Latest News
(You can also check out our CALA Childhood Practice Blog for all our news & updates.)
Strategic Partnership Funding
We are pleased to announce we are one of the 45 organisations supporting needs of young people & families through the Scottish Government's Strategic Partnership Funding.
Funding Bid Success
News of our successful bid for funding from the Third Sector Early Intervention Fund. Find out more.
Important New Partnership
New partnership between the Scottish Government and Care and Learning Alliance. Find out more.
Eco Schools Scotland Project
It has been fantastic to see so many pre-school centres across Highland achieving Eco Awards over the past few years. We now have:
- 71 Centres registered with Eco Schools
- 26 Centres with a Bronze Award
- 6 Centres with a Silver Award and
- 2 Centres with a Green Flag!
We'd like to extend the invitation to all pre-school centres in the region to take part in the Eco Awards scheme - you can find out all you need to know here.
In the latest newsletter from the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Care and Learning Alliance are mentioned in two articles. On page 11 you can read about how CALA first started and developed their CLF (Continuous Learning Framework) journey and on page 16, Fiona Morrison, one of CALA's Childhood Practice Managers, talks about the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pilot programme.
You can download the newsletter here.
Gaelic Parent & Toddler Project
Care & Learning Alliance (CALA), and Bòrd na Gàidhlig (BnG) are working in partnership with Highland Council as part of a pilot project to develop a vibrant Gaelic 0-3 early years sector across the Highlands.
Four part time Gaelic Parent & Toddler Development Workers have been recruited and having undergone induction training are now beginning to visit Gaelic toddler groups in local communities across Highland. A fifth team member is due to commence shortly.
Find out more about the Gaelic Parent & Toddler Project
PVG Legislation & Volunteers
Please go to our Blog for an important message from our Chief Executive on PVG legislation & its impact on voluntary Early Years groups.
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Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, has written to our Chief Executive, Ann Brady, to express her gratitude for the part Care and Learning Alliance played in not only helping to deliver the Go Play project, but also in the collaborative work carried out with Inspiring Scotland and Evaluation Support Scotland in production of the Go Play Outcome and Evaluation Framework.
Read the letter here!
The Go Play project finished in December 2011 but you can still access information & updates on the CALA website.
We’d like to welcome our two new part-time Play Practice Advisors – Rena Slater and Cameron Sprague who started work on the Early Years Early Action programme last week.
Some of you will know Rena as she was the Senior Playworker at South Loch Ness Playgroup for many years. Cameron originally hails from the USA and is qualified in outdoor education. We hope to share some of their news and updates as the project progresses.
Find out more about the Early Years Early Action programme
On Friday 18th November 2011, children from Durness Playgroup were joined by Kinlochbervie and Scourie Playgroups to help raise money for Children In Need.
For the full report & slideshow visit the CALA Childhood Practice Blog!
CALA Staff Training
On Wednesday 30 November 2011 the first group of CALA core staff – Senior Team & Directors – completed their Team Management Profile Training at Fairways House, Fairways Business Park, Inverness. The remaining core staff members will be undertaking the training during January/February 2012.
For more info & slideshow visit the CALA Childhood Practice Blog
An 'Outdoor Play' workshop for staff was held on 6 September 2011, in Ledmoor Woods, Bonar Bridge. Organised by Inspiring Scotland, the workshop was delivered by Alan Kain, Play Advisor, South Lanarkshire, and Caroline Standring from ‘Grounds for Learning’, who led the afternoon session on how play relates to the Curriculum for Excellence.
For more information and images please go to the CALA Childhood Practice Blog
Synergy.... Successful Solutions through mentoring
In partnership with the Coalition of Childhood Umbrella Organisations (CCUO) CALA is delighted to continue to lead the rolling out of an innovative mentoring programme for the Childhood Practice sector in Scotland – Synergy.... Successful Solutions through mentoring.
