Derwent Stepping Stones is a key partner in the Derwent Children's Centre.

We provide childcare in our Nursery, we support families through our Community Development Department and encourage individual empowerment and fulfilment through our Training Department.

Our building on St Mark's Road also has fantastic facilites which can be hired by residents, businesses and agencies.

Derwent Stepping Stones is an organisation passionate about the Derwent community and the needs of local families; we are flexible, responsive to local needs and continually innovating in terms of service development. We currently have 34 staff and 22 volunteers all totally committed to our work and believe strongly that what we do really does make a difference.

Our organisation has three main departments serving primarily the Derwent community in Derby.

• Neighbourhood Nursery
  Providing flexible, affordable childcare for children between 12 weeks and 5 years old. We have highly qualified staff to provide excellent childcare between 8am – 6pm (extra hours available if required). Our Out of Schools Club offers before and after school care with collection from local schools
• Training
  Provide a wide variety of courses. For those on certain benefits courses are free. We offer a friendly environment with trainer support. Courses include Childcare, Computing and Basic Skills
• Community Development
  Offers support for local families, parenting skills, family learning and volunteering opportunities

We are open 51 weeks per year, excluding Bank Holidays. We only close between Christmas and New Year
Our normal hours are 8am to 6pm but please ask if you need services outside these times.

We are part of the Derwent Childrens' Centre, working closely with Beaufort School, this means we are taking an active role in the Government’s 10 year childcare strategy to enable all families with children from 0-4 years to have access to affordable, flexible, high quality childcare.

The Childrens' Centre services aim to:

• Improve educational outcomes for children and parents
• Improve health outcomes for children and families
• Enable parents to study and work
• Help lone parents to access work and training opportunities
• Reduce child poverty
• Reduce crime rates

More information can be found at  www.hm-treasury.gov.uk in Choice for Parents, the best start for children: a ten year strategy for childcare (2004)