About The Early Childhood Project

Aims and services of ECP

Mission Statement

The Early Childhood Project believes that all children have the right to develop in a positive environment free from prejudice and discrimination. The Project, a registered charity, works positively to combat bias of every kind in co-operation with others across Brighton and Hove. The Early Childhood Project provides information, resources and support to all those people involved in young children’s play, care and education at work and at home.

The aims of the Early Childhood Project are

To provide a Mobile Toy Library service to existing Early Childhood Project members and to develop the scheme to include more families and voluntary, statutory and private sector organisations wishing to ensure that anti-bias equal opportunity awareness and childrens’ rights is a port of their work.
To provide a web site that is up to date, with well researched current information and links to other useful agencies that can uphold good practice in the care and education of young children at home and in the workplace.
To enable families and workers to become familiar with our carefully chosen resources and learn how best to use them, thus becoming more confident and beginning to recognise an awareness of their own needs, and to help them develop good practice and work towards establishing anti-bias and equal opportunities in everyday work and life.
To enable groups to access resources that reflect all people, all children in a positive way, irrespective of race, disability, marital status, age, sex, social class, religion or differences in family lifestyle and culture.
To provide advice, support and information throughout the local networks and community initiatives in Brighton and Hove.
To provide support, information, resources and anti-bias training to childminders, other workers and professionals working in early years play, care and education and to work co-operatively with their support networks and colleagues.
To remain aware and responsive to political and social changes within our areas of work, as they arise, locally and nationally.
To develop partnerships and work co-operatively with people both employed and working voluntarily with children, in order to share knowledge, understanding, skills and expertise.

The Project achieves these aims by providing

Up to date information, resources and support to develop and encourage anti-bias play, care and education; supporting and encouraging positive parenting and celebrating the diversity of family life.
The Mobile Toy Library service across the city and Toy Library service in the Tarner Children’s Centre.
Providing a web site that is current and interesting.
Regular Gender Issue and Children discussion group.
Men Who Care support and meetings for men caring for children at work or at home.
Bereavement support and resources.
Training as contracted, particularly around equalities issues, positive parenting and bereavement issues.
A volunteering programme offering good quality, supported opportunities.
Co-operative work with the Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project, Brighton & Hove Children Are Unbeatable! Alliance, upholding positive discipline and positive parenting.
A regular art and play drop-in session for families at the Tarner Children’s Centre, encouraging co-operative play and signposting to other local services for families.
Working co-operatively with Puffin Nursery and Tarnerland Nursery school, provide a term time toddler group, Tarner Tots.

Why we think this is important

We believe that working towards an anti-bias way of life with young children is empowering, raises children’s self esteem and awareness of bias in their life.
They will understand how it hurts people who face prejudice and discrimination and how even at an early age, children have a role in challenging bias.
Adults working with and caring for children need to face their own prejudices and discrimination and behave in a non-judgemental way.

Early Childhood Project Management and Workers

The management of the Project and the management, support and supervision of the Project workers is undertaken by the Executive Committee that meets each month and more frequently when needed.

The Executive Committee is made up of individuals and representatives from organisations across Brighton and Hove. These committed and active members have a background in early years education, development education, secondary education, social work, childrens’ rights, child and play development and community development and management.

Chairperson, Chair of Trustees
Mandy Lewis - Teacher, MA in Education

Secretary, Trustee
Christopher Randall - Early years practitioner One World Nursery, Post Graduate Certificate in Early Years

Hon. Treasurer, Trustee
Claudia Clarke - Retired music education advisor, Haringey, PhD

Trustee
Clarissa Bergonzi - Early years teacher, social worker

Trustee
Judy Simon - Nursery teacher, crèche Co-ordinator, BUCFP

Non-Executive
Jayne Babb - Brighton & Hove City Council Officer
Sylvia Wilkinson - Brighton & Hove City Council Officer
Coralie Watson - Crèche co-ordinator, Brighton Oasis Project
Julie Penfound - Brighton & Hove CAU! Alliance

The Executive Committee members undertake the supervision and mentoring of its two workers: Clair Barnard, the Project Co-ordinator (30 hours per week) and Sophie Brown, (25 hours per week) the Equalities Playworker. Barbara Aston, a freelance Human Resources consultant also provided mentoring to Clair Barnard. Cath Geeson completes the team as the Finance Worker, (4 hours per month).

During the year, the Executive Committee meet to discuss Finance and fundraising which usually includes two Saturday workshops and informal meetings through the year to set the work plan and re-appraise work priorities.

Membership to the Early Childhood Project Toy Library

Membership to the Toy Library is open to anyone who can visit the various venues in Brighton and Hove and borrow resources for use at work or at home.

The local Brighton and Hove membership fees are as follows:

Unwaged student or family: £2 per annum

Waged individual or family: £5 per annum

Community group: £7 or £10 per annum, what can you afford?

Commercial group: £15 per annum

Statutory agency: £20 per annum

Membership to the Early Childhood Project Web Site

Membership to the Early Childhood Project web site is free; however, as a registered charity, we partly rely on donations for our upkeep, so please make your donation here.

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