Local MP helps celebrate National Childminding Week

8th June 2011
Local MP helps registered childminders celebrate National Childminding Week

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP, Gordon Henderson joined children and their childminder yesterday (7th) to celebrate National Childminding Week.

Mr Henderson was able to learn more about how registered childminders and nannies help the children in their care to develop and grow their aspirations. He was also able to join in with the children’s activities. Zoe and the children will be visiting a fire station, police station and the local bakers as part of the week to celebrate different career aspirations. The children also visited a pet shop and held reptiles.

The MP’s visit was part of National Childminding Week 2011, organised by the National Childminding Association (NCMA). This year, the week runs from Saturday 4 June to Saturday 11 June. The theme for National Childminding Week is “Aspiration” and childminders, nannies and other home-based childcare providers will be celebrating the difference quality home-based childcare can make in helping children reach their aspirations. It will also mark the aspirations of the home-based childcare workforce in being supported to deliver the best possible care and education they can.

Zoe Swabrick, the registered childminder who hosted the visit said,
“I was delighted to welcome Gordon into my home to join us for our National Childminding Week celebration. It was great for local registered childminders to be able to show their MP just one of the ways in which they encourage children’s learning and development during the year. I was also able to stress how important investment in professional development is in helping the childcare workforce met its own aspirations.”

Gordon Henderson MP said: “I was pleased to be able to join in with National Childminding Week today and visit one of our local registered childminders to raise awareness of the work that registered childminders and nannies do to promote children’s early aspirations in their settings.

“I was very impressed with the professionalism of Zoe and the excellent standard of early years education that she provides. My visit to her home presented a great opportunity to celebrate all those in the childcare industry who provide such high-quality care and education for our young ones.”