Barnado's Giving Children Back Their Future: Barnardo's helps the most vulnerable children and young people transform their lives and fulfil their potential.

Busy Little Ones: Find out about all the great local activities for you and your little one. There are a range of useful resources for mums, dads, grandparents and any other care givers. Free to use for both parents and teachers! Whether you're looking for baby signing, toddler groups, swimming classes, baby massage, antenatal exercise classes, baby yoga, and much more, you'll find local activities on busylittleones.co.uk.

Child Safe Zones: Child Safe Zones provides important information, including a photograph, about your children for use if the become seperated - to reunite lost or found children.

Easy Expat: The International Relocation Portal - EasyExpat will give you all the information that you need to know when you move to a new country.
Email: contact.en@easyexpat.com

Families: The site for the great free local Families newsletters which are read by over 500,000 people throughout the UK. Each magazine is edited by parents in the local area and is distributed 6 times a year. The website is run by a group of magazine editors, who are also all parents. The site includes endless ideas to help you, and most importantly your children: their parties, their education, their holidays, their childcare, their fun as well as their stumbles along the way. If you register online you can find information specifically tailored to where you live. The Best Bear team love this website!

FamilyFriendlySites.com: A directory of Family Friendly Websites, including BestBear.

goodschoolsguide.co.uk: The independent critical parents' guide to top UK schools

Homework Help: Maths and Reading Help for Kids is a directory of articles offering tips for homework help, improving test scores, developing positive study habits, and more.

jojingles.co.uk: Jo Jingles provide singing and music & movement classes for children aged 6 months to 5 years with a series of varied educational programmes.

Kids In Tow: Kids In Tow - the comprehensive guide to family activity and adventure holidays. Whether you are a seasoned traveller wanting to safely show your children the world or are looking for a family holiday with a bit of get up and go, this website will point you in the right direction.

Nanny Fi Knows Best : Nanny Fi Knows Best! - the Blog for nannies, parents and anyone in the childcare profession. This Blog is full of children's recipes, activities and suggestions on great places to visit with children. This Blog is also a place to receive advice and guidance on all childcare issues for parents and nannies both! Do you have a hard to handle child in your care? Or worse still a hard to handle boss? Let Nanny Fi help you on your way to childcare happiness!

National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries: Organisation promoting play matters.

Practicalpreschool.com: Practical Pre-School magazine. Foundation stage books and resources that are essential reading for everyone working with young children.

Right Start Magazine: Right Start Magazine - a guide to parenting, childrens education, behaviour, family matters, food concerns, child health issues, play and activity ideas

SmileChild Magazine: An exciting new site and online magazine for anyone with kids, offering shopping, information and discussion.

The Baby Registry: The Baby Registry Advice Directory, your guide to the help and advice available to parents

Top Childcare Sites Listing: If you like this site, please feel free to vote for Best Bear at this list of Childcare Top Sites.

Travelroomers.com: WWW.TRAVELROOMERS.COM Get ready to pack your backpack for the adventure of a lifetime. Travelroomers is offering free accommodations anywhere in the world.

Trojans scheme: Trojans is a South London based educational and training charity providing out of school activities for children and spreading good practice in the playwork arena. Created in 1995, as a joint parent and school initiative at a primary school in Streatham, today, it runs 14 daily projects in Lambeth and Wandsworth and is expanding.

webtots.co.uk: A website for the toddler to interact with. Colouring book cartoon character (frank), Father Christmas and Christmas Carols to sing along to and more.

Whattodowiththekids: Ever wondered what to with the kids during the holidays? Visit whattodowiththekids.co.uk for a Nationwide list of child friendly places to visit.

womeninlondon: A directory of london based women's groups and other groups working for women in London

angels and urchins: angels & urchins - the indispensable parents' magazine For parents of children 0–10 years, including pregnant women: What’s On for children in London, travelling with children, pregnancy and baby news, London area profiles and an indispensable resource for nanny agencies, party entertainers, children’s photographers and more

Child Alert: Childalert is an information, advice and services company dedicated to child safety and wellbeing; it is for parents and all those that have a responsibility for looking after and raising children.

Early Years Educator: Early Years Educator - EYE magazine is the leading monthly magazine for early years professionals. The magazine is a voice for both teachers and nursery nurses.

