Working Together for Childhood
The Alliance for Childhood serves as a network that facilitates reflection and action by people with concerns about the care and education of children. It is not a conventional organisation, but an expression of a willingness to work together for the betterment of the experience of childhood. It exists in the shared work and spirit of cooperation whereby all partners can find mutual support. It is a collaborative approach that is created by commitment and by the activity itself.
Alliance for Childhood Newsletter No 4
Available here
Children’s Food Campaign
Product Placement on Television
Sustain, the Alliance for Better Food and Farming, has achieved some success in their product placement campaign. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport announced that product placement of High Fat Saturated Substance (HFSS) foods will not be permitted in UK-made television programmes. The statement from Ben Bradshaw is available here. This is a real victory for the campaign, further embedding nutrient profiling and acknowledging that children don't just watch children's programmes, so need protection from junk food advertising in all their viewing.
Play Scotland
There is a VACANCY, FULL TIME (35 hours), for a Senior Play Development Officer
It is a fixed term post to 31 December 2011 funded by Inspiring Scotland Go Play Fund
Play Scotland is the leading children’s charity promoting the Childs Right to Play in Scotland. This is a unique opportunity to support and develop the Play Sector throughout Scotland. Play Scotland is an equal opportunities employer and is happy to discuss a secondment.
Further details of the post contact Amanda Godsell, Development Manager on 0131 440 9070 and for an application pack contact Sharon Forrester, Office & Information Manager on 0131 440 9070 Email: sharonforrester(at)playscotland.org
Completed applications by 8 March 2010.
PLAYDAY
2010 CAMPAIGN THEME
What do you think the issues are around children's play?
Consultation on next year's theme is currently underway. Tell us what you think the Playday 2010 campaign theme should be.
Alliance for Childhood European Network
Alliance for Childhood meeting on 1 and 2 March 2010
We plan to have a meeting of the Alliance for Childhood European Network Group on 1 and 2 March.
On the afternoon of 2 March there will be the 21st Quality of Childhood session on ‘Improving the Quality of Childhood in the European Union: the Case of Roma Children' with Ivan Ivanov, Executive Director of the European Roma Information Office (ERIO) and Bernard Rorke, Director of the Roma Initiative Programs of the Open Society Institute (OSI). All details are in the attachment.
Embracing Inclusive Approaches for Children and Youth with Special Education Needs
11-14 July 2010, Riga, Latvia
One of the partners in the Alliance for Childhood European Network is the Step-by-Step Association (ISSA).They are organising a conference in Latvia on the above theme. See more details here.
Sally Goddard Blythe
Here is a short write up of a project on the implementation
of the INPP (Institute for Neuro – Physiological Psychology) Movement
Programme with early years children which has been completed in North
Tyneside.
New publication
Childhood, Well-being and a Therapeutic Ethos
Edited by Dr Richard House and Professor Del Loewenthal
University of Roehampton Centre for Therapeutic Education
From Press Release:
A new book calls for a greater focus on the experience of childhood, and a step away from scientific and technical imperatives, in a bid to capture a higher quality childhood and thereby to lessen the current young generation’s’ need for adult therapy in the future.
Childhood, Well-being and a Therapeutic Ethos follows widespread debate surrounding the issue of ‘toxic childhood’, questioning current policy and practice and its impact on the welfare of children.
Edited by Dr Richard House and Professor Del Loewenthal from the University’s Centre for Therapeutic Education, the collection of essays explores the need for an approach to forming policy that is informed by therapeutic values, if we as a society are to enhance children’s well-being.
Contributors include: Oliver James, Sue Gerhardt, Sue Palmer and Christopher Clouder
Full Press release Book Contents
Foreword by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams
Quote of the month
Greener neighbourhoods may help to reduce child obesity. In December 2008 the American Journal of Preventive Medicine published the results of a two-year study that followed 3,800 inner-city children; researchers found that trees and other vegetation were associated with slower increases in children’s body mass
Richard Louv Author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder