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News for out of school clubs

Children's services bear the brunt of grant cuts
Daycare Trust and Unison have joined forces to provide grants to support parents and staff campaigning to save their local Sure Start children's centres from closure.   read more
27 January 2012, Nursery World

Children's services bear the brunt of grant cuts
Children and young people are being hit hardest by cuts to local authority grants, research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has found. Researchers found that children's services were seriously affected across the board, with deprived local authorities subjected to the biggest cuts.   read more
26 January 2012, Children and Young People Now

School to take over after-school club
Parents worried about the future of an after-school club in East Reading have been assured it has never been the council's intention to close it down, despite the lack of users.   read more
26 January 2012, Reading Post

Government allocates funds to encourage outdoor play
The Play England Free Time Consortium, a group of 17 local play organisations, has been handed £2m in government funding to encourage children to play outside more regularly.   read more
20 January 2012, Children and Young People Now

Camden to close play services
Camden Council is to axe its universal play service and all of its funded play projects in a shake-up to services. Six projects will close at the end of March and the remainder at the end of August.   read more
18 January 2012, Nursery World

Gove proposes longer school day and shorter holidays
Michael Gove has suggested extending the school day, so that pupils could remain in school between 7.30am and 5.30pm and attend on Saturdays, with an extra two weeks potentially being added to school terms.   read more
14 January 2012, The Telegraph

Ofsted launches consultation on new inspection framework
Ofsted has launched a consultation into its proposals for revisions to the regulation and inspection of registered early years settings, following the recent review of the Early Years Foundation Stage.   read more
9 January 2012, Ofsted

After-school club facing closure
Parents are campaigning to save an after-school club at New Town Primary School amid fears it could close because of falling numbers.   read more
3 January 2012, Reading Post

Businessman secures future of Peterborough after-school club
A wealthy businessman from Peterborough has pledged financial support to a threatened after-school club 'for as long as it is needed'.   read more
27 December 2011, BBC News

How spending cuts are hitting schools – despite coalition vow to protect them
Research by the Guardian suggests that in education, school sport and out of school clubs some of the most vulnerable children and teenagers are taking the brunt of the cuts.   read more
26 December 2011, The Guardian

Free childcare would raise millions in tax on working mums
Free nursery care would raise millions of pounds for the government by enabling mothers to return to work, according to a report by the IPPR. The thinktank says the resultant increase in tax revenues would outstrip the cost of providing care for all pre-school children.   read more
11 December 2011, The Guardian

Cuts to family information services hit families with disabled children
A survey by the Daycare Trust found that families with disabled children who often need specialist advice are particularly affected by cuts to dedicated family information services, because standard council call centres do not have the expertise to deal with complex queries.   read more
7 December 2011, Nursery World

Cuts to Family Information Services leave councils at risk of failing to meet legal duties
The DayCare Trust surveyed 120 councils and found that 88 per cent were cutting budgets. Cuts were so severe in some areas that 34 per cent of councils did not know whether their reduced family information services complied with the Childcare Act 2006.   read more
5 December 2011, Children and Young People Now

Childcare crisis looms as grandparents work for longer
Many families will face a childcare crisis when the pension age rises in six years' time, warns the charity Grandparents Plus. It claims that 63 per cent of grandparents provide childcare to their grandchildren; the biggest age group involved are aged between 55 and 64.   read more
5 December 2011, Children and Young People Now

Middlewich after school club approved after planning row
An after school club in Middlewich which opened without planning permission has now been given the green light by the council.   read more
21 November 2011, Middlewich Guardian

Nunthorpe Primary after school club criticised by Ofsted
Stay and Play Out of School Club, at Nunthorpe Primary School, has been heavily criticised by Ofsted as lacking in safeguarding under-fives. The club was deemed by Ofsted as needing "significant improvement" in its early years provision.   read more
18 November 2011, Evening Gazette

New legal advice helpline on child protection for frontline staff
Coram Children's Legal Centre has launched a new telephone line offering free legal advice for practitioners on child protection and safeguarding issues.   read more
17 November 2011, Nursery World

Childcare credit reform 'will penalise some women'
An attempt by the government to improve its standing among female voters will penalise single parents working close to full-time hours and families' second earners – often women – according to the first analysis of the policy.   read more
13 November 2011, The Guardian

Iain Duncan Smith 'to look into childcare costs'
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said he wants to see more childcare services offered by the hour, to bring down costs to low earners.   read more
11 November 2011, BBC News

Nutbrown Review gives qualifications stay of execution
Plans to rationalise the sector's 361 early years qualifications have been put on hold by the Children's Workforce Development Council in the light of the Nutbrown Review.   read more
9 November 2011, Nursery World

Assembly hears new ideas to make childcare more affordable and accessible for London families
Loan schemes to cover upfront costs and local networks of out-of-hours providers could help make childcare more affordable and accessible for families in the capital, the London Assembly heard today.   read more
2 November 2011, Greater London Authority

