An A2 leaflet produced for the FIS Development Project, demonstrating the strategic position of Families Information Services in delivering the information duty mandated on Local Authorities under section 12 of the Childcare Act.

1. www.opp-links.org.uk
(DCSF). For further information please visit:
with a parental responsibility and others with care of a child, such as grandparents.
Department for Children, Schools and Families
www.familyinformationservices.org.uk
* All references to parents, mothers or fathers in this document also include non-resident parents, foster parents, those
by Opportunity Links on behalf of the
www.chis.biz/regional-project and
The FIS Development Project is delivered
support resources are available at:
of the Parent Know How Directory. Further send any comments to: FIS@opp-links.org.uk
should be reflected in local strategic plans such
contribute to these. support delivery of FIS and implementation feedback to inform future versions. Please
within and outside of the local authority. This
examples of practical ways in which FIS can partnership with the DCSF and NAFIS to Development Project. We would welcome
be linked into a network of partner agencies
priorities that FIS can support and provides The FIS Development Project works in This document has been produced by the FIS
To enable successful delivery the FIS should
This document sets out local and national
and Local Area Agreements.
Young People’s Plan (CYPP).
The Local Authority national indicator set •
as the Parenting Strategy and the Children and variety of access points.
deliver a seamless information offer through a
Early Learning and Childcare document
” how the FIS links with partner agencies to
The priorities set out in the Next Steps for •
the Childcare Act
” parenting strategy or the CYPP. It should show
the Childcare Act
information and support that they receive
Statutory Guidance to Section 12 of or part of another strategic plan such as the
Statutory Guidance to Section 12 of
fathers and mothers* satisfied with the strategy. This can be a stand-alone document
other support services. The Children’s Plan’s 2020 goal of both • planned and delivered through an information
information to parents. Implementation of Section 12 should be
contribute to broader objectives such as:
offering to parents with partnership with other services can also approach to provision of
Joined up, effective planning of the FIS in
joined up and coordinated Parenting Strategy and CYPP?
to ensure a joined-up
takes place at a strategic level. related strategies such as the
provided as part of a Section 12 it is essential that planning of the FIS communications strategies in your locality? Is this linked with
In order to achieve successful implementation of
Information should be
“ local authority and partner agencies
establish and maintain
Information Service (FIS). inclusive information across the
be with Children’s Trusts. deliver this through provision of a Families that local authorities to deliver consistent, integrated,
“ children up to the age of 20. Local authorities
information duty should 2. Have you developed a strategy
It is recommended
information, advice and assistance to parents of
for delivery of the top tier local authorities in England to deliver
information duty) places a statutory duty on all
The strategic lead progress of its implementation.
Section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006 (the
12, and ideally, a steering group to monitor
local authority who is accountable for Section
and used to inform planning.
Trust. There should be a named officer in the
monitoring and evaluation should be analysed
strategically at a senior level in the Children’s
of Families Information Services needs of the local community. Data gathered on
A fully integrated FIS needs to be led
impact of the FIS and ensure it is meeting the
in place to measure the delivery, reach and
The strategic importance to ensure it is implemented?
Local authorities should have clear processes
mothers, children and young people
against Section 12? authority across services for fathers,
to inform you are successfully delivering 12? Do they have sufficient strategic
3. How are you measuring whether 1. Who has accountability for Section
progress in implementing Section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006.
Planning The FIS Development Project has drafted the following set of questions to challenge local authorities’
meeting the information duty?
How is your local authority
FIS Development Project
How the FIS supports This table sets out priority areas to which FIS can contribute. These are intended as
local and national priorities examples rather than as an exhaustive list, as there are a significant number of local and
national priorities where FIS can potentially have an impact.
