Childcare Providers – conference feedback

These documents summarise events and communicate the key messages that were presented and discussed at two DCSF Childcare Provider Conferences held in Manchester and London in November 2007.

Held primarily for childcare providers in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sectors, the conferences provided an opportunity for colleagues to meet and discuss how the new Childcare Act 2006 duties, and other childcare market developments are impacting on their service provision.

The DCSF worked closely with colleagues from the Pre-School Learning Alliance, National Day Nurseries Association and National Childminding Association to put the programme together. Beverley Hughes, the Minister for Children, made the keynote speech at the Manchester conference and took questions from the floor. There was also a local authority Director of Children's Services speaker and a PVI provider speaker at both conferences.
 
A number of workshops were held, run jointly by DCSF staff and PVI representatives, on specific issues around the childcare sufficiency duty; encouraging childcare take-up; improving quality; sustainability; the free early education extension; and extended schools and children's centres.