3rd October 2003
EUROPEAN STAMP OF APPROVAL FOR GOLDTHORPE CHILDCARE PROJECT

On Saturday 18th October Goldthorpe Roundabout Childcare Centre will be officially opened by Linda McAvan, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber. The centre which will provide childcare for babies from 3 months to children up to three years of age, will be officially opened at 12pm.


There will be an opportunity for interested parents and carers, to look around the new centre and meet the staff on the 23rd October from 10.00am to 12noon and again from 1.00pm to 3.00pm. There will be an additional corporate day for interested employers and representatives at the same time on the 24th October.

Goldthorpe Roundabout Childcare Centre is to open, following the success of Bolton’s Roundabout Dearne Childcare Centre. Market research carried out in the area, has found there is an increasing demand for high quality childcare facilities for babies and toddlers, that are both affordable and flexible. The new centre will address this issue and provide a facility for local people who live in Goldthorpe, Bolton on Dearne, Thurnscoe and Highgate Partnership Area.

MEP Linda McAvan adds; “ "This is a wonderful community led enterprise which provides a high standard of childcare for local people that is both affordable and flexible. I am delighted to be opening the centre and I hope those living in the area take advantage of the provision.”

In April 2000 Barnsley Development Agency’s Community Economic Regeneration Team (CERT) started working alongside Barnsley Dearne Community Partnership to address the lack of appropriate and affordable childcare facilities in Barnsley. The initiatives led to the launch of the first community enterprise of its kind in Barnsley, which has provided much needed high quality childcare and also created long-term sustainable employment. Members of the Community Partnership and staff at the existing childcare centre in Bolton have all worked hard to make the name Roundabout a brand name that stands for quality childcare. Barnsley Development Agency’s Chief Executive John Penney said; “ It is the hard work of the staff at Roundabout and members of the local Community Partnership along with our professional support and advice that has developed this new business venture, which will create a number of new jobs and training opportunities in childcare and education.”

Goldthorpe’s Roundabout Childcare Centre will offer year-round flexible childcare for children aged 3 months to 3 years and will be open weekdays from 7.00 am until 6.00 pm. The centre will employ 2 full time qualified nursery nurses, two part time nursery nurses and 4 ILM (Intermediate Labour Market) childcare assistants, who have been recruited from CERT’s ILM programme. The ILM programme offers local long-term unemployed residents the opportunity to re-skill and re-train, so they can get back into employment.

Cheryl Cooper Centre the Roundabout Centre manager said “This is an exciting time for everyone and an opportunity for us to build on our existing success. We aim to offer a stimulating, caring and friendly environment for the children and provide families with a regime that will inspire confidence in the knowledge that their children are safe and cared for in their absence”.

The Roundabout Childcare Centre is a community enterprise owned and managed by Barnsley Dearne Community Partnership, which is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. The Coalfields Regeneration Trust and Key Fund have provided the funding for the new centre as well as money from Barnsley Development Agency’s Community Economic Regeneration Team (CERT).

For further information on the opening days at Goldthorpe Roundabout Childcare Centre please contact Cheryl Cooper on tel: 01709 890500 or Lynda Chapman at BDA’s CERT Team on tel: 01226 784 444.

END

www.barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk

Press Contact: Sarah Hopwood
Marketing & Communications Assistant
Barnsley Development Agency
Telephone: 01226 640 086
Facsimile: 01226 286 606
Email: shopwood@barnsleydevelopmentagency.co.uk


Notes to editors

History of Roundabout
The CERT team at Barnsley Development Agency (BDA) worked together with a local Community Partnership to develop a successful ‘community childcare model’, which was launched In Bolton on Dearne in April 2000. The establishment of this Community Enterprise addressed the following issues in order to overcome the shortage of childcare places in the area.
• Lack of full day-care and out-of-school childcare provision
• Lack of respite care for parents in the area
• Barriers to accessing employment through lack of childcare facilities

Consultation with the community and the formation of a steering group made up of representatives of the community, partnership management group and statutory agencies played a pivotal role in the success of this community venture.

A building was identified, which belonged to the Local Authority that had previously been used as a library. Money was secured for professional fees to engage an architect to draw plans, which were then submitted for approval. At the same time, funding applications for the proposed refurbishment of the site were submitted to a number of funding bodies. Once money was secured, building works commenced and recruitment for staff began. Local people became involved, offering their services in a number of ways. A local artist agreed to design and paint a number of attractive murals on various walls, which not only enhanced the overall appearance but established various themes in specific areas. It became apparent in a short period of time that there was indeed a huge shortage of affordable childcare. Parents and carers of children attending the centre were asked to complete a survey, which concluded that 71% had been able to return to training or work because of the flexible service that was being provided.

An OFSTED Inspection was carried out in 2001 and the outcome of that was extremely positive, emphasising the excellent relationship between staff and parents and carers of children attending the centre. The centre teaches the Foundation Stage Curriculum to ensure that individual children are developing new skills and are making progress in line with the Curriculum. Our Early years practitioners work with children to teach and monitor their individual developments in each learning area of the curriculum. Each child has a ‘Key Worker’ who is responsible for a child’s development and care during their day at nursery. Parents and Carers are provide feedback about their child’s day when they collect their child.

Parents and Carers receive termly Newsletters and regular ‘Parent and Carers’ evenings are held to give opportunity for Carers to update on Nursery Issues and to discuss their child’s development.

Staff feel that the development of each individual child is of vital importance, allowing them to reach their full potential. It is down to active commitment and participation of staff parents and carers together, which makes such achievement possible.

This success of this partnership approach is overcoming a barrier to employment has been received positively both locally and nationally, generating interest from a number of agencies throughout England. It has proved that communities can deliver their own services in a professional and proficient way, returning wealth to the community

Their continued success and expansion is down to hard work from staff and volunteers from the community partnership along with ongoing support from Barnsley Development Agency.


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