Time to celebrate!

 develop their personal, social and emotional skills, and a team from Kala Sangam, Bradford Arts Centre, who delivered a fun, interactive session around the importance of culture for our youngest children and how we as adults can provide them with opportunities to explore this through their creativity.

There was the chance to meet and share ideas and experiences and build connections across communities.

We’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who was involved in making the event a success, our funders, other local organisations and partners, the Alliance staff who support the project, and, of course, to our amazing volunteer group leaders who work tirelessly to support the children and families of Bradford.

The baby and toddler toolkit, Early Adventures, has been created to support you as leaders to provide a safe, welcoming and play-rich space for your families. Your group is ideally placed to recognise and support families as their child’s first, most enduring educator, with your group often being the first experience they have of an early years learning environment.

This year at the UK City of Culture, Bradford, resources were shared that reflect the many vibrant communities calling Bradford home.

Although baby and toddler groups are not required to register with Ofsted, the toolkit is underpinned by the four overarching principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage:

• Every child is a unique child, constantly learning, and is resilient, capable, confident, and self-assured.
• Children learn to be strong and independent through positive relationships.
  
• Children learn and develop well in enabling environments, with teaching and support from adults who respond to their individual interests and needs, and help them to build their learning over time.
  
• Children develop and learn at different rates.
  

The toolkit is designed as a self-help tool using the analogy of a house to guide you through the steps of building a successful group with strong foundations. There are six sections that have been divided into levels to help you at whatever stage you are at – whether just starting out or established for many years.

Each section comes with a range of supporting resources for group leaders and families to use:

Exploring all the key elements that need to be in place to establish the foundations for a successful, sustainable group.

Developing clear guidelines to ensure that good practice is embedded in your group.

Bringing together all the key elements needed to ensure a sense of belonging.

Ensuring the environment at your group enables children to learn and develop.

Exploring the key elements needed to foster a sense of community at your group.

Reflecting on what has been achieved and where the group should aim to go in the future.

The Alliance Baby and Toddler Toolkit helps group leaders reflect on the service they offer to families and tailor their group for the families with whom they interact.

If you would like to know more, please visit: bit.ly/BabyToddlerToolkitU5.

Congratulations to all of the groups who joined us!