Silkysteps early years forum - planning ideas for play

hi Kerrie
B current policies, frameworks and influences on the early years sector

· United nations convention on the rights of the child
In 1989 world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for under 18s because they often need special care. The four core principles are non-discrimination, devotion to the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development and to respect the views of a child. They also protect children’s rights by setting the standards in health care, education and legal, civil and social services.

All children have a right to adequate food, shelter, clean water, education, health care, leisure and recreation. This act protects all children up to the age of 18 regardless of race, religion, gender, culture, weather they are rich or poor, have a disability, what they do and don’t say and what language they speak, no child should be treated unfairly. The best interests of the child must always come first when making decisions that can affect them. The EYFS works at setting the standards for learning ensuring that children make progress and no child gets left behind.

The government has a responsibility to take measures to make sure children’s rights are protected, respected and fulfilled.

The education act introduced free childcare provisions for under fives and since September 1st 2010 this rose from 12 and a half hours a week to 15 hours a week. The free entitlement provides access to education and care and the hours can be flexible over the week, all childcare provisions must use the EYFS and help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes.

Local councils are adopting a single term entry into reception class and in my setting this start in September 2011 where we will only have one intake of children so some of the children will have recently turned 4 years old. In my setting reception class and nursery work closely together covering the same themes each term. This means that all reception classes will need to do more learning through play because of the young age of the child. My setting is having a staggered entry for a two week period to help with the transition period also we aim to have more free flow between foundation stage 1 (nursery) and foundation stage 2 (reception class).

Single funding formula has been introduced and this gives parents greater flexibility of childcare provisions and have a greater choice of how they use their free 15 hours entitlement, settings will be funded on the basis of participation, not places and this will be done on a termly basis. Funding can be can now be split/shared between a maintained nursery and the private, voluntary or independent sector. The current EYFS has six areas 6 areas of learning and 69 learning goals; Dame Claire Tickell is recommending they reduce the early learning goals children are assessed against at age 5 to 17 from 69. She recommends that parents receive a summary of their child’s development, along with the health visitor check at age 2 to help early identification of any problems or special educational needs. She would like to see less paperwork so more time can be spent interacting with the children and that all practitioners have a level 3 qualification. £4 million has been given to 15 local authorities to provide nursery places for the most disadvantaged 2 years olds, this is a pilot scheme which runs until march 2012 their aim is to make sure places and staff are available in the right areas.
hope this helps a little x

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Level 3 Children and young people's workforce handbook thread - looks at recommendations.