the delivery and operation of the Plan, through
officer accountability for each area of the plan, overall management at a
senior level, regular reports to EYDCP executive, and regular scrutiny by
representative sub groups. In addition
there is external auditing and moderation, such as from government departmental
advisers and regional consultants.
However, should any of the statutory minimum targets
not be met, there is a risk that grant funding for these activities could be
clawed back. The Partnership is not
aware, currently, of any further sanctions.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
10. Members
are asked to consider and approve the Plan and recommend it’s
adoption by the
Full Council.
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BACKGROUND PAPERS
11. The
following are accompanying papers:-
·
The Early Years
Development and Childcare Implementation Plan 2003 -2004 – the
commentary and the tables
·
A summary document of the
above plan
12. The
full strategic Early Years Development and Childcare Plan 2001 – 2004 is
available from the Early Years Unit on request. However the Implementation Plan 2003 – 2004 contains all the
necessary commentary and background information required.
[Background
papers need to include everything which was relied on by the report author to a
material extent in drafting the report, or disclose the facts on the basis of
which the report was written – this is a statutory requirement]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
13. None.
Contact Ppoint : Marion East, – Early
Years Co-ordinator
Tel': 528645 Email: [email protected]
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Strategic Director
DAVID PETTITT
Strategic Director of Education and
Community Development
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Portfolio
Holder
Cllr Jill
Wareham
Education
and Lifelong Learning
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