* Steps Ahead Day Nursery and Nursery School in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, has also achieved Investors in People status. Principal Janine Collishaw, said, 'Our staff are our biggest asset and I see their training and development as a priority.'
* Gill Frances, director of children's development at the National Children's Bureau, has been appointed chair of the independent advisory group on teenage pregnancy, the organisation that is helping to guide and monitor the Government's strategy for dealing with teenage pregnancy. More information is available at www.everychildmatters.gov.uk.
* Smallworld Nursery in Brechin, Angus, has become the first TinyTalk baby signing accredited nursery in Scotland. The TinyTalk nursery programme, which has links to Scotland's Birth to Three Framework, has been developed by qualified teachers. It provides full training and support for staff and leads to an accreditation that allows staff to teach baby signing at nursery.
* Staff at Sunflower Children's Centre in Gleadless, Sheffield, celebrated four successful years in operation with a tea party featuring children's entertainers. The centre became Sheffield's first private pre-school and holiday club to achieve the NDNA's gold standard Investors in Children quality kitemark and IiP status.
* Barnardo's Akwaaba project, a daycare and family support centre for children under five in Depford, south London, has been accredited with the High/Scope Quality Assurance Certificate, a quality assurance scheme endorsed by the Investors in Children kitemark.
* Northern Ireland early years organisation NIPPA and Border Counties Childcare Network have been rewarded for the success of their early years cross-border collaboration projects with one of Daily Ireland's Top 50 Cross-Border Achievers Awards. Siobhan Fitzpatrick, chief executive of NIPPA, said, 'Results from the cross-border training project show that an enormous difference has already been made in areas often blighted by troubles, sectarianism and bitterness.'
* Mrs Ellen Player, an Essex County Council foster carer, has received an MBE from the Queen. Mrs Player has fostered without a break for 42 years, caring for more than 200 children and young people.
