A Unique Child: Inclusion - Parent champions

A pilot project being rolled out across the country is proving successful at helping parents of disabled children to access suitable childcare.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has allocated £12.5m to fund the expansion of the Disabled Children's Access to Childcare (DCATCH) programme, in which ten three-year pilots raised the uptake in childcare and support services by families with disabled children, who are often cautious about using childcare.

Each of the 142 local authorities that were not part of the pilot is gaining at least £59,000 funding. As part of the project, 'Parent Champions', who are parents in the local area with experience of using childcare for their own disabled children, are recruited by their local authorities to help others understand the services and support available to them.

Research shows that with peer support, parents gain greater confidence in making the most of the services available, and the scheme ensures they have someone to turn to and discuss any concerns they may have.

Local authorities will have flexibility to use the funds to meet local needs, choosing from a range of options developed by the ten pilots. These include:

• Providing specialist training for childminders and early years practitioners

• Arranging extended services and holiday provision for special needs children

• Offering taster sessions

• Setting up a central equipment bank and loan scheme for settings offering specialist equipment for play, handling, seating, toileting, etc

• Setting up brokerage services for parents and providers

• Producing clearer information so parents are more aware of the options available to them.

Commenting on the national roll-out, children's minister Dawn Primarolo, said, 'The Disabled Children's Access to Childcare programme will give parents the information and choice they need and staff the specialist training they require to make a real difference.

'We have already seen from the ten pilot areas the benefits that this programme brings, with more disabled children having access to childcare. We expect parents to gain confidence to take full advantage of what is on offer.'

In the current economic climate, the role of Parent Champions has taken on even more importance, says Anand Shukla, business director of the Daycare Trust. 'The programme, apart from helping children who have been missing out to gain the benefits of childcare, will ensure sustainability, so preserving the benefits for those already enjoying childcare.'

The Parent Champions themselves benefit, he says, as they develop their communication and advocacy skills and become more confident.

Champions Toolkit

The Daycare Trust ran an initial pilot for the DCSF using parent champions and published a report and toolkit on setting up parent champion projects.

'There is still a lack of information and awareness about early years childcare services among some parents,' says Anand Shukla. 'This is why take-up is not as high as it could be. However, research has shown that parents will use other parents to get information about culturally appropriate childcare and the various types of benefits and services available.'

Some pilots paid the parent champions or gave shopping vouchers or free childcare. Mr Shukla says those pilots where parents were paid generated more referrals.

The Trust developed a Parent Champion model, which sees the parents

• Having personal experience of using the childcare

• Being enthusiastic about it

• Being able to act as advocates and peer advisers in their community.

How they work

The Daycare Trust report found that successful parent champions use both formal and informal settings to conduct their outreach work. One parent champion in the London Borough of Camden says, 'I went to a health clinic the other day and even though there were a lot of mothers who had babies the same age, it's still very lonely, as everyone is in their own world. So I interacted with a lot of them, and it ended up being more than just "do you know about services that are available in Camden", but a longer conversation.'

The report says this highlights the wider benefits to the community of these schemes, as it promotes interaction among parents, particularly at a time when they are prone to feeling isolated.

Keys to success

• Identifying the target group of children.

• Effective selection and training of Parent Champions. They need to have good networks within their community and good social skills. The most important attribute is their ability to engage with other parents and to have had a positive experience and attitude to childcare. The training will include communication skills and advice on record keeping.

• Detailed planning and preparation. For example, it is essential to have the Family Information Services team geared up to field extra enquiries.

• Schemes need good monitoring and evaluation.

To download the toolkit, visit www.dcsf.gov.uk/campaigns/parent_champions/

LEARNING FROM THE PILOTS

Work began in September 2008 in the ten pilot authorities of Northumberland, Sefton, Bradford, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Cornwall, Solihull, Luton, Barking & Dagenham, and Camden in London.

They were selected to represent a range of approaches to improving access to childcare for disabled children and were awarded different levels of funding. A report for the DCSF found 'the wide range of pilot activity in response to local priorities is striking.'

To help local authorities use the funding to maximum effect, the DCSF held a National Take-Up Conference in February, featuring workshops run by representatives from the current pilots to promote good practice.

The DCSF is producing a report on the experiences and findings from the pilots, showing local authorities taking up the DCATCH programme how they can best use their funding by highlighting the activities that the original pilots found most effective.

For information on the conference workshops and DCSF report, see the DCATCH website http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/healthandwellbeing/ahdc/childca re/childcare

.