Other Useful Sites

Early Childhood Services

Find out more about the work of Early Childhood Services, SureStart and Children's Centres within the City of Sunderland. www.sunderland.gov.uk/surestart

Families Information Service (FIS)

The Children's Information Service is a free service that provides information about registered childcare, nursery education, activities for children and young people, and services for parents and carers. We also support individuals who want to work with children by providing information on careers in childcare, training, qualifications, funding and local job opportunities. www.childcarelink.gov.uk/sunderland

Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)

The CWDC aims to improve the lives of children and young people. It does this by ensuring that the people working with children have the best possible training, qualifications, support and advice. It helps children and young people's organisations and services to work together, so that the child is at the centre of all its services. www.cwdcouncil.org.uk

Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

The LSC exists to make England better skilled and more competitive.  They are responsible for planning and funding high-quality vocational education and training for everyone. www.lsc.gov.uk

Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF)

The DfES is committed to high quality care, education and play for all children and young people. www.dcsf.gov.uk

OfSTED

Ofsted is the inspectorate for children and learners in England. It is their job to contribute to the provision of better education and care through effective inspection and regulation. www.ofsted.gov.uk

North East Centre for Playwork Education and Training

The above organisation is hosted by Northumbria University and is based at the Coach Lane Campus in Newcastle upon Tyne. The centre works with playworkers, training providers, playwork employers and development organisations throughout the North East of England. www.playworknortheast.org.uk

National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA)
The NDNA is a national charity which aims to enhance the development and education of children in their early years, through the provision of support services to members. www.ndna.org.uk

Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA)
The PLA represents and supports 15,000 community pre-schools in England. Registered as an educational charity, the Alliance is the national dimension of the pre-school movement, which began in 1961 when, in the absence of state provision, parents started their own self-help nursery schools. www.pre-school.org.uk

National Children’s Bureau (NCB)
NCB promotes the voices, interests and well-being of all children and young people across every aspect of their lives.
As an umbrella body for the children’s sector in England and Northern Ireland, they provide information on policy, research and best practice for our members and other partners. www.ncb.org.uk

National Childminding Association (NCMA)

The NCMA is the only national charity and membership organisation that speaks on behalf of registered childminders in England and Wales. They promote quality registered childminding so that children, families and communities can benefit from the best in childcare and education. www.ncma.org.uk

Daycare Trust
Daycare Trust is the national childcare charity. Established in 1980 to promote high quality affordable childcare for all. www.daycaretrust.org.uk/index.php

Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus can help you find the right kind of job: full time or part time, temporary or permanent and deal with a number of working age benefits. www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

New Pathways is the adult section of Connexions Tyne and Wear and covers the nextstep Information and Advice Service for adults.  The New Pathways website can help you with career choice, changing direction, getting back to work, applying for jobs, courses and training, childcare provision, finance, developing your skills, building your confidence, and assessing your strengths and skills.  www.nextsteptyneandwear.org.uk

Employer Links

First Steps Kindergarten welcomes any child from birth to school age.  They are a private day nursery set in a homely environment, and all staff are able to provide the care and attention which young children need.  They believe in the concept of an atmosphere of activity where learning takes place and where traditional values of quality service and dependability are assured. www.fsk.co.uk

Little Angels Nursery is a new, purpose built facility located within the Sandhill View Community Learning Centre, in the heart of Grindon, Sunderland.  They are located close to the major link roads A690 (Durham Road) and A183 (Chester Road).  Being part of the community centre, they have ample car parking space.  Little Angels Nursery has been registered by Ofsted to provide full day care for 58 children aged under 5, including 12 babies. www.littleangels-nursery.co.uk

The Cedars Nursery at Ashbrooke is the largest private childcare facility in the City of Sunderland.  They work to create a centre of excellence for your child's care and pre-school education.  With always an emphasis on learning through play, they encourage and reward achievement and good behaviour at every level.  To meet parents' exacting standards, they set themselves even higher standards to achieve - one of the key reasons for their outstanding success. www.cedarsnursery.co.uk