Contact: Tracey Messer, Tel: 01962 813872, email: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 This report builds upon the "Children's centre Approach to Procurement" report presented to the Lead Executive Member for Children's Services on 15 December 2006, and should be read in conjunction with the "Childcare Act 2006" report which will set the context for the revised strategy.

1.2 It proposes a change to the agreed procedure whereby childcare provision is identified within children's centre localities rather than adopting a strategy of establishing an approved list across Hampshire. This change is in response to recent DfES guidance. It is argued that a more localised approach will build upon existing good childcare provision and offer opportunities for a partnership approach to meeting the childcare needs of parents.

2 Recommendations

2.1 That the Lead Executive Member for Children's Services approves the revised implementation plan for the procurement of childcare within children's centres in Hampshire.

3 Introduction

3.1 There are two models of children's centres. Each children's centre services a reach area of 800 children aged 0-5 years. `Full core offer' children's centres are located in, and serve the most disadvantaged areas as identified through the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2004. The remaining 65% more advantaged areas will be served by `graduated' children's centres. Both models are required to be open a minimum of 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, and 48 weeks of the year. Both have to provide a range of services including child and family health, links with Job Centre Plus for training and advice, outreach and family support, support for childminders and for children with special needs. The full core offer models, however, also have to provide integrated childcare and early education for children under five years of age and this has to be provided on site or within a half a mile radius of the centre.

3.2 The Hampshire children's centre strategy stipulates that all childcare delivered as part of the children's centres' service offer will be provided by private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers, where possible. This avoids duplication of provision and makes use of existing expertise and good practice, while continuing to support Hampshire's approach of partnership working within the PVI sectors.

3.3 Since the procurement report in December 2006, there has been some further clarification from the DfES support consortium (Together for Children) regarding how to secure integrated childcare for children's centres within a mature childcare market. The need for the local authority to work with existing providers has been emphasised and it has become clear that it will not be possible, or indeed desirable to have a single childcare setting providing the full childcare offer (10 hours a day for 0-5year olds, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year). Instead it may be preferable to have a number of settings and a childminder network, working collaboratively, to provide the full childcare offer across the locality which then gives greater parental choice and flexibility.

3.4 One or more of the settings or facilities in the reach area could operate as the main hub for the co-ordination of children's centres childcare places. However, it may also be necessary to use these childcare facilities for a range of additional services such as drop-in sessions and clinics for parents which meet the wider children's centres business or service plan. Therefore, the childcare specifications may also include requirements to support the delivery of Job Centre Plus services and Health provision. (See Appendix 1 for the childcare specification, which is subject to change on case-by-case basis).

4 Revised childcare procurement implementation plan

4.1 The following section describes the progress made to secure childcare in full core offer children's centres, and further plans as a result of the revised implementation plan.

4.2 Existing early years education and childcare provision has been mapped against each identified full core offer children's centre site, and an analysis has taken place to identify whether or not the existing local provision is meeting need. The analysis has provided an indication of childcare options within each locality and a risk assessment for each option has been completed.

4.3 Where childcare providers are already operating within a designated children's centre (or a potential children's centre site), and are meeting the full childcare offer, these providers will be invited to confirm how they are meeting the childcare specification criteria and a contract will be issued. This will ensure that arrangements for existing childcare provision within children's centres aligns with the childcare procurement strategy.

4.4 Where there is a Hampshire County Council managed childcare provision these services will be the specification as a guidance tool to inform them of the expected minimum service requirements

4.5 Childcare providers who are operating within a potential children's centre site but are not delivering the full childcare offer will be invited to consider whether they would be interested in developing their provision to meet the full childcare offer. Where providers are willing to develop provision, these providers will complete an application to demonstrate how they will meet the childcare specification criteria and a contract will be issued.

