Making it Clear – a research project about resilience

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This project conducted in partnership with Queen Margaret Universities ‘Firefly’ research team aims to understand how parents and carers who attend groups (funded or supported by Support from the Start) in East Lothian bounce back after difficult times in their lives.

The ability to bounce back is called resilience

The Making It Clear tool has been developed by Queen Margaret University as a self-rating scale designed to screen resilience at an individual and community level. The present  project intends to psychometrically test the Making It Clear resilience tool for reliability and validity for use with parents of children in their early years. This will assist in identifying assets and gaps in current provision to help inform future planning.

More information  Making it Clear

Parent information Info Sheet v2

 

 

 

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Men in Sheds

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Here’s a great community project for retired men in East Lothian. Men in Sheds is aiming to set up a community workshed with tool for retired men to use and to be involved in community projects. It’s all kicking off at a meeting in Macmerry Village Hall on Wednesday 10 April at 1.30pm. Let’s tell our granddads all about it.

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Equality in Early Years

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Equality in Early Years - Training Opportunities

Introduction to Equality   Adam Conference Room, John Muir House, Haddington, EH41 3HA 14th of May, 4-6pm

An introduction to the principles of equal opportunities and its important in early year’s services. Find out about the Equality Act and how you can show that you are meeting the needs of all those who need to access your services.

 Including Children with Disabilities   Saltire Rooms, John Muir House, Haddington 9th of May 10am-12noon

An opportunity to think more about inclusion and gain practical advice about how you can include children with additional support needs in early years settings. This course is delivered by the East Lothian Council Children’s Services Disability Team.

 Working with LGBT Families ‘Different Families: Same Love’ Saltire Rooms, John Muir House, Haddington, EH41 3HA 20th of May 2-4pm

 Stonewall’s 2010 research on children with same-sex parents called ‘Different Families: The experiences of children with lesbian and gay parents’, shows that they too can be subjected to homophobic bullying. This session will look at how we can talk about different families, so that all children can be themselves, feel proud to talk about where they come from, and enjoy learning free from fear of bullying. It will support participants to tackle homophobia in early year’s settings and find out about legislation and support available for LGBT families.

All Courses are FREE of charge and are open to all those working in early years services in East Lothian.

How to Book

To book your place on any of the above courses, please contact Pauline McLaren on 01620 82 9947 or email pmclaren@eastlothian.gov.uk

Please let us know if you have any special requirements that will allow you to fully participate in each session e.g. access requirements.

For more information about any of these courses, please contact Rebecca Spillane, Equalities Officer on 01620 827134 or email equalities@eastlothian.gov.uk . If there is any training on specific equality issues that you are interested in taking part in, please email equalities@eastlothian.gov.uk

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Outdoor Learning in the Early Years

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The following link is to a great resource book for anybody working in an early years setting who wants to develop their outdoor learning opportunities. Easy to read but detailed with lots of easily applied ideas.
http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/docs/foundation_stage/learning_outdoors.pdf
“the best kept classroom and the richest
cupboard are roofed only by the sky”
Margaret McMillan (c1925)
Nursery Schools and the Pre-school Child NSA Publication

 

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Early Childhood Education – what can we learn from Sweden?

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A report from the Organisation for Economic Development described as a policy profile on the importance of early childhood eduction focuses on Swedens curriculum design and implementation. The report is packed with research and contains much of interest to people concerned with children’s early learning and development. Thanks to Sheila Laing for highlighting this report. The following is from the introduction to the report

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has become a policy priority in many countries. A growing body of research recognises that it makes a wide range of benefits, including social and economic benefits, better child well-being and learning outcomes as a foundation for lifelong learning, more equitable outcomes and reduction of poverty, and increased intergenerational social mobility. But these positive benefits are directly related to the “quality” of ECEC.

Definitions of quality differ across countries and across different stakeholder groups depending on beliefs, values, a country’s (or region’s) socio-economic context, and the needs of the community of users. While definitions should be interpreted with caution and sensitivity when comparing cross-country practices, the OECD has taken a two-tier approach to define “quality” to proceed policy discussions. Therefore, this policy profile considers quality in terms of “structural quality”1 and “process quality”,2 and sets out “child development” or “child outcome” as quality targets.

Based on international literature reviews findings, the OECD has identified five levers as key policies to encourage quality in ECEC:

1) Setting out quality goals and regulations

2) Designing and implementing curriculum and standards

3) Improving qualifications, training and working conditions

4) Engaging families and communities

5) Advancing data collection, research and monitoring

Of the five levers, Sweden has selected “designing and implementing curriculum and standards” to be the theme of its policy profile. As reference countries in focus for international comparison, Sweden has selected New Zealand, Norway and Portugal.

Download the report: (pdf, 1.75MB, 64 pages)

http://edubuzz.org/equallywell/files/2013/02/SwedenEYPolicyProfilePublished05022013.pdf

Or download from the OECD webiste

http://www.oecd.org/education/school/2479039.pdf

 

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United Nations stands up for Children’s Right to play

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The International Association of Play has released a press statement on a United Nations committee decison

UN STANDS UP FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHT TO PLAY, ARTS AND LEISURE IN  A LANDMARK MOMENT FOR CHILDREN

 United Nations adopts in-depth interpretation of ‘forgotten’ children’s rights artticle.