Hartlepool merges out of school clubs
The two out of school clubs run by Hartlepool Borough Council are to be merged, and will run from a single site from March next year. Seven posts will be scrapped as a result of the merger.   read more
2 November 2011, Peterlee Mail

Government launches review of early education and childcare qualifications
The early education and childcare qualifications review launched today by the DfE aims to strengthen the training, qualifications and career opportunities for all those working in the sector.   read more
28 October 2011, Nursery World

Lack of outdoor play linked to short-sighted children
The time children spend outdoors could be linked to a reduced risk of being short-sighted, research suggests. An analysis of previous studies found that for each additional hour spent outside per week, the risk of myopia reduced by 2%.   read more
25 October 2011, BBC News

Holiday childcare crisis for parents of disabled children
One in three parents of disabled children received no holiday childcare during summer 2011, and one in 10 disabled children were refused a place in childcare provision because of their impairments, according to a survey conducted by KIDS in partnership with Mencap.   read more
21 October 2011, KIDS

After-school club rated inadequate
The Big Adventure Club, at Lainesmead Primary School, has been judged inadequate by Ofsted. Inspectors could not find evidence all members of staff had undergone CRB disclosures and also found the manager did not hold an appropriate qualification.   read more
20 October 2011, Swindon Advertiser

Cuts hit 47 children's centres, MP's survey finds
At least 47 children's centres in England have either been closed or are being earmarked for closure because of funding cuts, research shows.   read more
18 October 2011, BBC News

Revised EYFS rejected by leading research centre
Pen Green, the research centre recently appointed by the Department for Education to lead on raising standards in early years settings, has 'rejected' the revised Early Years Foundation Stage.   read more
18 October 2011, Nursery World

Breakfast clubs close due to lack of government funding
A lack of funding has forced some school breakfast clubs to close down and many more could follow suit, suggests a survey by Kellog's.   read more
11 October 2011, Huffington Post

Childcare support 'extended to 80,000 more families'
Parents on low incomes who are working less than 16 hours a week will be eligible for childcare support from 2013, under new government plans.   read more
7 October 2011, BBC News

Rise in number of childcare providers losing money
The annual Childcare and Early Years Providers survey found that full daycare and sessional providers had the highest loss-making levels since the survey began in 2001.   read more
29 September 2011, Nursery World

Extended services found to improve life chances
Research commissioned by the DfE into services such as after-school clubs and adult literacy classes has found that extended services lead to improvements in pupils' grades and the career prospects of their parents.   read more
29 September 2011, Children and Young People Now

Breakfast club wins award from Number Ten
Breakfast club programme Magic Breakfast has won a Prime Minister's Big Society Award in recognition of its innovative work in supporting schools to provide a free healthy breakfast.   read more
22 September 2011, Nursery World

Children in Need grant to help Burnley after-school club
Burnley Campus has received a grant of nearly £80,000 from Children in Need to continue with the Merry Berries after-school club for disabled children.   read more
19 September 2011, Lancashire Telegraph

Primary school children need nine hours' sleep
Primary school pupils need to have at least nine hours' sleep each night or their behaviour and capacity to learn will be impaired, say researchers.   read more
16 September 2011, BBC News

Targeted cuts make every child a loser
Autumn term is under way, and spending cuts in schools are starting to bite. Are children bearing the brunt of the coalition's austerity policies?   read more
12 September 2011, The Guardian

Mothers send sick children to school for fear of losing their job
Nearly a fifth of mums would rather send their sick child to school than take time off work, for fear of getting behind or losing their job, according to a new survey.   read more
8 September 2011, Nursery World

Childcare costs put parents in debt, survey concludes
Nearly a quarter of UK parents questioned in a survey by the Daycare Trust and Save the Children say the cost of childcare has put them in debt.   read more
7 September 2011, BBC News

Strain on parents' incomes spells uncertainty for extended services
Nearly one in ten breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs are likely to close during the next school year and many others face uncertainty due to rising costs and pressure on parental incomes, according to a recent survey.   read more
6 September 2011, Children and Young People Now

Childcare costs 'pricing parents out of work'
The expense of childcare could make it more cost-effective for some parents to give up work and stay at home, says a survey of family finances.   read more
31 August 2011, BBC News

Playschemes and after-school clubs could prevent riots
Open-access children's play schemes, after-school clubs, youth groups and detached work are cheaper, more likely to secure the long-term well-being of the child, and far more likely to prevent a repeat of the recent riots than stiff sentencing.   read more
31 August 2011, The Independent

Parents cut back on after-school activities
A survey of 2,000 parents found that 31 per cent are planning to cut back on the number of extra curricular activities they pay for, such as ballet, music and sports lessons as family budgets become increasingly stretched.   read more
26 August 2011, Children and Young People Now

Children's charities hit hardest by council cuts
More than 2,000 charities and community groups are facing budget cuts as local authorities reduce or cut their funding, according to new research.   read more
3 August 2011, Nursery World

SkillsActive secures funding for Playwork qualification
SkillsActive has secured £230,000 from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help 1,000 Playworkers gain their Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork.   read more
25 July 2011, SkillsActive

