http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/RSSLatest Blog from the 4Children websiteSun, 22 Mar 2015 04:16:11 Z4ChildrenLatestBlog42d94918-27be-44da-b536-a44b00b71c4ehttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Goodbye--and-thank-youWell, after 30 years I can’t quite believe I’m in my final week at 4Children. And what a 30 years.2015-02-26T18:30:49Z2d957abb-6b87-47cd-8e2c-a3f700b33ef6http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Why-we-all-need-Family-Heroes2015-02-26T11:07:57Zf5a2106d-aed9-4835-9dd1-a3f001131eadhttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/The-Queen-comes-to-AirplayThe Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh visited RAF Lossiemouth where they met some of the children who attend Airplay2014-11-27T17:27:20Z48d0baef-63f2-4795-9ecc-a3ea00ff081ehttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/If-I-were-Prime-Minister-for-the-DayToday is an important and interesting day for many young people. The Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Day 2014 provides many with the chance to ‘takeover’ and participate in real decision making processes.2014-11-21T15:35:38Z7988e9dd-46a2-44bd-851a-a3c700fa255ahttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/4Children-blog-Sam-Gyimah-MP-on-Helping-parents-give-their-children-the-best-start-in-life2014-11-21T15:33:48Z673af02b-5639-4391-a2c6-a3c000c4b510http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/4Children-blog-Jo-Swinson-MP-Liberal-Democrats-and-childcare2014-10-21T13:52:46+01:001f44f13c-c819-40eb-a8be-a3b200ceeafahttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/The-Great-British-childcare-challengeAs party conference season gets under way, this is the first in our series of blogs from the main Westminster political parties. Lucy Powell MP, Shadow Minister for Childcare kicks off by setting out Labour's vision for childcare. Next week's blog will be written by the Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah MP. Please note the opinions expressed here are the views of the author and do not reflect the views and policies of 4Children.2014-10-21T13:52:51+01:00fe20a0d0-f4ca-4776-b6f4-a3aa010446fehttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/What-can-the-Education-Endowment-Foundation-do-for-the-Early-Years-Pupil-Premium2014-10-21T13:52:57+01:000483a403-4bdb-4baa-84cc-a3a0010fb9c7http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/An-urgent-COBRA-style-inquiry-is-needed-into-the-scale-of-child-sexual-exploitationCountless children's lives are being ruined before they have begun because others are exploiting their vulnerability and the agencies who are supposed to keep them safe are failing to protect them.2014-09-18T15:50:27+01:00fdf9cf29-4401-44d0-a42f-a3a400f7939dhttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/The-case-for-the-Early-Years-Pupil-Premium-being-focused-on-Early-Language2014-10-21T13:53:09+01:00b922ee21-1dc1-45fa-abab-a3b500f39af3http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Schools-Are-Ours---Lets-Open-the-Doors-for-the-Childcare-Families-Need2014-09-29T14:46:56+01:00bf8b2da6-ffc8-4a6e-9bb4-a37900f6b07fhttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Our-2013-National-Family-Hero-blogs-about-her-charityNicola Graham won the National Family Hero in 2013 for her commitment and dedication to her charity Reuben’s Retreat. Nicola’s world fell apart when her son, Reuben, sadly died when he was 23 months old.2014-09-08T16:30:45+01:0077686024-284b-4d9e-a71d-a36100ba8097http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/The-State-Our-Children-Are-InExtracted from The State Our Children Are In, an essay published this month by 4Children as the last in a series of guest essays to mark its 30th anniversary.2014-07-31T14:58:27+01:008b0151d7-92f7-4b13-9f56-a3b500f23c5bhttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Call-the-Health-Visitor2014-09-29T14:41:57+01:0055587bc0-ca3e-44e9-97b0-a34e00fd1d1ahttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Why-I-am-desperate-for-a-childcare-place-at-my-childrens-centreI'm waiting eagerly to hear from one of three local children's centres. My son has been on a waiting list for each of their nurseries for almost two years.2014-07-07T11:19:21+01:00d784f10e-2be0-480d-b2de-a34700c818b7http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Train-fares-should-be-fair-for-familiesFamilies are a valuable asset to economy but a lack of flexible ticketing can mean parents with part time jobs cannot afford to travel to work, says Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive of the Campaign for Better Transport.2014-06-11T12:08:31+01:00d80a3292-40ae-48cc-b6dd-a34700c2ed60http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/A-Queens-Speech-for-familiesBabies born this week have not arrived at particularly convenient time in the political cycle. The last year before the election is unlikely to see major new initiatives that they will