| Knowledge Makes ChangeAs a member of the Best Start Partnership, the Jersey Child Care Trust compiles and distributes news, information and research (local and international) to all those in Jersey who want to make a difference for children. |
| Upcoming Training Opportunities; Maybo Training for those working in a registered early years setting;This course will help develop your understanding of young children’s needs and behaviours by exploring functions of behaviour, positive behavioural support and safer de-escalation. Our MAYBO licensed course will have an Early Years focus making it ideal for Early Years practitioners working within a registered setting. Saturday 26th April 9.30 till 15.30; https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1301867022309?aff=oddtdtcreatorWednesday 7th May 9.30 till 15.30; https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1301864414509?aff=oddtdtcreatorThursdays 8th, 15th and 22nd May, 18.00 till 20.00 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1301868476659?aff=oddtdtcreator Poverty Aware Practice;We will look at the definitions of poverty and lived experience of poverty in Jersey and consider the hidden impact of it for children and families . This will include children’s safety and wellbeing. We will share good practice and explore practical ways to support families and children you work with who may be living with poverty. Wednesday 21st May 18.30 till 20.00; https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1301878667139?aff=oddtdtcreatorWednesday 18th June 18.30 till 20.00; https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1301915788169?aff=oddtdtcreatorMonday 29th September 18.30 till 20.00; https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1301917944619?aff=oddtdtcreator |
 Family Nursing & Home Care have recently published their 2024 Impact Report, with pages 8-12 highlighting the work of its Child and Family Services.The Report can be accessed via this link FNHC 2024 Impact Report | Family Nursing & Home Care. |
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Inspiring the Future is a successful online match-making platform created by the UK charity Education and Employers and being co-ordinated locally by Skills Jersey. It works by connecting state schools with volunteers from the world of work. The aim is to ensure young people within state primary and secondary schools have access to a network of role models who can inspire and motivate them to see their future potential. Research by the charity Education and Employers shows that young people are influenced by what they see around them, and they start to form opinions about their future careers by the age of 6. The platform makes it quick and easy for schools to access volunteers directly to come in and speak with students. This may be in the form of inspiring talks to whole year groups, fun guess the job activities for primary classes or even speed networking or career fairs. There are a host of activities that volunteers can be involved in. They can accept and decline invitations in line with what suits them. It works on an individual sign-up basis and we ask that you agree to volunteer for a minimum of one hour a year, although you can do as much as you like! To sign up volunteers just need to register at Signup ITF (force.com). It takes about 10 minutes to sign up and the volunteer will create a profile to give teachers more information about their role and what subjects they use in their role. Once you are signed up you have access to a host of guides and resources to support you in delivering an inspiring session to young people. Teachers will view your profile and if they would like to invite you in an email will come directly to your inbox. If you accept this then the teacher will be in contact to arrange further details. Virtual Volunteering; If you choose to volunteer virtually you may be contacted by schools in the UK to attend virtual events. This is at your discretion however if you would prefer to attend events solely in Jersey then please tick no. |
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| A new way to access REAL training and a £500 grant for your setting;About the training;Making it REAL is an evidence based (tried and tested) programme focussed on Raising Early Achievement in Literacy. It works for all young children by making literacy meaningful and giving parents confidence to engage in fun, low/no cost activities to support their children’s learning. you will gain knowledge and understanding of the four strands of early literacy and an under-pinning framework that supports planning and evaluation.It takes three hours and we can deliver to you and all your team in your setting or at Pips Place – day and time at whenever is convenient for you. About the grant;Your team will need to take part in ‘REAL in the Park’, a literacy event that is part of the Jersey Festival of Words. It is scheduled to take place on Saturday 27th September and you will need to plan and run an activity for children and families. You can use the £500 to purchase resources or pay staff, we don’t mind! About you;You are a manager or training coordinator at an early years setting, and you know your team would value Making it REAL training and the opportunity to participate in the Festival of Words/REAL in the Park. Places are very limited – we can only accommodate five settings. Please contact Kate Elston at the Jersey Child Care Trust (01534 629901) or kate@jcct.org.je to book and find out more…. |
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| 2025 Wilma Allan Award |
