Partnerships

1. Local & National

1.1. Brush Bus (National)

1.2. Five a Day (National)

1.3. Free Milk in Schools (National)

1.4. Free School Meals in Schools (National)

1.5. Traffic Club (National)

1.6. Mini Kickers (Local)

1.7. Visits to Libary (Local)

2. Partnerships in Early Education and Childcare include

2.1. The Local Authority including education and social work interests;

2.2. Local employers

2.3. Private sector childcare providers

2.4. Out of school forums

2.5. Voluntary sector providers

2.6. Further education colleges;

2.7. The National Health Service

2.8. Registered childminders

2.9. Employment Service

2.10. Parents, including working parents

2.11. Children

2.12. Staff

3. Formal partnerships found in an early education and childcare

3.1. Parent Teacher Association

3.2. Organised visits to the library or primary schools

3.3. Scottish Social Services Council

3.4. Local Councils

3.5. Primary Schools

3.6. Business partnerships

3.7. Agreements with service providers, e.g. banks, mobile phone companies

3.8. Rent agreements

4. Partnerships should

4.1. Bring together the public, private and voluntary sectors;

4.2. Be directed by the diverse needs of children ,their parents in the wider community

4.3. Be directed by the requirements of the local labour market and the needs of local employers

4.4. Recognise that the private and voluntary sectors have particular strengths

4.5. Allow parents and children to become directly involved in the childcare and education provision in their local area

4.6. Understand the reality of the constraints on the local authority, both financial and other.

5. Informal partnerships found in an early education and childcare

5.1. Colleagues working together in a common project

5.2. A mother and toddler group

5.3. Fund raising activities for a specific purpose

5.4. Visits to local events held by parents

5.5. Parents

5.6. Visit from community police/ fire department

6. Successful Partnerships

6.1. Communication

6.2. Common aims and ideals

6.3. Co- Operation

6.4. Identifying and accepting roles and Responsibilities

6.5. Mutual Respect

7. Partnerships Aims

7.1. Provide High Quality Learning Experiences

7.2. Provide continuity between children experience of learning in pre-school and school

7.3. To ensure a smooth transition to school

7.4. Links pre-school and school with information about individual children's needs

7.5. Allows access to resources that may otherwise not been available

7.6. Share Knowledge, skills and expertise

7.7. Share different approaches to early years work

7.8. Recognise the value of different services

7.9. Assist with planning and record keeping

7.10. Improve the quality and range of local services for children and their families

7.11. Provide services that are responsive to the needs of the community

7.12. Foresee and prepare for future development planning

7.13. Involve parents

8. Key Characteristics of Partnership

8.1. 'The partners aim to achieve something they could not do alone, by pooling skills and other resources. To do this they need a shared vision of their goals, and a way of working together which realises this ambition. This may involve a long-term formal structure or a shorter-term agreement’