For immediate release: 21 November 2007
Parents, Early Years And Learning – PEAL gets ‘accredited’
The Parents, Early Years and Learning (PEAL)
project is delighted to announce the achievement of a national
qualifications route. Working closely with Parenting UK, Lifelong
Learning UK, and City & Guilds, the PEAL team has developed an
optional unit, ‘Work to engage parents in their children’s early
learning.’ This unit at Level 3 can be combined with other units to
achieve the ’Working with Parents Award.’ This means that anyone
undertaking the PEAL training can now choose to extend their
learning and have it assessed, aiming to gain this new national
qualification.
Gaining accreditation for the PEAL training is
an important achievement. It not only supports government
initiatives towards a more skilled workforce through a flexible
qualifications system (the Qualifications and Credit Framework,
QCF); it also provides practitioners with the opportunity
to gain recognition for their continuous professional development
in the increasingly important area of parenting education and
support.
Mary Crowley, Director of Parenting
UK said: ‘How we work with parents is as important as what
we do. The rapid expansion in work with parents, demands a
workforce trained in nationally accredited courses to work
effectively.’
Sue Owen, Director of the Early
Childhood Unit at NCB, that leads on the PEAL project,
said: ‘For too long the early years sector has offered short
training courses which didn't lead to national qualifications so we
are delighted that it will now be possible for practitioners to
obtain a nationally recognised award based on the PEAL training.
Work is also underway to develop two other optional units to
address specific needs which have been identified by frontline
practitioners; working with fathers and working with young
parents.’
Parents are a child’s first educators. PEAL
aims to improve educational and social outcomes for children living
in disadvantaged areas. PEAL supports early years practitioners to
gain skills, knowledge and qualifications to enable them to involve
parents as partners in their children’s learning. The training,
funded by the DCSF, is being made available free this year to early
years practitioners in Sure Start Children’s Centres, pre-schools,
day nurseries and to registered childminders. PEAL training forms
part of the DCSF Early Learning Partnership Programme, which is
exploring approaches to helping parents to support their children's
early learning, through effective partnerships with
practitioners.
For more information about the project visit
http://www.peal.org.uk/,
email pealinfo@ncb.org.uk
or call 020 7843 6444.
- Ends -
Notes for editors:
- Parents are a child’s first educators. PEAL aims to improve
educational and social outcomes for children living in
disadvantaged areas. PEAL supports early years practitioners to
gain skills, knowledge and qualifications to enable them to involve
parents as partners in their children’s learning. For more
information visit http://www.peal.org.uk/ or call 020
7843 6444
- ECU works to encourage discussion and debate with those who are
involved with children from birth to eight. For more information
visit http://www.earlychildhood.org.uk/
or call 020 7843 6064
- NCB promotes the voices, interests and well-being of all
children and young people across every aspect of their lives. As a
leading body for the children’s sector in England and Northern
Ireland, we provide essential information on policy, research and
best practice for our members and other partners. For further
information visit http://www.ncb.org.uk/ or call 020
7843 6000
- Parenting UK is the national organisation for people who work
with parents, aiming to promote best practice in all parenting
services. For more information visit http://www.parentinguk.org/ or
call 020 7284 8370
For further information on this
release contact:
Paulina Filippou,
Communications Officer, PEAL Project, Early Childhood
Unit
Tel: 020 7843 1169 / Media office
mobile:
07721697033
Email: pfilippou@ncb.org.uk