text:
Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres
- Chad Hutchinson
- 3 years ago
- Views:
1 House of Commons Education Committee Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres Fifth Report of Session Volume I Volume I: Report, together with formal minutes Volume II: Oral and written evidence Additional written evidence is contained in Volume III, available on the Committee website at Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 11 December 2013 HC 364-I Incorporating HC 852-i and ii, Session Published on 17 December 2013 by authority of the House of Commons London: The Stationery Office Limited 14.50
2 The Education Committee The Education Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Education and its associated public bodies. Membership at time Report agreed: Mr Graham Stuart MP (Conservative, Beverley & Holderness) (Chair) Neil Carmichael MP (Conservative, Stroud) Alex Cunningham MP (Labour, Stockton North) Bill Esterson MP (Labour, Sefton Central) Pat Glass MP (Labour, North West Durham) Siobhain McDonagh MP (Labour, Mitcham and Morden) Ian Mearns MP (Labour, Gateshead) Mr Dominic Raab (Conservative, Esher and Walton) Chris Skidmore MP (Conservative, Kingswood) Mr David Ward MP (Liberal Democrat, Bradford East) Craig Whittaker MP (Conservative, Calder Valley) Charlotte Leslie MP (Conservative, Bristol North West) was also a member of the Committee during the inquiry. Powers The Committee is one of the departmental select committees, the powers of which are set out in House of Commons Standing Orders, principally in SO No 152. These are available on the Internet via Publications The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at Committee staff The current staff of the Committee are Dr Lynn Gardner (Clerk), Katy Stout (Second Clerk), Martin Smith (Committee Specialist), Claudia Sumner (Committee Specialist), Ameet Chudasama (Senior Committee Assistant) and Caroline McElwee (Committee Assistant). Contacts All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Education Committee, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general enquiries is ; the Committee s address is
3 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 1 Contents Report Page Summary 3 1 Introduction 5 Context 5 Our inquiry 5 Background and numbers 6 Impact and effectiveness 7 2 Definition and purpose of Sure Start children s centres 9 What is a Sure Start centre? 9 The core purpose 11 Universal or targeted services 12 Priority services: children or parents? 13 Childcare and early education 15 Working with partners 16 Working with childminders and other education providers 19 3 Outcomes and accountability 22 Measuring outcomes 22 Inspection 23 Evidence-based interventions 24 Payment by Results 27 Decision-making and governance 27 Research into effectiveness 29 4 Reaching children and families in need 30 Disadvantaged groups 30 Involving parents in children s centres 31 Data-sharing 33 Child protection and children in need 35 Registration of births 36 Use of data by centres 37 5 Local and central Government: funding, commissioning and strategic planning 38 Funding 38 Commissioning 40 Reconfiguration and closure of centres 41 Local authority accountability 42 Government policy 43 Two year old offer 43 Central Government policy on early years 45
4 2 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 6 Workforce and leadership 47 The workforce 47 Training and development 49 Leadership 50 7 Conclusion 53 Annex: Programme for the Committee s visit to the Netherlands and Denmark, 3 7 February Formal Minutes 54 Witnesses 66 List of printed written evidence 68 List of additional written evidence 68 List of Reports from the Committee during the current Parliament 70
5 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 3 Summary Sure Start children s centres are popular and well-used by parents but we found a lack of clarity about their purpose and what centres should offer. We identified three types of centre, offering different levels of services: full centres based around nursery schools, centres as part of schools and centres that operate as family centres. The use of this tripartite model would make it possible to clarify policy-making around centres and to introduce greater accountability for their effectiveness. Accountability is needed both at the centre level and also that of the local authority. We recommend that a national outcomes framework be developed to ensure that the right things are being measured and that the impact of individual centres can be evaluated. The governance of centres must become stronger and more formal like that of schools. We believe that it is up to local authorities to decide how to organise and commission services from children s centres in their areas but there must be stronger accountability for how well local authorities perform through their children s centres in improving outcomes for children. Questions raised by Ofsted about children s centres need to be treated with the same seriousness by authorities as are those for schools or other services for children. Ofsted needs to demonstrate that its framework is adaptable enough to offer a meaningful assessment of all three types of centre. The Government has introduced a core purpose for children s centres. We consider that it is too vague and broadly worded and should be reviewed to focus on achievable outcomes for children and families and to recognise the difference between centres. This should include reaching clarity on who centres are for children or parents and what their priority should be. We recognise the important part played by universal services in making targeted services effective. We also conclude that while it is not necessary or practical for all centres to run their own early education or childcare, they should all have links with a qualified teacher. Co-location with other services is less important than integration of services and shared objectives. Local authorities and health professionals should do more to seek out the most vulnerable children and raise awareness of children s centres. The Department for Education should restore the national collection of data on the reach of individual centres in order that good and poor practice alike can be identified. Barriers to involving disadvantaged groups and others who are reluctant to engage with centres must be addressed in practical ways. Parents and local communities must be involved in centres, through parents groups and volunteering, for example. Data-sharing is vital and must be improved. Information on children and families known to health and social services should be passed on to children s centres where possible. We are not convinced that local authorities should be obliged to offer registration of births at children s centres. Instead, there should be an approach of presumed consent where the authority passes on information unless specifically told not to. Children s centre staff need training in handling data, which should be conducted jointly with other agencies. Investment in early intervention is the most effective way of closing the attainment gap between the most disadvantaged children and their peers. Under the current accountability
6 4 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres framework, it is not the right time to remove the ring-fence around early intervention spending and there should be greater transparency on how local authorities spend the money. Closing children s centres is not popular and should go ahead only where there has been proper consultation and where alternatives to closure have been considered. However, changes in the network may make centres as a whole more effective The use of evidence-based programmes in centres is developing but it needs to be embedded in the culture and more training is needed for staff. The Early Intervention Foundation should issue guidance on how programmes can be implemented in centres. The Government should commission research into what makes a children s centre effective and particularly into the kind of parental engagement in the home environment which makes most difference to narrowing the gap. We also recognise the potential of Early Years Teaching Centres and Teaching Schools in assisting self-improvement and spreading best practice within the children s centre sector. The Government is right to encourage a better qualified early years workforce but needs to set out a strategy if its aspiration for an integrated 0 18 workforce is to be realised, including equal pay for the early years. All centres should have a training plan, checked by Ofsted during inspections, to ensure that CPD is being offered and taken up by staff. The NCTL should set out a career structure for children s centre staff. It should also overhaul the qualification (NPQICL) available to centre leaders to reflect current practice, involving practitioners in the review. The two year old offer of early education for the most disadvantaged children is welcome but we have concerns about the funding, the quality of providers, the availability of places in effective settings and the impact on places for other age groups. We also have concluded that there has been, and continues to be, too much short-term and disparate government policy in the area of early years. We recommend that the Government sets out coherent, long-term thinking on early years and the place of children s centres within that, including funding, responsibility across Whitehall and accountability. The Department for Education needs to ensure the survival of maintained nursery schools and encourage the development of the network of nursery schools with children s centres throughout the country.
7 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 5 1 Introduction Context 1. Sure Start children s centres are intended to provide integrated services for young children and their families. They were launched in 2004, with the aim that a centre should be established in every community in England. Since the General Election of 2010, they have seen significant change with a new core purpose, a focus on outcomes and impacts (rather than outputs) and the removal of the requirements on centres to provide access to childcare in the most disadvantaged areas and to have access to a qualified teacher. These changes have been introduced alongside the removal of the ring-fence for Sure Start funding, which has made the funding of many centres less certain. In many areas there has also been a reorganisation of the network of centres by local authorities who are now responsible for the provision of centres. 2. Our predecessor Committee held an inquiry into Sure Start children s centres against the background of an expansion of the programme and the placing of children s centres on a statutory footing for the first time. 1 Their report described the Sure Start programme as one of the most innovative and ambitious Government initiatives of the past two decades. It concluded that Children s Centres are a substantial investment with a sound rationale, and it is vital that this investment is allowed to bear fruit over the long term. 2 In the light of the changing circumstances and context as set out above, we decided that it would be timely to re-examine Sure Start children s centres and to take stock of where the programme is now. Our inquiry 3. The inquiry was launched on 7 September 2012, inviting written evidence on the following points: the new Core Purpose of Sure Start children s centres, how this has evolved and is different from the original design and purpose of Sure Start; the effectiveness and impact of Sure Start children s centres to date, including the role of Ofsted inspections; the range of services and activities provided at Sure Start children s centres, and their desired outcomes, and whether/how these differ from family centres, early Sure Start local programmes and early years settings; how Sure Start children s centres compare with similar initiatives in other countries; 1 Sure Start children s centres, Fifth Report from the Children, Schools and Families Committee, Session , HC 130-I 2 Ibid., paragraph 16
8 6 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres how to define and measure good practice in family and parenting support and outreach, including the effectiveness of the Government s payment by results trials, and what measures of child development and school readiness might be used; how to increase the use of evidence-based early intervention in children s centres; how to strengthen integrated working between health, social care and education as part of a multi-agency early help offer, including how to improve informationsharing and the proposal for children s centres to have access to a named social worker ; how to increase the involvement of families (especially fathers, disadvantaged families, minority ethnic groups and families of children with SEN and disabled children) in the running of children s centres and in their regular activities; how the overall level and quality of provision is being affected by moves to local funding We received written submissions from a wide range of witnesses. We also took oral evidence on eight occasions, hearing from 12 panels of witnesses as listed at the end of this report. This included a session held in Corby, during an interesting and informative visit to the Pen Green Centre for Children and Families. We also visited the Netherlands and Denmark in February 2013 to compare provision for the early years in those countries with that in England. 4 Finally, we held an informal seminar at the start of our inquiry on the subject of school readiness, to which invited guests brought different perspectives on early years provision. We are grateful to all those who contributed to our inquiry through these various routes, and especially to those who organised or participated in our activities away from Westminster. 5. During this inquiry we have benefitted from the expertise and assistance of our two standing special advisers on children s services, Marion Davis CBE and Professor David Berridge OBE, and from two advisers selected for their experience and knowledge of this specific area, Professor Iram Siraj and Dr Margy Whalley. 5 Background and numbers 6. Sure Start children s centres were established in three distinct phases. Phase 1 centres were set up from 2004 onwards and built on previous initiatives such as Early Excellence Centres and Sure Start Local Programmes. Together with phase 2 centres, they were 3 PN19, Session See annex for an outline of the visit programme 5 Marion Davis CBE declared interests as a former President and continuing Associate Member of the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS); as a former member of the Munro review reference group, continuing to work with Professor Munro; as a Trustee of a charity, Children and Families Across Borders (CFAB); and as part-time Independent Chair of their Local Safeguarding Children Board. Professor David Berridge OBE, Professor of Child and Family Welfare, Centre for Family Policy and Child Welfare, University of Bristol, declared interests in the form of research with the Department for Education and as a member of the Corporate Parenting Panel of Bristol City Council Children and Young People's Services. Professor Iram Siraj, Professor of Early Childhood Education, Institute of Education, University of London, and Dr Margy Whalley, Director of Research, Pen Green Research Base, did not declare any interests.