£10,000 lottery windfall for club
Carsington and Hopton after school club has received a £10,000 cash boost from Awards for All. The money will go to fund dozens of different activites at the rapidly expanding club.   read more
17 July 2011, Matlock Mercury

Drumlithie After School Club funding boost
Drumlithe After School Club has secured a £3,845 funding boost from Awards for All. The grant is expected to help to pay for travel and transport costs, admission, arts activities, sports sessions, healthy food and eating sessions and equipment for activities.   read more
15 July 2011, Kincardineshire Observer

Cuts to children's playgrounds revealed
Around 279 of the 2,0261 playgrounds in England that were funded by Labour have been axed in the current Government's cuts, according to new research by Fair Play for Children.   read more
12 July 2011, Nursery World

Working parents face summer play scheme price hikes
Working parents face holiday childcare bills of up to £121 a week following a squeeze on cheap council-run 'play schemes' because of government cuts according to a new survey by the Daycare Trust.   read more
12 July 2011, Daily Telegraph

Play Matters (NATLL) to join the National Children’s Bureau
The National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has announced today that Play Matters (also know as the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries) will join the NCB charity group. The Play Matters name, staff, contracts and assets have all transferred to the NCB.   read more
12 July 2011, National Childrens Bureau

Outdoor play in danger of disappearing
New research from Savlon and Play England reveals two thirds of parents always had adventures outdoors as a child but worry their children do not have the same opportunities today.   read more
8 July 2011, Play England

Government sets out reform of early learning and children’s centres
A new, slimmed down early years curriculum for 0-5-year-olds, more focused on making sure children start school ready and able to learn, will be introduced next year under changes set out today by Children’s Minister Sarah Teather.   read more
6 July 2011, Department for Education

EYFS review is now out for consultation
The proposals for a revised EYFS are out for consultation today by the Department for Education. In its response to the Tickell review the government plans to radically reduce the number of early learning goals.   read more
6 July 2011, Nursery World

Early years sector ravaged by deep cuts
A survey by the National Children’s Bureau of 53 Local Authority Early Years departments, found they are bracing themselves for cuts to staff numbers and across training.   read more
4 July 2011, Children and Young People Now

Battersea Park fee reconsidered by Wandsworth Council
Plans to charge youngsters to use a playground in south-west London at weekends are to be reconsidered.   read more
29 June 2011, BBC News

Ofsted survives calls for it to be split
The government has rejected recommendations by the Education Select Committee to split Ofsted into separate inspectorates covering education and social care.   read more
28 June 2011, Children and Young People Now

London clubs concerned by non-payment of fees and staffing
Parents' inability to pay childcare fees has topped the list of concerns for providers in London, the Daycare Trust has found, whilst out-of-school clubs were also concerned about staff recruitment, retention and pay.   read more
28 June 2011, Children and Young People Now

Free schools to offer year-round childcare
Michael Gove has said that the proposed Norwich Free School will offer extended school provision, for six days a week, and for 51 weeks of the year.   read more
20 June 2011, Nursery World

Parents fight to save club for autistic children in Haringey
Parents are fighting 'catastrophic' cuts by Haringey Council to an after-school and holiday club where autistic children have rare social contact with other young people.   read more
8 June 2011, Tottenham and Wood Green Journal

Charities concerned over lack of checks in new vetting and barring scheme
Action for Children has warned that children will be endangered unless vetting and barring rules ensure that all adults having regular contact with them are checked whether they are supervised or not.   read more
1 June 2011, Children and Young People Now

Forest schools join forces for new national body
A new membership organisation for forest schools, the Forest School National Governing Body, will be launched in early 2012. It aims to provide a quality assurance scheme as well as a national database of settings and resources.   read more
25 May 2011, Nursery World

Childcare cuts threaten welfare reform
Changes to childcare tax credits, due to come into force in 2013, could leave some parents losing 94p for every extra pound they earn, the Resolution Foundation said in a report.   read more
23 May 2011, BBC News

Fears for children as projects axed
Five programmes aimed at children in the Wear Valley have been hit after applications for funding failed. The Coundon and Leeholme Play Project, which organises after-school clubs, youth clubs and holiday activities, is to close with the loss of three jobs, after missing out on £90,000.   read more
20 May 2011, The Advertisor

Play sector unites to save information service
Play sector bodies have come together to save the Children's Play Information Service from closure. The National Children's Bureau (NCB), together with the Association of Play Industries (API) and Play England, have announced they will fund the service for the rest of 2011 at least.   read more
20 May 2011, Children and Young People Now

Parents freed from high childcare costs stay in work
Low-income parents taking part in a pilot scheme that paid for all their childcare costs say it enabled them to stay in work and improve their finances. However, once the pilot ended they struggled financially as they returned to the normal tax credit system.   read more
11 May 2011, Nursery World

