The four-year London Childcare Assistance Project, which is funded byLondon Councils, will be officially launched at the Daycare Trust'sannual conference on 25 November.
A childcare providers' consultative committee will enablerepresentatives from the PVI sector to share their experiences andidentify priority areas, while an advisory board, comprising membersfrom key bodies in the capital such as the London Development Agency, isto provide strategic direction for the project.
Emma Knights, joint chief executive of the Daycare Trust, said, 'LondonCouncils are very keen on us consulting providers and garneringinformation from them and then helping them to influence localauthorities and strategic bodies. They understood how difficult it wasfor providers to work out how best to engage with decision-makers.'
The project will also help to ensure that parents are better informedabout childcare providers and supported to access services. The projectfunding has enabled the trust's information line for parents to be openfive days a week instead of three and it also has a new translationfacility.
Providers will be given help to support parents with their child's homelearning environment so that it complements what they are doing in asetting. They will also have the opportunity for free training sessionsand exchange visits with fellow providers.
A regular London e-bulletin is being planned to keep partner bodies,childcare providers and parents informed of events and services and givefeedback. The Daycare Trust's annual cost survey, which currently noteslevels of fees in inner and outer London, may be refined to provide moredetail.