National policy or
Local priority Examples of how FIS supports the priority Delivery partners National indicator
legislation
• FIS provides a parent-focused, quality assured service based on NI 14 Avoidable contact: The
comprehensive childcare information and specific expertise • Section 12, Childcare Act 2006 average number of customer
• Ofsted
Information, Advice and • FIS delivers a specialist brokerage service to support fathers and • Aiming High for Disabled contacts per received
• Childcare Providers
Assistance for Parents mothers who are not able to find suitable childcare Children customer request
• Parent Know How Services
• FIS provides a single point of contact for information on services, • Children’s Plan NI 54 Services for disabled
facilities and publications for parents of children aged 0-20 children
• FIS holds a definitive database of childcare supply
• LA Sufficiency Lead • Sections 6 and 11, Childcare
• FIS holds data on childcare demand and gaps in sufficiency NI 118 Take up of formal
Assess and Secure • Childcare Development Officers Act 2006
through delivery of its information and brokerage services childcare by low income
Childcare Sufficiency • Childcare Workforce • 2020 Children and Young
• FIS supports development of the childcare workforce by providing families
Development Council People’s Workforce Strategy
access to funding, training and recruitment opportunities
• FIS provides information to fathers and mothers on-site or • Children’s Centre Practice
through outreach and information access points at children’s • Children’s Centres Guidance NI 88 Number of extended
Children’s Centres and centres and schools • Schools • Extended Schools Prospectus schools
Extended Services • FIS promotes children’s centres and extended services to parents • Providers of Services at Children’s • Every Child Matters NI 109 Number of Sure Start
• FIS supports swift and easy access to specialist services through Centres and Schools • Next Steps for Early Learning Children’s Centres
its database of provision and Childcare
• FIS is a gateway to all services, facilities and publications of
benefit to parents of children aged 0-20 NI 22 Perceptions of parents
• Every Parent Matters
• FIS supports fathers and mothers to make informed choices on taking responsibility for the
• Single Commissioner for • National Service Framework
appropriate services for themselves and their families behaviour of their children in
Parenting Strategy Parenting Services for Children, Young People
• FIS provides support for priority groups identified in the their area
• Providers of Parenting Services and Maternity Services
strategy, such as teenage parents and fathers NI 112 Under 18 conception
• Teenage Pregnancy Strategy
• FIS collects data on demand for services from parents which can rate
be used to inform planning
• Youth Service
• FIS provides information about activities for young people up to
• Connexions • Section 6, Education and NI 110 Young people’s
Positive Activities for the age of 20
• Providers of Services for Young Inspections Act 2006 participation in positive
Young People • FIS collects data on demand for services of young people which
People • Youth Matters activities
can be used to inform planning
• Youth Offending Teams
• FIS delivers a brokerage service which can support fathers and
• Jobcentre Plus
mothers to return to work
• Financial Services Authority • Ending child poverty: NI 116 Proportion of children
Ending Child Poverty • FIS provides information on financial assistance for childcare
• HMRC everybody’s business in poverty
• FIS provides information on services which can support families
• Family Nurse Partnership Nurses
experiencing financial difficulties
• FIS provides information on healthy living such as opportunities NI 55 Obesity in primary
for active play, recreation and healthy eating • Change4Life Partners school age children in
Child Health and • Healthy lives, brighter futures
• FIS signposts to health services and professionals • Health Professionals including reception
Wellbeing • National Play Strategy
• FIS provides information on healthy living activities delivered by GPs and Health Visitors NI 56 Obesity in primary
childcare providers school children in year 6

2. Families Information Services FIS Development Project
At the centre of supporting children and families
This diagram shows policies and priorities that
the Families Information Service contributes to
and supports. It also shows the partner
agencies that the FIS needs to be working CHILDREN’S
EVERY CHILD
with in order to achieve this. PLAN
MATTERS
THINK FAMILY EVERY PARENT
MATTERS
AIMING HIGH FOR Local
YOUTH CRIME
DISABLED Parenting
ACTION PLAN
Local
Strategy
CHILDREN Area
LA
Agreement
Commun-
ications
YOUTH
Strategy
CHILDREN’S CENTRES Parenting Early
MATTERS
Sustainable
National Parent Know
PLANNING GUIDANCE Intervention Communities
How Services Programmes Strategy
Family Intervention
CHILDCARE Teenage
Parenting Service
Disability Services Projects
Children Pregnancy
Further and
ACT (2006) Providers
and Young Strategy
Higher Education
People’s
EDUCATION AND
Plan
INSPECTIONS ACT
Parent Support
Outreach Single Commissioner Connexions
Advisers
Workers
NEXT STEPS FOR Jobcentre Plus for Parenting Services
EARLY LEARNING
AND CHILDCARE
EXTENDED
Youth Service
Library Service SCHOOLS
Family Support
Providers of Services in
Providers
Leisure Services PROSPECTUS
Workers
Children’s Centres
Childcare
Sufficiency
Children’s Centre Youth Service Play Service / Out of School
Childcare Workforce
Assessment
Managers School
Development Team
Development Council Improvement
Parenting Plan
CYP
Positive
WORKFORCE Providers of
CHILD HEALTH
Activities for
Children’s Centres Extended Services
STRATEGY Childcare Providers STRATEGY
LA Sufficiency Young People Extended Schools
Lead
Families
Coordinators
STR
Enhanced
CHILD POVERTY
Information
Childcare Childcare Headteachers
NAT
TARGET Development Officers Database and
ATE
Families
Service Extended Services
Services Directory
Change4Life
AND
IONA
Childcare Sufficiency in Schools Partners
GIC D
S
dvice pecialist information ts PCT and Health
HMRC a
and assistance for paren Professionals
INITIATIVE
L POLICIES
OCUMEN
Helpline Websites
Family Nurse Local Safeguarding
Delivery
Ofsted
Partnership Nurses Children Board
Outreach Child Health
Partners
and Wellbeing
Ending Child Poverty
PARTNER
Financial Services
Empowering
Authority
AGENCIES
LOCAL PRIORITIES
TS
parents
S
Enabling choices
Families