Charities seek to gauge impact of rising childcare costs
Save the Children and Daycare Trust are launching what they hope will be the UK's largest survey on childcare issues. The survey will look at rising costs of childcare and how it affects parents’ home and working lives.   read more
10 May 2011, In Practice

Parents admit to 'using TV as babysitter'
A quarter of parents of young children in the UK admit using the television as a babysitter, according to a recent survey.   read more
9 May 2011, BBC News

Guide to making childcare settings more inclusive to disabled children
The Daycare Trust has produced a guide for nurseries and schools to help them be more inclusive to families with disabled children.   read more
5 May 2011, Children and Young People Now

Rent hikes threaten after-school club
A highly regarded Rutherglen out of school club fears it could be forced out of business due to escalating council hall rates. Cathkin Out of School Care say they have been hit by dramatic increases in the cost of hiring the Cathkin Community Hall over the past year.   read more
4 May 2011, Rutherglen Reformer

A generation of children 'turn their backs on sport'
According to a new survey, a third of British children do not own a bike, but three quarters have a games console and 68% have a mobile phone of their own. Most have never played sport with their parents.   read more
4 May 2011, BBC News

Final whistle for out of school activities
Northumberland County Council’s extended services teams, which provided holiday activities and out-of-school clubs, are being reduced after the budget which funded them was passed to schools.   read more
3 May 2011, Berwick Advertiser

Errol After School Club parents confident it has enough pupils
Parents fighting to prevent the closure of an after school club insist there are enough children to keep the service viable. Kids clubs were one of the victims in the recent budget cuts by Perth and Kinross Council.   read more
3 May 2011, Scotland Courier

Play 'lifeline' at The Hollies special school, Cardiff
A new after-school play scheme for children with special educational needs in Cardiff has been welcomed by parents as a 'lifeline'.   read more
17 April 2011, BBC News

MPs recommend Ofsted split
The Education Select Committee has recommended that Ofsted should be split into two new organisations covering education and children's care.   read more
17 April 2011, Children and Young People Now

Depressed deputy head stole £8k from after school club
A deputy head teacher who was once highlighted as a 'model' professional by inspectors was caught stealing more than £8,000 from an after-school club.   read more
14 April 2011, Wales Online

School holidays cost parents £1,400 per child
According to new research into the cost of childcare during the holidays, a collision of the Easter break and back-to-back public holidays for the Royal wedding and May Day will see parents spending £100 per child on average in childcare costs and £167 per child in activities.   read more
11 April 2011, The Scotsman

Out of school club staff save child's life
A mother has thanked quick-thinking staff at an after school club who saved her baby daughter’s life when she became white and lifeless after suffering from a fit.   read more
6 April 2011, Lancashire Evening Post

The hidden army of childcarers
Despite the expansion of formal childcare, research by Daycare Trust reveals that childcare delivered by family, friends and neighbours is as crucial to parents as ever.   read more
6 April 2011, Nursery World

Parents face childcare nightmare as Royal wedding, Easter holidays and AV referendum shut schools
Millions of parents are facing an unprecedented childcare headache in the coming weeks, as a "perfect storm" of the Royal Wedding, Easter holidays and AV referendum see schools shut their doors for longer than ever at this time of year.   read more
4 April 2011, The Telegraph

Top-down approach to extended services wins praise
A new study published by the Department for Education finds that the previous government's centrally-driven approach to implementing the extended services programme in schools was highly successful and should be used to inform future education policy.   read more
1 April 2011, Children and Young People Now

The Tickell review of EYFS – what does it mean for playwork?
Following the publication of Dame Clare Tickell’s review of the Early Years Foundation Stage, SkillsActive’s senior policy manager for playwork, Chris Martin looks at what the review will could mean for the playwork sector.   read more
1 April 2011, SkillsActive

EYFS Review: what it means for you and your setting
A more detailed look at how the recommendations of the EYFS Review will affect your setting.   read more
30 March 2011, Nursery World

Summary of key points from the Tickell EYFS Review
The EYFS review by Dame Clare Tickell has finally been unveiled, with its 40-plus recommendations seeking to support learning through play and build on the current framework's principles and themes.   read more
30 March 2011, Nursery World

Carse of Gowrie parents campaign against after-school club woes
Over 80 people have already signed up to a Facebook campaign against Perth and Kinross Council's decision to scrap the service at Longforgan and Errol primaries at the end of the session.   read more
23 March 2011, Scotland Courier

Tax credit cut to hit parents' use of childcare
More than two-thirds of working parents will have to make changes to their childcare arrangements or their working hours, as a result of cuts to the childcare element of Working Tax Credit which come into effect in April.   read more
22 March 2011, Nursery World

Funding cuts force school club to double its prices
A school has been forced to more than double the cost of its after-school club because of Government cuts. The school has run out of money to subsidise it and Essex County Council said there were no grants available for after-school clubs in 2011/12, because of Government cuts.   read more
22 March 2011, Essex County Standard

New after-school club will be a first for South Wales
South Wales’ first-ever after-school club for children with special needs will start next month. The club, based at the Hollies Special School, in Pentwyn, Cardiff, will open in April after £18,000-worth of funding helped boost their efforts.   read more
21 March 2011, Wales Online