4.6 Where there is no single provider able to meet the full childcare offer operating from a potential children's centre site but there are a number of providers operating in the locality, these providers will be asked to decide whether they would wish to work collaboratively and be considered as childcare providers for the children's centre. These providers would also be asked whether they are willing to adapt their services over time to provide flexible integrated care to meet the demands of the children's centres services as it develops. If the response is positive, the next step would be for each of these providers to make an application that demonstrates how they will meet the childcare specification, and collaborative approach to the delivery of early years education and childcare will be adopted.

4.7 In the cases described earlier, a contract for a period of no more than 24 months will be issued, unless there are extenuating circumstances such as a provider is in the process of selling the business, etc. In such instances, the contract length may be altered. This interim arrangement is to allow providers to become familiar with the needs of the children's centre in their locality, and to consider how to meet any changing demands that the market place may require. By March 2008, the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment will have been completed which will give childcare providers local knowledge regarding parents' childcare needs. Additionally, the Extended Flexible Entitlement Pathfinder project will have been completed so there will also be a greater understanding of how childcare providers can implement the new statutory duty to offer 15 hours nursery education flexibly.

4.8 The mapping exercise referred to in this report has highlighted that one children's centre site has no childcare on site and only one provider within 0.5 mile radius. This provider is, in fact, located on the extremity of the 0.5 mile boundary. Is proposed that in this case, the children's centres' childcare will be offered to the open market with a contract duration of 3 years (with possible extension of a further 2 years).

4.9 The childcare procurement implementation plan also includes the possibility of securing childminding provision linked to each full core offer children's centre. This arrangement will be secured through the existing single contract with the National Childminders Association and any future contracts.

4.10 All early years education and childcare providers within a children's centre locality will be briefed about the approach described earlier and will be offered bespoke training to enable them to follow the tender procedures .

4.11 Appendix 2, contains the list of identified providers for each children centre site and the criteria against which they will be judged.¹.

5 Consultation

5.1 Information regarding which childcare providers will be operating through children's centres will be circulated once a the tender procedures are complete. The Early Education and Childcare Unit (EECU) will work closely with any providers who have expressed concerns, and will closely monitor any impact upon individual businesses, offering support where necessary.

6 Legal implications

6.1 This approach has been planned in conjunction with Legal Services and meets the condition of grant for the General Sure Start Grant (GSSG) 2006-2008, and the part 1, Section 8, Sub-section 3 of Childcare Act 2006, which states that the Local Authority may not provide childcare unless a) no private or voluntary provider can do so; or b) the local authority decides that it is more appropriate for them to do so.

7 Financial implications

7.1 The costs incurred through establishing early years education and childcare within the full core offer service delivery scheme for children's centres is expected to fall within capital and revenue allocations provided by the General Sure Start Grant and Dedicated Schools Grant.

8 Personnel implications

8.1 Implementing the procurement strategy will be managed within the existing EECU staffing establishment.

9 Impact assessment

9.1 An impact assessment of the procurement approach will be included within the Sufficiency Childcare Assessment. The children's centre performance management system will be monitoring the vulnerable groups access to early years education and childcare. The early years outcome duty will be assessing whether the quality of early years education provision enables there to be a reduction in the gap between those at risk of the poorest outcomes and the rest.

10 Crime prevention issues

10.1 The impact of actions detailed within this report on crime prevention have been considered as part of the County Council's considered legal obligation under Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. It is anticipated that enhanced childcare opportunities for young children together with the enhanced opportunities for disadvantaged families to access training and employment will have a positive impact upon preventing crime.

11 Views of the Local County Councillor

11.1 Views of the Local County Councillors will be sought when the final childcare provision arrangements are agreed and any resulting concerns will be addressed.

12 Conclusion

This report has described a revised implementation plan for the procurement of childcare within full core offer children's centres and seeks approval for this plan.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB: the list excludes

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

None

7 APPENDIX 1

Schedule 3

Service Specification DRAFT and subject to change on a case-by-case basis

Day care Provision at xx children's centre

1. Introduction

1.1. This service specification focuses on the outcome the services will have. The detailed information given, performance indicators and risks should not be seen as comprehensive lists but as minimum requirements necessary to achieve the outcomes. The details should also help to clarify and avoid misunderstandings in what is expected of the provider.

