“The excellent team at Early Years Alliance have proven that time and again they are specialists in early intervention and preventative work with children aged 0-5 and their families.

The range of evidenced based interventions offered by the team, the breadth of understanding and the genuine impact and difference that this makes to so many of our families and children is clear.

In a world that is constantly changing, the ability to work flexibly is key and

again this year EYA have demonstrated remarkable flexibility in responding to the changing needs of the borough, leading on and developing a range of innovative support offers for families across the spectrum of need.

I look forward to continuing this success into 2021 with Early Years Alliance as an integral part of our approach to early help and supporting children and families to fulfil their potential.”

David McCollum

Joint Commissioner – Early Intervention

Children & Young People Directorate | London Borough of Lewisham

Below are some of the programmes and services we provide. For further details about any of these, or to explore how we might work together with you in your area, please contact VAL POPE, Service Manager for the Alliance in London and Kent val.pope@eyalliance.org.uk to schedule a conversation.

 Crèche services

We offer a mobile crèche service, providing a high standard of childcare in your choice of setting.
Our experienced crèche teams travel to your venue equipped with a range of resources and activities to suit all ages involved. We also offer a crèche and bank staff service to deliver in children’s centres and other venues to work alongside your own teams.

Children’s centres

We can deliver a clear seamless borough wide children’s centre offer for families, working alongside health visiting, midwifery, schools and public health services, or a bespoke package of services or programmes for your children's centre, including a digital offer.

Evidence-based parenting programmes

All programmes can be delivered online.

We are able to deliver Triple P, Teen Triple P and Incredible Years and Solihull.  We can also deliver Incredible Years aimed at specific groups, e.g. children with conduct disorder or oppositional defiance disorder, and we have the PIPT Programme (Personalised Individual Parent Training) for complex cases who benefit from a 1:1 approach. 

We can also offer HENRY, which focuses on supporting behaviour change to help parents gain the confidence, knowledge and skills they need to help the whole family adopt a healthier, happier lifestyle and to give their children a great start in life.

We can offer Baby Massage through the accredited Positive Nurture Touch programme, which particularly supports bonding and attachment, and Owl Babies, which shows parents how nurturing parenting can help the optimal development of their baby’s brain particularly through engaging baby’s senses outdoors through the Five to Thrive approach.

Domestic abuse recovery programmes

We can deliver 2 main programmes to support families recovering from the impact of domestic abuse and prevent recurrence – both can be offered online on a group or 1:1 basis:

Community groups programme – a therapeutic programme for children and their mothers who no longer reside with the perpetrator and are not in crisis, which is offered on a group or 1:1 basis for all ages

Freedom programme – a group for women who are at risk, have experienced or are experiencing Domestic Abuse

Film – The Timekeeper was developed to raise awareness about the serious impact that domestic abuse can have on children and will be used as a tool to engage and support professionals and community members to understand and respond in an effective way.
Importantly, the film is based on real life experiences of Lewisham residents. It highlights that abuse can be subtle and complex, and encourages discussion and challenges understanding of coercive control and the impact that it can have on children.

Please contact us for the link to this film.

Support for early years settings

We offer information and support for early years’ settings including:

• specialist up-to-date information and training on various topics, currently delivered online through our Virtual Classrooms 
• paediatric first aid and safeguarding courses
• bespoke workshops and in-house training and support for individual settings on site or as a cluster group
• safeguarding audits, Pre-Ofsted audits and business support packages
• regular ALLIANCE CONNECT networking events to encourage local providers and professionals to get together to share their ideas and experiences and access information and mini-training sessions

The Alliance London and Kent Service Hub supports Alliance member settings across the London boroughs and across Kent including pre-schools, nurseries, toddler groups, childminders and individual members.