Fingershield Safety: Fingershield is a simple device that completely covers the gap that is created on the hinge side of a door when it is in the open position protecting children from traumatic finger trapping injuries. According to ROSPA there are over 40,000 recorded finger trapping accidents occurring every year in the UK. Fingershield Safety (UK) has become the largest supplier of anti-finger trapping devices into Schools and Nurseries throughout the United Kingdom, Fingershield Safety has already protected the fingers of an estimated ONE MILLION children throughout the UK.

Good-child-guide.com: The Good Child Guide. How to get your children to do as they are told.Tired of arguing with your children? Discover the exact steps you can take to eliminate child behaviour problems and bring peace, harmony, love and even FUN into your family life.

identifyme.co.uk: The IdentiKids Emergency ID and Medical Release card attaches discretely to a child's car seat to provide the emergency services with vital information on a child in the event of an accident

KinderStart: KinderStart is the largest (and most popular) indexed directory and search engine focused on children zero to seven on the 'net.

MyOtherMum Childcare Training: My Other Mum has a passion for putting the right people into childcare, working with schools to give Senior students the unique and affordable opportunity to complete the Certificate lll in Children’s Services whilst still at school (Australia)

Nanny Training: A list of all online, US and Canada universities that offer a professional nanny training

nannyskills.com: Nanny Essentials Training. A Course Developed by LifeWork Strategies, Inc

National Extension College (NEC): The National Extension College is an educational charity dedicated to providing educational opportunities for all, providing a range of distance learning childcare courses which lead to fully accredited qualifications. NEC's childcare and early years distance learning courses result in exactly the same qualifications as college courses - it is just the way of learning that is it different as you can study from home without the need to attend classes, whilst at the same time having expert tutor support. NEC helps workers gain essential qualifications in areas such as childminding, Pre-School Practice, Children’s Care, Learning and Development, Family Learning, Professional Development and Nutrition Awareness.
Email: info@nec.ac.uk
Tel: 01223 400350

Naturally Nurturing Baby Sleep Clinic: At The Baby Sleep Clinic they believe in a childs right to receive comfort, a parents right to demonstrate love, and everyones right to a night of uninterrupted sleep. Unlike many sleep nannies and clinics that advocate controlled crying, their sleep clinics model doesnt expect children to cry themselves to sleep. Its gentle on you, its gentle on infants, toddlers and children, and most important of all, it works. Founded in the UK by psychologist and sleep expert Chireal Shallow, Naturally Nurturing Sleep Clinic( NNSC) is the only independent training provider to offer legally accredited training in the UK to become a Sleep Consultant and the accreditation has European and Global application. Naturally Nurturing combines cognitive behavioural approaches (which examine how children think, behave and feel) with systemic practice (which deflects blame by examining the role of each family member) and attachment theory (which focuses on building trust, reassurance and bonding between parent and child).

Tel: 0208-763-8723

Newborn Education Services & Training: N.E.S.T. (Newborn Education Services & Training) provide the only accredited short course in post-natal care. It is a level III course (equivalent NVQ level III), it is open to those who have either a qualification in childcare, have experience in working with children or display a good level of understanding of new mum/baby related care issues.
Email: enquiries@newborneducation.co.uk
Tel: 01494 431720

nursery-world.co.uk: The online version of this excellent magazine covers employment, training and news from the childcare world.

Optimum Training: OPTIMUM have been working with the childcare sector since the business began trading and now has a team of specialised trainers. This specialisation began when the founder Amanda Clarke had a discussion with a work colleague and friend who had young children. Amanda inspired her friend to ensure that her childcarer was first aid qualified in case of an accident. At that time, this was not a legal requirement for this sector. However, Amanda felt so strongly about this that she set up her own “First Aid for Childcarers©” course. As a trained medic, Amanda firmly believed that everybody should have first aid training especially those responsible for youngsters. It is now recommended by OFSTED that every childcarer should have training in first aid, which should be at least 12 hours duration.

St John Ambulance: Run First Aid Courses all over the country including a 4 hour course specifically for treating babies and children. They also sell a "Breath of Life" video giving a step-by-step demonstration of infant and child resuscitation.

Tel: 0207235 5231

The Early Years NTO: The Early Years NTO is the strategic body that represents the employment interests of everyone working with babies and young children in the UK, ensuring that the future workforce needs of the sector are planned via strategies on recruitment, retention, training and qualifications.
Email: enquiries@early-years-nto.org.uk

The Nanny Sharers: thenannysharers.co.uk provides a centralised database where families can team-up and share a nanny and the related costs. A simple online search can help you find like-minded families in your area, so your childcare paradise really might be just a few mouse-clicks away.