9 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 7 located in the 30% most disadvantaged areas of the country. Phase 3 centres, from 2008 to 2010, extended coverage to all areas. Sure Start children s centres services are commissioned by local authorities but the centres can be run by a variety of organisations. Figures suggest that of phase 1 and 2 centres 69% are run by local authorities, 18% by maintained nurseries or schools, including academies, 18% by the voluntary sector, 4% by health sector providers and 3% by private sector organisations In April 2010 there were 3,631 children s centres in England. Three years later, in April 2013, this had decreased to 3,116 centres. 7 It is surprisingly difficult to find a clear explanation of how this has come about and there is some dispute about the number of closures. The Minister, Elizabeth Truss MP, stated in answer to a parliamentary question in May 2013 that local authorities tell us that there have been only 35 outright closures since 2010 and that The rest of the change is a result of reorganisations and mergers of existing centres. 8 Within the total there is considerable variation by local authority in the number of closures: in 20 local authorities, the number of designated children s centres decreased by 50 per cent or more from 2010 to 2013, with a reduction from 23 to 7 centres in Luton and from 40 to 18 in Cornwall. 9 The Family and Childcare Trust is currently conducting a study that is mapping changes to Sure Start children s centres throughout the country between April 2010 and April For the moment, however, there is no accurate picture of closures across England, although it can be expected that ongoing budget reductions are likely to have a further impact on the number of centres. Impact and effectiveness 8. Sure Start has received substantial expenditure over the years since its inception and it has recently come under some political criticism for not delivering against this investment. 11 The Minister rejected outright any suggestion that Sure Start might be a waste of money, 12 and there is strong anecdotal evidence that children s centres are valued and appreciated by parents. Ofsted reported that Centres invariably provide case studies and anecdotal evidence that demonstrate ways in which individuals lives have been transformed and that Direct quotations from parents found in many reports provide compelling evidence of the positive impact of the centre on the lives of individual children and families. 13 They are also well used: the latest 4Children census found that 73% of centres reported an increase in the number of families using centres over the last year, with more than one million families now accessing services Evaluation of Children's Centres in England (ECCE): Strand 1 - First survey of children's centre leaders in the most deprived areas, DfE (July 2012), p.22. Percentages do not add up to 100 because more than one answer could apply. 7 Written answers Col584W, 20 May Ibid. 9 Written answers Col584W, 20 May Ev See, for example, speech by Nick Boles MP to the Resolution Foundation, 10 July 2012, and speech by Andrea Leadsom to the Conservative Party Conference, October Q Ev 181, para Children s Centre Census 2013, 4Children (October 2013)
10 8 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 9. Asked about objective assessment of impact and effectiveness, the Minister argued that The problem with past policy was that, when these programmes were started, we did not start the evidence collection. 15 She referred to the EPPE study as the only piece of longitudinal research we have. 16 EPPE is a study into the Effective Provision of Pre-school Education and so concentrates on that aspect of the work of children s centres. In fact, the overall effectiveness and impact of Sure Start children s centres and their precursors have been measured since 2001 in two other research programmes. The first, the National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS) ran from 2001 until The results of the impact evaluations (published in 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2012) were mixed, with consistently improved benefits found across all studies only for family functioning. 17 The NESS economic study (2011) was more positive, concluding that by the time children reached the age of five, SSLPs had already delivered economic benefits of between 279 and 557 per eligible child on a spend of between 450 and 2,500 per child Secondly, ongoing research into the impact and effectiveness of Sure Start is provided by the Evaluation of Children s Centres in England (ECCE) project. This is a six year study commissioned by the DfE in 2011 and undertaken by NatCen Social Research, the University of Oxford and Frontier Economics. The aim of ECCE is to provide an in-depth understanding of children s centre services, including their effectiveness in relation to different management and delivery approaches and the cost of delivering different types of services. The evaluation comprises five key elements or strands. To date, the DfE has published reports linked to Strand 1: Survey of children s centre leaders (July 2012), Strand 5: Cost benefit analysis (November 2012), Strand 2: Survey of children s centre leaders (April 2013) and Strand 3: Children s centres service delivery, multi-agency working and reach (July 2013). The main ECCE report examining the impact of different models of children s centres on the outcomes of children and families in deprived areas (Strand 4) is due in June The evaluation will finish in December 2017 with a report examining the cohort s Early Years Foundation Stage results to assess any longer term educational benefits of children s centre attendance. 19 It is these later reports which will give most information on impact. 15 Q Q National Evaluation report, Early impacts of Sure Start Local Programmes in Children and Families, November 2005; National Evaluation Summary The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on Three Year Olds and Their Families, March 2008; The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on five year olds and their families, DfE RB067, November 2010; impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on seven year olds and their families, DfE RB220, June National Evaluation of Sure Start local programmes: an economic perspective, DfE RB073, July Ev 214, para 2
11 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 9 2 Definition and purpose of Sure Start children s centres What is a Sure Start centre? 11. Sure Start children s centres are defined in the Childcare Act 2006 as: as a place or a group of places: which is managed by or on behalf of, or under arrangements with, the local authority with a view to securing that early childhood services in the local authority s area are made available in an integrated way; through which early childhood services are made available (either by providing the services on site, or by providing advice and assistance on gaining access to services elsewhere); and at which activities for young children are provided. Early childhood services are also defined in the same Act as: early years provision (early education and childcare); social services functions of the local authority relating to young children, parents and prospective parents; health services relating to young children, parents and prospective parents; training and employment services to assist parents or prospective parents; and information and advice services for parents and prospective parents Much is therefore expected of Sure Start centres. The Minister described them as a gateway for families [...] a one-stop-shop that gives them access to a wide range of services available locally. 21 Yet, in reality, there is a great variety in the services provided by centres and in the way that the centres themselves are configured, with a general move away from single, stand-alone centres. The most recent evaluation by the Evaluation of Children s Centres in England (ECCE) research project found that the one-stop-shop is being replaced by complex clusters of centres and satellite sites, with particular services being delivered by particular sites Crucially, the majority of centres do not offer early education and/or childcare and some offer few, if any, direct services to children despite the statutory requirements. The 20 Sure Start children s centres statutory guidance for local authorities, commissioners of local health services and Jobcentre Plus (April 2013), Department for Education 21 Q Evaluation of Children s Centres in England (ECCE) Strand 3: Delivery of Family Services by Children s Centres, July 2013, DFE-RR297, p xxv
12 10 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres Children census of Sure Start children s centres indicated that almost 2,000 centres did not offer any childcare 23 but we came across repeated confusion in our inquiry over early education and children s centres, especially when discussing the impact and staffing of the centres, and further confusion between childcare and early education. Childcare and early education are not the same. The former is currently for children aged under three, generally provided by the private sector and delivered by a workforce with low-level qualifications; the latter, as defined by the Rumbold report, implies teachers working directly with children and better qualified staff. 24 Research shows that high quality early education is critical for children from birth to age Some witnesses argued for full services to be offered at all centres, even though this would mean fewer centres overall, with many citing early education and childcare, in particular, as an essential service (see further below). 25 This would imply a more standard offer and pattern of centres across the country and was not welcomed by local authorities who argued against a consistent one-size-fits-all approach, because the needs of different communities will be very different. 26 The Minister agreed that all authorities start from different points and that the pattern of centres depends on the landscape and the local area. 27 She argued, however, that It is important that parents are able to access a service [,] that the footprint is a broad service and that there should continue to be centres in all communities We believe that it is necessary for reasons of policy-making and accountability that there is clarity about what is meant by a children s centre. This is not the case at the moment when the only distinction is between phase 1, 2 and 3 centres. There is confusion, in particular, between centres offering childcare and/or early education and those which do not. It is important also to recognise that some centres work across localities and may be inspected as groups by Ofsted. For the purposes of this report, we have identified three distinct types with different roles and functions: Children s centres based around nursery schools, offering a full service, with some acting as teaching centres and network hubs, with fully integrated services Children s centres as part of or managed by a school, usually a primary school, on the extended school model Children s centres that operate as family centres, offering family support and opportunities for community participation. These offer no childcare or early education but are used by local authorities for targeted prevention services. 23 Sure Start children s centres census 2012, 4Children, p25 24 The Rumbold Report (1990), Starting with Quality 25 See for example Q233-4, Q268, Q20 26 Q716 [David Simmonds] 27 Q Q813