benefit from and we know that many families are not getting the support they would want for their newborn at the moment.2014-06-11T11:54:10+01:007a1e1651-93cb-491a-b900-a33f00af34f8http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Strengthening-the-lives-of-two-generations-through-Family-Nurse-Partnerships4Children chair, Pip O'Byrne, explains how the Family Nurse Partnership transforms lives.2014-06-03T10:39:33+01:0007b78a28-d48c-4310-b645-a33a00c92268http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/How-childrens-centres-matter-to-parentsLisa, a children's centre user describes the help she has received from the centre and why it matters so much to her.2014-06-03T10:38:47+01:00a53f9631-3ce0-4d90-9fd1-a334010c81c8http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Local-government-elections-present-new-opportunities-to-support-family-lifeIn the week of the local government elections (22 May), issues affecting family life were one of the main deciding factors as voters made their choice at the ballot box.2014-05-29T12:14:54+01:00adb1c46f-c6a5-4528-8b9c-a330010308c0http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Childrens-charities-should-support-help-for-those-in-later-life-tooIn sixty years time the children who 4Children work with today will be approaching seventy. They will – we hope – be preparing for an active, healthy, happy older age, but the reality is that much of their fate will have already been decided long before then.2014-05-23T16:20:55+01:00c71ed634-fb8c-4277-a4ce-a32900c9746chttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Towards-a-better-deal-for-young-children2014-05-19T16:09:05+01:00eb9f5c69-0364-40fa-ab92-a31e00f4b763http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Supporting-service-families2014-08-13T10:05:16+01:00575cf889-1a44-41f5-b658-a2ff01078cc5http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Three-small-words-free-universal-childcare2014-05-12T12:28:21+01:009b8f7e5f-2ebf-42e9-953a-a2fb00df6d3dhttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Improving-health-outcomes-for-children-is-one-of-the-highest-priorities-for-every-one-of-usPauline Watts, of the Public Health Nursing & National Health Visitor Programme, writes in the latest of 4Children's blog series, focusing on why improving health outcomes for children is one of the highest priorities not only for the Government but also for every one of us2014-05-12T12:28:30+01:009539f5e6-cec5-411c-accf-a2fb00df1e0chttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Prioritise-health-to-make-Britain-great-for-children-and-familiesThe Director of Children, Young People and Families with Public Health England Ann Hoskins writes in the latest of 4Children's blog series, focusing on how we need to prioritise health to make Britain great for children and families2014-03-27T18:40:13Z13ed7ecb-f599-4832-b2ba-a2fb00dec205http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Intervening-early-and-supporting-vulnerable-familiesThe Director General of the government's Troubled Families Programme, Louise Casey CB writes in the latest of our blog series2014-03-27T18:34:54Z9c1214fd-ddaa-4118-aaba-a2fb00ddf5bahttp://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Providing-good-places-to-grow-up-in-is-essential-if-Britain-is-to-be-great-for-children-and-familiesIn the second of a series of blogs around 4Children's new manifesto - Making Britain Great for Children and Families - Julia Unwin CBE, Chief Executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) explains why providing good places to grow up in is essential if Britain is to be great for children and families. We need families to do more than survive. They need to thrive. The economic climate, cuts hitting services and job insecurity, mean it is little surprise that 58% of parents think life is hard2014-03-28T06:39:49Zea8805ef-f447-4fbd-85e9-a2fb00dd96d3http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/Childcare-matters-for-disabled-children-tooWith a recent stream of announcements from all political parties on childcare, it is clear that the issue will be a key part of the debate as we head towards the 2015 General Election. However, one area that I do not think has been covered in the debate to date is the difficulties in finding childcare for disabled children.2014-03-27T18:29:03Zb32e6c36-ff26-4d73-84a7-a2fb00dcd409http://www.4children.org.uk/Blog/Detail/A-new-commitment-for-children-and-familiesAs politicians debate the right way out of the economic difficulties the country is facing, 4Children is sure of two things: firstly that austerity measures can’t continue forever and at some stage we will need to begin to rebuild and invest as a country; and secondly, as we do so, that support for children and families is the place to begin. To be clear, we’re also sure that this is about much more than just more money being spent - important though that is. If we are to begin to offer...2014-03-27T18:26:14Z