Research reveals childcare gap for shift workers
A new report out today from the Daycare Trust, titled "Open all hours? Flexible childcare in the 24/7 era", has cast light on the difficulties faced by parents who work atypical hours - through either shift work, or working regular unsociable hours.   read more
20 March 2011, DayCare Trust

EYFS review will drastically reduce early-years paperwork
Paperwork will be slashed for reception teachers under the Tickell review of early years education, The TES has learnt. Under discussion are proposals that five-year-olds could be assessed against as few as 17 criteria, compared with the 117 currently included in the early years foundation stage (EYFS).   read more
18 March 2011, The TES

Scouts warn of 'threat' from council rent rises
The future of scouting is under threat due to "crippling" rent increases by councils facing government spending cuts, the movement has warned. One scout group in Banstead, Surrey had been told their annual rent would increase from £135 to £10,500.   read more
17 March 2011, BBC News

Playwork sector skills council 'at risk'
SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure, Learning and Well-being, has today announced that it has placed at risk of redundancy the team that support the Playwork sector.   read more
15 March 2011, SkillsActive

Childcare funding axed by Haringey Council
There are fears that parents could be forced out of work as after-school clubs and play centres look set to be the latest children's service to lose support from Haringey Council. The council plans to axe funding to the eight centres across the borough.   read more
10 March 2011, Haringey Independent

Montessori training deemed invalid
The core principles of Montessori and Steiner schools are under threat from the new Level 3 diploma for the children and young people's workforce, which is due to be introduced in January 2012.   read more
8 March 2011, InPractice

Children's services take hit of more than half a billion pounds
CYP Now claims that children's services departments are set to lose well in excess of £500 million by the end of the month as councils finalise their 2010/11 budgets.   read more
8 March 2011, Children and Young People Now

NSPCC says vetting plan has disturbing gap
According to the NSPCC, government plans to change the system of vetting people who work with children in England and Wales contain a "disturbing gap", with some volunteers in schools and children's homes being exempt.   read more
1 March 2011, BBC News

Government ends all contracts with Play England
The play sector has been dealt another blow with confirmation that the Department for Education will not be renewing its contracts with national play organisation Play England at the end of March.   read more
28 February 2011, InPractice

New calls to end discrimination against male childcarers
The head of a leading nursery chain is calling for urgent collective action to root out the 'shameful' discrimination that prevents men working in the sector.   read more
23 February 2011, Nursery World

After-school club shock for parents as budget cuts begin to take effect
Perthshire parents have been shocked to learn that some of their after-school clubs are facing closure and the opening hours of others are being reduced.   read more
23 February 2011, The Courier

Find a job or lose benefits, mothers to be told
All stay at home mothers claiming the government's new universal credit will be required to make themselves available for work or lose state support, putting them on a par with single parents for the first time. The requirement would apply to mothers with children aged over seven.   read more
17 February 2011, The Guardian

Criminal checks on people working with children to be eased
More than half of the 9 million people who have needed criminal record checks to work with children and vulnerable adults are to be freed from the burden under new legislation.   read more
11 February 2011, The Guardian

Parents struggle to find out-of-school care
A poll of 116 family information services across England, Scotland and Wales found 60% had had parents report a lack of childcare for school aged children in their area.   read more
9 February 2011, BBC News

Child safety vetting scheme 'to be scrapped'
According to the Daily Telegraph the government is planning to scrap the Vetting and Barring Scheme. The scheme was suspended last June so that a review could be held.   read more
5 February 2011, BBC News

Parents petition against after-school club hikes
Worried parents have started a petition to stop their children’s before and after school clubs increasing their fees threefold. The huge hikes are set to come into place once Tower Hamlets Council withdraws all funding for the service at Easter.   read more
1 February 2011, East London Advertiser

After-school clubs lifeline for rural education
After-school clubs are providing a lifeline for education in rural areas, claim headteachers. The head teacher of Llanafan primary school said its club had resulted in pupil numbers reaching their highest levels since 1942.   read more
26 January 2011, BBC News

Youth services and early years worst hit by cuts
A survey conducted by Children and Young People now reveals that children's services budgets are being slashed by an average of 13 per cent in the coming financial year.   read more
25 January 2011, InPractice

Welcome reprieve on qualifications but sector still frustrated
The deadline for having a single qualification for new entrants to the early years workforce has been extended - but why did it need to be, and at what cost?   read more
19 January 2011, Nursery World

Lack of play policy is devastating the sector
The government's failure to establish any policy on children's play is having a devastating impact on the sector, play professionals have warned.   read more
11 January 2011, InPractice

Council plans to axe play services
Camden council is considering closing all council-run play centres, holiday provision and breakfast and after-school clubs in schools to make savings of between £80m and £100m over the next three years.   read more
21 December 2010, Nursery World

