A flagship early years centre to be developed by the National Day Nurseries Association will be a "think-tank" for developing national strategies around childcare, hopes chief executive Rosemary Murphy.
The National Early Years Enterprise Centre is set to be developed in the Yorkshire and Humberside region with a grant of 1.75m from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.
It will comprise a business unit to support new and existing childcare businesses and an early years academy to promote training and development.
The centre, which is expected to be up and running by 2006, will also be the new base for the NDNA's national headquarters.
"Things are moving so rapidly in the sector we really need a national overview of what is going on," said Murphy.
