A RECRUITMENT drive is under way to attract more people to work in early years education.

Anyone who wants to work with children or who would like to develop their child care skills is being invited to a training and recruitment fair in York later this month.

City of York Council's early years and extended schools' service is working in partnership with York and North Yorkshire Playwork Assessment Centre to run the annual recruitment and training event.

It will be held at the Friends' Meeting House, Castlegate on Friday January 25, from 10am to 2pm.

Last year the event attracted more than 100 people, and a wide range of training organisations and employers within York will be attending to provide information, advice and guidance on training and career options.

Karen Darley, the council's early years and extended schools recruitment and retention co-ordinator, said: "The event is a great opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to come along and find out about the many opportunities available."

In August last year The Press reported that the majority of registered child carers in York are rated as "good", according to data from the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted).

Ofsted's Local Authority Early Years Profile showed that of the 207 child care providers inspected in York between April 2005 and June 2007, 0.5 per cent were judged to be outstanding, 61.8 per cent were good, 34.8 per cent were satisfactory and 2.9 per cent were inadequate.

The profile provides information about the quality and standards of childcare, as well as nursery education provision in York.

More than 62 per cent of child carers inspected in York between April 2005 and June 2007 were judged to be good at helping children in their care to enjoy and achieve.

Inspectors found 8.7 per cent of child care providers to be outstanding and 29 per cent were satisfactory. None was inadequate.

Anyone wanting to attend the conference should phone 01904 554444, or text the word jobs' to 07624 802244 and a member of the team will call you back.

Alternatively, visit www.yor-ok.org.uk/recruitment for more information.