New tool for children’s centres launched

A brand new interactive tool for children’s centres has been launched online by a leading childcare charity.

The Children’s Centres Engagement Tool has been developed by the National Childminding Association (NCMA) highlighting how children’s centres and registered childminders can best work together to provide a range of childcare services.

Sue Coates, Director of Communications at NCMA said:

“Using our expertise and good practice examples NCMA has created this tool that we hope will be useful for children’s centres. We know many children’s centres have a fantastic relationship with registered childminders. Many children’s centres also deliver community services through a quality improvement childminding network.

“We wanted to develop a tool to support all children’s centres, from those are still at the planning stages of involving childminders, to those already working jointly with childminders to support families locally.”

The tool is available free from NCMA’s website through the Partnership section. The online pages provide guidance on how children’s centres can develop plans to work with the registered childminders in their area.

Sue Coates, Director of Communications at NCMA added:

“Collaborative partnerships between registered childminders and children’s centres have a positive outcome for all involved, including the children. That is what makes this tool to support these joint ventures so important.”