Sixteen Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships received awards for their outstanding achievements in raising standards in the childcare sector.
At the ceremony in London last week, which was a joint venture between the Department for Education and Skills and the Daycare Trust, Ms Booth said, 'The Partnerships honoured by tonight's awards all have one thing in common, besides their achievement in raising standards. Whether they are working with children with special needs in Hounslow, or tackling under-achievement in children from Bangladeshi and Pakistani backgrounds in Luton, or extending childcare opportunities in remote areas of Derbyshire - the focus is on reaching out to support all children, and freeing parents to make important choices about their own lives.'
The awards covered eight categories:
* Access for All. The winners were Camden's Early Years Intervention Team in London, and Hounslow, for developing a childcare bursary to help the inclusion of special needs children.
* Building the Team. Birmingham focused its recruitment campaign on ethnic minorities, men, the over-40s and disabled people, while Southwark ran successful jobs and training fairs.
* Developing the Workforce. Oxfordshire established an Early Years Monitoring Quality Strategy, Warwickshire introduced the BA (Hons) Early Years Education Studies Programme in partnership with Newman College, Birmingham, and Suffolk's Childcare Training Unit successfully promoted training.
* Engaging Families. Bedfordshire held a children's conference attended by eight-to 16-year-olds.
* Getting Your Message Across. Sunderland promoted services to the whole community, and Wigan had a successful communications strategy.
* Seamless Service. Knowsley set up three Educare Centres for education, childcare and adult learning in deprived areas, and York ran wraparound care initiatives.
* Rural Solutions. Derbyshire supported childcare workers to reach rural families, and Lanca-shire's Rural Childcare Development Project exceeded its targets.
* Widening Access. Gateshead subsidised childminders to provide a service to special needs children, and Luton won for its Flying Start initiative tackled under-achievement in children of pre-school age.