Behind the scenes

4Children

* Second Floor, Bellerive House, 3 Muirfield Crescent, London E14 9SZ * Maggie Walker, head of business development 020 7522 6974 * consultancy@4children.org.ukwww.4children.org.uk

4 Children, formerly Kids' Clubs Network, offers a range of business support services for childcare providers:

* Payroll services.

* Accounting services.

* Budget services.

* Human resources management.

* Management committee.

* Charity support.

Acorn Early Years Training

* Park View, 34 Copperfields, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP12 4AN * 0870 041 6240 * info@earlyyearstraining.co.ukwww.earlyyearstraining.co.uk

Northern Ireland

* Whiterock Training Centre, 91 Whiterock Road, Belfast BT12 7PG * 0870 041 6244 * ni@earlyyearstraining.co.uk

Acorn Early Years Training runs courses on:

* Managing children's behaviour: this day course is for all those in early years education, including day nurseries, childminders, playgroups or pre-school workers.

* Managing children with challenging behaviour: this day course covers topics such as prevention and crisis behaviour management.

* Child protection in early years care: this day course covers how to assess child needs and safety concerns and recognising signs of abuse.

* Parents and their child's development: this day course is for new parents wanting to gain a better understanding of how they can assist their child's development.

Aswan Learning Centre

* Day Lewis House, 324-340 Bensham Lane, Croydon, Surrey CR7 7EQ * 020 8239 1141 * aswan@netlineuk.netwww.aswan.org.uk

The Aswan Learning Centre's half-day and one-day courses include:

* The role of the equal opportunities co-ordinator: Areas covered include identifying gaps in monitoring practice.

* Promoting partnership with parents and carers: this course covers key strategies necessary in working effectively with parents/carers.

Children in Scotland

* Princes House, 5 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh EH2 4RG * 0131 222 2405 * arowan@childreninscotland.org.ukwww.childreninscotland.org.uk

Children in Scotland runs a number of courses including:

* Participation - spice it up! This workshop looks for practical ways to consult and involve children and young people in any setting.

* Consulting with children and young people with complex needs: this workshop is for all those working with children with complex needs in either the statutory, voluntary or independent sectors.

* Dealing with conflict, anger and aggression: this workshop offers an opportunity to develop an understanding of the communicative function of some challenging behaviours.

* Promoting positive behaviour in the early years - managing behaviour: this workshop looks at opportunities to provide experiences that can lead to children developing strategies for managing their anger.

* Mental well-being: this seminar is designed to raise awareness of mental health issues across the range of children's services .

Children in Wales

* 25 Windsor Place, Cardiff CF10 3BZ * 029 2034 2434 * info@childreninwales.org.ukwww.childreninwales.org.uk

Children in Wales runs courses and events on diverse topics, including:

* A workshop day for fathers on 18 June.

Common Threads Consultancy

* Wessex House, Upper Market Street, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 9FD * 07000 785215 * info@commonthreads.co.ukwww.commonthreads.co.uk

Common Threads Consultancy runs courses on:

* Playwork basics.

* Playwork NVQs.

* An introduction to child protection.

Crechendo Training

* 1 Grange Mills, Weir Road, London SW12 0NE * 020 8772 8160 * training@crechendo.comwww.crechendo.com

Crechendo Training runs workshops on:

* Effective communication and assertiveness: this interactive workshop looks at all the different forms of communication and their effect on inter-personal relationships.

* Individual professional development: this is a compulsory course for anyone completing the whole CPD qualification. Participants must complete 60 hours of teaching and tutorial time and an integrated assignment.

Direction Training and Management

* Unit 40, Teignbridge Business Centre, Cavalier Road, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 6TZ * 01626 836594 * direction-training@lineone.net

Direction Training and Management runs courses on:

* Behaviour management.

* Child protection.

* Assertiveness.

* Brain-based learning.

* Working with parents.

* The role of the SENCO.

* Managing bullying positively.

* Consulting with children.