13 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres In the current economic circumstances it is unrealistic to demand fully-integrated centres in all communities and this may not be the most suitable model in all cases. It is the responsibility of local authorities to determine what is required on the basis of need and to adopt the model of delivery, including the number and pattern of centres, which provides the best outcomes for children and families. Local authorities can then more easily be held accountable for how they perform against those key outcomes. 17. To assist its policy-making, the Government needs to have a clearer picture of the pattern adopted by local authorities in fulfilling their statutory obligations with regard to Sure Start children s centres. We recommend that the DfE collect data from local authorities on the pattern of centres commissioned based on the model we set out above. The core purpose 18. The Coalition Government s new core purpose for children s centres, developed in collaboration with local authorities and early years staff, is to improve outcomes for young children and their families and reduce inequalities between families in the greatest need and their peers in: child development and school readiness; parenting aspirations and parenting skills; and child and family health and life chances. 29 This is intended to provide a greater scope for local authorities and children s centres to better respond to local need, helping to take Sure Start back to its original purpose of early intervention. 30 In fact, the Government appears to have two versions of the core purpose: the first set out in the statutory guidance as shown above and the second in a DfE Core Purpose document which is: improving outcomes for young children and their families, with a particular focus on the most disadvantaged families, in order to reduce inequalities [reference to between families in the greatest need and their peers deleted] in: child development and school readiness; supported by improved: parenting aspirations, self esteem and parenting skills; child and family health and life chances (differences highlighted) The core purpose and its focus on improving outcomes for disadvantaged children has generally been welcomed by the sector as shown in the responses to the Government consultation on the core purpose and in evidence to our inquiry. We were concerned, however, that the wording was too broad to be meaningful. We were also concerned about apparent tensions within the core purpose, as identified by the latest research report into children s centres (ECCE Strand 3), such as whether centres should prioritise children or parents, employment or family support, or targeted or universal provision in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. 32 The Minister did not recognise this tension and argued that the wording was deliberately broad. 33 She translated the core purpose as being there to offer services to parents, to improve outcomes for children and to provide a gateway into other services that are provided locally. 34 She added that the whole point of our core 29 Statutory guidance (April 2013) 30 Ev 214, para ECCE Strand 3 report, p. xviii 33 Qq 787, Q786
14 12 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres purpose is that it gives councils the freedom to organise their services with the aim of achieving the best outcomes for children We are not convinced by the Minister s defence of the wording of the core purpose which we judge to be too vague and too broad, whichever version is used. It is not possible for a small children s centre which acts principally as a signpost to other services to fulfil such a wide-ranging and all-encompassing purpose. For other centres, the core purpose is too all-encompassing to be of any use as a guiding principle of their aims and priorities. In neither case is it possible for a children s centre to achieve such expectations alone. It is right that councils should have the freedom to organise their services to achieve the best outcomes for children but we are not convinced that setting a universal core purpose for all children s centres assists them to do this. We recommend that the core purpose be reviewed and reshaped to focus on achievable outcomes for children s centres to deliver for children and families, and to recognise the differences between the three types of centre. We return later in this report to how these outcomes should be devised and measured and how accountability can be improved. Universal or targeted services 21. The core purpose refers to families in the greatest need but the DfE s statutory guidance also makes clear that A children s centre should make available universal and targeted early childhood services. 36 One of the main challenges for centres is how they balance universal and targeted services, particularly in the context of reduced resources. Evidence to our inquiry suggests that an increasing number of centres are coming down on the side of targeted services, partly because of reductions in funding and partly because of the core purpose. Local authorities are also moving towards targeting in response to the increase in recent years in child protection work. Professor Kathy Sylva told us that social workers are increasingly using [children s] centres as their treatment The Local Government Association believed that the new emphasis on targeting would enable councils to target local resources in the most cost-effective way when responding to local needs. 38 Other evidence, particularly from children s charities, was strongly in favour of the retention of universal services. Barnardo s was clear that making provision available to all families is the best way to build social capital in communities and enable engagement with the full range of families without stigma. 39 The Children s Society saw universal services as a key part of early intervention and prevention, reporting that such services get people through the door, enable staff to build relationships with families and identify any issues/problems families may be facing before they reach crisis point. 40 A recent NFER report noted that whilst the concept of target groups can be helpful for 35 Q Statutory Guidance (April 2013), p6 37 Q Ev 223, para Ev 196, para Ev w20, para 3
15 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 13 monitoring and prioritising services, any family or child could potentially be in need of some additional support at any given point in time. 41 Witnesses called variously for a mix of open access and targeted services, 42 proportional access, 43 and targeted interventions within a universal service The Minister saw no contradiction between the aims of involving as wide a group as possible of the community in the centre and of making sure that those children from disadvantaged backgrounds get the early education and the services they need. 45 She added that the way of achieving an effective targeted service is to have a universal offer. 24. Funding pressures inevitably mean that greater targeting of services must occur but it is important that all families are able to access services through children s centres and universal services play a significant role in removing the stigma from attending centres and in encouraging families to engage with centres in the first place. The Government must make clear in its statutory guidance that local authorities should have regard to the relationship between universal services and the effectiveness of targeted prevention services when planning local provision. Priority services: children or parents? 25. Early childhood services are defined in legislation as services not just for children but also for parents and prospective parents, including social services, health, training and employment, and support with parenting. 46 According to the DfE, the services most commonly provided by children s centres include stay and play, home-based family services, parenting classes and breast-feeding support. 47 Recent research indicates that centres are continuing to offer a surprising variety of services, despite recent cuts and changes in focus, 48 but the Children census shows clearly that the services being expanded by centres are parenting, rather than child-related. 49 Professor Sylva warned that increased targeting of services on vulnerable families was leading to children s centres without children: almost half of our children s centres do not have children in them, with the exception of Stay and Play; with the targeting, what has gone is having children in the centre Lord, P., Southcott, C., and Sharp, C. (2011) Targeting children s centre services on the most needy families (LGA Research report), Slough: NFER, p.3 42 Q60 [Naomi Eisenstadt] 43 Q605, quoting Professor Marmot who advocated proportionate universalism in his 2010 review of health inequalities see Marmot, M. (2010) Fair Society, Healthy Lives. Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England Post 2010, London: The Marmot Review. 44 See for example Q121 [Angela Prodger] 45 Q See para Ev 216, para ECCE Strand 3, p. xxi 49 Children s Centres Census Q239
16 14 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 26. Naomi Eisenstadt s history of the development of Sure Start demonstrates that the purpose of Sure Start centres has always been a subject of some debate, with ministers from different departments and at different times seeing them primarily as a resource for mothers and babies, as a part of anti-poverty initiatives to enable parents to return to employment, and as providers of early education for the benefit of children. 51 We heard that this is an on-going dilemma. Professor Melhuish told us centres tended to concentrate on the parents 52 and that children s centres are still not focused enough on improving the children to be prepared for school or adequately supporting the language development of children. 53 This is backed by impact studies which have found that Sure Start had been more effective at improving outcomes for parents (family functioning and maternal wellbeing) than child development outcomes; 54 and by Ofsted who noted that the weakest aspects of children s centres work relate to children s preparedness for school The NSPCC, supported by a recent report from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sure Start, 56 argued that children s centres should focus their work more on very young children, aged 0 to two. 57 In contrast, 4Children believed that there is enormous potential to extend the children s centre model beyond the early years. They have adopted a 0-19 approach in some of their children s centres, which allows children, young people and the wider family to access consistent support over years and means that families continue to be offered the trusted support they wish for beyond the earliest years of their child s life. 58 Professor Melhuish suggested that focusing on parents is a more indirect way of improving child outcomes and tends to take longer, stating that the financial benefits of improving parenting accrue many years later when those children are less likely to be involved in crime, less likely to be anti-social, and more likely to do better at school. To get those outcomes, you need to look quite a few years ahead Clarity is needed on who children s centres are for and the balance between the needs of parents and those of the children themselves. The core purpose gives scope for a focus on parenting skills but is vague about parental aspirations and what this means for child development. It is also not clear how far centres are meant to offer training for parents in employment skills. We recommend that the Government address these issues in its review of the core purpose. 29. The 0 to two year olds are a key group but not the only one. Equal attention should be given to the crucial pre-school period from two to five, when children may be in early education but will not necessarily have access to other services except through 51 Providing a Sure Start: how the Government discovered early childhood, Naomi Eisenstadt, Policy Press (2011) 52 Q Q See NESS impact evaluations 2005, 2008, 2010 and Ev 180, para Best practice for a Sure Start: The way forward for Children s Centres, July Ev 189, summary and paras 2 and , para Q223