For enquiries about any of our services, or to talk to us about how we might help and support you, please contact londonandkent@eyalliance.org.uk 

CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE

Our national Coronavirus page is constantly updated, so you know you are in safe hands and have access to the most up to date information - keep up to date with all the relevant information on Coronavirus and how it affects your setting, including links to key guidance and reports   https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/coronavirus-early-years

ALLIANCE CONNECT NETWORKING EVENTS

The next round of networking meetings will focus on the following topics and can be booked using the link for the relevant date/time.  Links and details of planned Alliance Connect meetings can be found at https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/local-support-alliance-connect 

TRAINING

Our Virtual Classroom offers a flexible approach to learning and has been designed for people working in the early years to ensure providers, staff and volunteers have access to training. The Virtual Classroom sessions can be accessed via, smartphone, tablet, laptop and desktop.

For details of courses and booking information, please go to https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/online-early-years-training

And members can, of course, still access the free online training the Alliance has to offer through our partnership with Educare: https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/educare 

Classroom plus+ has been developed to take the learning a step further. All participants now have the option of booking additional support alongside the training workshop. The additional support can be provided in-house to:

• reinforce the learning to the whole staff team
• focussed support with the workshop participant on a 1:1 basis
• to be able to answer any follow up questions regarding the concept of the training
• to aid self-reflection and provide more practical support to draft development plans or facilitate discussion or can be tailored to meet any bespoke need.        
•  Get in touch with us for further details           londonandkent@eyalliance.org.uk 

MEMBER INFORMATION

Our national Information Service team can also answer questions, give advice and generally offer expert support for member settings. The team is available 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, and you can contact them directly by phone on 0207 697 2595 or by email at info@eyalliance.org.uk (members also have access to the 24 hour legal helpline Law-call for specific legal questions).

Our members can also visit the members' area on the website to access free resources on a wide range of early years issues.

PAYSLIP SERVICE

Let us help your organisation fulfil its legal requirements when calculating employees pay and deductions and reporting to HMRC.  The Alliance has been supporting members with a payslip service for many years and has many satisfied customers.

Our payslip service includes:- Calculating Tax and NI deductions  / Statutory payments (including sick, maternity, paternity or adoption pay)Enrolling eligible staff to your chosen qualifying pension scheme /  Monthly submission to HMRC /   Producing pay slips and payroll summaries /  Processing new starters and P45s for leavers / all year-end reports including P60’s  / On-line filing of year-end return to HMRC.

For further information and a quote please email londonandkent@eyalliance.org.uk                      

The Alliance directly manages 75 childcare services across England. Visit the Find Childcare page on the Alliance website. 

We have a range of directly managed childcare settings across the London and Kent area.

For further information on any of these settings, please follow the links to each individual setting website below which give full details about each setting.

Camelot Pre-school and Family Learning Centre 
2 - 5 years
50 Meliot Road SE6 1RY
020 8461 1615
email: camelot.centre@eyalliance.org.uk

website: Camelot Pre-school

"We feel so lucky that we found out about Camelot, my daughter and I have loved her time here.  You run a magical place." - Parent 2018

Charlton Family Centre (In the Royal Borough of Greenwich) 
2 - 5 years
41-43 Shirley House Drive
SE7 7EL
020 8856 9906
email: charlton@eyalliance.org.uk

website: Charlton Family Centre

"I want to increase the number of hours my child attends because the progress he is making is clearly visible". - Parent 2018

Cherry Blossom Pre-school 
2 - 5 years
Beckenham Place Park
118 Old Bromley Road
BR1 4JY
020 8460 0223/07963 248280
email: cherry.blossom@eyalliance.org.uk 

website: Cherry Blossom Pre-school

"Love this pre-school best choice I ever made for my child! I love how they have the outdoor space, it’s my child’s favourite place as we don’t have a garden, so I feel like she doesn’t miss out". - Parent 2018

Ladywell Pre-school 

2 - 5 years
30 Rushey Mead
London SE4 1JJ
07896 761467
email: ladywell@eyalliance.org.uk 

website: Ladywell Pre-school

“The staff and experience of Ladywell Pre-school have provided a safe, stimulating and enjoyable introduction to our sons education. Our whole family have benefitted from such a positive experience and we are truly grateful” - Parent 2018

