Voluntary & Community Sector early years Network
Foundation Years Trust (www.foundationyearstrust.org.uk) have asked partners from VS6, a partnership of VCFSE infrastructure organisations working with the VCFSE sector across the City Region, to support a new cross-LCR Early Years Initiative.

Foundation Year’s Trust’s ambition is to create a network of VCFSE providers cross the LCR to highlight the critical importance of early years for children with families/carers and professional stakeholders.

While recognising that there are different configurations of provision in each Borough, the evidence suggests that there are huge inequalities in the outcomes for our most disadvantaged children across the region, which ultimately manifest in poor outcomes and life chances.


Why Now?
The first five years is an incredibly important time to ensure the long-term outcomes for each child. Pre-Covid, across the City Region, we saw similar levels of children falling behind by age five, particularly those from more disadvantaged families.

Following lockdown there are widespread concerns that limited access to external support will result in many children falling even further behind in their development. As we head towards the new cohort of children entering nursery in September, it is an ideal time to get key messages out there to parents with useful tips, fun ideas and accessible information.


What Can a Network Achieve?
  • Collaborate to share learning on best practice and ideas.
  • Raise the profile of the early years in our respective areas and across the City Region.
  • Bring focus to the role of the VCFSE sector in supporting families of early years children.
  • Identify opportunities for cross region partnership projects.

 
What are our SHORT-TERM aims?
  1. Establishing a steering group with representation drawn from the local networks so that there is a voice for all 6 Boroughs
  2. Developing a week long early years campaign using common branding and shared across social media platforms and, in each area, a range of fun events for families that promote early development and help parents to understand how they can support their children’s early development.
  3. Working with VS6, hosting an Assembly for the wider VCFSE sector engaged with the early years to share ideas on an LCR Early Years Approach.

Would you like to take part in an early years network?
We have devised this questionnaire to gauge interest in the idea of a network and to explore whether the LCR VCFSE sector believes there is value in joining together on the short term aims identified.

Complete the survey to tell us a bit about your organisation's work on all early years projects you are involved in.

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* 1. Name of your organisation:

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* 2. Area of Operation (tick all that apply):

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* 3. Core area of work (tick all that apply):

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* 4. Which age groups do you work with? (tick all that apply):

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* 5. Do you work with Children with Additional Needs?

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* 6. Are you currently commissioned by:

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* 7. Do you work directly with parents/carers?

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* 8. Do you have links in your area with (tick all that apply):

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* 9. Who do you see as your key partners?

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* 10. Would you be interested in joining or finding out more about this proposed Network?

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* 11. Do you think the Campaign is a good idea?

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* 12. If yes, when would be your preferred time to hold it?

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* 13. If you could participate in the campaign, would you be able to (tick all that apply):

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* 14. Would you be interested in an attending an LCR Assembly on Early Years?

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* 15. Is there anything specific that you would like to achieve or learn about in an Early Years Assembly?

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* 16. If you are happy to be contacted about this survey, please provide your email address and tick the box below:

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* 17. I confirm that I am happy to be contacted about this survey and for my email address to be shared with colleagues from the Foundation Years Trust for this purpose.

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