CYP Now - In Practice: Know how - Information services

The Childcare Act 2006 extends a duty on local authorities to provide information to parents. As councils strive to meet this duty, more and more children's centres and extended schools are expected to become outposts for local children's information services (CIS). This not only enables the CIS to reach more people, but also gives families access to on-the-spot guidance and information about local and national services.

1Take time to establish the needs of the centre or school and thefamilies it serves, and customise your service accordingly. Providingleaflets or simply sign-posting people to services many not be enough,especially in areas where there are low levels of literacy or highnumbers of parents who don't speak much English.

2There are lots of ways in which CIS and children's centres or schoolscan work together. That could be basing a member of CIS staff at acentre or school full or part time, or training up centre staff todeliver CIS services. Another option might be getting CIS staff to runregular surgeries.

3It's important to be clear about what's expected of both CIS staff andthose from the centre or school. It may help to have a dedicated projectmanger to establish the new service. And remember it can take time toset up - especially if it involves new IT systems.

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