Early Years and Children 0-13

For children 0-13 this includes:

• Supporting, challenging and monitoring Local Authorities and other agencies progress in improving outcomes for children under 5 and their families and in the strategic planning of children’s centres, extended schools and sufficient childcare
• Supporting and challenging Local Authorities to be ready to be able to implement the new duties required of them under the new Childcare Act by April 2008. The Act came into law on 11 July 2006 and requires authorities to:
  Improve the five Every Child Matters outcomes for all pre-school children and reduce inequalities in these outcomes;
  Secure sufficient childcare for working parents;
  Provide information, advice and assistance for parents, carers and families

The Act also reforms and simplifies early years’ regulation and inspection arrangements providing for a new integrated education and care quality framework for pre-school children and the new Ofsted Childcare Register.

• Driving forward the 10 year childcare strategy with particular regard to the following key aspects of the Childcare Act:
  3 & 4 year old offer
  Stock of registered childcare places and sufficiency
• Facilitating joint problem solving and sharing of good practice within local authorities, childcare providers including children’s centres, schools and their partners, including health
• Management of the Children’s Fund and Local Network Fund including negotiating new arrangements for administering Children’s Fund through Local Area Agreements
• Encouraging the application of effective practices and approaches developed through both funds into new local arrangements in order to improve outcomes for children and their families