Michael Fabricant has announced his strong support for the Pre-School
Learning Alliance’s Charter for Parents and the Early Years which was
launched at the House of Commons this week.

The Charter – which will take the form of a mass petition – would provide
more childcare places for all but would also guarantee basic rights for
parents in terms of the type of provision available, a larger say in how
childcare settings are managed and would provide more support and learning
activities for the whole family.

The Pre-school Learning Alliance’s own commissioned research reveals
overwhelming support for this reform. In Lichfield and the West Midlands,
around nine in 10 parents and grandparents believe that nurseries and other
early years providers should have a responsibility to invite parents to be
involved with their children’s care and education. They also believe that
encouraging parental involvement in early years education and care is one
way of preventing anti-social behaviour in children’s later years.

Michael says, "The Pre-school Learning Alliance’s Changing Lives, Changing
Life campaign reflects the service which pre-schools have always offered to
the community. Many parents bringing their children to local pre-schools
volunteer to help out for a few hours each week and eventually go on to
study for qualifications or to work in the early years field. In this way,
pre-schools help to create and sustain jobs often benefiting some of the
most disadvantaged families in their area as well as providing our children
with one of the best starts in life. I urge everyone in this area to sign
the campaign."

Margaret Lochrie, Chief Executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, says:
"Most parents understand and take very seriously their responsibilities
towards their children’s education. It’s crucial that we give parents the
choice and confidence to be involved with early years education right from
the start. By the time children are 11 or 12, it may be too late to
establish effective home-school partnerships………………. More needs
to be done to match childcare to the needs of children and families and to
recognise the central role of parents in their children’s education and as
an influence on their behaviour. We advocate the development of childcare
centres which involve parents in management, in everyday activities and
offer a range of opportunities for the whole family. We believe that
education needs to be brought further out into the community by enlisting
all parents as equal partners from children’s very earliest years. Unless a
parental involvement culture in children’s education is developed and
extended, educational reforms may come to very little."

The Pre-school Learning Alliance links 16,000 pre-schools – and 500,000
young children and their families – in England. Registered as an
educational charity, the Alliance is the national dimension of a grassroots’
movement, providing training, support for fundraising and publicity,
helplines and publications. These pre-schools are based in the community
and most are managed and run by parents, alongside trained staff.