For parents

Parent focus group

Are you interested in becoming a member of our parents and carers focus group? This is an opportunity to have your say on the children's centre and help us make decisions on future services. Free creche provided.

Venue: Culm Valley Children's Centre
Cost: free
Time: contact us for more details.

Computer access

A public access computer will be available throughout the day in the near future at your children's centre. If you would like to write a letter, check your emails, or update your CV please call in. You may book a slot or just drop in.

Venue: Culm Valley Children's Centre
Cost: free
Time: Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.00pm.

Early years education

Once a child reaches a certain pre-school age they become entitled to government money to attend several weekly nursery education classes. This is known as the early years education entitlement (EYEE). Please call the childcare information helpline on 0800 2346 346 to find out more about this scheme.

There is more information on the Direct Gov website.

This education is often referred to as the foundation stage and children complete their last year of this stage during their first year at primary school (reception class).

The six areas of learning

Personal, social and emotional development

This involves the child knowing:

• the difference between right and wrong
• sharing
• being able to dress and undress
• taking an interest in others and in a variety of activities
• having the self-confidence to try new things.

Communication, language and literacy

This involves the child:

• talking clearly and confidently
• listening to stories
• poems and songs
• naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet
• writing their own name and reading some simple common words (and, look, up, I, you, go, etc.).

Mathematical development

This involves the child:

• counting
• understanding and recognising numbers up to 10
• understanding terms like 'greater', 'smaller', 'heavier', 'lighter'
• being aware of shapes and space
• starting to understand the concepts of adding or taking away.

Knowledge and understanding of the world

This involves the child:

• showing an interest in exploring their world
• finding out about the past
• about different cultures
• about everyday technology and how it is used.

Physical and creative development

Physical development involves the child moving about confidently and with reasonable co-ordination. Creative development involves the child:

• using colours and shapes to make things
• telling stories
• singing simple songs from memory
• making music and dancing.

Child trust fund

The Child trust fund website provides information on the types of child trust fund accounts available, including updated lists of who is offering which accounts.

Children born on or after 1 September 2002 are entitled to a child trust fund account. You don't need to make a claim to get the account started, the government will send you a voucher for £250 automatically.

The account can give your child a head start as a young adult. It will help your child understand personal finance and the importance of saving for their future. The account belongs to them and when they turn 18, the money is theirs to use as they think best.

Sure start maternity grant

Coping with the extra costs of a new baby can be difficult. There is a grant to help you give your baby a positive start in life. It is called the sure start maternity grant.

The grant comes from the social fund and you do not have to pay it back.

Who can get the grant?

You can get a sure start maternity grant if you or your partner are getting:

• income support
• income based jobseeker's allowance
• pension credit
• child tax credit which includes an amount higher than the family element
• working tax credit where a disability or severe disability element is included in the award.

How do I claim?

You can download a sure start maternity grant from the Department of Work and Pensions website. The form comes with notes that will help you fill it in and tell you where to send it.

If you have a partner, either of you can fill in the claim form, but make sure you include the name of the baby’s mother.

You can claim a sure start maternity grant at any time from the 29th week of your pregnancy until your child is three months old.

If you are adopting a baby, you must claim the grant within three months of the adoption and the baby should be no more than 12 months old when you claim.

If you or you or your partner have been granted a parental order for a surrogate birth, you must claim within three months of the date of the parental order.

Tax Credit payments for families with children

9 out of 10 families with children are entitled to tax credits. You can be given child tax credit in the form of payments from the government regardless of whether you are working or not.

Child tax credit is paid directly to the person who is mainly responsible for caring for the child or children. If you are a lone parent you will receive the payment.

Working tax credit is for people who are employed or self-employed (either on their own or in a partnership), who usually work 16 hours or more a week, who are paid for that work, and who expect to work for at least 4 weeks.

For more information either click the tax credits web site or call the helpline on 0845 300 3900 (textphone 0845 300 3909 ).

Keep us up to date

Has there been an addition to your family, or have you recently moved address? If so we would like to know about it.

Let Tracey know on 01884 35993 or pop into the centre so we can update our records.