| Nominations are now open for the 2025 Wilma Allan Award. The award was created to recognise a student or recently qualified practitioner whose practice has been noticed as going ‘above and beyond’. The award was created in memory of former JCCT employee, Wilma Allan, who was a person who noticed the actions of hardworking, unassuming achievers who constantly deliver. Students or practitioners may be nominated by their manager or by families they work with. The award acknowledges those who have gone above and beyond what is expected of them. This could be great examples of communication with others, an impressive activity that has had an impact on young children or something else that stands out and has been noticed. The winner will receive:an engraved medal£500 to spend on a professional development opportunity£500 worth of toys and resources for the setting that nominated them There is a form here that you can complete and return to kate@jcct.org.je or just call 01534 629901 for more information. |
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 Saturday 17th May – Forest School and Outdoor Practitioners Networking Event- FiresThese sessions have been so valuable for many who often work solo; in planning and delivering sessions; to come together, share ideas, share knowledge and skills, connect in nature and generally just have a lovely time together!Booking is required for these sessions, they are free, we may ask you to bring some old candles/stubs along if you have any!www.naturebase.je/bookingSophie Moulson, Outdoor Practitioner and Forest School Lead, Nature BasePhone: 07700888076Email: info@naturebase.je |
| Creative Therapy for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs2-Day Training Conference for Therapeutic Practitioners and Teachers – Friday 4th & Saturday 5th July 2025 This interactive 2 day training gives an overview of how to use creative therapeutic interventions to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs.Using case studies from the trainer’s 30 years of experience working with SEN as well as creative techniques and approaches from her 20+ years as a play and creative arts therapist, participants will have opportunities to learn about therapeutic work with children with Autism (including PDA and ARFID), ADHD, Attachment Difficulties, Developmental Trauma, Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Learning Disabilities in order to enhance the emotional health and wellbeing of these children and young people.  |
www.heckmanequation.org have a newly refreshed website;Investing early in children yields the greatest returns. The Heckman Curve demonstrates that the highest economic and social benefits come from early skill development. This investment leads to lifelong success, increased productivity, and reduced societal costs. Heckman, James J. (2008). “Schools, Skills and Synapses,” Economic Inquiry, 46(3): 289-324 |
 The Joseph Rowntree Foundation works to speed up and support the transition to a future free from poverty, in which people and planet can flourish. Their essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK is available here; |
| Every year in the UK, 60,000 babies are born prematurely. That’s 1 in 13 – and around 2 to 3 children in every average primary school class. These children are at significantly higher risk of experiencing special educational needs compared to their peers. Yet, many schools tell us they’ve had little or no training to understand how prematurity can impact learning, development, or emotional wellbeing. Prem Aware Award – Supporting schools and early years settings to help children born prematurely. Starting school or nursery can be a big step in the journey for families after neonatal care, and many parents worry about the lasting impact of premature birth.Research tells us that children born prematurely are more likely to have poorer academic attainment and special educational needs compared to their peer group born at full term. Those born extremely preterm (before 28 weeks gestation) are most likely to need extra support and research also highlights that children born just a few weeks early may still face difficulties at school. The cognitive and learning difficulties most commonly associated with premature birth include slower processing speeds, difficulties with memory, poorer visual-spatial skills, attention difficulties and struggles with mathematics. With an average of two to three children in every classroom being born early, we know that early years staff and teachers can play a crucial role in supporting and making a difference to the lives of children born prematurely. More information about the Prem Aware Award on ‘The Smallest Things’ website here. |
 Nesta has published a new report looking at support for families and children in the early years. The report analyses the Fairer Start Local programme which ran in partnership with three local authorities in England to test and scale new ideas to support early childhood development. The programme aimed to break the link between family background and life chances and help children have happy and healthy childhoods. The report presents six learning points on how to innovate effectively in the early years sector, including: adopting a ‘test and learn’ approach, testing ideas on a small scale and using feedback and data to guide adaptations; and co-designing with parents and practitioners to ensure that solutions are based on lived and professional experience, as well as the latest evidence. Read the report: Innovation in the early years |