17 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 15 children s centres. Priority should be given on the basis on individual need and there should be no fixed restriction due to the age of the child. Local authorities are best placed to decide the age range to be served by the services they commission through children s centres. 30. Centres are required in legislation to provide activities for young children and it is not acceptable for any centre to operate without direct contact or engagement with children: local authorities should ensure that the statutory requirement is met and Ofsted should draw attention to any centres in breach of the requirement in its inspection reports. Childcare and early education 31. In 2011 the Government removed the requirement for children s centres in the most disadvantaged areas to provide access to childcare, if there was not identifiable need, and also removed the requirement for a qualified teacher to be linked to each centre. The participation of children s centres in childcare and early education, even in disadvantaged areas, is therefore variable and changing. Currently, just over a third of centres offer childcare and the 2013 census run by 4Children found that a degree of polarisation has taken place [in the centres surveyed] with respect to childcare provision. Centres that have the capacity to offer larger numbers of places have slightly expanded their provision, while those with more limited capacity have reduced their childcare places. 60 Just over 23 per cent of centres in the survey expected to cut back on the number of all-day childcare placements in the next year Witnesses argued that childcare should be part of the integrated provision offered by children s centres and that the removal of the requirement had been a mistake. For example, Naomi Eisenstadt argued that it had diluted the focus on employability skills 62 and Unison wrote that it had damaged centres and reduced participation across a range of services [...]we believe that the childcare offer is key to the success of the Sure Start centres and contributes to successful outcomes. 63 There is some empirical evidence to support the assertion that childcare attracts parents to children s centres. Surveys published by the previous Government in 2007 and 2009 found that parents awareness and use of children s centres (in phase 1 areas) was very closely linked to the early education and childcare offered by centres and that education and childcare were the most commonly used services There is also some evidence that the combination of childcare and early education in one location produced better outcomes for children. The EPPE study found that integrated 60 Children s Centres Census 2013, p25 61 Ibid., p18 62 Q5 63 Ev 211, paras 3 and 7 64 Sure Start Children s Centre Parents Surveys 2007 and 2009, DCSF
18 16 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres centres (which fully combined education and care) tended to promote better social development and intellectual outcomes for children. 65 Ofsted has found that the quality of early years provision that is directly linked to a children s centre is better overall than the quality of early years provision without such an association. 66 Many of the phase 1 centres were based on nursery schools which were already highly-performing 67 but as the Minister was keen to point out, children s centres provide only 4% of early education places Unison also argued that it has been a retrograde step to remove the requirement to have a qualified teacher in every centre. 69 Dame Claire Tickell strongly agreed that there should be qualified teachers linked to centres. 70 Witnesses stressed that this brought benefits even where centres did not provide childcare directly: Vicky Lant of Barnardo s, for example, explained the input that a qualified teacher could have through interventions during stay and play-type activities. 71 The Minister did not consider that it had been a mistake to remove the requirement because the centres have different purposes We consider that it is not necessary or practical for all centres to run their own education with care but it is essential that all centres build close links with high quality early education/childcare providers. For the majority of centres that do not have childcare or education on site, there are questions about how well they can fulfil the expectations in the core purpose that they deliver improved outcomes for young children and reduce inequalities in child development. The Government must set out clearly how these expectations apply in such cases. 36. Research shows that contact with qualified teachers enhances outcomes for children. All centres require input from a qualified teacher to help shape their offer to, and their work in direct contact with, children. The Government was wrong to remove the requirement for a link with a qualified teacher and we recommend that the decision be reversed. Working with partners 37. Local authorities have a duty to ensure that early childhood services are provided in an integrated manner which is defined in the DfE statutory guidance as where everyone supporting children works together effectively to put the child at the centre. 73 The Childcare Act 2006 also places a duty on commissioners of local health services and JobCentre Plus (as relevant partners ) to work together with local authorities in their arrangements for improving the well-being of young children and securing integrated early 65 Effective Provision of Pre-School Education: findings from the pre-school period, October HMCI Annual Report 2012, Early Years, para Q281 [Susan Gregory] 68 Q Ev 211, paras 3 and 7 70 Ev Q534 [Vicky Lant] 72 Q Statutory Guidance (April 2013), p4 n3
19 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres 17 childhood services. 74 The DfE memorandum described children s centres as hubs of early childhood services, 75 and outlined the ways in which children s centres work with midwives, health visitors, family nurse partnerships, social care, housing and Job Centre plus. 76 This is corroborated by the recent ECCE Strand 3 report which found that An enormously long list of organisations and agencies as partners was compiled by the centre managers both statutory and voluntary, and in the community Evidence to our inquiry was strongly supportive of children s centres as models of integrated services and there was widespread agreement that integrated working with health professionals, in particular, is vital. For example, Corby health-visiting lead Diane Dinch told us that integrated working is pivotal to the local community, certainly from a health point of view. 78 Witnesses suggested that such partnership-working between children s centres and health professionals works very well in some areas, and the DfE supplied seven case studies of this in action. 79 Where this is not the case, the issue most commonly cited as an obstacle to effective partnerships was access by children s centres to health data (see paras 91 to 97 below) With effect from April 2013, local authorities have taken on new responsibilities for public health through Health and Wellbeing Boards which are required to bring together strategic partners to agree joint priorities and outcomes for their local areas. 4Children suggested that Health and Wellbeing Boards offered a chance for greater integration of health services into children s centres, and an opportunity to overcome some challenges which still remain. 81 Others have looked beyond partnership-working to full integration: for example, in a recent report, the Children s Society recommended that the Health and Wellbeing Boards should ensure arrangements are in place for integrated commissioning of universal and targeted services for children in the early years, including services offered by children s centres, general practice, maternity, health visiting and early years providers. 82 Family Nurse Partnerships provide a model of how this already works in practice. 40. Many witnesses argued for co-location of health and children s centre services, especially ante- and post-natal services. For example, the NSPCC suggested that having midwife and health visitor clinics run out of children s centres is [...] effective in making other services more accessible to many parents and enabling parents to access a range of other relevant information, advice and support. 83 This is in keeping with the general direction of current government policy. The DfE s statutory guidance for children s centres 74 Ibid., p4 75 Ev 216, para Ev 218, para ECCE 3, p27 78 Q Ev Eg Ev 186, para 4.2, Ev 197, para 24-25, Ev w16, para Ev The Children s Society, Breaking Barriers: How to help children s centres reach disadvantaged families (2013) 83 Ev 191, para 13
20 18 Foundation Years: Sure Start children s centres states that as a minimum it is expected that every children s centre should have access to a named health visitor. 84 The Minister reminded us that from 2015 health visitors will be transferred to local authorities, 85 which could see further integration. The NHS Healthy Child Programme (HCP) also holds out the possibility that children s centres may be an ideal place from which to provide the HCP, making full use of their workforce and services and of their role in promoting children s health and wellbeing, 86 including the forthcoming integrated review for 2 2½ year olds. 41. The Government has also encouraged the co-location of employment support with children s services as part of its child poverty strategy. 87 The DfE s statutory guidance for children s centres encourages centres to provide services which will improve parents skills, employment prospects and financial situation, as well as providing links with JobCentre Plus. The guidance states that as a minimum there should be arrangements made at the centre to assist families on gaining access to employment support and advice. 88 The evidence is mixed on how well this has worked so far. The National Evaluation of Sure Start 2010 impact study found a larger fall in workless household status for families in Sure Start areas. 89 Similarly, Naomi Eisenstadt told us that one of the positive outcomes of from Sure Start was that more parents got jobs, and that is measurable. 90 In contrast, Ofsted reported that one of the weakest aspects of children s centres work is the degree of support staff are able to give in helping parents towards economic stability and independence. 91 The Family and Childcare Trust told us that the range of support for parents who may wish to return to work also varies from centre to centre and was critical that there seems little evidence of strategic thinking from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Education, the Work Programme and Job Centre Plus as to how welfare-to-work provision might be targeted at certain Sure Start centres The DWP has run a pilot of work-focused services in children s centres which was evaluated in The results were broadly positive but showed that co-location of services in itself was not sufficient, and that a critical factor was children s centre s staff understanding of the role of employment as a route out of poverty. 93 Furthermore, as an early Sure Start evaluation found, many parents face a complex set of difficulties and require support to overcome these and to improve their aspirations and confidence before 84 Statutory guidance, p11 85 Q Healthy Child Programme, p60 87 A New Approach to Child Poverty: Tackling the Causes of Disadvantage and Transforming Families Lives, DWP/DfE, 2011, paragraph Statutory guidance, p12 89 The Impact of Sure Start Local Programmes on five year olds and their families, DfE-RB067, Q105 [Naomi Eisenstadt] 91 Ev 180, para Ev 186, para Ibid., p7
