News
Under-fives get a say on budgets
14 Jul 2009
Run by the National Children's Bureau's Early Childhood Unit, 20 networks were set up three years ago. They were part of a Government pilot to ensure authorities meet their duty under the Childcare Act 2006 to consider the views of young children when shaping services.
In Newcastle, four and five-year-olds were given a simplified budget and asked to choose play equipment for their settings with the money they had. Another example is a children's centre that changed the labelling of its rooms to be more child-friendly after touring the setting with under-fives.
The evaluation revealed that at least 14 of the 20 pilot authorities have developed a young children's voices network.
Lucy Williams, the Project Manager for Young Children's Voices Networks said: Sometimes the changes seem simple but adults just would not have thought of them. People who have worked with us have told us that you get services that better meet children's needs.
The pilots have recently been extended for another two years.
(Children & Young People Now, 14 July 2009)