Gove announces partial reprieve for sports scheme
Education Secretary Michael Gove has partially backed down over his decision to scrap the £162m Schools Sports Partnership in England.   read more
20 December 2010, BBC News

Nativity photos not against law, says data watchdog
Parents should be free to photograph their children in nativity plays, the Information Commissioner has said.   read more
8 December 2010, BBC News

Planned cuts in tax credits will discourage women from returning to work
Feature article in the Guardian examines how the multitude of changes to tax credits will have the effect of meaning that many women will simply be unable to afford to go out to work.   read more
5 December 2010, The Guardian

Parents risk prosecution for not reporting childcare costs
Parents receiving tax credits have been given a month to alert HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) of changes to their childcare costs or risk prosecution.   read more
1 December 2010, Children and Young People Now

Headteachers launch protest as Michael Gove takes axe to school sports budget
Headteachers will launch a national revolt today against plans to cut school sport as Michael Gove comes under intense pressure from inside and outside government to rethink his plans.   read more
28 November 2010, The Guardian

CWDC plans to retain support role
The Children's Workforce Development Council plans to continue as a sector skills body despite its loss of Government funding.   read more
24 November 2010, Nursery World

Proposal to extend vouchers to self-employed
A leading childcare voucher provider is calling on the government to make the discounted vouchers available to all self-employed parents and sole traders.   read more
23 November 2010, Children and Young People Now

Michael Gove defends school sports funding change
Scrapping the school sports budget will not reduce participation, Education Secretary Michael Gove has insisted.   read more
21 November 2010, BBC News

Michael Gove scraps 'sport for all' funding
Schools fear for health of children and Olympic legacy following decision to axe £162m of government money for sport.   read more
20 November 2010, The Guardian

Government stops CWDC funding
The Children's Workforce Development Council is to lose its investment and status as a Non-Departmental Public Body, with key functions moving into the Department for Education.   read more
16 November 2010, Nursery World

Working families will be the big losers from welfare cuts, the TUC warns
The TUC claims that child poverty within working households is set to increase as a result of welfare and benefit cuts announced in the emergency Budget and spending review.   read more
1 November 2010, Children and Young People Now

Poorer children still not involved with after-school activities at a quarter of schools
A quarter of schools struggle to engage deprived pupils in extended services' activities, such as sports and after-school clubs, government research has found.   read more
29 October 2010, Children and Young People Now

Charity warning on benefit change for single parents
Unemployed single parents are being "set up to fail" by changes compelling them to seek work when their youngest child turns seven, campaigners say.   read more
25 October 2010, BBC News

Out of school clubs employed barred staff
Two out-of-school clubs in Calderdale employed staff who were barred from working with children. The failings were uncovered by Ofsted inspectors who investigated after complaints about the clubs.   read more
25 October 2010, Halifax Courier

Cuts to tax credits will make it harder for parents to return to work
Early years and families organisations have warned that parents will find it harder to return to work, following the news that the Government is to cut the amount that working parents can claim for their childcare costs.   read more
20 October 2010, Nursery World

Government could save more by reinstating Playbuilder funding, claims Play England
Play England is calling for the government to reinstate funding for the Playbuilder programme after a report revealed that stopping investment in play will produce long-term financial costs to society.   read more
19 October 2010, InPractice

Health and safety regulations will allow children to experience risk
The government is to overhaul health and safety rules to ensure children's play areas are more exciting. The move is among the recommendations made in Lord Young's review of health and safety regulations.   read more
15 October 2010, Children and Young People Now

Education shadow posts named by Labour Party
Andy Burnham has been named as the new shadow secretary of state for education by Labour leader Ed Miliband.   read more
13 October 2010, Nursery World

Playworkers taking wrong diplomas
Playworkers are being encouraged to sign up for inappropriate qualifications that do not equip them to do their job properly, according to SkillsActive.   read more
12 October 2010, InPractice

'Non-essential' education schemes face cuts to fund premium for poor pupils
The government plans to cut 'non-essential' education projects including youth clubs, after-school activities and child safety projects to meet its commitment to increase funding for disadvantaged children under a pupil premium.   read more
12 October 2010, The Guardian

Nursery staff foil child abduction
Staff at a Hull nursery have won praise for their vigilance after foiling an attempt by an unknown woman to abduct a child from the setting.   read more
6 October 2010, Nursery World

Research to measure value of play
The value of play in early years is set to be examined in a joint project between the University of Bath and the Bath Area Play Project.   read more
5 October 2010, Children and Young People Now

Children's centres to be turned over to private sector
Children's centres and nurseries in Suffolk are to be run by the private and voluntary sector as part of plans to move the county council from being a provider of services to a commissioner.   read more
29 September 2010, Nursery World

Outdoor nursery excused from hand washing
An outdoor nursery has won its battle with Scotland's Care Commission to continue to use anti-bacterial wipes and hand sanitiser to clean children's hands.   read more
29 September 2010, Nursery World

Fears youth holiday club will face chop
Children might have enjoyed their last summer of free activities as funding doubts loom over one of Wokingham’s most valued holiday clubs.   read more
28 September 2010, Wokingham Times

