Local authorities and other organisations should be doing more to promote the benefits of the programme-led apprenticeship scheme, according to a report today from Ofsted. It found that the
apprenticeships were producing learners who were better prepared for the workplace but that participation in the scheme had declined, leading to concerns that more needed to be done to promote and understand the programme. 

New research has found big gaps in holiday childcare across the country, especially for children with disabilities. The survey by the Daycare Trust, is the first to be carried out since councils in England and Wales had to undertake Childcare Sufficiency Assessments.
The survey found that more than half of English local authorities reported parents felt there was not enough holiday childcare. All regions pointed to a lack of places for children over 12 and for disabled children. 

By Dominic Swift
Public bodies that have adopted shared services have made substantial gains in efficiency. This success has reinforced the drive from the Treasury for greater efficiency savings from sharing. So if this is a way to cut costs why are organisations slow to get involved? The answers appear to be a lack of resources, workforce opposition and risk-averse organisational cultures.