 Article 31 has long been considered “the forgotten article” of the Convention. The General Comment adopted today, however, will right that wrong by clearly defining the responsibilities of governments that are implicit in the article.

The stated objectives of the General Comment are:

a) To enhance understanding of the importance of Article 31 for children’s well-being and development, and for the realisation of other rights in the Convention.

b) To provide interpretation to States parties with regard to the provisions, and consequent obligations, associated with Article 31.

c) To provide guidance on the legislative, judicial, administrative, social and educational measures necessary to ensure its implementation for all children without discrimination and on the basis of equality of opportunity.

For full press release 2013 1 Feb-IPA Press Release-UN Article 31 (2)

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Early Year & Physical Activity

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A new resource just came out from the British Heart Foundation.  The document has lots of web links to useful resources and programme materials that can be downloaded.

It can be downloaded directly from the site, or it can be ordered in hard copy (for a small donation) from the BHF site as below.

 http://www.bhf.org.uk/publications/view-publication.aspx?ps=1002163

The guide is for:

 Early years settings who provide care to children from birth up to the age of five. It can be used by all regulated providers, irrespective of the time that children spend in their care, including:

– local authority maintained nursery schools

– private, voluntary and independent nurseries

– nursery classes within primary schools

– pre-schools

– children’s centres

– registered childminders and nannies

– other early years providers such as playgroups and baby and toddler groups.

 

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LicketyLeap – Latest statistics and evaluation results for East Lothian

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LicketyLeap is Licketyspit’s ground-breaking immersive (participative) theatre project for three to five year olds in groups of ten, which is delivered as part of a four-part programme involving nursery staff, parents, carers and families. Launched in October 2011 with funding from Inspiring Scotland’s Early Years Early Action Fund, LicketyLeap has currently been delivered to 1009 children from 22 nurseries in multiply deprived areas of North Edinburgh, East Lothian, North Glasgow and Fife. The project has achieved remarkably high levels of parental interest, with 904 parents, carers and family members having attended a LicketyLeap session in nurseries. Funding has now been extended until June 2013. 

LicketyLeap in East Lothian: Current Statistics (January 2013)

 Since October 2011, LicketyLeap has been delivered to 6 nurseries in East Lothian: First Step, Levenhall, Musselburgh Burgh, Prestonpans, Wallyford and Whitecraig. In total:

• 342 children have participated in the LicketyLeap programme in East Lothian.

 • 43 nursery staff have participated in the project.

 • 290 parents/carers have attended a LicketyLeap session in nurseries.

  •   224 parent/carer contact details have been captured.

 • 143 children were sampled for evaluation, with 123 evaluations completed and returned.

 For full evaluation report contact Licketyspit Theatre Company www.licketyspit.com

 

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Equality in the early years

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 Training Opportunities

February / March 2013

 Introduction to Equality

Adam Conference Room, John Muir House, Haddington, EH41 3HA

Friday 15th of February 9.30am -11.30am or Monday 18th March 2-4pm

 An introduction to the principles of equal opportunities and its important in early year’s services. Find out about the Equality Act and how you can show that you are meeting the needs of all those who need to access your services.

 Including Children with Additional Support Needs

Esk Room 1, Brunton Theatre, Ladywell Way, Musselburgh, EH21 6AF

Tuesday 5th March:  9.30-11.30am

 An opportunity to think more about inclusion and gain practical advice about how you can include children with additional support needs in early years settings. This course is  delivered by the East Lothian Council Children’s Services Disability Team.

 Working with Gypsy Traveller Families

Adam Conference Room, John Muir House, Haddington, EH41 3HA

Tuesday 19th March:  9.30-11.30am

 Learn more about life in Gypsy Traveller families including culture, lifestyle and accessing services. Delivered by Shelter, this course will help you to think about how to work with and include Gypsy Travellers in your service.

 All Courses are FREE of charge and are open to all those working in early years services in East Lothian.

 How to Book

To book your place on any of the above courses, please contact Pauline McLaren on 01620 82 9947 or email pmclaren@eastlothian.gov.uk

Please let us know if you have any special requirements that will allow you to fully participate in each session e.g. access requirements.

For more information about any of these courses, please contact Rebecca Spillane, Equalities Officer on 01620 827134 or email equalities@eastlothian.gov.uk . If there is any training on specific equality issues that you are interested in taking part in, please email equalities@eastlothian.gov.uk

Equality in Early Years Training Feb and March 2013

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Midlothian Champions report

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The Midlothian Equally Well Readiness to Learn test site was established late in 2009, as a development of the initial test site in East Lothian with a focus on early years. The rationale behind the Midlothian test site was to focus activities and learning around improving readiness to learn, to contribute to breaking the cycle of poorer than average health outcomes (in Midlothian) in the target communities: Gorebridge, Mayfield and Woodburn.

Its aims were:

> to develop sustainable improvements in early years’ services by involving local people in shaping services that improve health and wellbeing

> to build understanding and support joint working between agencies and community organisations on health inequality

> to support innovative approaches to improving readiness for learning.

The report linked here details the work developed by the Midlothian Service champions to imprve and develop services and engage parents in improving readiness to learn in the communities of Mayfield, Woodburn and Gorebridge, The report details some exciting work either developing exisitng good practise or services innovating and redesigning what they do to improve readiness to learn

 Midlothian Report LR

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