The Government’s ten year strategy for childcare – Choice for Parents, The Best Start for Children – aims to increase the choice, flexibility, availability, quality and affordability of childcare, with ambitious targets to establish new children’s centres and for all schools to extend their access to childcare. The newly published action plan and implementation strategy – Making it Happen – adds further information on how these targets will be achieved.

Over the next five years local authorities will have a new and enhanced role to lead and support the development of sufficient childcare to meet the needs of parents and children in your area. Central to these developments will be the increased involvement of schools to provide access to and in some cases deliver childcare between 8am and 6pm – all year round. And you will be key to making it happen.

Policy into Practice is a new briefing sheet from 4Children, supported by Sure Start and the DfES, to support childcare providers to get involved and develop their services as part of the extended school programme.

Future issues of Policy into Practice will build on the good practice and experiences of childcare providers working with schools around the country. If you have a good story to tell, please let us know via email to pauline.phillips@4Children.org.uk or call Pauline Phillips on 020 7522 6971.