1.2 Background information to the children's centre and the accommodation the provider will use to deliver the service is given in Item 2. General outcomes and specific outcomes of the service are stated in Items 3 and 4. Further details on how this can be achieved are given in Items 5, 6, 7 and 8. Performance indicators, shared and specific, are given in Item 9. Risk and risk assessment is discussed in Item 10. A glossary is provided under Item 11.

2. Information about the children's centre

2.1 [Name] Children's centre is situated in the [Ward Name] ward of the [District]. The children's centre will serve a Notional Catchment Area (NCA) made up of [Ward Names] wards (PDF maps showing NCA under appendix X). In the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2004, LSOA [LSOA Name] was ranked at [IMD Rank] out of 32,482 LSOAs in England, where 1 was the most deprived LSOA and 32,482 the least deprived. This provided an IMD2004 deprivation percentage ranking of [IMD % Rank]% and according to the Sure Start Children's centre guidance is categorised as a [Core/Graduated] model and must provide the following:

· centre will be open 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year

· good quality early learning combined with full day care provision for children

· good quality teacher input to lead the development of learning within the centre

· child and family health services, including ante-natal services

· parental outreach

· family support services

· a base for a childminder network

· support for children and parents with special needs, and

· effective links with Jobcentre Plus to support parents/carers who wish to consider training or employment.

2.2 The accommodation includes [details of the accommodation, enclose floor plan] [only where provision within children's centre].

2.3 Each service specification will have appropriate Heads of Terms for the Lease arrangements including outline rental and service charge calculations

3. Aims, outcomes, and relevant strategies

3.1 The provider will work through this service towards the following aims and outcomes:

· the five aims of "Every Child Matters" http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/aims/

· the eight priority outcomes of Hampshire's Local Area Agreement http://www3.hants.gov.uk/localareaagreement.htm , especially the priority outcomes:

o A. Improve the life chances for children and young people;

o F. Promote and improve the health and well being of people in Hampshire;

o H. Empower local people to have a greater voice and influence over decision making and the delivery of services

· the relevant outcomes of Hampshire's Children and Young People plan http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/about-cs/cypp.htm

3.2 The provider will also take account of the following strategies and plans:

· Hampshire's parenting strategy, the values and principles of the Parenting Development Team http://www3.hants.gov.uk/childrens-services/families/parentdevelopment/parentdevelopment-valuestatement.htm

· The strategic plan of the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership http://www.hants.gov.uk/childcare/eydcpartnership.html

4. The provider must demonstrate the ability to:

4.1. Provide a high standard of good quality integrated early learning and childcare for babies and children until they are 5 years old in line with children's centre's requirements, helping the children to achieve the five outcomes of Every Child Matters.

4.2 Create strong links with mothers and fathers/carers by treating them with respect, as equals, consulting and sharing information with mothers and fathers/carers to ensure that they receive the service they need and are satisfied with the provision.

4.3 Work with and as a member of the children's centre's Partnership Board, developing close partnerships with the children's centre's manager and the services that are part of, or in contact with, the children's centre to achieve together the outcomes and targets identified within the wider children's centres performance management framework and [Name] children's centre's delivery plan.

4.4 Create links with the local community to foster local involvement in the service.

4.5 Aim to deliver services over and above the service specification, and be
pro-active and embrace changes required for the service to evolve and improve.

5. Good quality integrated early learning and childcare

5.1 The provider must be able to deliver high quality integrated early learning and childcare for babies and children until they are five years old, suitable for working mothers and fathers/carers for a minimum of 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year. The service must be operational from [date] and be able to demonstrate that education and childcare are seamlessly delivered so that it is not possible to distinguish when during the day the child is being `cared for' and when he/she is `learning'. The provider must take an active part in practical discussions with the children's centre and Hampshire County Council to ensure the opening date is met.