Northend Nursery

0 - 5 years 
4A Lincoln Close
Slade Green
Kent
DA8 2EB
Tel: 01322 331168
email: northend@eyalliance.org.uk

website: Northend Nursery

July 2018 - "In the last 10 years we had all of our 4 children at Northend. You have always provided outstanding care and they all had the best start in life because of quality of education you provide. We want to say thank you very much to all the staff that looked after our 4 children throughout the years!!!" - children aged 1 to 4

Sunshine Corner Nursery

0 - 5 years 
Attlee Avenue
Aylesha
Kent
CT3 3BS
01304 842223
email: sunshinecorner@eyalliance.org.uk

website: Sunshine Corner Nursery

"My Child has a clear and strong bond with his keyperson. He is exceptionally cared for, supported and nurtured by all the staff". ( child aged 20months - 2017)

Storkway Neighbourhood Nursery 

0 - 5 years
Storkway Children's Centre
Ridgebrook Road
SE3 9QX
Tel: 020 8856 2277
email: Storkway.Nursery@eyalliance.org.uk

"Our daughter has learned so much at Storkway Nursery, the staff care about her well-being and make sure to encourage her in all she does." Laurie (Daughter aged 1, 24/08/2018)

Yarnton Way Nursery 

0 - 5 years
Harris Gerrard Academy Grounds
Yarnton Way
Erith
Kent
DA18 4DW
0208 3207872
email: yarnton@eyalliance.org.uk

"I am truly amazed at the progress my chaild has made at Yarnton Way Nursery. Thanks to everyone who works here. Keep up the good work. You are all a gift from God". -  Parent July 18

Early Years Alliance run a wide range of children’s centre services across the country, including those in the London Borough of Lewisham. 

Click the link below to take you direct to our Lewisham Children’s Centre website where there are further details of all the services we provide and a live timetable which includes our virtual and face to face delivery currently taking place:

https://www.lewishamcfc.org.uk/

Lewisham Children and Family Centres offer families access to a range of health, education, play, adult education, employment support and family support services right across the borough.

We also deliver a comprehensive parenting service, running evidence-based programmes at different levels and for different groups of parents, and including 1:1 support as well as parenting group programmes – available online currently.

For more details click this link: https://www.lewishamcfc.org.uk/parenting/

We also provide recovery programmes for children and mothers who have been impacted by domestic abuse – available online currently.

For more details click this link: https://www.lewishamcfc.org.uk/domestic-abuse/

We have published our 2019-20 Children’s Centre Annual Review, which you can access here:

https://www.lewishamcfc.org.uk/our-impact-and-reports/

What is Roots of Empathy? 

Roots of Empathy is an evidence-based programme that has shown dramatic effect in reducing levels of aggression among school children while raising pro-social behaviour such as sharing, helping and including others.

The programme was developed in Canada by Mary Gordon with the first programmes launched in 1996 and has now reached over half a million children across the world. At the heart of the programme are classroom visits by a parent and baby. Through guided observations of this loving relationship, children learn to identify and reflect on their own thoughts and feelings and those of others – developing emotional literacy and empathy.

Check out the Roots of Empathy website for further details:

In 2012 the Alliance in Lewisham gained funding from the BIG Lottery Improving Futures programme to deliver a 4 year early intervention project called Family Pathways. As part of the Family Pathways funding we were able to deliver Roots of Empathy in Lewisham primary schools, one of the first programmes in England. The programme carries on with the support of local funding, including funding from London and Quadrant Housing in 2017-2018 and Phoenix Community Housing in 2018-2019.  This enables the cost to be subsidised for our local schools, giving a low unit cost and excellent value for schools’ currently stretched budgets. We have now reached over 4000 children across primary schools in Lewisham.

The Roots of Empathy programme is proven to:

• Support children’s emotional development, resilience and self-esteem
• Reduce aggressive behaviour and bullying
• Build a sense of class belonging

What are the goals of Roots of Empathy? 

