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The Step in to Learning training and development programme
aims to help staff and managers working in the early years
and childcare field to identify parents and carers who might
have literacy, language and/or numeracy needs and to signpost
them to appropriate learning opportunities to help them improve
their skills.
The flexible 12-hour training programme encourages staff
to consider the effect that low levels of literacy, language
and/or numeracy have on everyday life and how this may impact
on parents' or carers' confidence in helping their children.
There is a multi-media set of Step in to Learning resources
to support staff and managers in early years and childcare
settings. These resources, plus a Personal Development Journal
containing self study tasks, provide support to those early
years and childcare staff (and managers) who want to use this
as a route to gain nationally recognised accreditation or
take up further training opportunities.
The training programme also highlights to staff and managers
the importance of how they communicate with parents and practical
ways they might seek to improve current practice. This could
mean presenting information in different ways so that those
with poor literacy or language are not disadvantaged. Suggestions
include having recorded telephone messages on news and forthcoming
events, as well as the more usual written notices and letters
home. A notice board with staff photographs can help parents
more easily identify staff and so improve communication.
Skills for Life champions are being recruited from existing
and new deliverers of Step in to Learning, as a point of contact
with whom managers, contacts and parents can liaise on Skills
for Life matters. All Sure
Start local programmes and Children's
Centres are being asked to nominate champions, and to
encourage staff to gain qualifications such as the Adult Learner
Support Certificate. For more details, email melaniev@ctad.co.uk.
- Step in to Learning for Neighbourhood Nurseries began
in 2002 and was funded until March 2004. It trained 1887
managers and staff in Neighbourhood Nurseries and early
years settings in financially disadvantaged areas, and has
established a pool of 100 trainers to deliver the programme.
- Step in to Learning Sure Start was launched in 2003 and
funded until March 2005. It was designed to train all staff
in Sure Start local programmes and 60 Children's Centres.
- Step in to Learning continued in 2005 by widening access
and mainstreaming the programme throughout the whole of
the early years and childcare sector. It has trained 210
staff from nurseries, pre-schools as well as registered
childminders across the country. It has produced a revised
set of materials and guidance to support staff and managers
working in early years and childcare settings.
The programme is managed by CTAD (Cambridge Training and Development)
on behalf of the Skills for Life Strategy Unit and the Sure
Start Unit, Department for Education and Skills and Department
for Work and Pensions. Step in to Learning was originally
developed by the Basic Skills Agency.
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