5.2 Childcare places must be open to all, with a priority for disadvantaged families and excluded groups, but not just families in the immediate area. The provider is expected to work with the children's centre Partnership Board to identify the disadvantaged families and excluded groups in the NCA, but must include:

· teenage mothers and pregnant teenagers

· lone Parents/carers

· children in workless households

· children in Black and Minority Ethnic families

· disabled children and children of disabled parents/carers

· other groups that are priority vulnerable groups in the children's centre reach area that are notified to the childcare provision as the children's centre services develop.

5.3 xx places must be provided for children under five years old. The provider will be required to be registered with Ofsted for full daycare but provide flexibility of delivery to meet parents demand e.g. a mix of full-time and part-time places.

5.4 This integrated learning and care must be registered under the Children Act 2004 with the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), achieving a minimum of "satisfactory" in Ofsted inspection for childcare and education. The provider will be required to register to receive nursery education grant and sign the grant agreement with Hampshire County Council's Early Education and Childcare Unit, and adhere to for the provider will be required to meet the requirements which are specified in the National Standards for day care, such as adequate staffing, child ratios and appropriate staff qualifications.

5.5 Planned activities must be designed from the basis of a thorough knowledge of the children and families and build on what children already understand, know and can do. A range of planned learning opportunities must be delivered based on the existing Birth to Three Matters Framework and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage, incorporating the Early Years Foundation Stage from September 2008 onwards. Children must have access to both indoor and outdoor learning opportunities.

5.6 Staff must have or work towards at least Level 2 qualifications. In time, the qualification of all practitioners providing early years provision in children's centres must raise to Level 3. Managers of the service must have or work towards Level 4 qualifications. All volunteers must be trained and supervised by qualified staff. All staff and volunteers must be encouraged to access the training provided through the Early Education and Childcare Unit.

5.7 Effective monitoring of every child's progress is essential and the provider will be required to demonstrate this process is in place. Any particular needs must be identified and addressed as early as possible. The service must be inclusive and staff must be trained to support the child and the families. The service must promote language acquisition and identify speech and language difficulties. All staff must be trained in language development.

5.8 Staff and volunteers must educate children about healthy living and keeping active. Where catering is provided, deliver appropriate healthy meals and refreshments taking account of safe working practices, any special dietary requirements of children with allergies or sensitivities and dietary requirements due to the religion or culture of the child.

5. 9 The provider must work in partnership with key colleagues within the children's centre and Hampshire County Council. This will include asking for and accepting advice, and providing specific monitoring information as requested.

5.10 The provider must comply with Hampshire's Safeguarding Children Board's Child Protection Policy.

5.11 To prepare for the transition from pre-school to school setting, the Provider must develop strong links with local infant and primary schools.

5.12 The provider must seek registration with a recognised national quality assurance award body within six months of opening, endeavouring to obtain accreditation within twelve months and completion within two years.

5.13 The provider must consult with children under 5 about the provision using a variety of appropriate methods.

6. Strong links with parents/carers

6.1 The provider must respect the parents/carers' views, treating them as equals. Parents/carers are often unwilling to accept support if it makes them feel they are no longer in control and if their expertise is not respected. A welcoming, inclusive and non judgemental ethos will help parents/carers feel that staff are glad to see them and their children.

6.2 Priority must be given to excluded, disadvantaged or vulnerable families within the NCA. Together with the Children's centre manager, the Provider must develop culturally appropriate ways or specific strategies to consult with the excluded, disadvantaged and vulnerable families.

6.3 Consultation and information sharing with mothers and fathers/carers, must be conducted by the provider. Systems to get user feedback on services must be in place.

6.4 Specific strategies and activities must be devised by the provider together with the children's centre to increase the involvement of fathers and family men (i.e. uncles, grandfather etc) with consideration to parental responsibility. Where fathers and family men are not currently involved in services, staff must work sensitively in partnership with mothers (who will often be the first point of contact) to facilitate that involvement.

