Aiming Higher is 4Children’s quality assurance framework for all childcare settings and integrated centres for young people within the 0-19 age range.

Established in 1994, the Aiming Higher scheme has developed over the period to cater for all childcare and youth settings within the 0–19 age range. It has been consistently improved in direct response to the needs of childcare and youth practitioners and local authority early years and youth teams. The Make Space Aiming Higher scheme was launched in 2006 to provide a comprehensive framework for quality improvement for settings for young people aged 11–19.

The Aiming Higher Framework 0-19 offers local authorities and national and local organisations:

• A comprehensive quality framework for all childcare settings, youth settings and integrated centres
• Induction/guidance on its delivery within the 0-19 age range
• Support to develop an administration system to support the scheme
• Training of assessors and mentors for ongoing application and roll out
• Training for accreditation and self certification
• Audit to ensure standards and quality

This is available to be delivered at a number of levels from stand-alone, or with limited implementation support or personalised in content and implementation. Individual settings/clusters can also be catered for subject to agreeing a programme with Aiming Higher – all applications will adhere to the National Quality Improvement Network (NQIN) Quality Improvement Principles.

4Children is a National Provider Board member and Partner in the National Quality Improvement Network for the early years, childcare and play sectors.

To find out more contact Moira Forrester at 4Children:
Telephone: 020 7522 6901
Email: moira.forrester@4Children.org.uk