A new website developed by 4Children, in partnership with the Government, aims to provide information for parents from pregnancy and the first five years of a child's life.
The website Families in the Foundation Years: From pregnancy to children age 5 is intended as a one-stop shop for advice ranging from ante-natal classes to child behaviour. The website will also be linked up with a new practitioners’ website, expected to go live in the autumn.
4Children said that the website aims to be comprehensive, authoritative and parent-friendly.
Parents will be able to find out what support and services they are entitled to at different stages of their child’s development and give parents access to advice from early years experts. It will also signpost parents to where they can find information about their local children’s centre and accessing free early years education and childcare.
The website acts as an interface with links through to relevant information on sites including Directgov and NHS Choices, and parenting sites including DadTalk, Mumsnet and Netmums.
Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said, ‘Whether you are a mum or a dad, whether you have just seen the positive result on a pregnancy test or are looking for your child’s first school, this new website from early years experts is spelling out the A to Z of all your unanswered questions. Parents-to-be suddenly face a million decisions that will effect the life of their child: they find themselves having to navigate their way through a maze of conflicting facts and figures from blogs and personal websites offering advice.’
‘Getting the information and advice you need into one easy to find place is important because it helps you to give your child the best future. Parents tell us that good information is so important, but they often don’t know where to find it. And the better information a parent has, the more they feel they are in the driving seat of their child’s future.’
Children’s minister Sarah Teather, said, ‘Parents are the most important influence in a child’s early life. The experiences of children in their earliest years, good or bad, can shape their future life chances for years to come. That’s why we want to support families to bring up their children and raise the status of the foundation years.
‘Today, with 4Children, we have set out in one place what every mother and father should expect from pregnancy right through to when their child is five. This brings together everything parents need to know to help their child develop well, stay healthy and be ready for school.’
4Children said that the website aims to be comprehensive, authoritative and parent-friendly.
Parents will be able to find out what support and services they are entitled to at different stages of their child’s development and give parents access to advice from early years experts. It will also signpost parents to where they can find information about their local children’s centre and accessing free early years education and childcare.
The website acts as an interface with links through to relevant information on sites including Directgov and NHS Choices, and parenting sites including DadTalk, Mumsnet and Netmums.
Anne Longfield, chief executive of 4Children, said, ‘Whether you are a mum or a dad, whether you have just seen the positive result on a pregnancy test or are looking for your child’s first school, this new website from early years experts is spelling out the A to Z of all your unanswered questions. Parents-to-be suddenly face a million decisions that will effect the life of their child: they find themselves having to navigate their way through a maze of conflicting facts and figures from blogs and personal websites offering advice.’
‘Getting the information and advice you need into one easy to find place is important because it helps you to give your child the best future. Parents tell us that good information is so important, but they often don’t know where to find it. And the better information a parent has, the more they feel they are in the driving seat of their child’s future.’
Children’s minister Sarah Teather, said, ‘Parents are the most important influence in a child’s early life. The experiences of children in their earliest years, good or bad, can shape their future life chances for years to come. That’s why we want to support families to bring up their children and raise the status of the foundation years.
‘Today, with 4Children, we have set out in one place what every mother and father should expect from pregnancy right through to when their child is five. This brings together everything parents need to know to help their child develop well, stay healthy and be ready for school.’
- Read Anne Longfield's piece about the new website.