6.5 It is good practice to help both mothers and fathers/carers through:

· sharing with them the educational aims and approach of the centre and providing regular reports on their child's progress

· discussing with them what their child enjoys doing at home and encouraging them to support their child with activities and materials that reflect what is happening in the children's centre

· sharing knowledge of a child's learning through joint planning and record keeping - perhaps a book containing photographs, paintings, and comments by staff and parents

· meeting with them individually to discuss their child's learning and development and listening to their particular interests and worries

· linking with and promoting workshops for parents/carers on areas of interest - `learning through play' or `music with babies and toddlers' for example

· and promoting toy and book libraries, local Bookstart schemes and providing opportunities for parents with young children to join in singing and story telling groups at the centre.

It is expected that some of the above will be delivered together with or by other services from the children's centre and not by the provider. The activities should increase parents/carers' understanding of their child's development. Parents should feel able to ask for support any time.

6.6 Fees must be affordable and fit within Hampshire County Council's charging policy. The provider must avoid any requirements that prevent parents/carers from disadvantaged groups to access the childcare, e.g. requiring large deposits. The provider must promote means that enable parents/carers to pay for childcare e.g nursery education grant, Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit.

6.7 All early years staff must have received training to work with parents, and regular supervision.

6.8 The Provider must give information to the Children Information Service (CIS) on places and vacancies.

7. Work with and as a member of the children's centre Partnership Board

7.1 As one of the services that are provided as part of the children's centre, the provider must ensure that the service contributes to the shared outcomes of the children's centre like reducing child poverty, reaching out to the most disadvantaged groups, and healthy living for children and parents/carers.

7.2 The provider must support the children's centre outreach and marketing activities, drop/ins, social events and open days, thereby giving staff the opportunity to meet parents/carers in an non-threatening environment.

7.3 The provider must take an active part in the children's centre's self-evaluation which must convey a clear picture of how well the centre is doing against its set outcomes, provide evidence to support this, and show what is being done to build on successes and remedy weaknesses. Following the good practice in
self-evaluation as identified by Ofsted, the self-evaluation's focus must be on the impact of provision on children's outcomes. The identification of priorities, planning and strategies for improvement must be based on a rigorous analysis of strengths and weaknesses. The views of those who receive services must be actively sought and must influence decision making. It must be clearly built into management systems, integral to the culture of the organisation, and people at all levels must be committed to it and fully involved.

7.4 Training and staff development across professional boundaries must be encouraged by the provider.

7.5 The provider must send at least one member of staff to attend meetings of the children's centre's practitioners forum.

8. Working with the local community

8.1 The provider must engage directly with the local community, not treating one or more groups less favourably than others because of their sex, colour, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin or disability, in relation to decisions to recruit its personnel or promoting its service delivery.

8.2 The provider must work with the children's centre, Jobcentre Plus and Hampshire County Council to look at opportunities for local people to access NVQ training and voluntary work placements. These should be promoted, especially to men and people from disadvantaged or excluded groups. Information on job vacancies must be given by the provider to the Hampshire County Council's Early Education and Childcare Unit to post on the website.

8.3 The provider must link to local activities in the area where relevant, like linking with other local childcare providers sharing professional expertise, Extended Schools, etc.

9. Performance Indicators

9.1 Performance Indicators will be set by Hampshire County Council. They will change over time and become more detailed. The indicators below should be seen in this context.

9.2. Performance Indicators for the service

9.3 Children's centre's Outcomes Indicators

10. Risks and risk management

10.1 The provider must assess the risks of their own organisation and the service jointly with the children's centre and Hampshire County Council.

10.2 All key risks should be put in priority order and a plan must be developed by the provider, jointly with the children's centre and Hampshire County Council, to reduce and manage each risk.

10.3 To ameliorate the risk of the provider being financially unable to deliver the service, the provider must complete the business support training package as arranged by Hampshire County Council's Early Education and Childcare Unit.

11. Glossary

NCA Notional Catchment Area ??

Appendix 2

Table of provision in children's centres areas to be completed.