Sure Start children s centres statutory guidance. For local authorities, commissioners of local health services and Jobcentre Plus
Sure Start children s centres statutory guidance For local authorities, commissioners of local health services and Jobcentre Plus April 2013 Contents Summary 3 Sure Start children s centres statutory guidanceMore information
Strategic plan. Outline
Strategic plan Outline 1 Introduction Our vision Our role Our mandate 2 About us Our governance Our structure 3 Context Our development Camden 4 Resources Funding Partners 5 Operating model How we willMore information
The Family Nurse Partnership Programme
The Family Nurse Partnership Programme Information leaflet DH INFORMATION READER BOX Policy Clinical Estates HR / Workforce Commissioner Development IM & T Management Provider Development Finance PlanningMore information
Strategic Guidance for Community Planning Partnerships: Community Learning and Development
Strategic Guidance for Community Planning Partnerships: Community Learning and Development COMMUNITY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT: STRATEGIC GUIDANCE FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIPS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ThisMore information
Your child, your schools, our future:
A commitment from The Children s Plan Your child, your schools, our future: building a 21st century schools system SUMMARY Building a 21st century schools system Summary 1 Summary Chapter 1 Our ambitionMore information
Services for children and young people in North Ayrshire 28 October 2013. Report of a pilot joint inspection
Services for children and young people in North Ayrshire 28 October 2013 Report of a pilot joint inspection Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Background 1 3. The Community Planning Partnership area 2 4. ParticularMore information
Children s Services Improvement and Business Support. Service Review 2013/14
Children s Services Improvement and Business Support Service Review 2013/14 Service Name: Children s Services Improvement and Business Support Service Contact: Richard Williams Date of review: 2013/14More information
LEICESTER S EARLY HELP & PREVENTION STRATEGY 2013-15 1. Introduction 1.1. Whilst the majority of our children and young people in Leicester grow up in a supportive environment that enables them to haveMore information
EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION STRATEGY 2012-15 Summary
EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION STRATEGY 2012-15 Summary Plymouth Children, Young People and Families Partnership INTRODUCTION Why do we need early intervention in Plymouth? We know that effective earlyMore information
Inquiry into teenage pregnancy. Lanarkshire Sexual Health Strategy Group
Inquiry into teenage pregnancy Lanarkshire Sexual Health Strategy Group A. Do you have any views on the current policy direction being taken at the national level in Scotland to reduce rates of teenageMore information
Developing the Early Intervention, Early Help offer delivered through Children s Centres
Appendix A Meeting: Executive Date: 27 May 2014 Subject: Report of: Summary: Developing the Early Intervention, Early Help offer delivered through Children s Centres Cllr M. A. G. Versallion, ExecutiveMore information
Social Work Reform. Briefing from Children England March 2012
Social Work Reform Briefing from Children England March 2012 About This Briefing This briefing is provided on behalf of the Department for Education s overarching strategic partnership for voluntary, communityMore information
Into independence, not out of care: 16 plus care options
House of Commons Education Committee Into independence, not out of care: 16 plus care options Second Report of Session 2014 15 Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report Ordered by theMore information
Education Select Committee Memorandum: Social Work Reform
Education Select Committee Memorandum: Social Work Reform Executive summary 1. Government is committed to reforming social care and social work practice to deliver better support and better outcomes forMore information
Best Practice for a Sure Start:
Best Practice for a Sure Start: The Way Forward for Children s Centres Report from the All Party Parliamentary Sure Start Group Best Practice for a Sure Start: The Way Forward for Children s Centres ReportMore information
A Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Bexley Listening to you, working for you
A Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Bexley Listening to you, working for you www.bexley.gov.uk Introduction FOREWORD Health and wellbeing is everybody s business, and our joint aim is to improve the healthMore information
Working Together to Safeguard Children
Working Together to Safeguard Children A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children March 2013 Contents Summary 5 About this guidance 5 What is the status of this guidance?More information
The Bercow Report. A Review of Services for Children and Young People (0 19) with Speech, Language and Communication Needs
The Bercow Report A Review of Services for Children and Young People (0 19) with Speech, Language and Communication Needs Executive Summary This report makes recommendations to Government about the stepsMore information
The best start for Sheffield s children and families
Sheffield s 0 to 5 strategy The best start for Sheffield s children and families September 2010 C:\Documents and Settings\JW15179\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK281\0 to 5 draft strategy V13More information
Planning and Developing Special Educational Provision
Planning and Developing Special Educational Provision A Guide for Local Authorities and Other Proposers For further information: SEN and Disability Division Department for Education Caxton House 6-12 TothillMore information
The audit and inspection of local authorities
The audit and inspection of local authorities Memorandum from the Department for Communities and Local Government 1. Summary and introduction The Audit Commission was set up in 1983 to audit local authorities,More information
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 2012-2016 THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION We are established by statute to provide assurance that civil servants are selected on merit on the basis of fair andMore information
Developing The College of Social Work
Research, Policy and Planning (2010) 28(2), 129-137 Developing The College of Social Work Dorit Braun 1 and Bridget Robb 2 1 Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) 2 British Association of SocialMore information
Building Better Opportunities
Building Better Opportunities Project outline For use in England only Project title Project 15 of 19 - Employment support for refugees Central London Project reference number LEP area ESF Thematic ObjectiveMore information
Children s Centre Census 2015
Children s Centre Census 2015 A national overview of Children s Centres in 2015 The Children s Centre really helped me out when I first had my baby, helping to build my confidence being a single mother.More information
RCN policy position. Executive Director of Nursing. RCN survey on PCT Executive Directors of Nursing. Rationale for an Executive Director of Nursing
RCN Policy Position Executive Director of Nursing Part 1: Part 2: Part 3: Part 4: Part 5: Part 6: Part 7: Part 8: RCN policy position RCN survey on PCT Executive Directors of Nursing Rationale for an ExecutiveMore information
The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013: Guidance for Local Authorities
The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013: Guidance for Local Authorities The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013:More information
Role Context & Purpose
Group Manager Children s Social Care Services Role Profile: Grade: Accountable to: Accountable for: Senior Manager Hay B Service Leader 3-6 direct line reports, plus circa 48 staff that these direct reportsMore information
Special Educational Needs
Special Educational Needs Code of Practice LEAs, Head Teachers and Governors of Schools, early education practitioners and other interested parties. Date of Issue: November 2001 Ref: DfES/581/2001 RelatedMore information
Health Select Committee Inquiry into Education, Training and Workforce Planning. Submission from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
Health Select Committee Inquiry into Education, Training and Workforce Planning Submission from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Date: 19 December 2011 By email: By post: firstname.lastname@example.com information
Mencap s briefing on the draft care and support bill
Mencap s briefing on the draft care and support bill Mencap is the UK s leading learning disability charity, working with people with a learning disability, their families and carers. We want a world whereMore information
Summary of the revised SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years April 2014 Introduction
Summary of the revised SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years April 2014 Introduction The Code of Practice is statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and FamiliesMore information
The value of social care professionals working in extended schools
research summary The value of social care professionals working in extended schools Anne Wilkin, Jenny Murfield, Emily Lamont, Kay Kinder and Paul Dyson The Every Child Matters (ECM) agenda has calledMore information
School Inspection Update
December 2015 Issue: 5 Message to inspectors from the National Director, Education Welcome to the fifth edition of School inspection update. This will be the last issue for this calendar year and, as ChristmasMore information
Special educational needs reform England: Frequently Asked Questions
Special educational needs reform England: Frequently Asked Questions This document was last updated on: 10 September 2014. All children and young people are entitled to an education that enables them toMore information
Agreement for Providers of Early Years Funded Places
Agreement for Providers of Early Years Funded Places PART A Provider Details Name of Setting: Contact Name: Job Title: Setting Address Post Code: Correspondence Address (if different) Post Code: E-mailMore information
Are you covered? Travel insurance and its regulation: Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2006 07
House of Commons Treasury Committee Are you covered? Travel insurance and its regulation: Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2006 07 Sixth Special Report of Session 2006 07More information
PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION DRAFT REPORT ON CHILDCARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT SUBMISSION 1. INTRODUCTION Victoria welcomes the opportunity to respond to the draft report of the ProductivityMore information
Sheffield City Council Draft Commissioning Strategy for services for people with a learning disability and their families September 2014
Sheffield City Council Draft Commissioning Strategy for services for people with a learning disability and their families September 2014 1 Sheffield City Council: Draft Commissioning Strategy for servicesMore information
