Home-based childcare should be part of the package on offer at extended schools, according to a briefing document from the National Childminding Assocation (NCMA).
While the Government wants all schools to open from 8am to 6pm, the paper - Home-Based Childcare and Extended Schools - points out that not all children benefit from being in a school environment for long periods.
The paper is part of an awareness campaign that will include NCMA staff and volunteers targeting schools across England and Wales. Liz Bayram, NCMA director of policy and public affairs, said childminders were already working in successful partnerships with local schools. But she said the time was right for a campaign to highlight advantages of home-based childcare.
- www.ncma.org.uk.
