Sure Start

Host Country : United Kingdom

Place and date : London , 4. - 5.5.2006

Peer countries : France - Hungary - Latvia - Lithuania - Malta - Poland

The UK government’s Sure Start programme helps children from disadvantaged backgrounds – and their families too.

The best start in life for every child – that is the aim of the UK government programme Sure Start. It combines early education with childcare, health and family support services, parental outreach and employment advice for disadvantaged families. Better outcomes for children, parents and communities are secured by increasing the availability of childcare for all children, improving young children’s health and emotional development and supporting the parents, both as parents and in their aspirations towards employment. This is done by assisting the development of services in disadvantaged areas, while providing financial help so that parents can afford childcare.

Through children’s centres and extended schools services, Sure Start supports families from the time of the mother’s pregnancy right through until the children reach the age of 14 (or 16, in the case of those with disabilities). The guiding principles are that Sure Start Children’s Centres should:

work with parents and children
provide services for everyone
be flexible at the point of delivery
start at a very early age
be respectful and transparent
be community-driven and professionally coordinated
be outcome-driven.

The policies and programmes of Sure Start apply in England only. Responsibility for early education and childcare in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland rests with the separate devolved administrations.

Sure Start is innovative in its approach, which is more “joined up” and responsive to the needs of children and families. The programme is coordinated by the Extended Schools and Families Group of the Department for Education and Skills. This group, which is part of central government, works with local authorities, health services, job centres, local communities, public agencies and voluntary and private sector organisations. In this way, it ensures delivery, through children’s centres and extended schools, of free early education for all three- and four-year-olds; affordable, quality childcare and after-school activities in every area; early learning opportunities integrated with daycare for under-5s; and health and family support services, particularly in disadvantaged areas where they are most needed. It also works with parents to build aspirations for employment and for their children’s education.

Agenda - | en |

Peer Review manager

Ms Monika Natter ( ÖSB Consulting GmbH )

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Sure Start

Host Country : United Kingdom

Place and date : London , 4. - 5.5.2006

Peer countries : France - Hungary - Latvia - Lithuania - Malta - Poland

Peer Review manager

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