Breaking out: public audit s new role in a post-crash world AN ENGLISH PERSPECTIVE
Breaking out: public audit s new role in a post-crash world AN ENGLISH PERSPECTIVE About ACCA ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants.More information
Big Chat 4. Strategy into action. NHS Southport and Formby CCG
Big Chat 4 Strategy into action NHS Southport and Formby CCG Royal Clifton Hotel, Southport, 19 November 2014 Contents What is the Big Chat? 3 About Big Chat 4 4 How the event worked 4 Presentations 5More information
Literacy Action Plan. An Action Plan to Improve Literacy in Scotland
Literacy Action Plan An Action Plan to Improve Literacy in Scotland Literacy Action Plan An Action Plan to Improve Literacy in Scotland The Scottish Government, Edinburgh, 2010 Crown copyright 2010 ISBN:More information
A NEW LOOK AT HALL 4 The Early Years Good Health for Every Child
A NEW LOOK AT HALL 4 The Early Years Good Health for Every Child A NEW LOOK AT HALL 4 The Early Years Good Health for Every Child The Scottish Government, Edinburgh, 2011 Crown copyright 2011 ISBN: 978-0-7559-9421-2More information
Early Help Strategy 2013-2015. Children, Young People and Families. www.manchester.gov.uk
Early Help Strategy Children, Young People and Families 2013-2015 www.manchester.gov.uk 1. INTRODUCTION EARLY HELP STRATEGY 1.1 The Early Help Strategy endorsed by the Manchester Children s Board is aMore information
Children s centre self-evaluation form guidance
Children s centre self-evaluation form guidance Age group: 0 5 Published: March 2010 Reference no: 100008 The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspectsMore information
PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY SERVICES INDEPENDENT LIVING STRATEGY DOCUMENT Authors: Liz Bawn Kate Jones Page 1 of 10 1. Introduction As part of the Modernising Local Government Agenda introduced byMore information
Taking the lead. Self-regulation and improvement in local government
Taking the lead Self-regulation and improvement in local government Helping councils strengthen their accountability and revolutionise the way they evaluate and improve services Councils are accountableMore information
The Newcastle Culture Investment Fund at The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland
The Newcastle Culture Investment Fund at The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland The Newcastle Culture Fund is a grant programme for independent cultural organisations working in the NewcastleMore information
Social work in adult social services
Social work in adult social services (Original advice note February 2010, amended July 2012) Context This advice note from ADASS was first published in February 2010. It remains clear guidance on the proactiveMore information
Big Lottery Fund Research Issue 24. Out of School Hours Childcare: lessons learnt and themes for the future
Big Lottery Fund Research Issue 24 Out of School Hours Childcare: lessons learnt and themes for the future 1 Out of School Hours Childcare: lessons learnt and themes for the future Stock code BIG-OSHCHILDMore information
Careers Guidance Action Plan. Government Response to Recommendations from Ofsted s Thematic Review and National Careers Council s Report
Careers Guidance Action Plan Government to Recommendations from Ofsted s Thematic Review and National Careers Council s Report September 2013 Contents Introduction 3 Government to Ofsted s Thematic ReviewMore information
Rolling out free early education for disadvantaged two year olds: an implementation study for local authorities and providers
Research Report DFE-RR131 Rolling out free early education for disadvantaged two year olds: an implementation study for local authorities and providers Jennifer Gibb, Helena Jelicic and Ivana La ValleMore information
Job Description. BRANCH Integrated Services GRADE JM2
DIRECTORATE People and Communities JOB TITLE Consultant Social Work Practitioner Job Description BRANCH Integrated Services GRADE JM2 SECTION Community Family Service Main Purpose of the Job To operateMore information
Children first: the child protection system in England
House of Commons Education Committee Children first: the child protection system in England Fourth Report of Session 2012 13 Volume I Volume I: Report, together with formal minutes Volume II: Oral andMore information
Working with Local Criminal Justice Boards
Working with Local Criminal Justice Boards Guidance for youth offending teams Youth Justice Board for England and Wales 2005 www.youth-justice-board.gov.uk Youth Justice Board for England and Wales ContentsMore information
Draft Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice: for 0 to 25 years
Draft Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice: for 0 to 25 years Statutory guidance for organisations who work with and support children and young people with SEN October 2013 Contents 1 IntroductionMore information
Children s homes regulations amendments 2014
Children s homes regulations amendments 2014 Advice for children s homes providers on new duties under amendments to regulations that came into effect in January and April 2014 July 2014 Contents SummaryMore information
Call for Evidence for the Independent Review of Early Education and Childcare Qualifications (The Nutbrown Review)
Call for Evidence for the Independent Review of Early Education and Childcare Qualifications (The Nutbrown Review) Daycare Trust response January 2012 1. In your view, what are the three most importantMore information
Working Together. A Sure Start guide to the childcare and early education field
Working Together A Sure Start guide to the childcare and early education field Contents Introduction 4 Part One: Sure Start services and partners 5 Sure Start services 7 Sure Start local programmes 7 ChildrenMore information
Opportunities for All. Supporting all young people to participate in post-16 learning, training or work
Opportunities for All Supporting all young people to participate in post-16 learning, training or work SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION Context The Scottish Government recognises the disproportionate impact thatMore information
Myths and Facts for Schools
Myths and Facts for Schools This document addresses some common misconceptions about the activities schools are required to undertake. It seeks to tackle recurring myths and also includes some new mythsMore information
School Improvement Strategy 2015-2017
School Improvement Strategy 2015-2017 We unite across Suffolk to enable every child to be the best they can be Foreword Ensuring all children receive the best possible education is a commitment that weMore information
Integrating Health and Social Care in England: Lessons from Early Adopters and Implications for Policy
Knowledge base Integrating Health and Social Care in England: Lessons from Early Adopters and Implications for Policy Chris Ham Professor of Health Policy and Management John Oldham Honorary Senior FellowMore information
Performance management for headteachers
Performance management for headteachers Revised performance management arrangements 2012 Guidance Guidance document no: 074/2012 Date of issue: May 2012 Performance management for headteachers AudienceMore information
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSES Summary The Council for Work and Health is concerned that the current system of training and qualifications for occupational health nurses inMore information
2014/15 has proven to be a most exciting time in the development of IAC - The Centre for Adoption.
Appointment of Trustees 2014/15 has proven to be a most exciting time in the development of IAC - The Centre for Adoption. About the organization Alongside the original sector-leading work in intercountryMore information
The importance of nurse leadership in securing quality, safety and patient experience in CCGs
Briefing note: July 2012 The importance of nurse leadership in securing quality, safety and patient experience in CCGs Introduction For the NHS to meet the challenges ahead, decisions about health servicesMore information
Special Educational Needs
Special Educational Needs Code of Practice LEAs, Head Teachers and Governors of Schools, early education practitioners and other interested parties. Date of Issue: November 2001 Ref: DfES/581/2001 RelatedMore information
Evaluation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Pathfinder Programme
Evaluation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Pathfinder Programme Thematic Report: Transition and the engagement of post-16 providers Research report August 2014 Graham Thom, Maya Agur &More information
upport uy in ccountable ndependent epresentative impact ower and influence Measuring the impact and success of your youth voice vehicle
Measuring the impact and success of your youth voice vehicle epresentative ccountable ndependent upport uy in impact ower and influence A guide for staff, councillors and young people involved in youthMore information
What Works in Reducing Inequalities in Child Health? Summary
What Works in Reducing Inequalities in Child Health? Summary Author: Helen Roberts Report Published: 2000 The 'What Works?' series Some ways of dealing with problems work better than others. Every childMore information
Oversight and confidence strategy 2014/15 2016/17 and 2014/15 action plan
Oversight and confidence strategy 2014/15 2016/17 and 2014/15 action plan OFFICIAL Foreword In 2014/15, the IPCC will begin to take on more independent investigations into serious and sensitive allegationsMore information
The right start: How to support early intervention through initial contact with families. By Kadra Abdinasir and Lucy Capron
The right start: How to support early intervention through initial contact with families By Kadra Abdinasir and Lucy Capron A better childhood. For every child. www.childrenssociety.org.uk 2 ExecutiveMore information
Essex Early Years and Childcare Strategy 2015 2018
Essex Early Years and Childcare Strategy 2015 2018 2 Essex Early Years and Childcare Strategy 2015 2018 Contents Page Foreword...4 1. Introduction...5 2. Our vision...7 3. National context...8 4. LocalMore information
The role and responsibilities of the designated teacher for looked after children. Statutory guidance for school governing bodies
The role and responsibilities of the designated teacher for looked after children Statutory guidance for school governing bodies The role and responsibilities of the designated teacher for looked afterMore information
Delivering Local Health Care
Delivering Local Health Care Accelerating the pace of change Delivering Local Integrated Care Accelerating the Pace of Change WG 17711 Digital ISBN 978 1 0496 0 Crown copyright 2013 2 Contents Joint forewordMore information
Hertfordshire Teenage Pregnancy Strategy
Hertfordshire Teenage Pregnancy Strategy 2012-2015 Annual update April 2014 1 Introduction Hertfordshire s teenage pregnancy rate has been steadily declining for over ten years. Our teenage conceptionMore information
Manchester City Council Report for Resolution
Manchester City Council Report for Resolution Report to: Subject: Report of: Young People and Children Scrutiny Committee 4 September 2012 Impact of the proposals outlined in the Special Educational NeedsMore information
Draft/Support & Aspirations: Response by Norfolk SEN Network
Draft/Support & Aspirations: Response by Norfolk SEN Network Q1. How can we strengthen the identification of SEN and impairments in the early years, and support for children with them? Meeting the needsMore information
The Fostering Network 2006 Managing Allegations and Serious Concerns About Foster Carers Practice: a guide for fostering services.
