Joining the fierce competition for a European grant is well worth it. Mary Evans reports
When the Leapfrog chain of day nurseries won a 92,000 training grant from the European Social Fund it might have looked as though they had found the proverbial crock of gold at the rainbow's end.
The chain has used the money to train 70 staff to NVQ level 3 in Early Years Care and Education and NVQ Assessor awards. But Leapfrog's head of training and personnel, Tracey Storey, says, 'We have probably spent twice or three times the money in terms of our time and commitment.'
The ESF is the main source of finance within the European Union to help create and protect jobs, and there is tough competition to win a grant. Ms Storey reckons that to win a childcare training bid, an organisation would need to be accredited for NNEB and City and Guilds training.
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