Outdoor Play showcasing event - November 2011

A very successful Outdoor Play showcasing event took place at Limelight Family Learning  Centre on 24 November 2011, hosted by Pre-school Learning Alliance Lewisham.  Speakers also included Dr. Ute Navidi, Chief Executive of London Play and Joanna Witt, Forest School Coordinator at Eastwood Centre for Schools and Families, LB Wandsworth.

You can view the presentations and other materials here:

'The importance of outdoor play' - Val Pope, Lewisham Pre-school Learning Alliance
'Outdoor Play' - Dr. Ute Navidi, London Play
'Forest School at Eastwood' - Joanna Witt, Eastwood Centre for Schools and Families
'Capital investment in childcare' - Dr. Jill Rutter, Daycare Trust
'Enabling environments' - Nicola Gibson, Pre-School Learning Alliance
'What is an enabling outdoor environment' handout
Flipchart notes from workshop groups

London childcare providers survey 2011 - results

On 28 June 2011 at our annual London childcare providers forum we presented the results of our 2011 London childcare providers survey.  Already we have had coverage in the Evening Standard, Nursery World, Children and Young People Now, The Guardian and on local radio.  You can view the results below.

Results
A sample of your success stories
Press release 

An enormous thank you to all of you who responded, helping us influence London childcare policy and plan support to you.  We received 430 responses from across London, a big increase on last year's 284 responses.

You can view the contents of the survey here.

London childcare providers forum 2011 - presentations from Sarah Teather and others

On Tuesday 28 June we held our third annual London childcare providers forum.  It included the results of our 2011 annual London childcare providers survey, a presentation by Sarah Teather, MP, Minister for Children and Families, plus various workshops and exhibition stands.  Feedback from participants was very positive and it was a great day to also celebrate Daycare Trust's 25th Anniversary. 
Thank you to all who participated and presented!

You can see further details of the day and view powerpoints and handouts.  Read more about the 2009 and 2010 events.  

Daycare Trust response to London Assembly review into childcare

Daycare Trust has submitted both oral and written evidence to the London Assembly Health & Public Services Committee Review into access to childcare for Londoners, in addition to helping disseminate a London Assembly providers survey. 

Joint Daycare Trust and Save the Children research with parents

Daycare Trust and Save the Children have jointly published a report on the high cost of childcare, and particularly its impact on low-income families. A special briefing on London - 'Making Work Pay - The Childcare Trap' - shows how high childcare costs are affecting London parents' ability to work, train and study.

New 'Childcare for the Capital's children' campaign launched 

Read more about our new campaign working with London families, on access to childcare.

Third Sector London manifesto launched

On Wednesday 3 March 2010 Daycare Trust, along with 14 other children's charities in a London Child Policy Forum, launched 'United We Stand: A Voluntary and Community Sector Manifesto for London's Children and Young People'.  It set out the changes needed to improve the future for London's children and young people.

Candidates for the 6 May 2010 local elections were asked to sign up and support key pledges, including:

• Implementing recession-busting childcare support through:
  - fee holidays for parents struggling to pay childcare costs
  - rent freezes for childcare settings where councils are the landlord
  - creation of specialist taskforces to support parents at risk of losing their childcare place.
• Increasing childcare places for disabled children, older children, during schools holidays and for parents who work atypical hours - in order to close the childcare gap.
• Ensuring the views of parents and carers are not only listened to, but proactively sought.