The Norland College: With their distinctive brown uniforms Norland is the most well-known and respected training college for nannies. Training provides both nationally accredited vocational qualification and the opportunity to gain practical experience working with children on site nurseries and classes.
Email: mail@norland.co.uk
Tel: 01488 682252

(REC) Recruitment & Employment Confederation: REC is an organisation "championing providers of recruitment solutions". They offer a code of good practice for recruitment agencies and many childcare agencies are members (you can find a list of member nanny and au pair agencies on their site) REC members are subject to their complaints and disciplinary procedures.

Tel: 020 7323 4300 / 01483 766442

aupairforum: Au-Pair Forum - find au pair and nanny jobs, host families, agencies or child care work. Find information on work permits and visa

familymatch.com.au: Get a nannying job in Down Under with this Australian agency.

Jobs.co.uk: Jobs.co.uk puts you in control of finding the right job on the Internet

Mynightoff.com: Through mynightoff.com parents can ask their friends if they can baby sit for them, confirm agreement to baby sit for someone else, check the number of credits they have available or simply use the discussion box for a good old natter.

nannynetwork.com: America's Nanny Agency Finder, Nanny Resource for Nannies and Nanny Employers, find nanny agencies, nanny jobs, background investigators, nanny payroll tax svcs, nanny training and aupair resources

nannyville.com: Nanny jobs directory for parents to find Nannies, Au Pairs, Doulas, Governess, baby nurses, travel nannies, infant and newborn child care, employment in United States of North America from Nannyville.

The Lady: The Lady contains an array of features, on subjects including culture, travel, interviews, gardening, art and antiques, books, finance and history, as well as fashion, cookery and beauty, plus jobs for Childcarers

uk recruiter: UKRECRUITER: The most comprehensive source of independent information for the UK recruiter and recruitment researcher.

UK Student Life: Study, Work,Travel in the UK.British culture and life.

ChildCareLink: ChildcareLink provides details of local childcare providers in England and Scotland as well as general information about childcare.

Department for Education & Employment: Early Years Funding Team Offers info on Government policy re: free nursery places for 3 - 4 year olds. Contact your local authority's early years and development department for info on childcare planning and policy.
Email: feedback.website@dfee.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7273 5681

Department for Education and Skills: The Government's website for working in Early Years, Childcare and Playwork.

Home Office Immigration and Nationality Dept: For info on regulations concerning employing au pairs who are non-EU nationals.

Tel: 0870 6067766

Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted): On 1 September 2001, Ofsted became responsible for the regulation of childcare in England.

parentscentre.gov.uk: UK Government information for parents who want to help their children learn. Offers information and advice about your child's learning and the English education system.

Sure Start: The offical website for Sure Start's National Childcare Recruitment Campaign, providing information on working in Childcare, Early Years and Playwork!

The Department of Trade and Industry: The DTI offer a free and confidential complaints service about childcare agency conduct. It investigates complaints made by families or nannies.
Email: steve.keeler@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Tel: 020 72155000

Association of Nanny Agencies: ANA is a non-profitable organisation that supports and informs its Nanny Agency members. It aims to promote good practice and to provide a quality service to nannies and families.

National Day Nurseries Association: Promoting quality care and education in the early years.

NCMA - National Childminding Association: National body promoting registered childminders.
Email: info@ncma.org.uk
Tel: 0845 880 0044

Northern Ireland Childminding Association:

Tel: 028 9181 1015

PANN (The Professional Association of Nursery Nurses): The only union caring for childcarers. Members include nursery nurses, nannies and classroom assistants. PANN works to promote the best possible practice in childcare and campaigns nationally on childcare issues. Members are offered free help and advice on practice, pay and conditions. PANN is a section of PAT (Professional Association of Teachers).
Email: pann@pat.org.uk
Tel: 01332 3723372

Pre-School Learning Alliance: A national education charity specialising in pre-school education and care. At local level they offer a range of pre-school learning training courses for parents, staff and volunteers.
Email: pla@pre-school.org.uk
Tel: 020 7833 0991

Scottish Childminding Association:
Email: childminding@dial.pipex.com
Tel: 01786 445377

The National Childminding Association: Promotes quality registered childminding so that children, families and communities can benefit from the best in childcare and education.
Email: info@ncma.org.uk
Tel: 0845 880 0044