Daycare Trust welcomes Sure Start evaluation

Tuesday, 04, Mar 2008 12:00

Daycare Trust, the national childcare charity, today gave a warm welcome to the latest National Evaluation of Sure Start (NESS) report.

Speaking from the National Conference for Sure Start Children's Centre Managers, at which the research was launched, Joint-Chief Executive Alison Garnham said: "This latest research shows that living in an area served by a Children's Centre has a positive effect on all children. This is welcome evidence that the Sure Start Children's Centre programme, which Daycare Trust campaigned for over a number of years, is an effective ladder out of disadvantage."

An earlier phase of the evaluation had suggested that Sure Start might be failing to reach the most disadvantaged families. The latest report was compiled by a team under Professor Ted Melhuish at the Institute of Children, Families and Social Issues at Birkbeck College, University of London.

"The positive effects on three-year-olds who live in a Sure Start area appear to be wide ranging. They showed 'positive social behaviour' and greater independence, and were more likely to have received the recommended immunisations and less likely to have suffered an accidental injury in the past year," said Alison.

"The report's findings show that children will also have benefited from Sure Start's effects on parents, who are providing their children with a better home learning environment and who reported greater use of support services."

Alison adds: "The report also shows, however, that there is more work to be done as the Children's Centre programme rolls out, to ensure that families, and particularly those hardest to reach, reap the benefits. It is encouraging to hear the Secretary of State confirm the Government's intention to improve outreach services, particularly to black and minority ethnic families, which was one of the recommendations in Daycare Trust's Listening to black and minority ethnic parents about childcare, published by our Ensuring Equality and Listening to Families projects in summer 2007."

Ends.

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Daycare Trust

Daycare Trust is the national childcare charity, campaigning for quality affordable accessible childcare for all and raising the voices of children, parents and carers. We advise parents and carers, providers, employers, trade unions and policymakers on childcare issues. We recognise that everyone is unique and we value difference in our communities. We listen to all views and are committed to act without prejudice. We oppose all discrimination and promote equality in all we do.

Daycare Trust is calling on the Government to

1. Meet parents' aspirations for universal childcare services by:

- expanding free places for two, three and four-year olds to at least 20 hours a week, for 48 weeks in the year and

- subsidising out of school activities for all 11-14s and for younger children from poorer families, aiming ultimately to make them free.

2. Tackle the affordability crisis by giving local authorities the means to develop sustainable services in poorer areas and provide free places for those missing out, including places for disabled children, parents needing out of hours care, Further Education students and parents of under-threes who want to train.

3. Set new standards for the pay of childcare workers, either through national benchmarks or incentives such as the Graduate Leader Fund.

Daycare Trust runs an information line (020 7840 3350) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am-5pm. Parents can also visit www.daycaretrust.org.uk for information.

Daycare Trust is a member of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, www.ecpc.org.uk.

For further information, contact press office at Daycare Trust on 07834 360870.