North Down & Ards District Childcare Partnership
An Introduction - Who are we?
North Down & Ards Childcare Partnership is a group of representatives
from the statutory, voluntary and community sectors who work in Early
Years Services for children 0-14 years.  The
Partnership was formally launched in September 2002.
Our current membership consists of:
- Ards Borough Council
- Ards Development Bureau
- Bryson House Family Support Unit
- East Down Rural Community Network
- Home-Start
- Life-Start Mid-Ards
- NICMA – Northern Ireland Childminding Association
- NIPPA – The Early Years Organisation
- North Down & Ards Institute
- North Down Borough Council
- North Down Community Network
- PAKT (YMCA)
- Peninsula Healthy Living Partnership
- SEELB
- Service Provider Rep. Via NIPPA branch
- Simpson Family Resource Centre
- Sure-Start
- Ulster Community & Hospitals Trust
- Dental Team Health Promotion
- Disability Services Health Visiting
- Early Years Team School Nursing
- Family and Childcare
What do we do?
The Partnership was established to take forwards the Northern Ireland
Childcare Strategy – ‘Children First’. Our key tasks
are to:
- Review existing early years services in North Down & Ards
- Identify gaps in services and assess demand for new/additional services
- Enhance and improve the quality of childcare services through promotion
of training and quality assurance schemes
- Provide parents, service providers and planners with accurate information
about childcare provision
- Plan services which are co-ordinated and complementary
How do we achieve our tasks?
The Partnership has a three year action plan – Article 20 Review
of Early Years Services (copies are available from the Partnership). This
action plan sets out work objectives, which are carried out by a number
of sub-groups:
- Quality & Training – promotes good practice,
collates information on qualification levels and assists in the co-ordination
of training courses for local early years staff.
- Accessibility – works to ensure all children
regardless of disability, gender or race, have access to early years
services.
- Information – produces a termly newsletter
‘Early Years Update’ for parents and service providers and
co-ordinates information events.
- Community Development – collates information
on existing early years services, consults with local communities on
service gaps and lobbies for improved/increased provision in North Down
& Ards.
- Parenting Issues – reviews available parent
support services to help ensure local families have access to appropriate
information, guidance and support.
The full Childcare Partnership meets quarterly to monitor the progress
of this work.
Our Mission
As a Partnership of voluntary, community, private and statutory organisations,
we exist to promote quality, co-ordinated early years services for all
0-14 year old children, their families and the community, within the North
Down & Ards area.
Our Vision
To enhance the potential of all 0-14 year old children, their families,
carers and the community, through the provision of quality, affordable
and accessible early years services.
How you can be involved
The work of the Partnership requires us to consult with local communities
and parents on the quality and range of Early Years services in North
Down & Ards. If you require information or have any comments or views
on how we can improve local services, please contact out Early Years Co-ordinator.
For further information contact:
North Down & Ards Childcare Partnership
Health & Care Centre
39 Regent Street
Newtownards
BT23 4AD
Tel: (028) 9181 6666
Fax: (028) 9182 0140
email: sonya.mcguckin@setrust.hscni.net
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