Call to scrap child contact vetting system
The government must scrap the current vetting and barring scheme for those working with children, a think-tank has said.   read more
27 September 2010, BBC News

Children's sector quangos face axe
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency and School Food Trust are among 177 quangos to be abolished, according to a leaked Cabinet Office list. The Children’s Workforce Development Council, and the Training and Development Agency for Schools are among the agencies still under review.   read more
24 September 2010, Children and Young People Now

Westminster seeks huge increase in cost of out of school care
Families in Westminster could be hit by a 545 per cent hike in the cost of holiday play schemes under proposals being put forward by the council.   read more
15 September 2010, InPractice

Half of special needs children misdiagnosed
As many as half of all the children identified as having special educational needs are wrongly diagnosed and simply need better teaching or pastoral care instead, according to a report published by Ofsted.   read more
14 September 2010, The Guardian

Gove claims schools too risk-averse
Michael Gove has called for the "bubble-wrapped" culture at schools to end. He says that parents are frustrated when children's activities are limited by health and safety rules, and that teachers are too risk-averse over school trips and adventurous activities.   read more
13 September 2010, Children and Young People Now

Practitioners want EYFS left as it is
There is 'overwhelming' support among most early years practitioners for the EYFS framework, new research by the Institute of Education suggests.   read more
8 September 2010, Nursery World

Health and safety concerns are restricting children's school playtime
A generation of "cotton wool" children are growing up without being exposed to risky play, experts have warned, as new research finds that parents are increasingly concerned about the health and safety culture in schools.   read more
7 September 2010, The Guardian

Skills Active boosts playwork qualifications
SkillsActive has come up with a three-tiered, bite-sized approach to playwork qualifications with the launch of the Level 2, 3 and 4 Award, Certificate and Diploma in playwork.   read more
1 September 2010, Nursery World

The government must find a way to enable parents to work
Next year the Government wants to put 100,000 single parents with children over five years back into work, along with a further 120,000 currently on benefits, which they say will save £380m. How?   read more
29 August 2010, Guardian

After-school clubs too expensive, poll suggests
Nearly two-thirds of UK parents cannot afford after-school activities for their children, a poll suggests. This rises to nearly three-quarters of those parents below the poverty line, the online poll of 854 parents for Save the Children indicated.   read more
29 August 2010, BBC News

Few single parents able to find jobs with flexible arrangements
There is a distinct lack of jobs offering flexible working arrangements despite the coalition government's drive to get more single parents into work, according to new research.   read more
24 August 2010, InPractice

Holiday childcare will become harder to find
A survey by the Daycare Trust finds 'a gaping hole' in coverage, with wide regional varations. Local authority cuts and the need to follow the EYFS will exacerbate the problem according to the report.   read more
18 August 2010, Nursery World

How will lone parents cope with having to find a job when their children reach school age?
The summer holidays cause childcare headaches for working families across the UK, but employed lone parents are probably finding these six long weeks more stressful than most as they struggle to balance childcare and employment. And the number of single parents desperately looking for extra childcare during holiday periods is set to increase.   read more
11 August 2010, Guardian

Hundreds of playground schemes mothballed
Hundreds of community playground schemes in England are being axed or scaled back because of government cuts. Education Secretary Michael Gove has frozen grants to 132 councils for building and running up to 1,300 schemes.   read more
11 August 2010, BBC News

Small charities bear the brunt of cuts despite big society pledge
The government's 'Big Society' vision will collapse if the scale of council funding cuts to small charities under way in some areas is replicated nationwide, sector figures have warned.   read more
10 August 2010, InPractice

Government clarifies ban on Every Child Matters
The Department for Education has moved to allay fears that a ban on the use of the phrase 'Every Child Matters' in the new government signals a shift in policy for children and young people.   read more
10 August 2010, Children and Young People Now

Government launches consultation on EYFS review
The early years workforce is being urged to submit evidence towards the independent review of the EYFS, with a consultation which was launched online at the start of August.   read more
2 August 2010, Nursery World

Schools struggle to find money for extended services
Schools are struggling to fund a full programme of extended services despite pressure from parents and pupils to run more activities, according to a recent government report.   read more
29 July 2010, Children and Young People Now

Government tells childcare charities not to publicise their services
A leaked letter has revealed that the Department for Education is ordering charities delivering government-funded programmes, including NCMA, Gingerbread, Kids and the Daycare Trust, to stop publicising their work immediately in an apparent bid to save on spending.   read more
29 July 2010, Children and Young People Now

Pupils show benefits of after-school clubs
Children at a primary school in Edmonton put on a summer show to highlight the results of a £40,000 government grant for after-school activities. The money, which was handed out under the government’s UCan2 scheme, has paid for a series of clubs and extra-curricular activities for pupils.   read more
28 July 2010, North London Today

Early end to subsidised childcare tax credits scheme costs parents dear
Parents on a pilot scheme to help lower-income families with their childcare costs have been told they will have to pay back £500 because the pilot is ending in September, nine months earlier than planned.   read more
28 July 2010, Nursery World