1 foreword The role of foster carers is a unique and challenging one. They look after some of our most vulnerable children, 24 hours a day, and it is essential that they are properly supported. The wayMore information
Funding Guidelines 2015-2016
STRATEGIC LEGAL FUND FOR VULNERABLE YOUNG MIGRANTS Funding Guidelines 2015-2016 Amended October 2015 Published June 2012 Contents 1 About the Strategic Legal Fund 2 About the SLF Partners 3 What the SLFMore information
Customer Journeys & Worklessness
Customer Journeys & Worklessness Key points Focusing on customer journeys can be key to improving outcomes in reducing worklessness, whether applied in looking at service design or in deeper analysis ofMore information
Performance Evaluation Report 2013 14. The City of Cardiff Council Social Services
Performance Evaluation Report 2013 14 The City of Cardiff Council Social Services October 2014 This report sets out the key areas of progress and areas for improvement in The City of Cardiff Council SocialMore information
Further information is available at: http://www.afteradoption.org.uk/
Weekly E-mail News Bulletin Wednesday 7 July 2010 Children England s news bulletin is produced weekly and is designed to keep you up-to-date with the latest developments in children and family policy.More information
A Vision for Young Londoners to 2025
A Vision for Young Londoners to 2025 Invest in young Londoners, young Londoners will in turn invest in London Young people in London are 25% of the population, but 100% of its future A Vision for YoungMore information
Community Investment Strategy
Community Investment Strategy Introduction Sanctuary Group is one of the largest providers of housing and care services in the UK. We are a not-for-profit organisation and reinvest our surplus income intoMore information
Care, Fairness & Housing Policy Development Panel 21 November 2005
Agenda Item No: 6 Developing a Corporate Health & Well-being Strategy Head of Environmental Services Summary: This report proposes the development of a health & well-being strategy for the Council, whichMore information
EARLY INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION STRATEGY 2012-15 Plymouth Children, Young People and Families Partnership TABLE OF CONTENTS Background 3 Aim 3 Definitions 3 Target cohorts for early intervention 4 OutcomeMore information
Daycare Trust response to Modern Workplaces consultation August 2011
Daycare Trust response to Modern Workplaces consultation August 2011 About Daycare Trust 1. Daycare Trust is the national childcare charity, campaigning for high quality, accessible, affordable childcareMore information
Think Family: Improving the life chances of families at risk
Social Exclusion Task Force Think Family: Improving the life chances of families at risk Social Exclusion Task Force Ministerial Foreword Ministerial Foreword For over ten years now, the Social ExclusionMore information
Employment opportunities for older people
Employment opportunities for older people Response to the Enterprise and Business Committee Contact: Aaron Hill Policy & Public Affairs Officer, NIACE Cymru Tel: +44 (0)29 20370900 Email: email@example.com information
STRUCTURE AND PROSPECTS APPRAISALS. Further guidance to Further Education Colleges
STRUCTURE AND PROSPECTS APPRAISALS Further guidance to Further Education Colleges APRIL 2014 Contents Introduction... 1 Background... 1 Why we are producing this guidance... 2 Who we are providing theMore information
Information sharing. Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers
Information sharing Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers March 2015 Contents Summary 3 About this government advice 3 Who is this adviceMore information
Annex B: Payment and Expenses for Governors
A REVIEW OF FURTHER EDUCATION AND SIXTH FORM COLLEGE GOVERNANCE Annex B: Payment and Expenses for Governors JULY 2013 Annex B: Payment and Expenses for Governors Introduction 1. This document has beenMore information
If yes, in what capacity? Have you worked together before? Yes
Regional adoption agencies 2015-16 Expression of Interest Form If you have any problems editing this form, please email email@example.com 1.1 Contact details Section 1 Lead contact TBCMore information
Participation of young people in education, employment or training. Statutory guidance for local authorities
Participation of young people in education, employment or training Statutory guidance for local authorities September 2014 Contents Summary 4 About this guidance 4 Review date 4 What legislation does thisMore information
RCN INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT Royal College of Nursing (UK) consultation response to the European Commission s Green Paper on the European Workforce for Health. With a membership of just under 400,000 registeredMore information
Adoption Data Analysis: Narrative. Produced by. The Association of Directors of Children s Services (ADCS)
Adoption Data Analysis: Narrative Produced by The Association of Directors of Children s Services (ADCS) April 2013 ADCS Adoption Data Analysis Narrative (April 2013) 1. Introduction 1.1. Directors ofMore information
National Deaf Children s Society (NDCS) submission to Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry
National Deaf Children s Society (NDCS) submission to Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry Employment support for disabled people: Access to Work Summary Access to Work (AtW) plays a vital role inMore information
All Party Parliamentary Group on Civil Society and Volunteering. Volunteer Internships: Opportunity or Exploitation. Speakers:
All Party Parliamentary Group on Civil Society and Volunteering Volunteer Internships: Opportunity or Exploitation Speakers: Ruth Leonard, Head of Volunteering Development at Macmillan Cancer Support.More information


text:
Jonathan is to appear on the Lorraine Show tomorrow (Friday) at 8.30am on the UK channel ITV1. I do hope the iPlayer makes it available for all of you overseas. It would seem he has pre-recorded his performance as the above photo is captioned 'Jonathan Antoine leaving the Lorraine studios (in London)'. It was taken this morning.
This afternoon he took part in a charity recording, at London's famous Air Studios for Global's Make Some Noise charity.
The photo shows him with Anna Berry (who produced his album) and Julian Reynolds (head of the Royal Academy in London), listening back to the charity single "Steadfast' which will be completed later tonight and available on iTunes from midnight.
If you do use Twitter look under the hashtag #makesomenoise for further information.
Then, when we didn't think we would hear any more from Jonathan (as he had tweeted he'd left home at 5.30am this morning), another tweet appeared a couple of hours ago.
Where is he going? Who knows? The suspense is thrilling though!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Aljex Software has partnered with ProMiles Software to integrate its solutions with ProMiles' offerings to provide fast calculation of miles of a given load for pricing and dispatch operations. Aljex customers can now access ProMiles within the Aljex application.
ProMiles provides up-to-date mapping, mileage, and routing data.
"We're very pleased to offer ProMiles to our Aljex clients. In fact, more than 100 Aljex users are now using ProMiles for their mileage needs," said Aljex CEO Tom Heine.
ProMiles data will populate the relevant Aljex fields to assist in the calculations.
Hide comments


text:
Last month, Jason Buzi started the Twitter account HiddenCash in the Bay Area as a "fun way to bring people together and give back, and put smiles on people's faces." It doesn't hurt that there's free money involved, either. His charitable treasure hunt hides small amounts of cash around San Francisco, leaving hints on Twitter as to where to find the moolah.
HiddenCash has inspired copycat accounts all across the country in cities like San Diego, Alamo City, Chicago and most important (to us, at least), Orlando. As of right now, there are currently two hidden cash accounts doling out clues and currency in the City Beautiful: HiddenCashOTown and HiddenCashOR. Both accounts have spent the last week hiding cash around Orlando and tweeting hints to its location.
Below are some examples of the clues you'll have to solve to find the money:
Drop 3: This view is where an envelope is special & not considered litter. #HiddenCashOtown #payitforward #orlando pic.twitter.com/c4Ca1ud0k4
— Hidden Cash O-Town (@HiddenCashOtown) June 8, 2014
First clue for Hidden Cash today is Florida Mall! #HiddenCash #Orlando pic.twitter.com/CPNFjywh1P
— Hidden Cash Orlando (@HiddenCashOR) June 7, 2014
Once the riches are found, that's it for that location and you'll just have to eagerly await the next tweet. That is, unless you were the finder-keeper – then you're supposed to take a picture of yourself holding the envelope and tag the treasure-placer.
@HiddenCashOtown the envelope has seen better days, but I found it. HOORAY!!! pic.twitter.com/xRa7zuWMvm
— Christopher Collins (@ChrisanityTV) June 10, 2014
WHAT?! I just found the SECOND #HiddenCash envelope!? THANK YOU @HiddenCashOR!!!! http://t.co/UO9scWFJyR pic.twitter.com/BDTmgZNoan
— Jen Vargas (@jenvargas) June 7, 2014
Do you think you know Orlando well enough to recognize specific spots from random images and hints and want a few extra bucks in your wallet? Start following HiddenCashOTown and HiddenCashOR and get hunting!
Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox.


text:
[photos from the Bird Trouble studio. new bags hanging. Photobooth to the right of my work desk to remind me of all the silly, and awesome, people I enjoy. a drawing from a friend that tickles my satanic kitten lovin' heart.]
Lo siento on being MIA on the blog for the past few days. I've been having some really busy and fun days. It feels good to be sitting in my studio watching Girl, Interrupted and focusing on new blog posts and photo editing.
Saturday, I had the day off from the salon, so I decided to have a sidewalk sale to try to get rid of some vintage clothing, trinkets, new & vintage home decor.
Sunday, I took the Bird Trouble bags to Sheffield's Market Days at Sheffields. It was my first time in their beer garden, and it sure was pretty. The customers came mainly for the local food or for brunch, but I had a great time. I was able to eat Bleeding Heart Bakery for breakfast since they sat across from me, and I came home with local eggs and locally grown corn.
Monday was a short and sweet work at the hair salon, then I came home to a custom project I've been working on. I made a rickshaw cover for a friend's boyfriend. It was pretty wild and I'm pretty impressed by my sewing machine, and the fact that I even made that. James and I finished off the night with dinner outside and had ourselves a basketball game and a nearby court.
Tuesday I worked at the salon early in the day. I had to run to International Camera downtown (super awesome with down to earth employees) and then we enjoyed a walk around the Cultural Center, helped ourselves to a tour to the top floor of some hotel, came home with a 6 pack of Tecate, and headed straight to the Wilson Dog Beach with Ty. We ended up having an amazing conversation and time with a mom and her 10 year old son for 2 hours. It was pretty adorable.
So yeah, it's been pretty busy! I'm going to slow down for a while and get some studio time in. This week, I'm working on some new bags that will be releasing in a few weeks. I'll be introducing a few shots of them to the blog tomorrow. The collection is called Free Bird... I hope to be able to release more than one collection all together, but more on that later.
Also, I'm not sure who has me in their contacts via email... but I changed my email address. I haven't deleted the old one, but I will soon enough deactivate it and move permanently over to alexz [at!} birdtrouble [dot] com.
[What if I start going by Alexandra? I might think it's too weird.]


text:
I'm happy to announce the introduction of Colligo's new SharePoint Services division. Our services, in conjunction with Colligo's solutions, are designed to enable organizations that are adopting SharePoint and Colligo to minimize the impact to end users, and maximize the ROI on their investment.
For the past eight years, Colligo has provided professional services to our customers, so our "new" division isn't so much new as formalized. We've worked closely with thousands of business leaders, technology professionals, and end users during this time, helping them to extend SharePoint to better address their collaboration, content management, and mobility requirements.
