BAND is a Bristol Based charity, dedicated to the idea that accessible, high quality Early Years education, Playwork and Childcare help grow a better future  for everyone.

Our mission is to empower  the people who  deliver these services with  professional expertise,  helping them develop  and sustain excellence in the work they do & the care they provide.

Since 1978 we’ve  supported many thousands of groups & individuals in Bristol, through thick and thin, so we have a deep understanding of the opportunities & challenges faced by people in the sector. Drawing from this knowledge, we tailor our services to meet the needs of our BAND members.

Whether it  be through mentoring and advice from our Development and Support professionals, offering current and expert-led training courses for continuing professional development or assisting with services such as DBS checks and job advertisements, BAND is here to help.

Because of the funding  we receive  from  Bristol City Council , we offer 2 types of membership:

Members: Open to all settings and individuals who provide direct services for children in the Bristol City Council area.  For example, this includes  all Early Years Settings and Children’s Centres, Childminders, Youth Groups, Play Settings, Parent and Toddler groups etc.

This excludes Schools who do not offer any direct out-of-school or early years services for children.

Affiliate Members: Open to direct children service providers based outside of the Bristol City Council area and settings within Bristol who do not run direct services for children or birth-five education.

This includes individuals who do not provide childcare/education, groups such as Community Centres etc.

What Do Members receive?

Membership Benefits

• Dedicated, named Development and Support Worker 💼
• Monitoring visits 🔍
• Sample policies and procedures 📋
• Early notification for free and low-cost training courses 📅
• Over the phone support 📞
• Seminars and briefing events 📚
• Good practice guidelines 🏅
• DBS checks for all staff and volunteers (if contracted in) 🔒
• Loan equipment and books 📚
• Insurance (closed to new groups)//*remove? (No emoji needed)
• Mediation and crisis support 🆘
• Voting rights at the AGM 🗳️
• Newsletters (6 per year) 📰
• Networking opportunities 🤝
• Funding advice 💰

Member Group Benefits for Associate Member Groups (charges may apply for some services)

• Over the phone support 📞
• Early notification for low-cost training courses 📅
• Seminars and briefing events 📚
• Good practice guidelines 🏅
• DBS checks for all staff and volunteers (if contracted in) 🔒
• Loan equipment and books 📚
• Newsletters (6 per year) 📰
• Networking opportunities 🤝
• Sample policies and procedures 📋
• Funding advice 💰