Developing a Regional Childcare Strategy for the North East Combined Authority (NECA)
Thank you for your interest in taking part in our online discussion group. Your participation will help us to understand how families in Gateshead use childcare, what’s working well and what changes are needed.
This short registration form (below) will give you a bit more information about the discussion group and ask a few questions about you to make sure you are eligible to take part. We will then be in touch with further information if you are selected.
Your responses to this registration form and in the online discussion group will be kept entirely confidential.
The discussion group will take place on Tuesday 5th May at 10.30am and will be held online. Everyone who takes part will receive a £25 shopping voucher.
Who are we?
Coram Family and Childcare works to make the UK a better place for families, focusing on childcare and early years to make a difference to families’ lives now and in the long term. We are part of the Coram group of charities.
Why are we running a discussion group?
We are supporting the Early Education and Childcare Coalition to develop a Regional Childcare Strategy for the North East Combined Authority, as part of its Child Poverty Action Plan.
We would like to hear your views on:
– Finding and using formal childcare like nurseries, childminders, after-school clubs and holiday childcare
– How much childcare costs
– Using government help with childcare costs, like free childcare hours, Universal Credit and Tax-Free Childcare
– What has worked well for you, and what has been difficult
We’d also like to hear how things might be different for different children and families such as:
– Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
– Single parents
– Parents who have childcare help from others, like grandparents or other family members
– Kinship carers (a friend or family member caring for a child because their parents are not able to)
Who can take part in the discussion group?
We are looking to hear from parents and carers who:
– Are parents to a child or children aged 0-14, or up to 18 if your child has Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
– Live in Gateshead.
How long will the registration form take to complete?
This form should only take 2 or 3 minutes to complete. The discussion group will be around one hour.
How will the discussion group meet?
The discussion group will be held online using Microsoft Teams. We will provide you with a link to join the meeting in advance. Support will be available before and during the meeting to ensure it is accessible to you.
How will information from the discussion group be used?
We will write up our findings and share them with our project partners to help them write a Childcare Sufficiency Assessment for Gateshead which may be published on the Council’s website. The report will also help write a Childcare Strategy for the whole North East Combined Authority region. For more information on this, and who our partners are, please check the Data Privacy Notice.
We will not share or publish anything that could identify you as a participant in the discussion groups.
How will my data be used and protected?
Your answers will be stored in our secure folder. A full description of our data protection policy for this project can be found at www.coramfamilyandchildcare.org.uk/data-privacy-notice-for-parents-carers/. Please read this before taking part.
Any more questions?
If you have any questions or would like more information about this research, please contact Coram Family and Childcare. Email: info@coramfamilyandchildcare.org.uk