Nursery World - PLA plans its role in children's centres

The Pre-school Learning Alliance has set out an ambitious three-year strategy to become the 'provider of choice for services for nought to three-year-olds' and a 'major player in services for three- to-five year-olds'. At its annual conference in London last week, the PLA unveiled plans to manage daycare provision in 100 children's centres, create parent forums in every setting and increase the level of childcare qualifications among its early years staff. It is also developing a scheme that will see every new parent become an automatic member of the PLA.

At its annual conference in London last week, the PLA unveiled plans to manage daycare provision in 100 children's centres, create parent forums in every setting and increase the level of childcare qualifications among its early years staff. It is also developing a scheme that will see every new parent become an automatic member of the PLA.

Speaking at 'Supporting Choice in Childcare', chief executive Steve Alexander said, 'Within three years we will be actively involved in at least 100 children's centres. All Alliance provision will achieve Investors in Children quality assurance; all early years workers will have at least level 2 qualifications, and at least 30 per cent will have level 3; up to 500,000 parents will participate in family learning; and we will be universally recognised as the provider of choice for services for nought to three.'

He added, 'This is an ambitious programme which demonstrates our intention to be a major part of the future of early years and childcare.'

The PLA is calling on the Government to outline the need for 'true'

partnership working in the forthcoming Childcare Bill, along with a commitment to choice for parents and diversity of provision in early years education.

Mr Alexander said that the PLA already sits within 23 designated children's centres and it is keen to work with extended schools.

But he added, 'For diversity and choice to flourish, all local authorities need to work effectively in partnership with the voluntary and private sectors. Otherwise, the valuable contribution of voluntary sector provision may be lost in the long term.'

Patrick Diamond, Number Ten Policy Directorate Adviser on education, told the conference, 'The duty to provide a diverse, mixed economy of childcare provision is essential... So the new legislative framework with a statutory duty on local councils to sustain diversity, not emasculate it, will be vital.'

Delegates voice agreement when Liz Roberts, editor of Nursery World, spoke of fears that pre-schools would lose their three- and four-year-olds to extended schools, making survival very difficult.