An innovative childminding network in Warwickshire is set to expand to cover the whole county.

Warwickshire's Children Come First network is one of the first in the country, and organisers are planning to develop it further to build on its success.

Not only will the number of accredited members increase, but the network is also to incorporate a county-wide version of the Community Childminding Network trialled in South Warwickshire for the last year.

The network offered care places with specially-trained childminders to children deemed to have a special need, and is operated by the National Childminding Association in partnership with the county council's Social Services Department.

And more county childminders have achieved a nationally-recognised childminding qualification than ever before. Their achievement was marked at a special presentation yesterday.

Lynne Taylor of the NCMA said Warwickshire will benefit from a single network of accredited childminders able to offer both education and community care opportunities to the county's children.

She said:

"The new network means children will benefit enormously from the range of alternative education and care options on offer, and parents can be assured that the childminders are offering an appropriate service of good quality, which is regularly assessed.

“This is a very exciting development for early years education and care in Warwickshire."

Elizabeth Featherstone, Early Years Development Officer for Warwickshire Education Authority, said:

"This exciting initiative provides further evidence of the total commitment of the Education Authority and the Early Years and Childcare Development Partnership to developing choice with quality for parents and children in Warwickshire."
  

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