Hannan Consultancy * 07717 131191 * info@hannanconsultancy.co.ukwww.hannanconsultancy.co.uk

The Hannan Consultancy's programmes can be tailored to meet individual organisations' needs and include:

* Promoting resilience in young children.

* Health check: preparing for inspection.

* Safeguarding young children.

* Disability awareness and inclusive play.

* Communicating with disabled children.

* Securing positive outcomes: assessing the impact of severe parental difficulties on babies and young children.

Institute of education

* Institute of Education, CPD/INSET, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL * 020 7612 6589 * cpd.inset@ioe.ac.ukwww.ioe.ac.uk

The Institute of Education runs a number of early years courses. They include:

* Teaching French to young learners on 18 June. This course is for Foundation Stage staff.

* Early years conference on 12 July. This conference is open to all involved in early years education, mainly at Foundation Stage but also key stage 1.

* Developing policies for the Foundation Stage on 21 September and 12 October. This two-part course is aimed at nursery and reception staff, Foundation Stage co-ordinators and headteachers, as is the course below.

* Early years investigative learning on 15 November.

Kidscape

* 2 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0DH * 020 7730 3300 * training@kidscape.org.ukwww.kidscape.org.uk

Kidscape runs courses on subjects including:

* Anti-bullying: resolving and reducing incidents and supporting and empowering victims.

* Child protection.

* Personal development: this includes PSHE methodology and programme development, circle time, friendship skills, self-esteem, assertiveness, handling conflict, pupil support, and guidance and welfare.

* Promoting positive behaviour: this includes rights and responsibilities, policy and procedures, code of conduct and problem-solving.

* Staff development: this includes stress management, developing team work, counselling skills, assertiveness training and working with parents.

Men in Childcare Scotland

* One-Parent Families Scotland, 13 Gayfield Square, Edinburgh EH1 3NX * 0131 556 3899 * ianmaxwell@opfs.org.ukwww.opfs.org.uk

Men in Childcare Scotland promotes networking among male workers and those interested in issues of men and childcare. It also provides information and organises training events.

National Children's Bureau

* Early Childhood Unit, 8 Wakley StreetLondon EC1V 7QE * 020 7843 6064 * www.ncb.org.uk

The NCB runs courses including:

* Anti-discriminatory practice.

* Conflict resolution.

* Children's participation in decisions about services.

* Working in partnership with parents.

* Inter-agency partnerships in early years.

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)

* National Training Centre, 3 Gilmour Close, Leicester LE4 1E4 * 0116 234 7200 * gweston@nspcc.org.ukwww.nspcc.org.uk

Current NSPCC courses for early years practitioners include:

* Domestic violence: this course aims to raise awareness of domestic violence and its impact on children.

* Working with parents of children who have learning disabilities: this course aims to develop an increased understanding of the range of challenging behaviours.

* Multi-agency assessments: this course explores a multi-agency model for the assessment and provision of services to children and families.

* Protecting young children: a guide to recognising and responding to child abuse is one of the NSPCC's learning materials, and can be ordered on www.ncb-books.org.uk.

NIPPA: The Early Years Organisation

* 6c Wildflower Way, Apollo Road, Belfast BT12 6TA * 028 9066 2825 * info.nippa@cinni.orgwww.nippa.org

NIPPA: The Early Years Organisation runs training courses that include:

* Promoting children's learning through adult/child interactions: this workshop aims to enhance early years workers' skills in interacting with children.

* Introducing the NIPPA observation and recording tools: this course is particularly suitable to early years staff working with children aged three to five.

* Curriculum planning evaluation: this course will support participants in the development of long-, medium- and short-term plans.

* Developing children's creativity - art and design: this course is for adults working with young children who want to increase their knowledge and skills in providing for creative development.

* Involving parents/carers - creative partnerships in action: this course aims to enable practitioners to develop skills to create an effective partnership with parents.

* Consulting with young children: this nine-part course is designed to enable early years practitioners to develop the skills to consult effectively with young children.