• To foster the development of empathy
• To develop emotional literacy
• To reduce levels of bullying, aggression, and violence
• To promote children’s pro-social behaviours
• To increase knowledge of human development, learning, and infant safety
• To prepare pupils for responsible citizenship and responsive parenting

100% of teachers strongly agreed or agreed that as a result of Roots of Empathy, pupils are more inclusive or accepting of others who are different from themselves, including culture, race, special needs and gender.

For further information on the current programme delivery in Lewisham, or to request a programme in your school or your area, please contact:

Celia Akenhead, Roots of Empathy Co-ordinator, Pre-school Learning Alliance

celia.akenhead@eyalliance.org.uk

Impact of the Programme – Research Findings

Since 2000, the Roots of Empathy programme has been evaluated in both comparative and randomized controlled studies designed to measure changes in the behaviour of participating   students. Independent research has been conducted on three continents.

Consistently Positive Results

Key research findings show that children perceived a more positive classroom environment by the end of the programme (e.g. increased sense of classroom belonging and peer acceptance). Children also exhibit:

• An increase in prosocial behaviour (e.g. sharing, helping and including)
• A decrease in aggression, which is particularly significant given that children in the comparison classrooms showed increases in aggression across the school year
• An increase in social and emotional understanding
• An increase in empathy
• An increase in knowledge of parenting

Studies conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia looked at specific types of aggression (i.e. proactive (bullying), physical, relational and reactive. All of these studies showed a significant decrease in aggression in the programme groups.

Lasting Results

In 2001, the Government of Manitoba commissioned a three-year follow-up study of Roots of Empathy, measuring prosocial behaviour, physical aggression, and indirect aggression. The three target grade levels were Kindergarten, grade four, and grade eight. The results of the follow-up study also indicate that improvements in prosocial behaviour and reduced aggression are maintained and enhanced for years afterwards.

Within a Roots of Empathy classroom, these changes in student behaviour translate into a community where helping, sharing, perspective-taking and peer inclusion are the norm.

Independent research in Scotland 2015, University of Glasgow stated that ‘The Roots of Empathy intervention tends to have its greatest impact for children with the lowest empathy and pro-social skills and who are the most aggressive. The programme appeared to benefit pupils experiencing personal, familial or health-related challenges, who displayed greater  resilience than was expected.’                                                                               

In addition, independent research in Northern Ireland, at Queen’s University in 2016  assessed the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the schools-based social and emotional learning programme, Roots of Empathy. ‘The evaluation found that Roots of Empathy was well-received by schools, children and parents and did have a measurable and positive impact in increasing children’s pro-social behaviour and reducing their aggressive and difficult behaviour. There was also some evidence that the effects in relation to reducing difficult behaviour may have been sustained for three years beyond the end of the programme. The programme was also found to be cost-effective.’

We offer a mobile crèche service, providing a high standard of childcare in your choice of setting.

Our experienced crèche teams travel to your venue equipped with a range of resources and activities to suit all ages involved. 

We also offer a crèche and bank staff service to deliver in children’s centres and schools where resources are already available.

We are dedicated to meeting the needs of all the children in our care, and we provide everything to ensure that all the children at your event are entertained and cared for to a very high standard.

The children will have fun in a safe and monitored environment during their stay with us.

Our mobile crèche includes:

• Fully qualified members of staff 
• High quality creche sessions at affordable prices
• Delivery of baby massage sessions  
• Age and stage appropiate appropriate equipment for the children
• Insurance
• an exciting array of activities
• Health and safety risk assessments
• Healthy snacks
• Booking and registration procedures
• First aid trained staff and equipment
• Excellent staff to children ratios
• Working to Ofsted national guidelines
• Working in line with EYFS national guidelines

All our crèche services are of course tailored to your own requirements.

We are currently able to deliver crèche services and bank staff in the following areas:

• Lewisham
• Croydon
• Ealing
• Hounslow
• Newham

But do please contact us on lkcrecheservices@eyalliance.org.uk if you are outside these areas and we will work with you to try to meet your needs.

Reduce the time and burden on your business or group by using the Early Years Alliance payslip service.

We offer a comprehensive, secure payslip service for pre‑schools, full daycare nurseries, out of school clubs and other community groups across England and Wales.

The service includes: