The management team in any early years setting will have to look to the future success of their setting and to work within a strong set of values which place listening to children, ensuring a strong voice for children and those who care for them, participation, community, partnership, excellence and evidence-based innovation at the forefront of what they do.  These values will create a framework for settings to provide services consistent with a positive vision of and for children.

Management teams can be more efficient by reviewing the way in which they operate and by developing their own capacity which will equip people with skills and knowledge, identify skills they have, increase confidence and assist people in taking responsibility to plan for the future of their setting.  The concept of capacity building in the voluntary and community sector is similar to the concepts of management and organisational development in the commercial sector.

In this book we will look at financial management and planning for sustainability with a range of guides and templates for management teams.