Listen and Learn It is a sunny afternoon and in the back yard of a neighbourhood nursery at Osmaston in Derby a group of mothers are reading with their children. Four-year- old Amber Knight is engrossed in her favourite book, Lazy Mouse. Her mother, Angela, is delighted. "She started school in January and in two and a half months she's been through 12 reading books. Her teachers say she's a whole year ahead. She's got four shelves in her bedroom all full of books." The other mothers have similar stories to tell. Maggic McWhirter sits daughter Caseyjane on her knee and reads aloud with her. She says, 'She used to scream and cling to me. Now she picks up books straight away.' Maggie has been to parenting classes run at the centre where gently and tactfully she was shown by example how to build a relationship with her child. Until the Osmaston Family Project got started there was very little education beyond the state provision. On this rnuiti-disadvantaged estate unemployment, divorce, lone parent families and crime are high, and there are large numbers of children on the 'at risk' register. Local schools are facing ongoing difficulties. One of the mothers comments, 'When I was at school you played truant. The teachers didn't care. It made their job easier and we were never chased up.' There are parenting classes on a Thursday morning and family literacy on Fridays. Throughout the week there is a creche staffed by family support workers which frees parents to attend education classes at the centre. And three days a week the centre runs a preschool facility where basic literacy and numeracy are taught in preparation for school. The low class size and the almost one-to-one attention far outstrips anything school nurseries and reception classes can offer and the mothers know it. Maggie McWhirter says, 'This is much better than leaving your child with a childminder. All the mothers are trying to get their children signed up.' Project co-ordinator Toni Leatherland bubbles with enthusiasm when she describes the enormous impact the project is having on the local community. 'If you educate parents and carers you educate the family. We're supporting families to build better relationships.' NAME: NACRO BRIEF: To provide support for families in the Osmaston area of Derby TARGET GROUP: Parents and carers of pre-school-aged children FOCUS: To develop a family literacy programme GRANT: Major MANAGED BY: Basic Skills Agency

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