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National Museums Liverpool blog
To share and celebrate the variety and depth of children’s creative and cultural learning across Merseyside, strengthen its roots and build its legacy.
In support of the Every Child Matters Framework, the Merseyside Children First Forum aims to be a regional model of excellence in demonstrating how partnership can work between the emerging network of provision for early years educators, parents and carers, creative practitioners, young children and cultural providers.
In October 2007 the Merseyside Children First Forum created a new framework for this partnership network. This new framework includes a steering group, task groups to progress specific action areas, whole-forum meetings each term and ongoing communication via email and the web.
It is envisaged that this new framework will help progress its partnership work and action to improve understanding of children’s creative learning and create new opportunities for creative practice.
The steering group will oversee the Children First Forum, with input from each of the task groups. Monitoring progress against objectives and priorities, the steering group will also identify additional resources for development and advocate nationally on behalf of the forum.
There are three task groups which explore different strands of the Children First Forum aims and objectives:
Each term a whole forum event is held, which offers the opportunity to hear visiting speakers, both local and national, disseminate research about excellent creative practice, present early years focused evaluation reports, or present new exciting projects. There will also be opportunities to hear about progress from the task groups.
At the October 2007 event, Naomi McLeod, Advanced Study of Early Years, Liverpool Hope University, presented a paper on the links between creativity and speaking and listening: ‘Creativity speaks for itself’. Kathy McCardle, for MLA North West, presented an evaluation of the Merseyside early years Learning Links programme for 2006/07, and Christine Spriggs, NW Regional Co-ordinator for Youth Music, presented information about the range of Youth Music work, including the early years ‘First Steps’ funded initiative.
The next forum event is being planned for Spring 2008 and it is envisaged that this will be focused on ‘early years and creativity’. We anticipate having a number of high profile speakers, performances and workshops to contribute to an illuminating and exciting day. Please look out for more information nearer the time.
For information about any of the work of the Merseyside Children’s First Forum, including task group dates, please email the Co-ordinator using the form provided.
Chaired by Carol Rogers, Executive Director of Visitor Management and Learning at National Museums Liverpool, the Children First Forum has a wide range of stakeholders, including:
Send the Children First Forum Co-ordinator an email using this link.
We usually hold lots of early years events at National Museums Liverpool for Sure Start Month in June. Have a look at our What's on pages for further details nearer the time.
Find out more about the 100 languages of children exhibition, held at World Museum Liverpool in 2005.
The Children First conference was held at World Museum Liverpool to accompany the 100 languages of children exhibition. Read more about it using the links below