Editor's view

We're delighted this week to be publishing our first ever supplement on out-of-school care, free with Nursery World. This dynamic area of childcare is growing fast, with New Opportunities Fund money on tap, the Government's White Paper highlighting the need for schools to open out of hours as a community resource, and nurseries extending their services to older children. The early years partnerships are all involved in increasing out-of-school provision, and private companies are also setting up chains of clubs run on a commercial basis. While playworkers have many concerns in common with other childcare professionals, we felt that specific advice and ideas for out-of-school clubs catering for school-age children would be warmly welcomed by those in this sector. Behaviour management is a top issue for many playworkers, and our supplement tackles this from the basics to real-life everyday practice. There's a wealth of activity ideas for indoors and out. And Anne Longfield, chief executive of Kids' Clubs Network, gives her viewpoint on how out-of-school care is developing.