Northern Ireland Childminding Association

* 16-18 Mill Street, Newtownards BT23 4LU * 028 9181 1015 * barbara.quinn@nicma.orgwww.nicma.org

The Northern Ireland Childminding Association (NICMA) runs courses on:

* Basic child development.

* High/Scope in the family daycare setting: this eight-part course offers childminders ideas for providing a planned programme of learning.

Playgroup Network

* PO Box 401, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS5 4WZ * 0191 230 5520 * playgroupnetwork@playgroup.fsnet.co.ukwww.playgroup-network.org.uk

The Playgroup Network offers a wide range of training opportunities including:

* Introductory courses for new or inexperienced workers.

* Underpinning knowledge and assessment for NVQ.

It also offers professional development for experienced workers. These include:

* Preparing for inspections.

* Operational planning.

* Inclusion.

* Valuing diversity.

* Administration.

* Managing staff.

* Committee work.

* Health, safety and First Aid.

* Foundation Stage activities.

* Parenting support and working with toddlers.

Pre-School Learning Alliance

* 69 Kings Cross Road, London WC1X 9LL * 020 7833 0991 * pla@pre-school.org.ukwww.pre-school.org.uk

The Pre-School Learning Alliance runs courses and workshops on:

* Business and management for staff and members of voluntary management committees.

* Expanding the services of pre-schools: this course looks at topics such as running breakfast and lunch clubs or caring for children under three.

* The national standards for under-eights day care: this course aims to assist pre-schools to meet the new requirements and to cope successfully with inspection by Ofsted.

* The Foundation Stage curriculum: this course aims to enable settings to meet the requirements for nursery education grant funding.

* Managing children's behaviour: this course aims to assist in creating an environment in which children can develop self-esteem and discipline.

* Equality of opportunity: this course aims to help pre-schools to provide an inclusive environment in which the needs of all children are met.

* Special educational needs: this course aims to assist pre-schools to support children with special educational needs and their families and to enable them to comply with the SEN Code of Practice, including the requirement to appoint an SEN co-ordinator.

The Alliance also runs:

* Family learning courses: these support parents in their everyday lives with their children.

Riverside Early Excellence Centre

* Minton Lane, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE29 6DQ * 0191 200 5501 * maureen.scott@northtyneside.gov.uk

The Riverside Early Excellence Centre runs courses on:

* Meeting the Ofsted care standards for out-of-school care: this course is delivered in six separate sessions - child protection for out-of-school settings on17 September; special needs and equal opportunities on 22 September; meeting the needs of children and food and drink on September 28; local networking, business planning and partnership with parents on 5 October; premises and arrival and departure of children on 15 October; and staffing and documentation on 19 October.

* Play around the world - games for children aged five to 13 on 2 December.

This half-day course for childminders and playworkers aims to introduce participants to games from other countries.

* A positive approach to behaviour management for the under-fives: this course aims to give participants an insight into reasons behind young children's behaviour.

* Multiple abuse in the childcare profession - use of case study examples: this course will help early years professionals to detect the signs and indicators of child abuse.

* Supporting children aged three to five displaying attention-seeking behaviour: this half-day course aims to explore attention-seeking behaviour and effective strategies for dealing with it.

* Supporting pre-school children experiencing loss and bereavement.

Wales Pre-school Playgroups Association

* Ladywell House, Newtown, Powys SY16 1JB * 01686 624573 * info@walesppa.orgwww.walesppa.org

The Wales Pre-school Playgroups Association runs courses including:

* Introduction to children's play: a 12-part course of two-hour sessions.

* Playing together: a 12-hour course that looks at the integration of children with special needs.

Working Group Against Racism in Children's Resources (WGARCR)

* 49 Effra Road, London SW2 1BZ * 020 7501 9992, also fax * www.wgarc.r@virgin.netwww.wgarcr.org.uk

Forthcoming courses and conferences include:

* Evaluation and selection of children's resources and activities in an anti-racist framework on 9 September.

* Celebrating festivals on 7 October.

* The WGARCR national conference in London on 16 October.