07/01/04 - New Copeland Team to Improve Early Years & Childcare Services

Cumbria’s Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership has now developed a Copeland local area team, one of six local teams working across the county to ensure the individual family needs of communities are met and quality provision is there for all.  The Partnership, which supports the growth and quality of childcare provision available throughout Cumbria, has developed these teams so that it can respond more quickly and effectively to local needs.

County Councillor Joan Stocker, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education says

“Listening to parents and carers needs is at the heart of developing specific services for local communities. The whole aim of the team is to develop new childcare places and support existing groups such as full day-care, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs, crèches, playgroups, childminders, and home childcarers thereby providing local choice for parents.  This is done by working with partners in the statutory, voluntary, private and community sectors.  There are many innovative schemes already running throughout the County meeting the needs of their local community and I hope this excellent work continues with the support of these new teams.” 

Gillan Troughton, Senior Development Worker for Copeland says, 

“The team members have great experience in all areas of childcare and early education.  We are working with all childcare providers in Copeland to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of the children and parents of Copeland.”

An example of one of the innovative schemes currently running in Copeland is the Neighbourhood Nurseries Scheme.  A large number of extra childcare places are being created in Copeland as a result of Cumbria’s Early Years and Childcare Service working with existing local nurseries to attract funding.

Gillian Troughton explains,

“Our Neighbourhood Nurseries scheme arose out of a DfES initiative to boost childcare places in the top 20 per cent disadvantaged wards of the country and to date we have managed to create 400 extra places across Cumbria.  Parents benefit directly because the extended provision enables them to either pursue training courses or take up employment opportunities, which were previously out of reach due to their care commitments - a central part of the Government’s Sure Start policy.

Parents undertaking training may also be eligible for financial help towards child care and working parents are likely to benefit from the Government’s Working Tax Credit. In addition, some nurseries are linked to local Credit Centres and other training providers that assist with funding childcare places.”

To contact your local Area Team ring the Children’s Information Service on 08457 125737

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