Free Childcare for Training for Work scheme to close
The government is to scrap the £75m Free Childcare for Training and Learning for Work scheme. The scheme was designed to support low-income families where one parent was working and the other wanted to improve their skills to get back to work.   read more
27 July 2010, InPractice

Early years capital grant for childcare settings could be withdrawn
Private and voluntary settings that have applied for funding for improvements from the early years capital grant could lose out on millions of pounds.   read more
21 July 2010, Nursery World

Playworkers found to lack job-specific training
More than 40 per cent of playworkers do not have a playwork qualification, a new report by SkillsActive has found. According to the report, employers in the sector are struggling to find staff with the skills they are looking for.   read more
21 July 2010, Nursery World

Funding for projects affecting children and young people to be slashed
In a letter sent to all local authorities, Michael Gove has announced cuts of at least £169.5m to capital funding for a range of projects affecting children and young people, including clawing back money previously committed for building new play areas.   read more
16 July 2010, Children and Young People Now

Parents struggle to find holiday childcare
Many parents in Britain are struggling to find childcare for their children over the summer holidays, a survey by the Daycare Trust suggests. The trust found 60 of the 150 Family Information Services (FIS) in England had parents reporting a lack of care.   read more
14 July 2010, BBC News

Government unveils wide-ranging review of the Early Years Foundation Stage
Children's minister Sarah Teather today launches a review of the EYFS, which will consider whether the framework is too bureaucratic and how to shift the focus to getting children ready for education and improving the attainment of children from deprived backgrounds.   read more
6 July 2010, Nursery World

Letting children off the leash
It is an observation that has become commonplace: children are missing out on normal stages of growing up because red tape, tabloid scare stories and the threat of litigation are deterring parents and teachers from exposing them to risk.   read more
5 July 2010, BBC News

North Ayrshire to close out of school clubs
North Ayrshire, one of only three local authorities in Scotland which directly provide out of school care, has decided to cut £300,000 from its budget by closing a number of out of school clubs and increasing fees by 50% at others.   read more
2 July 2010, Irvine Herald

Play England announces 15 job losses amid huge funding cuts
Play England has announced that 15 jobs are to be axed as the organisation seeks to cope with a £900,000 cut in its government funding for the year.   read more
1 July 2010, InPractice

Out of school club rated 'good' despite school being unsatisfactory
The organisers of an out of school club attached to a failing school have been praised by Ofsted inspectors who have rated the provision as 'good'. The findings are in stark contrast to a report on Luddenden Dene Church of England Primary School which was put into special measures after being inspected.   read more
26 June 2010, Hebden Bridge Times

Budget: Child benefit frozen and tax credits cut
Tax credits will be cut for households with a combined income of more than £40,000. Child benefit, which is received by all families with children, will be frozen for three years.   read more
22 June 2010, BBC News

Budget: Lone parents must work when youngest child starts school
The Chancellor has announced that from 2011, lone parents will have to start work when their youngest child starts school or lose their income support. Currently lone parents do not have to start looking for work until their youngest child reaches the age of 10, although this was due to be reduced to seven in October.   read more
22 June 2010, BBC News

Are breakfast clubs under threat?
Breakfast clubs are a lifeline for children who come to school hungry. But will the new government continue to support them?   read more
21 June 2010, Guardian

Scrap EYFS and devolve Sure Start, says think-tank
The EYFS should be scrapped and funding for Sure Start should be devolved to local authorities, according to a report by the Centre for Policy Studies. The report recommends abolishing many of the programmes introduced under Labour to save £1.9 billion of the £5 billion 2010/2011 budget.   read more
16 June 2010, Nursery World

Ministers halt vetting and barring scheme
The vetting and barring scheme, which would have affected nine million people working with children and vulnerable adults, is to be halted. Registration, which was due to begin at the end of July, will be put on hold and there will be a review of the entire vetting and barring scheme, with a 'scaling back' likely to follow.   read more
15 June 2010, BBC News

Health and safety review to address curbs on play
The government has launched a review into the so-called 'compensation culture' following a series of high-profile health and safety decisions such as banning conkers from school playgrounds.   read more
14 June 2010, InPractice

After-school club to appeal over Ofsted criticism
An after-school club in Headington, Oxford, is appealing after being rated as inadequate by inspectors. It was given a 'notice to improve' because it did not meet statutory requirements for at least half the staff to hold Early Years Foundation Stage qualifications.   read more
10 June 2010, Oxford Mail

Government funding for Sure Start may be slashed after Budget
A leaked email has revealed that government funding already allocated for Sure Start children's centres could be reduced after the emergency Budget this month.   read more
4 June 2010, Children and Young People Now

Teather in charge of early years as Department for Education confirms ministers' roles
The Department for Education has finally confirmed what areas of responsibilities each of its ministers is to have in the new Government.   read more
2 June 2010, Nursery World

Older news stories

For older news stories related to the out of school club sector click here.