Flying Start Flying Start Flying Start Childcare Childcare - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Flying Start Flying Start Flying Start Childcare Childcare Childcare in Swansea in Swansea in Swansea Chris Koukos - Flying Start Manager Chris Koukos - Flying Start Manager Anne Bailey – Childcare Manager - - Anne Bailey – Childcare Manager Townhill & Sea View Townhill & Sea View

Development of the Flying Start Settings • Capital Programme • Mini Children’s Centres – integrated service delivery approach • Licence agreements • Service Level Agreements • Protocols • Multi Agency Meetings/Team Building Events

Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Staff and the Staff and the Environment Environment

“ Education and care are “ Education and care are inextricably linked. inextricably linked. Quality care is educational and Quality care is educational and quality education is caring” quality education is caring” (Selleck & Griffin 1996) Flying Start Childcare settings in Swansea strive to provide a balance between quality care and educational experiences through adult/child interactions and experiences provided within the setting

• High calibre staff who are responsive to children’s individual needs • Adult as an equal partner during play

• Adults who know what is appropriate for a child’s stage of development • Adults who encourage a child’s line of enquiry

Adults who are… • Supportive • Positive role models • Enthusiastic • Consistent • Caring

An environment which…. …is welcoming and inviting

…is exciting and stimulating …develops imagination …allows for exploration

…builds on children’s prior experiences …sets appropriate challenges …promotes curiosity

…provides as many opportunities outdoors as indoors

Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Meeting the Child’s Meeting the Child’s individual needs individual needs

Communication is the key Home visit to Discussion with family health visitor prior to home Weekly staff visits meetings to discuss child observations Continual link with all agencies involved with Daily feedback to child – health visitors, parents and termly speech and language, etc, Toddler Talks

In the setting • All About Me • Daily observations • Child’s personal file • Weekly staff meetings All have a focus on the individual child’s development

Assessment • SOGS • Daily observations that inform planning • Summarised on a development tracker which becomes part of the transition document • Child’s progress shared with parents/carers during toddler talk sessions

Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Building relationships Building relationships with parents with parents

Making contact 1. Telephone contact 2. Home visit 3. Setting visit

Key Language & Workers Play Daily Feedback Toddler Talk Art & Story Project Families with EAL

Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Inclusion Inclusion

• 2 sessions in Stepping Stones – linking with childcare workers to build knowledge and expertise • Interagency Panel to address identified additional need

• Use of translation services when needed • Making everyone feel welcome and identifying parents that are hard to engage • Strategies put in place to support family further, e.g. Mobile Toy Library

Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Transition Transition

• Transition documentation • Nursery visits 6 weeks prior to child starting • Joint events with nursery, e.g. welly walks, park visits, school trips, etc. • Nursery teachers regularly coming in to do story time • Celebration of “My Time at Flying Start” for parents

Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Mobile Childcare Mobile Childcare Team Team

• Mobile Childcare Team mainly support Flying Start parenting groups • They receive the same key messages for good practice from Flying Start Link Teacher as other FS Childcare settings do • Different in that they may provide a childcare session for children ranging from 6 months to 5 years of age •The team still communicate with relevant agencies involved with the family in order to provide the best care for the child.

Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Quality Childcare Evaluation and Evaluation and Quality Assurance Quality Assurance

• Parent’s feedback forms • Staff self evaluation tool & Link Teacher evaluation • Membership with umbrella organisations • Staff personal development & training • Continual support from Link Teacher individual to each setting’s needs •Work with FS Manager re common protocols etc and national outcomes

and finally…. “My son has improved a lot since starting. His speech has improved and staff helped with potty training too!” “I wasn’t sure at first as my son was only 2, but it has made a huge difference to the start of his little life”

“The Flying Start staff are a credit to the school, children and the local community as a whole” “Very helpful and supportive towards every need of a child”

Questions

Contact numbers • Anne Bailey -Flying Start child care manager for Townhill and Sea View Tel: 01792 469580 Email:anne.bailey@swansea.gov.uk • Chris Koukos -Flying Start Manager Tel: 01792 612155 Email:chris.koukos@swansea.gov.uk