child care

The annual report of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education Children’s Services and Skills 2010/11

Annual report that presents evidence from inspection and regulatory visits undertaken between September 2010 and August 2011 by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted). It takes evidence from inspection activity across the full range of Ofsted's statutory remit, which includes early years and childcare, provision for education and skills in schools, colleges and adult learning, children's social care and local authority services for children.

Cost-benefit analysis of early childhood care and education

These reviews described long-term cost-benefit analyses of three early childhood interventions - the Abecedarian Program, Perry High/Scope and the Chicago Child-Parent Centers. All were undertaken in the United States and targeted mostly underprivileged black communities. Given this context, it is argued that results of the three studies are not easily transferable to modern contexts in countries such as England. The results indicated should therefore all be read with the caveat of ‘for the specific population in these studies’. This topic is included in the EPPI-Centre knowledge library.

What is the impact of out-of-home integrated care and education settings on children aged 0-6 and their parents?

The review aims to address a topical policy issue in the UK, that is the research evidence on the impact on children and their parents of the integration of care and education in the early years. This systematic review was published by EPPI-Centre in 2011.Systematic reviews aim to find as much as possible of the research relevant to the particular research questions, and use explicit methods to identify what can reliably be said on the basis of these studies.

Parents at the centre

Report undertaken to understand why some parents who are entitled to use early years services don’t normally do so. More specifically, the research seeks to understand how parents access information that shapes their decision-making about early years provision, and how service providers can better engage with and support parents to meet their families’ needs. On the basis of the findings, the case is made for a number of key policy changes, to ensure that early years provision enables children from low-income families to break out of the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage.

Challenge question: what more can we do through children’s centres and schools to address child poverty?

Challenge question postcard published by the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s Services in 2010. This downloadable postcard present challenge questions from C4EO’s research. The questions act as checklists to stimulate multi-agency thinking and help you develop your Child Poverty strategy and practice. There are questions for strategic leaders in children’s services, housing professionals, health professionals and frontline practitioners.

Getting the best for your child [non-audio version]

This resource is Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children's and Young People's Services (C4EO)'s parenting roadmap. This resource for parents and carers follows the main life stages for children and young people, including those with additional needs, to show you what can make a real difference to their lives at home, school and in other services they experience. It highlights the key messages from C4EO and gives you definitions of terms that could be used by children sector professionals you might meet.

Getting the best for your child [audio version]

This resource is Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children's and Young People's Services (C4EO)'s parenting roadmap. This resource for parents and carers follows the main life stages for children and young people, including those with additional needs, to show you what can make a real difference to their lives at home, school and in other services they experience. It highlights the key messages from C4EO and gives you definitions of terms that could be used by children sector professionals you might meet.