HOME-Start, Greater Manchester’s leading family support charity, welcomes USA-based Dr. Dan Wuori, Founder and President of Early Childhood Policy Solutions, to Manchester this month!
This event, open to professionals and members of the public, highlights the importance of play in early childhood, and the impact that it has in helping to shape children’s futures.
Home-Start, works with parents and children across all ten local authority areas of Greater Manchester, providing volunteer-led support to families who are struggling with a range of challenging life-circumstances, such as child poverty, or limited support leading to social isolation. lack of family support networks, and illness and disability.
Dr. Dan Wuori will share his expertise on how everyday play shapes young minds and explore the science behind creating joyful, nurturing environments for children. He’ll be in conversation with Rachel Hover and guests.
With more than 30 years of early years leadership, Dr. Wuori has worked alongside governors and state legislators to improve early years policy across the United States. A well-known influencer in the Early Years world, he has amassed a huge social media following internationally. His talk in Manchester, will be his only visit to the Northwest of England this year.
The ’Joy of Play’ event, comes at a time where Greater Manchester continues to strive to reduce the inequality gap for under fives. (In some areas and some domains we are above the national average so sees one of the highest rates in the UK, of the) (not being ‘school ready’).
In a recent study by Kindred2, the findings show that more children in England and Wales are starting school without the basic skills needed to learn, leaving them disadvantaged from the start.
According to the survey, nearly half (46%) of pupils are unable to sit still, 38% struggle to play or share with others, more than a third (37%) cannot dress themselves, 29% cannot eat or drink independently, and more than a quarter (28%) are using books incorrectly, swiping or tapping as though they were using a tablet.
Two thirds of teachers (65%) and 58% of parents agree that not being ready for school when starting Reception could have long term impacts on a child’s success in later life.
In 2022/23 Greater Manchester’s Combined Authority reported that-
- A third of children in Greater Manchester were not considered school-ready.
- 45% of children receiving Free School Meals were not school-ready.
- In Manchester specifically, 42.8% of five-year-olds were falling short of reaching the expected levels across all early learning goals.
- This means that only 57.2% of children in Manchester were deemed “school-ready
Home-Start is part of the solution communicating the benefits of play with families. A mum who has received support from Home-Start said, “I didn’t realise with my first child how important that very early play was, in developing a strong relationship with her. When Home-Start came into my life after the birth of my second child, it became clear. The simplest of things- reading, playing, engaging with the world… The happiness I would see in her face, it was the smallest of things. I know that having Home-Start helped my youngest to start her school journey as a happy and confident little learner!”
Dan Wuori’s work reflects the moments of joy and connection that build babies brains, recognising that what goes on in the early years can last for a lifetime.
Other panel guests include-
Miriam Loxham – GMCA Lead for Early Years
Dr. Madeline Marczak – Principle Clinical Psychologist – The Children & Parents Service (CAPS) – Parent and Infant Relationship Service (PAIRS)
Katie Reed – Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist/ Clinical Lead – Tameside and Glossop Early Attachment Service
Rebecca Shirt – Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist
Eve Commis – Home-Start HOST – Play, Learn, Grow
Kieran Anders – Dad Matters
An evening with Dan Wuori, takes place on Monday 24 March, 6.30pm-8.30pm at Friends Meeting House, Manchester. Tickets are £12 and can be purchased here – home-starthost.org.uk/