1. What are we doing in Blackpool Centre for Early Child Development
Bercow: Ten Years On
What are we doing in Blackpool
in the Early Years SLC?
Sarah Lambert
Development Manager
Centre for Early Child Development

4. Better Start Bank of Blackpool Schools & FE/HE Parents Community
Usual Suspects: LA
CCG
Health Trust
Police
Bank of Blackpool
Schools & FE/HE
Better Start
Parents
Community
Led by Voluntary Sector - NSPCC
Data re poverty and deprivation
Businesses
Children’s Centres / PVI

5. A developmental approach
Social & Emotional Development
Communication & Language
Diet & Nutrition
Key Developmental Outcome 1:
Healthy gestation and birth
Key Developmental Outcome 2:
Readiness for school

6. In the first few years of life, a child’s brain develops rapidly, driven by a mix of experience, environment and genes
Early is better…. But it’s never too late Graph Source: P. Levitt (2009)
Brains are built from the bottom up
on strong foundations
Graph Source: C.A. Nelson (2000)
The brains ability to change in response to experience
The amount of effort this change requires

7. By age one, the size of a child’s brain is already 72% of adult volume on average and by age two it has grown to 83% of an adult’s volume on average (Knickmeyer et. al. 2008).
At age three a child’s brain is estimated to be about twice as active as an adult’s brain (Brotherson 2009).

8. There Are No Magic Bullets Relationships Matter
A balanced approach to emotional, social, cognitive, and language development will best prepare children for success in school and later in the workplace.

9. Serve and return interactions shape brain architecture

10. The important role of parents in supporting their child’s communication and literacy skills
Community Connectors
Baby Steps antenatal classes
SOS
Activity cards
Park Rangers
Grant for Two Year Olds
Literacy weeks
Book Start

11. Raising Early Achievement in Literacy Undertaken with practitioners
Making it REAL for Parents - Making it REAL for Parents is an award-winning programme that works with parents to help them to support children’s early literacy and development.
“I’ve noticed more. Everything we do links to early literacy, e.g. talking and early writing.”
“I’ve learnt to listen more to my children. As a busy parent I often listened and cleaned or was preparing dinner at the same time. Now I absorb more”.
“talking with other parents about the importance of encouraging their children to spot signs saying “It doesn’t matter if you’re not great at reading” it’ll help them to recognise letters.”
“I realise it’s what I do with my children that matters.”

12. The Engagement of Dads

14. EYFSP scores starting to show impact in SLC
Between 2015 and 2016
Listening and Attention B/pool Nat + 0.7
Understanding B/pool Nat + 0.6
Speaking B/pool Nat + 1.0

15. 95% Settings rated Outstanding or Good by OfSTED
Staff use a range of excellent teaching strategies to promote all areas of learning, including children's listening and communication skills. They talk to babies as they play and position themselves so that babies can watch their facial expressions. Older children listen in awe as they investigate the different sounds they make by tapping objects around the environment.
Private Nursery February 2016 Outstanding
Staff promote children's language and communication well in a variety of ways. For example, they encourage children to talk about their experiences, ask questions to check their knowledge and understanding and introduce new words. This helps children to be confident talkers.
Pre-school February 2016 Good
95% Settings rated Outstanding or Good by OfSTED
82% of OfSTED Report over last 2 years highlight good practice in SLC
The childminder uses a variety of excellent strategies to promote children's communication and language skills. For example, she invites children to tap out a beat to the rhythm of songs and rhymes.
Childminder January 2016 Outstanding
Training attended has a positive impact upon the quality of teaching. For example, the childminder has introduced a range of useful strategies to promote children’s communication and language skills.
Childminder 2016 Outstanding

16. Social Disadvantage SLC Social Mobility
“Three quarters of children who experience persistent poverty
throughout their early years start school without the language skills they need for learning” (Read On Get On 2014)
Opportunity Area
Golden thread for all age groups
Early Years Pupil Premium
Good commissioning is the key to life chances.

17. Commissioning for better communication skills is a complex business
Joint commissioning across health and education is also a key requirement of the recent SEN and Disability reforms, and of the joint CQC/OfSTED local area inspection framework
1 + 1 = 3

18. If SLC could be given a national high profile
In summary
If SLC could be given a national high profile
Joint commissioning enforced
Serve and return is vital to early brain development
It’s cheaper and more effective the earlier you start
There are no magic bullets – relationships do matter
The effects of getting it right early are life long

19. Contacts sarah.cecd@nspcc.org.uk BetterStart.cecd@nspcc.org.uk
@CECDBlackpool