Tool for children's centres
The Children’s Centres Engagement Tool has been developed by the
National Childminding Association (NCMA) highlighting how
children’s centres and registered childminders can best work
together to provide a range of childcare services.
Sue Coates, NCMA’s Director of Communications, said:
"Using our expertise and good practice examples NCMA has created
a tool that we hope will be useful for children’s centres. We know
many children’s centres have a fantastic relationship with
registered childminders. Many children’s centres also deliver
community services through a quality improvement childminding
network.
"We wanted to develop a tool to support all children’s centres,
from those are still at the planning stages of involving
childminders, to those already working jointly with childminders to
support families locally."
The tool is available free in the Partnership section
of NCMA’s website. The pages provide guidance on how children’s
centres can develop plans to work with the registered childminders
in their area as well of links to supporting materials, details of
how NCMA can offer professional support, and examples of good
practice.
Sue Coates added "Collaborative partnerships between registered
childminders and children’s centres have a positive outcome for all
involved, including the children. That is what makes this tool to
support these joint ventures so important."