Childcare skills a Big Deal!

COUNCIL bosses have pledged to improve the skills of childcare workers.

Durham County Council's children and young people's services has become the first employer in the area to sign up to the Big Deal.

The national scheme is a commitment to help train and improve the skills of all those working with children. David Williams, the council's corporate director, said: "We are proud to be the first employer to sign up to the Big Deal.

"We recognise that by developing a skilled, first-class workforce, we will help to produce a better service to the children and the parents."

The final Big Deal agreement will be unveiled in May along with national and regional action plans to help put it in place.

The council's head of business support services Neil Charlton said: "We are committed to providing high quality services for our children and young people."