ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the way in which Tara Copard established cross-agency, family-focused practices in her setting in order to support parent understanding and enhance young children's language and literacy learning. It also focuses on the collaborative nature of multi-agency working, an approach which needs to maintain parents and children at the centre. Caterham Children's Centre is situated within the grounds of Marden Lodge, a one-form entry primary school in Caterham, Surrey. Eighteen months on, Creative Little Characters is going from strength to strength. It's proved to be a very popular programme that families themselves enquire about when they hear about it via word of mouth. Also, other professionals regularly refer families to these sessions, especially the health team when children are found to have a speech and language concern.
