Welcome and please join us, as we boldly go…

After much debate, discussion and procrastination, we have finally dipped our toes into the wild world of online conversations, otherwise know as the blogosphere – and hey… isn’t it exciting!

At its heart, our blog hopes to echo the current government’s view of a Big Society, namely that we are all in this together.  For us, that means having conversations with everyone who values the true importance of children in that society.  We want to use our blog to have a big conversation about what needs to be done if we are to make it right for children; we want to hear ideas and action that can make life better for us all.  We firmly believe that when you wrap everything around the child things really do get better. It’s the basis of our call for intergenerational services – especially Children’s Centres, which are the most natural hub of any neighbourhood and so should be where all kinds of intergenerational activity, starting with the youngest child, take place.

A metaphor for this blog can be summed up by the experiences of three LEYF staff who recently put their annual leave to incredible use, by heading off to Uganda to see how we might work together with War Child. Overwhelmed with the human tragedy of living a whole childhood surrounded by conflict, but heartened by the palpable joie de vivre around them, they quickly found their place and value; introducing play-based learning to the community’s very willing and interested Ugandan Early Years teachers, many of whom care for up to 200 children a day, children that have never learned how to play. It’s no doubt somewhat clichéd, but the staff came back humbled, having already begun to complain a little less and take a little more action. In some ways, they formed a vision of one small part in this Big Society.

As the individual charged with inspiring debate on this new, hi-tech platform, I look forward to raising the voice of the child, helping to place it in this new world of community responsibility. Rather well-known for speaking my mind, I hope to provoke fresh thinking, particularly from those who work with children in nurseries and who are passionate as I am.

So talk to us, use the power of social networking to share your views and provide solutions.  Let’s blog a positive, upbeat and constructive message; let’s celebrate our many successes and take action to improve and overcome the challenges. Let’s be in this together.