Issues and Innovation in Integrated Services in the Early Years

The provision of early years services has received the utmost priority from central and local governments over the past decade. Funding, for example Childcare Strategy, Changing Children's Services Funds and Sure Start monies, as well as guidance have been made available to local authorities to improve and develop services for young children and families.

Consequently, there has been a growth in interest in the promotion of improved social, health and educational outcomes for families. Evaluations undertaken by CAF of local authority programmes have highlighted that within the main statutory organisations - health, education and social services as well as the voluntary agencies - there is a commitment to the promotion of integrated services.

However while all stakeholders (professionals and parents) tend to be positive about the vision and policy development of integrated early years services at a local level, there is less clarity about strategic and operational approaches. Lessons from applied research are being taken into consideration in the development of the new BA in Childhood Practice where the new occupational standards will require multi disciplinary approaches that support the provision of high quality and flexible early years and childcare services. The degree therefore has a strong focus on management and leadership that recognises the contribution of the varied agencies.

Jacqué Fee is Assistant Director, Childhood and Families: Research and Development Centre (CAF) in the University of Strathclyde where she is also the Course Director of the BA Education and Social Services degree.

Jacqué's original background was in nursing before moving into research and evaluation concerned with early childhood, family and community issues from 1990.

CAF are currently the co-ordinators of the DECET network (Diversity in Early Childhood Education and Training) and within this Jacqué serves on a working group on Professionalism in Early Childhood Services (with a focus on diversity).

Part of the remit of this group is to attract funding for small scale applied research.