Caithness and Sutherland nurseries celebrate awards for children’s communication
Staff from north Highland nurseries and playgroups will this week receive awards for their organisations from I CAN the Early Talk Scheme run by the national charity for children with speech and language difficulties.
This rigorous scheme accredits nurseries that have achieved 38 standards designed to show the centres skills in creating the right environments for children's language and communication skills to flourish.
At Brora Community Centre, on Tuesday 6 September four Sutherland nurseries and a playgroup will be presented with I CAN Support Level Awards by Highland Councillors Jim McGillivray, Deirdre Murray and Ian Ross in attendance. Receiving their awards will be: Brora Nursery, Bonar Bridge Nursery, Rogart Nursery, Helmsdale. Nursery, and Dornoch Nursery.
In addition previous award winners Ankerville Nursery (Tain), Ankerville Baby Unit, and Ankerville Nursery (Alness), will be presented with Health Check certificates for maintaining enhanced accreditation status for a further year. The I CAN at Obsdale centre will receive the prestigious Specialist Award for maintaining accreditation for a further three years.
Councillor Deirdrie MacKay for East Sutherland and Edderton said: “Communication is fundamental to the happiness and security of our young people and being able to speak and use language affects all aspects of their lives. My fellow Councillors and I are delighted to see the number of children’s centres receiving awards and we would like to congratulate them, I CAN, The Highland Council and NHS Highland for all their hard work and achievements.”
On Wednesday 7 September at the Norseman Hotel in Wick, awards for Supportive Level Accreditation will be made to: Dunbeath Nursery, Watten Nursery, Croileagan Nursery (Thurso), Playbox Nursery (Wick), Backstairs Nursery (Wick), Hillhead Nursery (Wick), CEYAC (Wick), Busy Bees (Bower), and Scallywags Nursery (Dunnet), Pulteney Town Academy Nursery, Pennyland Nursery, Norlin Playgroup, Farr Nursery, and Castletown Playgroup.
Previous I CAN award winners in Caithness, Canisbay Nursery, and North Wick Nursery will also be presented with Health Check certificates for maintaining accreditation status for a further year.
I CAN is the children’s communication charity. I CAN’s mission is to ensure that no child who struggles to communicate is left out or left behind. Their vision is a world where all children and young people who struggle to communicate receive the help they need so that they can have a happy childhood, make progress at school and thrive as adults. For further information visit the I CAN website at: http://www.ican.org.uk/