Hodge’s vision: children’s centres for all…

A children’s centre for every community is the long term
vision of new children’s minister Margaret Hodge, she said
last week. The first 32 childcare centres to be designated Sure
Start children’s centres have been named and more will be
designated later this year.

Local authorities with wards categorised as among the 20 per
cent most disadvantaged  are  being funded to develop
children’s centres. In most cases they will be developed from
existing provision but there may be some purpose built centres too.
To be designated a Sure Start children’s centre, providers
must offer five key services in one place – early education,
childcare, health, family support and help into employment for
parents.

Hodge said “We want to make sure that the individual child
is at the centre of everything we do – that is the Sure Start
approach and I want to see it extended across all children’s
services. My long-term vision is for a children’s centre in
every community. This will help all children get a sure start in
life, help parents balance their work and family life and support
local communities.”

A list of the new children’s centres can be found at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/pnattach/20030123/1.htm