Supported by the SSSC, a pilot programme began with mentor training on the 27th September and 3rd October. This will now be followed by an orientation day for new mentees on 4th November.
Work is scheduled to begin in earnest in early November. The programme is co-ordinated by Jennie Paul (access Jennie’s biography here)
CALA AGM & Conference
For a report and images of CALA's 2011 AGM & Conference go to the CALA Childhood Practice Blog
Gaarfields Daycare
Hot off the press! Gaarfields Daycare in Brora, Sutherland, have just received news that their application for funding to Gordonbush wind farm has been successful! They will use the £1276 to refurbish their nursery room.
Look out for pics in the near future!
Early Years Early Action
We're delighted to announce that CALA is of the 24 ventures included in the Early Years Early Action Fund Portfolio
Early Years Early Action is a fund run by Inspiring Scotland to improve the outcomes for vulnerable young children and to help them to achieve their potential. The fund, delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government, will increase the voluntary sector capacity to deliver frontline services to children and families.
New, Improved 'everyday name' for SCSWIS
From Thursday 15 September the everyday name for Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) is the 'Care Inspectorate'.
The formal name, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) is set out in legislation so will not change. However, in all their day-to-day business, they will be known as the 'Care Inspectorate'.
Click here for more information.
Summer Playschemes in West Ross
This summer 6 activity sessions were arranged for birth to 5 years along with parents/carers. This was a joint venture run by Social Work/Care and Learning Alliance, funded by Ross, Skye & Lochaber Childcare & Family Resource Partnership. The sessions were run by Carol Jackman (Children’s Services Worker, Early Years) and Elspeth Nicolson (Care and Learning Alliance).
For more information and images go to the CALA Childhood Practice Blog!
For the full report click here
Latest Training Calendar Out!
The 2011-12 Childcare and Early Education Staff Development Programme includes training opportunities for staff from pre-school, early primary, out of school care and childminding. Well worth a read!
Download the PDF (may take a moment or two as it's quite a big file)
CALA - Core Staff Training Event
Core CALA staff started the new sessional year off with a staff training day on the 18th of August on 'Developing an Outcome Evaluation Plan for CALA', at Ross County Football Club and Conference Centre.
For the full report go to the CALA Childhood Practice Blog
Great Funding Boost for Highlands Project!
The charity CHILDREN 1st has launched a new project in the Highlands to help families of vulnerable babies and very young children who are growing up with parents who use alcohol or drugs.
Click here for the full story!
Start Active, Stay Active
The Start Active, Stay Active report, issued by the Dept of Health (July 2011) establishes a UK-wide consensus on the amount and type of physical activity we should all aim to do at each stage of our lives.
Issued by the four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the guidelines draw on global evidence for the health benefits people can achieve by taking regular physical activity.
For further information and downloadable factsheets go to the CALA Go Play Blog
CALA now has a blog - Two blogs, in fact! One specifically for our Go Play programme and one for all other CALA news and events. It's another way of keeping up to date!
CALA's CEO on Scottish Government's new Commission on Rural Education
Care and Learning Alliance's CEO, Ann Brady, has been asked to represent the Early Years/Third Sector in the Scottish Government's new Commission on Rural Education. The Commission is tasked with examining 'how the delivery of rural education can maximise the attainment and life chances of young people in rural areas'. It will also examine the link between rural education and rural communities.
To find out more go to the Scottish Government website.
CALA - Core Staff Training Event
On Thursday 9 June, CALA core staff undertook a staff training event at Ross County Football Club Conference Centre. The day focused on developing CALA staff knowledge and understanding of the importance of the earliest stages of child development and childcare practice, and the impact that these early experiences have on a child's life.
Key messages from the new national guidance - Pre-Birth to Three: Positive Outcomes for Scotland's Children and Families - were explored with particular reference as to what this means for CALA staff in their day to day practices.
For more pictures and participants' comments go to the CALA Childhood Practice Blog