women in london - daycare trust - annual conference

Towards Universal Childcare Learning from Other Countries Childcare is high up the agenda of media and policymakers, planners and providers, nationally and locally. Significant progress has been made towards extending childcare and children's services, with increased Government spending, plans to create children's centres in every community and the preparation of a 10-year plan for universal childcare and early years services. However, issues around the status of childcare and the workforce, the affordability and quality of childcare, the number of available childcare places as well as the need for a sustainable vision of universal quality childcare remain. With a general election looming, developing childcare policy has become a priority for all political parties to enable parents to work or train and to give every child a good start in life.

Daycare Trust's Annual Conference will feature international speakers from four countries presenting their experiences of how radical policy changes in the design and delivery of childcare services have made a difference to the lives of children and families in their countries.They will talk about how such changes were implemented and how the changes have been received.

This conference offers a chance to make comparisons and learn from other countries' experiences. It provides an opportunity to develop thinking for the next phase of the national childcare strategy building on the achievements so far and using international examples of good practice. Daycare Trust will be publishing a vision for universal childcare and how best to make change happen.

Return to the top of this page

09.00 Registration: Coffee and Exhibition
10.15 Chair's Welcome: Reeta Chakrabarti, Political and Social Affairs Broadcaster, BBC
10.20 Keynote Speech: Senior Government Minister
10.50 Towards Universal Childcare: Stephen Burke, Director Daycare Trust
11.00 Coffee: Exhibition
11.45 Learning from Other Countries: Peter Moss, Professor of Early Childhood Provision, Institute of Education, University of London
12.15 Finland ~ Expanding Choice: Paivi Lindberg, Senior Planning Officer, Health and Social Services, STAKES, National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health
12.45 Flanders ~ Improving Inclusion Policies and Services: Jan Peeters Research and Resource Centre for Early Childhood Care and Education, Department of Social Welfare Studies, University of Gent
13.15 Lunch: Exhibition
14.30 Sweden ~ Childcare and Education: Barbara Martin Korpi, Senior Advisor, Ministry for Education and Science
15.00 New Zealand ~ Creating Change: Ross Boyd, Senior Manager, Ministry of Education
15.30 Summary: by Peter Moss leading to Panel Discussion
16.15 Chair's Closing Remarks

Return to the top of this page

Who should attend? All those involved or interested in policymaking, planning and providing childcare services:

Civil servants, policy makers
Trade union policy advisers, researchers and equality officers
Children's services providers from the statutory, voluntary and private sectors
Suppliers of childcare equipment and services
Local authority Sure Start nominated officers
Childcare workers
EYDCP lead officers and members
Parents
Sure Start Programme Managers (local authority nominated officers)
National childcare organisations
NHS Childcare Co-ordinators
Academics working in the fields of children and childcare
Jobcentre Plus Childcare Partnership Managers
Political and social affairs correspondents
Employers and other organisations interested in childcare provision for employees
Chief executives/directors of voluntary organisations
Local authorities
Regeneration agencies and regional development agencies
Primary care trust children's services managers

For further information and a delegate registration form please call us on 020 7840 3350 or visit our website http://www.daycaretrust.org.uk

Return to the top of this page