It's this experience we're drawing from to offer services engagements for SharePoint mobility and BYOD strategies and implementation; best practices for structuring information and metadata to support compliance and discoverability; evaluation, customization, configuration and deployment packages; and end user and administrator training.
I've witnessed incredible growth in SharePoint during my three years with Colligo, and in my previous position at Capgemini, where I created successful business change programs for SharePoint. I know from experience that a professionally-managed deployment is the most effective way to ensure a successful project. And that means making sure the solution solves the business challenges for the organization in a way that end users and senior managers will both embrace.
As the leader of this division, my role, and all of our projects, are highly focused on the business change you want to achieve. If you have a need to simplify change management, maximize end user productivity, and drive SharePoint adoption across your organization, let me know. I'd be happy to help.
Ben Henderson, Manager, SharePoint Services


text:
Join us for a snowshoe exploration of the trails of East Coulson Swamp. Mini lessons in Geology and Biology will happen throughout the hike thanks to Brittany Hope, from Nature Conservancy of Canada. Sojourn Outdoors will provide a dozen pairs of snowshoes for those who need to borrow. Some seasonal vegan snacks will be provided in the parking lot after the hike by Shine Restaurant of Orillia.
Event leader: Brittany Hope


text:
10. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
I love this book despite what Disney tried to do to it.
9. A Portrait of A Lady by Henry James
Anything by Henry James but this story about Isabel Archer is his best.
8. O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
I love anything by Willa Cather (my heart is with the turn of the century American writers) but this is my favorite, though My Antonia is worth a nod. The Hallmark Hall of Fame movie with Jessica Lange is quite good.
7. Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Another sad story about a tragic woman. Notice a trend? I've read everything by Hardy and this tops my list. Also has a decent movie to go with it.
6. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
You get the feeling after reading a few of Rand's books that she's not the kind of person you'd ever want to know but she can write a great story. The Fountainhead is fabulous too--the movie with Gary Cooper with good.
5. Captain from Castille by Samuel Shellabarger
You may not have heard of this one but it's an historical romance set in Renaissance Spain which follows the hero, Pedro de Vargas, from the Old World and the threat of the Spain Inquisition (which one never really suspects) to the New World as he follows Hernando Cortes' conquistadores. You can't get any more exciting than torture, sword fighting, romance, evil noblemen and friendship against all odds.
4. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
I love a story of honor and this is one of the best, though I know some may not read it quite that way. I had a hard time deciding between this novel and The House of Mirth or the Buccaneers--both good--but this is her best.
3. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Not much more you can say about this one that hasn't been said, I'm reading it to Spencer now which will be his first time and my fifth and it's still fabulous.
2. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
For the record this was my favorite book for many years before Oprah ever picked it up--a story about one happy family, one unhappy family, choices and consequences and it's oh so good (though I've had a harder time getting through War and Peace).
1. Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
The all-time best book. It's a deeply moving, moral, touching, sometimes tragic, thoroughly American book. Stegner is the best modern writer who, unlike Roth, McCarthy or Proulx, actually creates sentences that mean something and Stegner's sentences mean a lot. Crossing to Safety and The Spectator Bird are also terrific.
Technorati tags: lists, books, favorites, literature
Friday, February 17, 2006
Favorite Books
10. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
Email this post Labels: books, lists


text:
By Louis Charbonneau
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Members of the United Nations have been meeting at the world body's New York City headquarters this week for a final round of negotiations on what could become the first international treaty to regulate the $70 billion global conventional arms trade.
The treaty drafting conference will continue until March 28. Following are questions and answers about the draft arms trade treaty.
The point of an arms trade treaty is to set standards for all cross-border transfers of any type of conventional weapon - light and heavy. It would also create binding requirements for nations to review all cross-border arms contracts to ensure the munitions will not be used in human rights abuses, terrorism, violations of humanitarian law, do not breach U.N. arms embargoes and are not illegally diverted.
It would require governments to refuse to export weapons to countries that would likely use them to violate human rights or commit war crimes. It would also require governments to regulate arms brokering.
The current draft treaty says that the following weapon types will be covered by the pact "at a minimum": battle tanks; armored combat vehicles; large-caliber artillery systems; combat aircraft; attack helicopters; warships; missiles and missile launchers; small arms and light weapons, ranging from assault rifles to handguns.
It would not cover unconventional weapons like nuclear, chemical and biological arms. Separate treaties cover those.
Human rights groups, arms control advocates and a majority of the United Nations' 193 member states want a strong treaty that imposes tough new standards on the largely unregulated arms trade. Many of the treaty's most ardent supporters come from Europe, Latin America and Africa, though it has supporters from all over the world.
Some 108 countries, led by Mexico, issued a joint statement on Monday saying "the overwhelming majority of (U.N.) Member States agree with us on the necessity and the urgency of adopting a strong Arms Trade Treaty. Our voice must be heard."
Among that statement's supporters were major arms producers Britain and Germany. The other four top arms exporters - the United States, Russia, China and France - did not endorse it.
The five permanent Security Council members - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia - issued their own joint statement of support for a treaty that "sets the highest possible common standards by which states will regulate the international transfer of conventional arms."
The five also said that "an effective (treaty) should not hinder the legitimate arms trade or the legitimate right to self defense under the U.N. Charter."
The main reason the arms trade talks are taking place at all is that the United States - the world's biggest arms trader - reversed U.S. policy on the issue after President Barack Obama was first elected and decided in 2009 to support a treaty.
Delegates have expressed concern that other major arms producers like Iran, Pakistan and others might take issue with some of the provisions in the treaty and demand the inclusion of language that weakens it and adds loopholes. Since the treaty-drafting conference works on the basis of consensus, any country can veto the outcome if it chooses to do so.
According to the U.N. Office of Disarmament, it will not do any of the following: interfere with domestic arms commerce or the right to bear arms in member states; ban the export of any type of weapon; harm states' legitimate right to self-defense; undermine national arms regulation standards already in place.
The National Rifle Association, the powerful U.S. gun lobby group, is strongly opposed to the arms trade treaty. The group has vowed to fight the convention's ratification by the U.S. Senate if Washington backs it at the United Nations.
The NRA says the treaty would undermine gun ownership rights under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The American Bar Association, an attorneys' lobbying group, last month disputed the NRA position, saying in a paper that "ratification of the treaty would not infringe upon rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment."
If the conference fails to agree to a treaty because it cannot reach the required consensus, delegates say they can put it to a vote in the U.N. General Assembly to rescue it. Either way, if a treaty is approved, national legislatures will need to ratify it.
- Ammunition. Most countries and rights groups want ammunition to be covered comprehensively in the treaty. Exports of ammunition are covered in the draft treaty but not imports. The United States has said it opposes inclusion of ammunition.
- Self-defense. Some delegations are insisting that the draft include more language on the right of countries to legitimate self-defense. That is because some major arms-importing states, especially in the Middle East, have expressed concern that their ability to import weapons could suffer if the treaty comes into force.
- Risk of diversion. Some countries want the risk of diversion of weapons to unintended recipients, such as rebel groups or governments under a U.N. arms embargo, to be a criterion for refusing to grant an export license.
- "Overriding." The current draft says that arms exports should be canceled if there is an "overriding" risk that they could be used in human rights violations. Some countries have suggested that a better threshold would be if there is a "substantial" risk involved.
- Exemptions. There are a number of scenarios under which arms deals would be exempt in the current draft, such as defense cooperation agreements - something India wanted - and gifts and loans of weapons. Supporters of a tough treaty call them loopholes and want them removed.
- Reporting. There is disagreement over whether required reports on arms trade should be made public. Countries like China, Iran and others oppose making them public.
(Reporting By Louis Charbonneau; editing by Xavier Briand)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/whats-stake-u-n-arms-trade-treaty-negotiations-211121132.html
Star Wars citizens bank Hansel and Gretel LGBT Giovanna Plowman martin luther king jr quotes Inauguration 2013


text:
I'm a technical writer by trade and enjoy crafting tutorials for WordPress, PicMonkey, MailChimp, and other tools bloggers use. I also review vehicles for manufacturers, and write musician bios for music festivals. As long as the topic is something I'm passionate about, I'm open to writing for you!
A Few Past Projects…
Musician Bios for the Richardson, TX Wildflower Festival – Read the Bios I Wrote
Technical writing for BlogHer – Read My Posts
Technical Writing for Type-A Parent – Read My Post
Car Reviews for She Buys Cars – Read My Reviews
Home/Domestic Writing for Blissfully Domestic – Read My Posts


text:
I have been using Pearl Mizuno N3's and have 2 pairs that I have been alternating between. 5 weeks before the Marathon and both are worn out .
My recent long runs have revealed that I needed a bit more cushioning (tender feet) and more support (tend to roll the foot more when tired) so have gone for Saucony Phoenix 8's.
Still have time to break them in or buy another pair of Mizuno's if they don't work for me. My shoe cupboard is now nearly as full as Imelda Marcos's!


text: Hello Tesla Engineers, I don't know the configuration of the inside of your gear drive is. If failures are because of single point load of the gears here is my solution: The solution to the single tooth loading all these transmissions are experiencing. The motor feeds a planetary reduction with 6 planet gears that output then drives a hyvo chain to the differential. This system would eliminate any single point loads. After that the next thing to fail will be the differential gears. Don Zacher