Department for Education
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Funds to help parents get involved in their children's learning at home
Funds are to be targeted at a selection of local authorities in disadvantaged areas, to help parents get involved in their children's early learning, as part of the Government's drive to ensure that every child gets the best possible start in life.
Proposals submitted by local authorities include giving parents learning diaries and albums for their children (0-five years old) so they can discuss progress with professionals, helping parents use music and singing to encourage their children to speak and listen and setting up personal education plans for fostered children.
Other authorities are planning to engage fathers and granddads by recording them reading stories and organising gardening activities.
The £9m funding has been made available to 41 local authorities who work with some of the most disadvantaged and hard to reach parents. They are using the funds to develop fresh ideas on how to connect with these parents and help them to help their children, building on the success of existing resources such as children's centres.
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said:
"We know that parents are central to children's wellbeing and that children's experiences in their early years have a major impact on later life. It is vital that children have a sound basis on which to learn and develop, as well as enjoying time with their parents.
"These are targeted funds and we hope to see innovative work in reaching vulnerable parents in areas where they need support and encouragement to really get involved in their children's development."
The grant will:
* Provide training and support for early years staff in working
with the most disadvantaged families
* Increase capacity to
develop sustainable programmes such as parental involvement
networks, parental volunteer programmes and outreach programmes in
partnership with voluntary and community groups
- expand and
enhance current targeted programmes where there is emerging
evidence of significant impact
Examples of particularly
innovative and effective ideas and programmes
will be shared
with other councils at the end of the one year programme.
This announcement is part of the Parents as Partners in Early Learning (PPEL) project. PPEL recognises the crucial role that parents have in their children's early learning and aims to develop resources and support programmes particularly focused on those families and communities who find it most difficult to engage with services.
Research shows that parental support for learning has a critical impact on children's success that, along with good quality early years provision, stays with a child throughout the years of primary education.
The Department for Education and Skills, Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health are currently consulting on joint draft statutory guidance on the Early Years outcomes duty under the Childcare Act 2006. This new duty requires local authorities, working with their Primary Care Trust, Strategic Health Authority and Jobcentre Plus partners, to improve outcomes for all young children in their area and reduce inequalities between them, through integrated early childhood services that maximise access and benefits for families with young children.
The consultation can be accessed at http://www.dfes.gov,uk/consultation and will continue until the 3 Sept 07.
NOTES TO EDITORS
LAs with high proportions of Super Output Areas (SOAs) in the top 30% most disadvantaged areas were targeted, including those who had previously demonstrated innovative practice in engaging with parents.
Local authority Indicative allocation (£)
1 Birmingham 500 000
2 Lancashire 350 000
3 Bradford 350 000
4 Manchester 300 000
5 Liverpool 300 000
6 Newham 300 000
7 Leeds 300 000
8 Kent 300 000
9 Tower Hamlets 300 000
10 Sandwell 250 000
11 Durham 250 000
12 Sheffield 250 000
13 Derbyshire 250 000
14 Southwark 250 000
15 Nottingham 250 000
16 Bristol, City of 200 000
17 Haringey 200 000
18 Hackney 200 000
19 Kirklees 200 000
20 Nottinghamshire 200 000
21 Waltham Forest 200 000
22 Doncaster 200 000
23 Leicester 200 000
24 Barking and Dagenham 200 000
25 Middlesborough 200 000
26 Lambeth 150 000
27 Coventry 150 000
28 Stoke-on-Trent 150 000
29 Kingston-upon-Hull, City of 150 000
30 Wakefield 150 000
31 Greenwich 150 000
32 Lewisham 150 000
33 Newcastle upon Tyne 150 000
34 Dudley 150 000
35 Islington 150 000
36 Cumbria 150 000
37 Blackburn with Darwen 150 000
38 Barnsley 150 000
39 Plymouth 150 000
40 Thurrock 150 000
41 Torbay 150 000
PUBLIC ENQUIRIES: 0870 000 2288 info@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
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