The Family Information Service (FIS) provides free and impartial information and advice on childcare and family support services in Thurrock. Our service is aimed at parents/carers (and prospective parents) of children up to their 20th birthday.

This includes:

Childcare registered with Ofsted, including Childminders, Day Nurseries, Pre-schools, Out of School Clubs and Holiday Schemes.
Parent and Toddler Groups
Advice and support on free early education places for 3 and 4 year olds
Childcare vouchers, tax credits
Signpost to family support services and information on activities for childcare and families
Work/life balance
Childcare as a career or business
Training and qualifications
Positive Activities (5-19 years)

Our service is tailored to individual needs.

FIS are an experienced team with a good deal of local knowledge. We work closely with many agencies including: Job Centre Plus, Ofsted, neighbouring authorities, services for disabled children and special education needs.

Thurrock Early Years, Childcare, Play and Youth Work Recruitment Register

Childcare employers are able to advertise vacancies free with FIS Recruitment Register, a free recruitment register held by the Family Information Service to ensure that those looking for work in the childcare sector are matched with vacancies in the area.

Any individual with an interest in working with children, irrespective of gender, race, age or qualifications and including voluntary and temporary work, should complete a registration form and post to the address below. The details will be held on a database and each month a vacancy bulletin will be posted out to the members on the recruitment register.

Childcare providers are encouraged to register a vacancy as soon as it becomes available, giving as much detail as possible. Jobs must be posted to us no later than the last Thursday of each month, so that members of the register will receive a monthly job vacancy bulletin at the beginning of each month. The vacancies placed will automatically be posted with Job Centre Plus and uploaded onto Childcarelink website and then posted to all the members on the register.

We currently have over 100 people registered with us and although we cannot guarantee that you will find a suitable person for your setting, we may be able to put you in contact with people who would not have otherwise heard about your vacancy. The more vacancies we can advertise, the more the register will build. We are already actively promoting it both with the Family Information Service road shows as well as with Job Centre Plus. We need your vacancies to make it a success.

To advertise a vacancy please contact fis@thurrock.gov.uk or post to the address below.

Should you need any assistance or advice regarding the register please contact CIS on 01375 652801.

All members of the community are welcome to visit or phone the FIS offices.

The FIS also reach out by holding numerous road shows in shopping centres, libraries, children’s centres etc Leaflets are provided throughout Thurrock to GP and Dental Surgeries, schools, libraries and other community areas.

If you have a suggestion for a location/community that would benefit from a visit by the FIS or would like some information leaflets, contact the FIS. The FIS reaches out to members of the public by attending numerous events such as fetes and antenatal clinics and holding road shows in shopping centres. If you know of an organisation that would like a visit, please contact us.

The FIS do not recommend or endorse any childcare providers, but provide impartial information on all providers in areas requested by parents.

Thurrock FIS has a:

Complaints Policy
Confidentiality Policy
Impartiality Policy
Equal Opportunities Policy

An important aspect of the service is obtaining feedback about how people found the service. The FIS use this information to monitor service standards with the aim of ensuring that they are as high as possible. If you have any suggestions FIS would be delighted to hear from you.

Thurrock Family Information Service
Children, Education and Families
Civic Offices
New Road
Grays
Essex
RM17 6GF

Telephone: 01375 652801
E-Mail: fis@thurrock.gov.uk
Website: www.childcarelink.gov.uk

Further details about the different types of childcare careers available can be found at Surestart

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