New details of Sure Start spending

A breakdown of the £4 billion government investment in Sure
Start by 2005-6 set out in the spending review was announced by
Charles Clarke, education secretary, writes Amy
Taylor.

The detailed announcement includes the creation of more
childcare places and the establishment of children’s centres in
disadvantaged areas.

£1 billion of the Sure Start investment will be made in
2003-04, £1.3 billion in 2004-05 and £1.6 billion in
2005-06. The breakdown is as follows:

• Between £327 and £345 million in years 2003-06 to
  give all three-year-olds a free nursery education place in their
  area.
• Between £471 and £843 million in years 2003-06 is to
  be given to the Sure Start programme in disadvantaged areas. This
  includes between £83 million and £138 million in years
  2003-06 to provide more neighbourhood nurseries – creating 28,800
  more places by March 2006 to the 45,000 the government aims to have
  set up by March 2004.
• Between £5 million and £181 million in years 2003-06
  to provide children’s centres in disadvantaged areas for at least
  650,000 children by March 2006.
• Between £13 million and £25 million in years 2003-06
  to provide 100 early excellence centres.
• Other childcare places spending rises to between £136
  million and £258 million in years 2003-06. This includes
  between £19 million and £40 million in years 2003-06 for
  out of school childcare places to achieve the government’s target
  of 250,000 places by March 2006.